By Imogen Abbott
ABC’s Recovery was pivotal to the Saturday morning routine of an Aussie teen who loved the alternative music scene.
The show (1996–2000) was a third generation of ABC’s music programs, with its forefathers being Countdown (1974-1987) and Beatbox (1985-1987).
Dave Reynolds is a Sydney musician who played bass for many bands in the 90s alternative music scene. His group the Utopian Babies played on Recovery, promoting their 1998 single One of These Days.
“Phantasmagorical” is the word Reynolds used to describe the alternative music scene in the 90s.
“To me, it was a very bohemian, hippie-type atmosphere” he said. “This caravan of characters that you would catch up with, all with the pockets hanging out of your pants, but it didn’t matter because it was a hell of a lot of fun.
“Sydney was amazing at that time. There were just so many bands and so many venues.
“It didn’t matter if you didn’t look like a million bucks. You didn’t have to have a particular look about you. It was just all about doing what you wanted to do and the passion behind it.”
Reynolds described playing on Recovery for him as a “hit and run. In other words, we were there for a purpose to promote the album”.
Despite being there for one objective, he said the whole experience was memorable.
“The most memorable thing about it, is that rather than just playing to the cameras, you’re playing to people that have gone out of their way to get up really early in the morning.
“People would have been out at the pubs the night before watching bands, and they dragged themselves into the ABC studios to sit on hard benches, I remember they had no padding whatsoever.
“So, it was great to play to enthusiastic people who were there because they, you know, they wanted to be there. That was the thing, everyone was into the music scene.”
Reynolds said that Recovery was one of the few shows where you played to a live audience, which also meant that “we’ve gotta walk out there, play one song, and don’t f… up”.
He said that the “ABC without a doubt just pushed Australian music” with their shows like Recovery.
Featured image: The cast of Recovery. Photo: pheonad/CC/Flickr
