Jason: When did you start watching Countdown, and how did you become interested in the show?

Michelle: I started watching from the very beginning! Way back in the 70’s! (I am an old girl!). My older sister and I used to watch it and I started going to concerts when I was about 12! I used to go to Sherbet concerts with her and they were always on Countdown!

Jason: Did you ever attend Countdown, and if not did you ever want to at the time?

Michelle: I wish! I lived in Townsville in far North Queensland and then in Brisbane so I had no chance of ever getting to the show!

Jason: Who were your favourite artists during the 70’s and 80’s that Countdown introduced you to?

Michelle: 70’s – Sherbet, Bay City Rollers, Ted Mulry Gang, John Paul Young, Leif Garret and many other embarrassing names!
80’s – Duran Duran, Dead Or Alive, The Smiths, Kids In The Kitchen, Pseudo Echo… The list is endless!!!!

Jason: What are amongst some of your favourite Countdown episodes or stand out performances?

Michelle: Duran Duran! Or any of the above artists stand out performance – Billy Idol being totally off his nut at the Countdown Awards!!!!

Jason: What were or are your favourite segments of the show?

Michelle: I loved Humdrum and the Interviews

Jason: What are your greatest Molly moments if any?

Michelle: When he asked Prince Charles how his mum was!!!!! LOL, am sure there were many more though!

Jason: Do you think Countdown had a great impact on Australian Pop Culture?

Michelle: 100% sure that it did. If it weren’t for Countdown and Molly there wouldn’t have been some of the big names like Pseudo Echo and to a degree Inxs e.t.c… It was great, a great chance for young bands to show what they could do. I remember a group called White Christmas that was the first band ever to appear on Countdown without actually having a recording contract! How many other shows would have done that?????

Jason: Were you sad when Countdown ended or do you think it had a good run?

Michelle: I didn’t watch it much towards the end because of my line of work but looking back I wish I had kept watching!
I think it should of kept going and evolving with the changes!

Jason: Do you think a show like Countdown could work now, or do you think the great love and passion for music and pop stars is something of the past these days?

Michelle: I don’t know that a show like that would work! I see shows that try on cable TV and they just don’t do it for me! Plus most of the music these days is rap and other crap like that and I wouldn’t watch It! LOL. But I think there should be some sort of music show on commercial TV apart from Rage and Video Hits. There should be something similar to Top Of The Pops or Countdown in that way!

Jason: Do you think it’s important that shows like Rage keep repeating Countdown so that a new generation can be introduced to the history of Australia and International music through Countdown and just in general?

Michelle: I love that Rage puts the repeats on. It is a trip down memory lane for me but also a lot of fans of music like Duran Duran e.t.c were too young to either remember or be allowed to watch it, so it is a great chance for them. Also the younger generation can see the sort of music that their parents were into (and laugh at us!)

Jason: Do you think would be a good idea if the ABC repeated Countdown on a regular basis?

Michelle: Yes!!!!!!

Jason: What other programs did you watch whilst growing up that you thought were up there?

Michelle: Mmmmmmm not many, Rock Arena was good. We had a few local shows like Sounds and Clipz but nothing was the same as Countdown!!

Jason: How do you think music and music program’s differ today compared to the 70’s and 80’s?

Michelle: They are full of crap these days! Too much American music and rap stuff, but I guess the whole music culture has changed that way!