Kommotion
| Company type | Television program |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment, Music television |
| Founded | December 1964 |
| Founder | Willard King organization |
| Headquarters | Melbourne , Australia |
Area served | Australia (initially Melbourne, later 0-10 Network) |
Key people | Ken Sparkes (host), Johnny Chester (associate producer), Ian "Molly" Meldrum (talent coordinator), Grant Rule (producer) |
| Products | Pop music television program, Kommotion record label |
Kommotion emerged as a well-known Australian pop music television program focusing on "Top 40" hits, debuting in December 1964. The show was presented by notable Melbourne disc jockey Ken Sparkes from radio station 3UZ, and in 1965, pop artist Johnny Chester joined as associate producer following the conclusion of his earlier series, Teen Scene.
Produced by the Willard King organization for Melbourne's ATV-0 (Channel 0), Kommotion was recorded in advance on videotape at the Nunawading studios. Initially limited to Melbourne broadcasts, it later extended its reach to other states through the developing 0-10 Network during 1965–66. The program featured a brisk, youth-oriented Top 40 pop music format, with half-hour episodes airing Monday to Friday at 5:30 pm and eventually adding a one-hour Sunday special.
In August 1964, Channel 0 introduced its inaugural pop music TV show, The Go!! Show, which quickly surpassed expectations and expanded its initial run from 13 to 39 episodes. Capitalizing on this momentum, Channel 0 commissioned Kommotion to appeal specifically to a younger demographic. Both programs showcased the burgeoning 'beat' pop movement and provided a vibrant alternative to the family-friendly variety style of Nine Network's Bandstand. Together, The Go!! Show and Kommotion established the 0-10 Network as a leader in pop television, with The Go!! Show regularly attracting over 400,000 teenage viewers weekly.
Format and presentation
Both Kommotion and Go!! embraced the beat-pop genre, drawing inspiration from the UK's Ready Steady Go! and the American Jack Good-produced Shindig!. While many local artists appeared on both programs, The Go!! Show targeted a somewhat older and more sophisticated audience, featuring a higher volume of domestic music and greater production investment. Conversely, Kommotion focused on younger teenagers, mirroring Shindig! with go-go dancers and local performers lip-syncing international hits. Both shows reflected Melbourne’s Mod fashion trends and were influenced by BBC’s Top Of The Pops.
Jim Keays of The Masters Apprentices remarked in his memoir that Kommotion played a significant role in shaping the 1970s-80s pop television series Countdown. Key figures such as talent coordinator Ian "Molly" Meldrum and future producer Grant Rule transitioned from their roles on Kommotion to work on Countdown.
Throughout its two-year tenure, Kommotion showcased prominent Melbourne and interstate pop performers including Lynne Randell, Dinah Lee, Bobby & Laurie, Normie Rowe, Tony Worsely, Mike Furber, The Easybeats, MPD Ltd, The Elois, The Masters Apprentices, Steve & The Board, and The Purple Hearts.
To economically feature international chart-toppers, Kommotion employed a group of roughly a dozen Melbourne teenagers chosen for their appearance, fashion sense, and dancing ability to mime overseas hits. This method addressed Australia's geographic distance from US/UK tours and the early development stage of music videos ("film clips"). Regular cast members included Ian Meldrum, Tony Healey, David Bland, Alex Rappel, Lex Kaplan, Jillian Fitzgerald, Alex Silbersher, Leon Kammer, Chantal Contouri, Grant Rule, Norman Willison, Denise Drysdale, Shirley Reichman, Bob Pritchard, and Maggie Stewart (who later married pop artist Ronnie Burns). Some participants like Bob Pritchard pursued solo recording careers; his single "Goodbye Sam, Hello Samantha" achieved number four on Australian charts.
Performers were assigned according to musical styles: Jillian Fitzgerald performed soul/R&B numbers despite her light complexion; Ian Meldrum specialized in flamboyant 1930s-style performances. This sometimes led audiences to assume cast members were actual singers. Other notable participants included RMIT student Keith Millar. Several cast members developed substantial fan bases—Tony Healey and Bob Pritchard had dedicated fan clubs; Alex Silbersher attracted intense attention during promotional events.
The introduction of an extended one-hour Sunday edition of Kommotion provoked debate. Media reports indicated concerns from competing producers about market saturation and overexposure of Australia's limited pool of top-tier pop talent—a perspective echoed by Keays’ account that The Masters Apprentices limited their appearances to avoid excessive exposure.
On 12 October 1966, Go-Set magazine reported that Kommotion had been sold to an unnamed American network for broadcast to an audience of fifty million viewers; however, this agreement never came to fruition.
Kommotion label
Similar to The Go!! Show, Kommotion launched a brief-lived pop music label aimed at promoting its featured performers. The label is thought to have been owned by pop industry figure Ivan Dayman. Initial productions were handled by Nat Kipner, who had a short tenure managing and producing The Bee Gees prior to their exit from Australia. The majority of the label's output was produced by Pat Aulton. Operations ended in 1967 following the bankruptcy of Dayman's Sunshine promotions and recording enterprise, which coincided with the termination of the television program.
Series cancellation
The budget-friendly approach of lip-syncing to international tracks ultimately resulted in Kommotion's cancellation in early 1967. This followed a ban imposed by Australian Actors Equity on miming during music television programs, aimed at safeguarding employment opportunities for local musicians.
As was common with many Australian pop series from that period, most original recordings of Kommotion were either wiped or discarded. Existing footage was recovered from the Channel 0 archives during the 1990s and has since been shared among enthusiasts of Australian popular music.
Ralph Baker held the role of floor manager for both Kommotion and The Go!! Show, later gaining prominence as Melbourne's incarnation of the late-night horror host "Deadly Earnest". He also served as the initial floor manager for 0-10's follow-up pop program, Uptight.