View Full Version : 80's music
Gatecrasher
29-03-2004, 10:24 PM
My missus and I were kids in the 1980's and it seems that old 80's bands are re-releasing (or releasing for the first time) Greatest Hits packages. Just recently my missus has bought Duran Duran's collection (which I will reluctantly agree to liking (she's just turned away - I DON'T REALLY!)). It's not bad though. Brings back memories of my elder sister writing her initials in tippex on her pencil case (KW 4 NR). Another one my missus had bought is the Pet Shop Boys collection. How good are the Pet Shop Boys? Bloody brilliant I would say. Was listening to Opportunities a bit before and couldn't make my mind up whether it's a piss take or not. Is it?
All of us who grew up in the eighties can talk about The Smiths, or Echo and The Bunnymen or whoever - someone critically acclaimed - but don't you like the kind of bands like Culture Club, Spandau Ballet and those mentioned above? I'm not ashamed to say that I do. Part of when, where, and how you grew up, innit, despite the merits of the music.
hughff
30-03-2004, 01:55 AM
Don't like any of those bands except Echo (nd the smiths on rare occassions.) However, I do agree that there was a lot of good music in the 80s if you looked for it. REM started then and made their most interesting recordings. Jason and the Scorchers were magnificent too. Joe Jackson was still churning out great songs. Very seldom did these acts get airplay, sadly.
Hedgehog
30-03-2004, 02:48 AM
Went to see Duran Duran at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles and Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark somewhere in Pasadena. OMD were bit of a one-hit-wonder (Manola Gay (sp?)), and the place was half empty. DD did churn quite a few hits out (Rio being my favorite), and put on a pretty good show, if not short of a little personality. Some friends of mine had been to see them about a year earlier (80 or 81) at a small club when nobody had heard of them here in LA. Another one hit wonder was ABC with “The Look of Love” also an early eighties thing I guess!
Hedgehog
30-03-2004, 02:51 AM
Originally posted by hughff
Joe Jackson was still churning out great songs. His album "Night & Day" is one of my favorites. Recently got it on CD to replace my sick cassette tape!
Gatecrasher
30-03-2004, 06:31 AM
Originally posted by hughff
Don't like any of those bands except Echo (nd the smiths on rare occassions.)
No, I don't, it's more the nostagia angle I was thinking of. I was 14 when the 80's ended and probably not then in possession of a critical faculty.
PENGE P
30-03-2004, 07:07 AM
Bring back all the BIG bands and appreciate the music that was made groups like
Dalek I love you
Goats dont shave
Gaye bikers on acid
Bourgie Bourgie
The Europeans
Ronnie
Elephant with mouse gyp
30-03-2004, 07:19 AM
Hedgehog - very harsh on both OMD and ABC who both had considerably more than the one hit each.
I'm sorry, GC, but Duran make me sick but then I'm an old man. My birthdays used to be completely ruined when I'd look at the 'Born on this day' bit in the papers only to find Simon Le Bon's name leering at me. He and one of the others also once pushed in front of me in a sandwich shop in Chelsea.
El Aguila
30-03-2004, 07:26 AM
It were all Bachmann Turner Overdrive, Bay City Rollers and Boston round these parts when Elephant and I were lads.
oz_da II
30-03-2004, 07:28 AM
Originally posted by Elephant with mouse gyp
I'm sorry, GC, but Duran make me sick but then I'm an old man. My birthdays used to be completely ruined when I'd look at the 'Born on this day' bit in the papers only to find Simon Le Bon's name leering at me.
You've got it easy. I'm the exact same age (born on the same day) as that "cheeky" twat Knobbie Williams. :(
Eighties music consisted of:
The Chuch
The Clash
The Cure
The Smiths
The Police
in that order, got to love the "The" bands. :p
;)
Originally posted by Gatecrasher
No, I don't, it's more the nostagia angle I was thinking of. I was 14 when the 80's ended and probably not then in possession of a critical faculty.
I think there's two sides to this. Personally I love the 80s stuff and always have. It's not nostalgia for me as i never grew out of it. I'm 10 years older than you so that may be the difference!
I'm off to see Duran Duran soon and am very excited about it, and I saw Madness a couple of times last year, who are still brilliant live. I suspect my musical tastes haven't progressed much beyond 1985!
andy stephen
30-03-2004, 07:53 AM
madness
madness
madness
oh and did i mention madness
I'm with you there Andy. There were loads of good bands around then but I think Madness are top of my list
Elephant with mouse gyp
30-03-2004, 08:02 AM
Originally posted by El Aguila
It were all Bachmann Turner Overdrive, Bay City Rollers and Boston round these parts when Elephant and I were lads.
I'm going to be smug and reveal that David Bowie was my favourite. But I also loved Mud and Sweet and, for some odd reason, Nazareth.
20cf
Originally posted by Elephant with mouse gyp
Nazareth. 80's???
The passing of time has confused you surely...
selhurstparkflyer
30-03-2004, 08:09 AM
It does slightly confuse me that Duran Duran are considered cool.
I can understand the likes ABBA being so but DD were the 80s equivalent of Westlife; cr@p then and no better now.
Elephant with mouse gyp
30-03-2004, 08:11 AM
Originally posted by Maz
80's???
The passing of time has confused you surely...
You have El Aguila on ignore?
Lords Eagle
30-03-2004, 08:12 AM
I think all those acts he mentioned are 70's! In fact I believe Bowie started in the 60's.
Gooders
30-03-2004, 08:12 AM
Bowie was mine too in the 70's.
Never did like Duran, Duran - but I do recall that one of their videos was rather fun.
OMD one-hit-wonders Hedgehog?!!!
