Australian music icon Ian Molly Meldrum is 70-years old today.
Molly Meldrum - Photo By Ros O'Gorman
Molly started his professional career in media in 1966 writing for Go-Set, a weekly music newspaper based in Melbourne.
As a producer Molly worked with Russell Morris ‘The Real Thing’, Ronnie Burns ‘Smiley’, Colleen Hewitt ‘Day By Day’ and The Ferrets ‘Don’t Fall In Love’.
In December, 1969 Molly relocated to London and scored a job working for The Beatles’ Apple Corps. It was during an interview with Molly when John Lennon said publicly for the first time that The Beatles were breaking up.
In 1974, Molly hooked up with Michael Shrimpton and Rob Weekes to create Countdown for the ABC. Originally, the show featured a different host each week until Shrimpton decided the show needed a rock report and Molly was recruited to host the segment that was soon to be called Humdrum.
Countdown ran from 1974 to 1987. It was Australia’s most powerful music show. Countdown made stars of Blondie, John Mellencamp, Abba and Madonna who, following their Australian success, went on to have successes in their own countries. The music industry worldwide began to use Australia as a market testing ground as a result of the pull of Countdown.
After Countdown, Molly started his own record label Melodian Records and signed Peter Andre and Indecent Obsession. He also hosted the Hey Hey It’s Saturday segment Molly’s Melodrama, a new version of his previous Countdown spot Humdrum.
In 2011, tragedy struck when Meldrum fell from a ladder at his home. He suffered massive injuries including a broken shoulder, broken ribs, punctured lung and cracked vertebrae and spent several months recovering.
Molly is now back working with Channel 7. He is celebrating his birthday today in Thailand.
