Countdown: The Wonder Years 1974-1987
Dave Warner
Luscious lurex, sexy satin, glamorous glitter, flicks, flares and Yardley's
Pot O' Gloss, 'Countdown' was more than just a TV show; it was a cultural
backdrop for a generation of Australians growing up in that scary era - the
seventies.
The first shows went to air in 1974 and went on to provide the soundtrack to
the formative years of a generation. Six o'clock on Sunday evenings and a
hush would settle across this wide brown land as kids tuned into Skyhooks,
Blondie, Madonna, Abba, Dragon, Split Enz, Sherbet, Marcia Hines, John Paul
Young to name just a few of the hundreds of music artists that performed on
'Countdown'.
This wildly chaotic show was held together by a bumbling, yet endearing Molly Meldrum, who entertained fans as much as the live music acts did. Countdown will take Australian music fans through the glitter and tight pants of the seventies to the consumerism and cross-dressing of the eighties. Grab your platforms and your hair gel and get ready to roll.
First published Australia June 2006
Discusses ABBA's impact on Countdown and in Australia.
