News Free Zone

[MrBlonde]

The main reason that I brought it up is that one of my mates at work (who is about 5 years older than me) shares the same passion for vintage nostalgic Australian TV. But other than myself, he's actually been old enough to watch it when some shows originally ran.

He said that something on the weekend reminded him of a character that Grahame Bond did and the character had a peculiar "Eh! Eh!" laugh. Originally he thought it was from "Australia - You're Standing In It" until after some minor research, it came from News Free Zone.

I watched it when I got home from uni. I do know that Elspeth was put in an invidious position!

[brilton]

I just want to add my two-cents worth at this point. I wasn't able to watch much (or any) TV around that time of day on weekdays in 1985, but, luckily, one of my brothers taped a fair bit of "News Free Zone". But they were all the particular part of the show where Graeme showed archival clips of his shows from the 70s. So there's lots of Aunty Jack sketches (all pretty much redundant now since both series are on DVD), and a serialised airing of the first two episodes of "Flash Nick From Jindavick", and, best of all, the "Errol & Neil" episode of "Wollongong The Brave".

This last one is particularly lucky, as it's the only episode of WTB that didn't make it onto the DVD set of the series. Why it didn't is a complete mystery to me.

These recordings sometimes feature little glimpses of studio footage before and/or after the archive segment, but my brother was quite efficient in taping around those bits, so there's not a lot there.

In answer to someone's query, the "News Free Zone" theme can be found on the bonus CD disc of "Auntie Jack Sings Wollongong", along with the "Please Respect Me" song (which I never knew originated from NFZ, so, thanks for that).

And re: "Australia You're Standing In It", I definitely have a few bits and pieces of it floating around on tape.

[brilton]

Oh and while I'm at it, anyone remember "Ratbags"? That had another Graeme & Rory theme song...

"Old soldiers make me cry
Show it to a sheila, don't be shy
Then hit 'er in the eye with a custard pie
Talk about a Ratbag!"

[Bean Is A Carrot]

Do you still have the tapes? Can you convert them to DVD? If you can't there are plenty here who will help.

[brilton]

I can do it, it's just that I don't know where to start. And although I have a fine Sony Beta player, I need an older one that will play the tapes better. Once I get a really good retro machine that still works, I can go. I have a TBC, a fast computer and the right software. My archive stretches back to 1980. I've got bits of Norman Gunston on Sounds, bits of Boy's Own Macbeth off STWW, parts of the ill-fated Mick Molloy Show, Full Frontal, a bit of Gillies, Roy & HG on 7:30 Report from 1992, etc etc.

[Bean Is A Carrot]

Wow, great archive. Do you have the final episode of The Mick Molloy Show, that's the only one being circulated which isn't complete?

[13 schoolyards]

Ep 7 of TMMS is also incomplete - its missing the opening, ep 8 is missing the end.

[brilton]

I'll have to check my partial eps of TMMS. The writing on the spine says they're from August '99.

Also, I've finally got a refurbished Beta player that can play my old tapes properly, and I've started making some DVDs. Most of an ep of "Australia You're Standing In It" from October '84, 2/3rds of a "Gillies Report" from December '84, and some other Graham & Rory material not currently commercially available.

"Australia You're Standing In It" - not terribly funny, looking at it now. But Max Gillies has to be one of the best character impersonators of our generation. His B.A. Santamaria looked scarily real (I used to wait for the Late Night Movie and sit through his little show with the sound down, watching his head bobbing as he talked).

[Bean Is A Carrot]

brilton, are you prepared to share your DVDs of this stuff with others? I would be happy to cover costs of postage, etc.

[baudrillard]

brilton, it'd be great to see some old Gillies stuff, I used to watch it as a kid, and I am really quite fond of Australia You're Standing In It. Keep us up to date with how developments go.