July 21, 2025 • 6 mins
Countdown was the go-to show for music lovers, serving up the best local and international acts every Sunday night. Now, Stars of Countdown is hitting the stage and bringing that iconic era back to life. Expect a huge night of nostalgia, packed with classic tunes from the Countdown years, all backed by an epic live orchestra. Leading the charge is Scott Carne, frontman of the legendary Aussie ‘80s band Kids in the Kitchen. We caught up with him to chat about finding fame, what Countdown meant to a generation, and what fans can look forward to when the show rolls into town. Catch Stars of Countdown on Sat 26 July at the Astor Theatre.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Scott KHNT is joining us.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
Good morning, they're good morning.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Well, yeah, we all grew up with Countdown. Obviously, we
all watched What was it Like to be you? The
first time you actually go on Countdown well.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
You know, weeks prior, sitting sitting around the TV with
the family of whatnot watching it. You know, I'm still
but it was, yeah, definitely exceeding my expectations of getting
on there and doing the show, and and it really
springboarded our careers and everyone else's careers too. And if
you've got on Countdown, you're you're pretty much had a
really good go of it. Yeah, you know, we like suddenly,
(00:37):
you know, you're a household name literally, you know, which
was great, and you know, and we were kids the
kitchen were quite fortunate to have been on a numerous
signs and then compared.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
It twice and.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
So yeah, it was just it was just a really
great platform for for artists to well you know pop
pop culture too. You know, it was you know a
lot of people found their voice, you know, you know,
you know, acts like you know, Culture Club and those
(01:11):
you know, crossover acts were kind of helped kids come
out and and and allowed them to you know, express
themselves without being ostracized, you know, so it was definitely
a turning point in you know, and the eighties too,
the up he was born, it was just for us
capped down. I watched it through to seventies, but the eighties,
(01:32):
eighties was just eighties was where where it really kicked off.
Speaker 4 (01:36):
I would say, Scott, you can't underestimate that Milly Meldron,
the impact he had on all of you guys, and
and international acts as well. But he was a music
fan at the base of it all, wasn't he?
Speaker 2 (01:46):
And that's right. And then there was people across the world,
you know, Madonna and the likes would would not take
interviews by any any any press press figureheads except Mollie
Maldin because they felt comfortable and he was, you know,
he was he's a fan thing, so you know, he's
a fan of music, you know. Yeah, he didn't kind
(02:08):
of give out confrontational questions about their private life and whatnot.
He's there for the music one hundred percent.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
You know, it was a big album, Shine, It had
five top ten singles. Did you have any inkling before
you released it that it was going to be that big?
Speaker 2 (02:24):
No idea, No, idea. I mean, look, you know, we
were kids, get to rehearse once a week for a year,
and we got to the point where we go, oh,
we've got you know, ten twenty songs. Let's do a gig,
and we put on a gig for friends. They came down,
they all danced and thought this was good. And then
we did it again the second time, and then I
got a gig, another gig, and then it was right
(02:47):
time the right place too, because you know, Real Life
just kicked off with their song Semi an Angel, and
suddenly and it was you know that went on Countdown
and you know, and the video is great and all
the rest, and suddenly they were looking for the you know,
the Real Life, so you know it was it was
the new romantic phases of the eighties. I guess we
fit the bill. But you know, once again, Countdown Champion
(03:09):
all that stuff and broke those guys, which you know,
which in turn broke us all. So which is.
Speaker 4 (03:14):
Great, changing mood. How about changing life? I mean that
was the first of the four top twenty singles out
of those five off the album. Did it really change
your life all of a sudden? Household name or you
walking down the street. You can get called out too
and stuff like that.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Yeah, well it's like that. Yeah I did. I had,
you know, it was that thing. I could walk down
the street it so much. And you know there was
skills camped outside the front of my apartment. Yeah, sorry
about and that kind of stuff.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
You know.
Speaker 4 (03:41):
Charged sure.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
Now you're talking to one of them.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
She's over there.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
A little great someone could put on a bus occasion.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
For yeah, instead of just sitting there.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
That's right.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Yeah, we love to know. Do you do you remember
the first time you heard yourself on the radio.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Yeah, it was it was Yeah, I was with three
x Y and Melbourne, which this is before before you know,
the FM started up. You know. Yeah there's a m
you know, mono and uh yeah, and it was on
the radio and yeah, it was a great moment, you know.
And I was in my little bank. I was in
my my my Vanguard Space Master Deluxe, which was a
(04:33):
five dollar car car that dad bought me. And yeah,
really showing it out now. Yeah, and and and then
again once again, you know, weeks later literally countdown bang,
next level bomb. You know, so this show we're doing
this show, we did an absolute laugh. It's got if
I'm going to plug it then this week. This week
(04:55):
it starts a countdown and to hold a special place
in her heart's got it's got Brian Manx, Canny and Wilbill.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
Wild and from the Bob Starkey from Skyhooks, and it's
got a lot of wow fact that we do.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
We do our songs of course, and then a couple
of our songs each. We did lots of med Leaf Brian,
that's a ripper impersonation of Molly, all with love and
you know when we did big finales and stuff. You know,
we all sing together, lots of video. It's a MutS show.
We're really proud of the work behind it, all of us.
