About Chartbusting 80s

Chartbusting 80s

Choose Sheedy, Choose Cb80s!

Chartbusting 80s is the creation and lovechild of Josie Parrelli. Being an enthusiastic, massive lover of 80s music, Queen Josie didn't want to wait for Rage to show 4 weeks of Countdown episodes and classic 80s clips over the summer every January!

Never one to sit around and wait for things to happen, Queen Josie had a dream of seeing 80s music on TV every weekend so people like her could enjoy and celebrate the decade that promised so much and delivered it - In May 2000 Josie came up with the concept of Chartbusting 80s, taking on the role of Executive Producer/Presenter hence Chartbusting 80s was born, debuting on Melbourne screens Wednesday November 1st 2000 at 7pm, the eve of Queen Josie's 23rd birthday.

In its short history, Chartbusting 80s has attracted a cult following with average audiences of more than 150,000 per episode. Due to its ratings success, the show attracted much media attention with Channel 31 airing Chartbusting 80s twice a week in Melbourne even during its repeat season. Due to this success 2006 saw Chartbusting 80s go nationally with Channel 31 in Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Mt Gambier broadcasting the show.

In 2006, Chartbusting 80s was also broadcasted in New Zealand by Triangle TV. 2006 also saw Chartbusting 80s become an independent production being produced under Josie's production company Lady Scorpio Productions.

Over the past nine seasons Chartbusting 80s has presented interviews and live performances from legendary eighties acts such as Mental as Anything, Pseudo Echo, The Models, Boney M, Joan Armatrading, Brian Mannix, Ross Wilson, Weird Al Yankovic, Cyndi Lauper, Dave Sterry (Real Life), Jim Kerr (Simple Minds) with season five featuring an exclusive interview with Gene Simmons of Kiss.

Queen Josie Parrelli has become a cult figure in Melbourne. The 2007 season of Chartbusting 80s eclipsed all other previous seasons with increased viewership watching nationally. With the profile of Chartbusting 80s growing and continued media coverage, Josie was invited to MC mainstream and community events in Melbourne. 2006-2007 also saw national and international media interest in Josie Parrelli and Chartbusting 80s. Achievements:

  • Chartbusting 80s, together with SHOCK Records, released a Double DVD on June 6th 2005 - Debuting @ #28 on the National ARIA Charts (Highest position to date #15-sales toppling close to the 6,000 mark after the original manufacturing figure of 4,000): featuring 40 of the best hits/clips from the 80s, including Wham! 'Wake Me Up Before You Go Go, Dead Or Alive's "You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)" and many more of your favourite 80s clips. This exciting DVD package also features the Chartbusting 80s highlights & interviews on Disc 2 with 80s artists such as Brian Mannix (Uncanny X-Men), Ross Wilson (Mondo Rock) & Martha Davis (The Motels). Chartbusting 80s DVD 1 achieved the rare feat that has never been achieved by anyone on community television or for a show of this kind, an ARIA Gold disc for sales of DVD 1, this disc was presented to Queen Josie July 2007.

  • Chartbusting 80s DVD II features 28 clips with show highlights and interviews, DVD 2 released June 3rd 2006, again breaking the National ARIA Charts in Australia, featuring artists such as Queen, Nik Kershaw, Mel & Kim with a rare interview from "Bop Girl" Pat Wilson.

  • Chartbusting 80s DVD III was released in November 2006, breaking the National ARIA Charts, featuring artists such as Cliff Richard, Samantha Fox & Lionel Ritchie with classic highlights from Chartbusting 80s throughout the 2006 season, again being well received by music lovers round!

  • Chartbusting 80s DVD IV was released May 2007, breaking the National ARIA Charts, debuting at #33, and featured The Cure, Foreigner, Banarama and XTC, with the bonus disc containing highlights from the first half of the 2007 Chartbusting 80s season.

  • Chartbusting 80s DVD V was released October 2007, breaking the ARIA Charts, making all the DVDs successfully breaking the ARIA Charts, this DVD has been compiled with the assistance of the Chartbusting 80s fans, hence this DVD being called "Chartbusting 80s-BY REQUEST", this DVD features artists such as Culture Club, David Bowie & Mick Jagger, Hall & Oates and Rick Springfield, with the bonus disc featuring highlights from the second half of the 2007 Chartbusting 80s season.

  • The DVDS have outsold every other 80s DVD on the market, and combined have sold close to 21,500 DVDs.

    Synoposis:

    Chartbusting 80s is a LIVE one-hour music variety show with huge audience participation, featuring music clips from various artists from the 80s, including live studio performances from local Melbourne bands, both cover and original bands, performing one to two 80s tracks of their choice, offbeat trivia segment that Josie comperes. The show also features interviews with the stars of yesteryear, both Australian and international.

