It’s taken 35 years but Molly Meldrum has finally finished his autobiography

THE music industry is in countdown over Molly Meldrum’s autobiography The Never Um ... Ever Ending Story, due for release — at long last — in October.

MOLLY Meldrum has finally finished his autobiography — 35 years after he started writing it.

The book, titled The Never Um ... Ever Ending Story will be released on October 22.

It will centre on Meldrum’s years working on iconic music TV show CountDown and is the source material for next year’s Channel 7 CountDown/Molly miniseries.

Co-author Jeff Jenkins started working on the book in 1998, however Meldrum began writing notes for his memoirs in 1979.

Good golly Miss Molly ... the cover of the autobiography.

The book has been nicknamed Chinese Democracy, after the Guns’N’Roses album that took 15 years to complete.

“It has been a long journey,” Jenkins said. “The book documents how a country boy named Ian became Molly and shaped the Australian music industry. I’m really proud of the book. There will never be another CountDown. The book celebrates a time in Australian music that will never be repeated.”

Jenkins interviewed over 100 people who share their stories about Molly, including some who have now passed away including Masters Apprentices singer Jim Keays, 1960s pop star Lynne Randell (who worked as Meldrum’s PA) and iconic DJ Stan Rofe.

Meldrum’s first girlfriend is also interviewed in the book, as well as the behind the scenes tales of classic CountDown moments including the Prince Charles interview, Cold Chisel trashing the set and a “refreshed” Iggy Pop being interviewed by Meldrum.

Do yourself a favour ... Molly Meldrum and Michael Jackson shared a friendship and a love of hats.

An entire chapter is devoted to the late Michael Jackson; he and Meldrum forged a long friendship. There are also never-before-heard anecdotes about Meldrum’s famous friends including Madonna, Elton John and Rod Stewart.

CountDown gave international acts Madonna, ABBA, Blondie and John Cougar their first exposure anywhere in the world.

The book will also feature a chapter on Meldrum’s near-death experience falling off the roof at his house in 2011.

There are still plans for an autobiography covering Meldrum’s entire life.

Secret Life of Us star Samuel Johnson is tipped to play Meldrum in the Channel 7 miniseries.

The success of the INXS miniseries helped green light the production.

10 CLASSIC, UM, COUNTDOWN MOMENTS

One knows one is in trouble when one is told by royalty he should be using a teleprompter.

Molly Meldrum bamboozles Kim Wilde with the world’s longest question.

Iggy Pop clearly enjoyed the refreshments in the green room. His performance of I’m Bored is unlike any other conducted in the CountDown studio.

Molly was not a one-take wonder — maybe he was just jet-lagged.

John Paul Young punches Molly, Renee Geyer slaps him, Molly continues with CountDown’s 100th episode. However he would soon get so merry pop stars had to host the show for him as he was unfit to be seen on TV.

Can you guess which member of Kiss became an alcoholic and drug addict? Hint, it wasn’t Gene Simmons or Paul Stanley

Grace Jones gets heckled by the CountDown audience as she was taking up valuable space that should have belonged to Moving Pictures.

Two words: Bogan Kylie

Cold Chisel lash out at the Australian music industry by smashing their instruments during the CountDown Awards.

Lesson: never ask a liquored-up Billy Idol what he’s been doing since he arrived in Australia. Having heavy sex apparently.

Michael Jackson was in the midst of recording his classic solo album Off the Wall when he had a chat with Molly who called his sister Janet “funky”.