(05:34):
And and as I said once again, it counteroun holds
a special place in my heart. So a lot of
lot of love, tongue in cheek, you know, and the music,
costume changes and whatnot, so you know, it definitely takes
the there's a lot a lot of puffing and panting backstage,
getting back on and off stage.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
So you know, likero, It's Saturday at the Asta. Tickets
are available through Ticke Tech. Look forward to seeing you there, Scott.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
Yeah, well yeah, and thanks to support guys and I
love your radio stations, so yeah, I had to see
you at the
Speaker 4 (06:10):
Gig pleasure all the best, thank you Bye,
Scott KHNT is joining us.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
Good morning, they're good morning.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Well, yeah, we all grew up with Countdown. Obviously, we
all watched What was it Like to be you? The
first time you actually go on Countdown well.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
You know, weeks prior, sitting sitting around the TV with
the family of whatnot watching it. You know, I'm still
but it was, yeah, definitely exceeding my expectations of getting
on there and doing the show, and and it really
springboarded our careers and everyone else's careers too. And if
you've got on Countdown, you're you're pretty much had a
really good go of it. Yeah, you know, we like suddenly,
(00:37):
you know, you're a household name literally, you know, which
was great, and you know, and we were kids the
kitchen were quite fortunate to have been on a numerous
signs and then compared.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
It twice and.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
So yeah, it was just it was just a really
great platform for for artists to well you know pop
pop culture too. You know, it was you know a
lot of people found their voice, you know, you know,
you know, acts like you know, Culture Club and those
(01:11):
you know, crossover acts were kind of helped kids come
out and and and allowed them to you know, express
themselves without being ostracized, you know, so it was definitely
a turning point in you know, and the eighties too,
the up he was born, it was just for us
capped down. I watched it through to seventies, but the eighties,
(01:32):
eighties was just eighties was where where it really kicked off.
Speaker 4 (01:36):
I would say, Scott, you can't underestimate that Milly Meldron,
the impact he had on all of you guys, and
and international acts as well. But he was a music
fan at the base of it all, wasn't he?
Speaker 2 (01:46):
And that's right. And then there was people across the world,
you know, Madonna and the likes would would not take
interviews by any any any press press figureheads except Mollie
Maldin because they felt comfortable and he was, you know,
he was he's a fan thing, so you know, he's
a fan of music, you know. Yeah, he didn't kind
(02:08):
of give out confrontational questions about their private life and whatnot.
He's there for the music one hundred percent.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
You know, it was a big album, Shine, It had
five top ten singles. Did you have any inkling before
you released it that it was going to be that big?
Speaker 2 (02:24):
No idea, No, idea. I mean, look, you know, we
were kids, get to rehearse once a week for a year,
and we got to the point where we go, oh,
we've got you know, ten twenty songs. Let's do a gig,
and we put on a gig for friends. They came down,
they all danced and thought this was good. And then
we did it again the second time, and then I
got a gig, another gig, and then it was right
(02:47):
time the right place too, because you know, Real Life
just kicked off with their song Semi an Angel, and
suddenly and it was you know that went on Countdown
and you know, and the video is great and all
the rest, and suddenly they were looking for the you know,
the Real Life, so you know it was it was
the new romantic phases of the eighties. I guess we
fit the bill. But you know, once again, Countdown Champion
(03:09):
all that stuff and broke those guys, which you know,
which in turn broke us all. So which is.
Speaker 4 (03:14):
Great, changing mood. How about changing life? I mean that
was the first of the four top twenty singles out
of those five off the album. Did it really change
your life all of a sudden? Household name or you
walking down the street. You can get called out too
and stuff like that.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Yeah, well it's like that. Yeah I did. I had,
you know, it was that thing. I could walk down
the street it so much. And you know there was
skills camped outside the front of my apartment. Yeah, sorry
about and that kind of stuff.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
You know.
Speaker 4 (03:41):
Charged sure.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
Now you're talking to one of them.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
She's over there.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
A little great someone could put on a bus occasion.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
For yeah, instead of just sitting there.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
That's right.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Yeah, we love to know. Do you do you remember
the first time you heard yourself on the radio.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Yeah, it was it was Yeah, I was with three
x Y and Melbourne, which this is before before you know,
the FM started up. You know. Yeah there's a m
you know, mono and uh yeah, and it was on
the radio and yeah, it was a great moment, you know.
And I was in my little bank. I was in
my my my Vanguard Space Master Deluxe, which was a
(04:33):
five dollar car car that dad bought me. And yeah,
really showing it out now. Yeah, and and and then
again once again, you know, weeks later literally countdown bang,
next level bomb. You know, so this show we're doing
this show, we did an absolute laugh. It's got if
I'm going to plug it then this week. This week
(04:55):
it starts a countdown and to hold a special place
in her heart's got it's got Brian Manx, Canny and Wilbill.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
Wild and from the Bob Starkey from Skyhooks, and it's
got a lot of wow fact that we do.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
We do our songs of course, and then a couple
of our songs each. We did lots of med Leaf Brian,
that's a ripper impersonation of Molly, all with love and
you know when we did big finales and stuff. You know,
we all sing together, lots of video. It's a MutS show.
We're really proud of the work behind it, all of us.
(05:34):
And and as I said once again, it counteroun holds
a special place in my heart. So a lot of
lot of love, tongue in cheek, you know, and the music,
costume changes and whatnot, so you know, it definitely takes
the there's a lot a lot of puffing and panting backstage,
getting back on and off stage.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
So you know, likero, It's Saturday at the Asta. Tickets
are available through Ticke Tech. Look forward to seeing you there, Scott.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
Yeah, well yeah, and thanks to support guys and I
love your radio stations, so yeah, I had to see
you at the
Speaker 4 (06:10):
Gig pleasure all the best, thank you Bye,
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