    Chartbusting 80s has featured names such as Ross Wilson (Mondo Rock) Brian Mannix (Uncanny X-Men), Boney M, Gene Simmons (KISS), Martha Davis (The Motels), Weird Al Yankovic, Cyndi Lauper and Jim Kerr (Simple Minds) to name just a few.

    Chartbusting 80s gives the artists a chance to discuss their music, the "past", as well as what they're up to now. It also gives the viewers an insight into their favourite artists and a chance to see their favourite music clips and artists performing live.

    Profile courtesy of Lady Scorpio Productions, 2008

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    Chartbusting 80s goes gold!

    Josie Parrelli

    Josie Parrelli has been involved in the industry for the past nine years, earning her stripes as a volunteer at radio station PBSFM 106.7 in October 1999, then was asked to be co-host on the 80s & 90s Electronica show "Irvine Jump" for six months. During that time, Josie was offered the opportunity of hosting her own radio show on PBS FM which started in September 2000 called "Delirious" playing hits of the 80s and 90s and also featuring interviews with 80s artists.

    Besides Josie's Chartbusting 80s work, Josie has established herself as quite the businesswoman, producing the series of Chartbusting 80s and Chartbusting 80s DVDs to date. She is the head of her own production company "Lady Scorpio Productions".

    Personal and professional achievements include:

  • March 2008: Josie will make her Melbourne International Comedy Festival debut with the premiere of the show "Chartbusting 80s Totally LIVE & UNCENSORED!"

  • September 2007: Josie hosted and produced a series of successful Melbourne Fringe shows under the banner "Chartbusting 80s Goes Cabaret".

  • July 2007: Josie was presented with an ARIA Gold disc for sales of Chartbusting 80s DVD1.

  • 2004-2007: Josie represented Chartbusting 80s as media personnel at the TV Week Logie Awards.

  • Josie has represented Channel 31 as a guest at the TV Week Logie Awards in 2003.

  • Numerous feature articles in Melbourne Newspapers/Magazines such as The Age & Herald Sun, Beat Magazine and Inpress Magazine.

    • View articles at these links:

  • http://www.theage.com.au/news/tv--radio/only-way-is-up-baby/2007/05/29/1180205232419.html
  • http://mymooneevalley.com.au/2007/07/top_of_the_pops.php
  • http://www.pbsfm.org.au/Documents.asp?ID=3086&Title=Chartbusting+80s+Volume+2+(Shock

    • Josie has also worked behind the scenes as a Director, Production Manager, Producer, Unit Manager for OB (The Falls) music festival for RMITV, Programming Manager for RMITV. Acting credits include being an extra on various Australian television shows such as Neighbours, Blue Heelers, Stingers and MDA and lead actress in Australian independent film "Up for Grabs".

    Josie's CV also includes being a radio announcer, media teacher, motivational speaker and was a Equity Extras Liaison/Branch Councillor with the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance in Melbourne.

    Corporate MC, Hosting and Motivational work:

  • Valentine's Day opening night of the Hugh Grant & Drew Barrymore film "Music & Lyrics"
  • Sweatshop Awards
  • Media & Entertainment Arts Alliance Trivia Night
  • VRC (Victoria Racing) Young Member's 80s Ball
  • Motivational and Business Lecturer for Music and Business Students
  • Motivational Speaker for Consortium of Producers in Development of TV Production in Melbourne at a National Convention
  • Producing and Presenting Courses for Television and Media

    • Profile courtesy of Lady Scorpio Productions, 2008


    Jeff Jenkins

    Jeff Jenkins has been the co-host of Chartbusting 80s since 2004 and claims to have no discernible musical talent. At high school, he played guitar. In the second week, he won a prize for being the fastest player of the C-Major scale. Sadly, that was Jeff's musical peak. He later managed his best mate's band, The Dendrites. Jeff took them from nowhere to obscurity.
     
    The first album Jeff bought was The Knack's Get The Knack, which was actually released in 1979 (which Jeff considers to be the greatest year in music - don't tell Josie).
     
    Jeff went to high school in the '80s. His favourite band was Australian Crawl, and he also loved The Angels, Rick Springfield, Mondo Rock, Cyndi Lauper and Prince. His favourite movie was Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and his biggest gigs were Bruce Springsteen at the Showgrounds and the Pope at the MCG. His first article for a Melbourne newspaper was about Live Aid.
     
    Jeff is now old enough to know better, but he still writes about music for a living. He has just finished a book about 50 Years of Australian Rock, which will be published later this year. He writes questions for RocKwiz, and also writes a couple of radio shows. And he does an Australian music column called "Howzat!" for Melbourne music paper Inpress.
     
    Yes, Jeff is a rock nerd, who is not very successful with the ladies.
     
    Even though Josie left him for George Michael, he still likes her. She does not like him.