Molly Meldrum lauded as iconic Aussie music visionary in special anniversary episode of Countdown

Molly Meldrum has been lauded as the ‘original music influencer’ in the 50th anniversary special of iconic show Countdown.

Molly Meldrum has been celebrated as a passionate visionary, the original music influencer, an ultra fan, and a cultural force. Picture: Josie Hayden

Molly Meldrum has been celebrated as a passionate visionary, the original music influencer, an ultra fan, and a cultural force who helped open up the wider world to a generation of Australian kids through the iconic music show Countdown.

Countdown ran on the ABC from November 1974 to July 1987 with Meldrum being elevated to host in 1975.

Countdown ran on the ABC from November 1974 to July 1987 with Meldrum being elevated to host in 1975. Picture: Supplied

The 50th anniversary of the legendary show has been recognised with a nostalgic and brilliant ABC special, Countdown: 50 Years On, which can be found on iview and features fresh performances of classic hits by a roll call of stars including Kate Ceberano, Ross Wilson, Daryl Braithwaite, Russell Morris and Leo Sayer.

Having stepped back from public life, Meldrum, 81, did not attend the recording of the show in Melbourne last week, but a new clip of him thanking fans appears as the credits roll.

Ceberano said Meldrum was unique in that he forged the trust of musical artists and the Australian public on Countdown.

“Molly would just lead the choir with one statement, ‘Do yourself a favour,’ and you believed him, it was not comedic, he was really taken seriously and because of that artists really trusted him,” Ceberano said.

“He used to defer all of the power to the artist.”

Meldrum interviews Prince Charles on the set of Countdown in 1977. Picture: Supplied

She said Meldrum and Countdown opened up the world to kids in suburban Australia.

“I just think it was the subculture that we all needed to have in a world that was pretty plain,” she said.

“(There was) no social media, at best you could go to a Kung Fu movie in the middle of the city or a drive-in once a year, you very rarely ate out, a lot of my friends had never tried Chinese food, so when you saw these multiracial bands and these glam bands and this British post punk community ranging from Ian Dury and the Blockheads to Bow Wow Wow what you are doing is flexing the art bone in kids.

“We saw it and we wanted to become it, we wanted to buy the clothes, we wanted to buy the albums and we wanted to just occupy that space, in whatever space we were in at that time.”

Hit maker Ross Wilson said Countdown was pivotal in the success of his band Mondo Rock in the ‘80s.

Meldrum with singer and actor Cher on Countdown in 1981. Picture: Supplied

“We had had an album out the previous year and I was not happy with the band so I broke them up, changed management, changed record company and we got a one single deal and we did not have a budget for a film clip,” Wilson recalled.

“We came up with State of the Heart and performed it on Countdown. They made this (film) clip, following me with the camera in the studio with wind blowing leaves around, very moody, and that made a huge impression and it became a gold single.

“That success saw us able to cut another single, which was Cool World. Without Countdown I don’t think we would have gone to the next level. We had more hit singles, Come Said The Boy was really big, and then I cut Bop Girl with Pat (Wilson).

“That was definitely a Countdown smash. They put her clip on and two weeks later it was top three. It was like she landed from Mars. It was pretty much up to Countdown to break that record.”

Elton John and Meldrum on Countdown. Picture: Supplied

For Wilson, Meldrum was the “ultimate fan.”

“It was the star that was important to him,” Wilson said.

“It did not matter that he tripped over his words, or sometimes looked a bit foolish, which he would have a laugh about, because the stars were what was important.”

Daryl Braithwaite, whose band Sherbet were Countdown regulars, described Meldrum as the “great influencer.”

“If he mentioned your name or something that you were doing, that gave you credence,” Braithwaite said.

“It is sometimes overlooked that he really was the catalyst of the whole show (Countdown).

“When you were on the show, you were there (at the ABC studios) from early morning, so you had probably come from a gig the night before and you would have stayed up, so you roll into Countdown, do a run through, and then there was a lot of waiting. It was always a lot of fun.”

Gavin Wood, who was the voice of Countdown for seven years, said Countdown’s success was thanks to the creativity and dedication of everyone who worked on the show, but especially Meldrum.

Dolly Parton and Meldrum on Countdown in 1984. Picture: Supplied

“Molly is the only man in this country that could have done that. There is no other person who was talented enough, energetic enough, who had the foresight and was mad enough to do the job,” he said.

“It is just amazing that after 50 years people still remember Countdown fondly and it is part of their life and their times and their history.

“It really was a family show back then because mum and dad would sit down with the kids on a Sunday night and watch Countdown as a group. There were no interruptions like computers or Nintendo games.

“We had the attention of that whole generation, three million people watching Countdown every Sunday night.”