Electricity, Messages, Enola Gay, Souvenir, Joan of Arc, Maid of Orleans, Tesla Girls, Talking Loud and Clear, Forever Live and Die...loads of good numbers.
And Marc often says to me about current bands that "they sound a bit OMD-ish" :)
Nazareth - Bad Bad Boy was the first "heavy" song I got into.
Flappy Chicken
30-03-2004, 08:19 AM
Have a look round this site for some great 80s music and other 80s bits and pieces.
http://www.80smusiclyrics.com/
Smurph
30-03-2004, 08:24 AM
My musical tastes were shaped in the seventies but I became a teenager in 1980 and so the music of the eighties is an important part of my life.
I think a lot of it stands the test of time, especially in comparison with current chart music, and that's not just nostalgia or grumpy old man syndrome.
I have to admit that I liked this music and was a fan of ABC and Spandau Ballet in particular. (I did like cooler stuff also) I'm only slightly ashamed to say that a couple of years ago I saw Hadley, Norman and Keeble (Spandau without the Kemps) and had a whale of a time. They put on a great show. Tony Hadley is a monster, slurping from a quality bottle of red wine between songs and Steve Norman is a very talented man.
E.X Moontoad
30-03-2004, 08:39 AM
Certainly was a lot of great stuff around in the 80's and a lot of rubbish, same as any other decade.
It was the decade, that I really got into music (Smiths, Bunnymen, Orange Juice, REM, etc), dressed from top to toe in black and denounced most chart music as 'crap'. This stance reached a peak during the Stock, Aitken and Waterman era and was also reserved for the likes of the Thompson Twins and Five Star. Don't think that I've had any cause to revise my views on these particular acts.
I'd like to pretend that I spent my mid to late teen years in the 70's fighting the 'Punk wars', but was probably too busy listening to ELO, Boney M and Slade (that sounds a bit better!), staying in and watching Jim'll fix it!
c_block_lad
30-03-2004, 08:41 AM
Old Skool. Late 80's/Early 90's stuff.
:)
Psychokiller
30-03-2004, 08:44 AM
Well, I'm a huge fan of Dexys and I'm sure the whole BBS is right fed up with me bleating (sorry Murry(a)) on about how brilliant they are. However, I love most of the 80s music. Part of the appeal of bands such as Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, Human League etc was the trashiness about them!
Scifo
30-03-2004, 08:49 AM
The '80's were good for Michael Jackson, Prince, Madonna (Borderline) and Bruce Springsteen we should have let ourselves forget the rest of it.
El Aguila
30-03-2004, 10:05 AM
Originally posted by Lords Eagle
I think all those acts he mentioned are 70's! In fact I believe Bowie started in the 60's.
The point being that Gatecrasher is ten years younger than me and Oliphant. I was making a comparison with the pop stuff that was around when we were 10 years old. So instead of Bowie, Gooders could mention Pat Boone and the bobbysoxers.
oz_da II
30-03-2004, 10:13 AM
Originally posted by Scifo
The '80's were good for Michael Jackson, Prince, Madonna (Borderline) and Bruce Springsteen we should have let ourselves forget the rest of it.
Eh? I'm trying to forget the ones you've just mentioned.
Cheers for reminding me. :(
Gooders
30-03-2004, 10:22 AM
Oi!
E.X Moontoad
30-03-2004, 10:26 AM
C86
El Aguila
30-03-2004, 10:26 AM
Originally posted by Gooders
Oi!
Touché!
Al From Bromley
30-03-2004, 10:28 AM
Originally posted by selhurstparkflyer
It does slightly confuse me that Duran Duran are considered cool.
I can understand the likes ABBA being so but DD were the 80s equivalent of Westlife; cr@p then and no better now.
Other than the fact of course that Duran Duran wrote their own songs, played their own instruments and were able to perform live without backing tracks, yes I can see the similarity.
I bought Pelican West on CD the other day. A great Summertime album to have in the car.
Scroatey
30-03-2004, 10:32 AM
There are a lot of classic tracks from the 80s, especially the "party" tunes you'll here in clubs and nights like School Disco - I love these to bits in moderation, bit I think the 80s as a whole has left us with a load of crap that has dated horribly.
A few good bands crept through, REM, Echo and The Bunnymen, The Pixies, Madness, Guns n Roses, and others.
I suppose one good thing to come out of the 80s was the late 80s/early 90s musical backlash that brought us "Madchester" and "indie" music, and on the other side of the fence "rave" and ever evolving genres of dance music - so it's not all bad!
He He I edited it to include a few more good bands! But, I still maintain the "pop" of the day was pretty dire
21d3
as216
30-03-2004, 10:39 AM
Guns N Roses, Motley Crue, Metallica, Beastie Boys, Aerosmith, Public Enemy, Slayer, Run DMC, NWA, Skid Row etc etc
The 80's ruled.
Cap'n Bob
30-03-2004, 10:41 AM
ok, this whole thread deserves a spanking for making it to page two with no mention of the pixies.
another thing that's bothering me:
omd - manolo gay. should i file that under 80's or soul music?
christopher
30-03-2004, 10:51 AM
Originally posted by Gatecrasher
Another one my missus had bought is the Pet Shop Boys collection. How good are the Pet Shop Boys? Bloody brilliant I would say.
Went to see them last year in Bristol. Excellent stuff.
Oh and I really like Duran Duran.
Al From Bromley
30-03-2004, 10:56 AM
Duran Duran are the latter day Abba. At the time no one would admit to liking them, and years later a few diehards still won't admit to it whereas most people can see that despite not being the best band of all time they doubtless had a talent for producing hits that were original and which they could perform as well live as in the studio.
El Aguila
30-03-2004, 11:00 AM
Originally posted by Cap'n Bob
ok, this whole thread deserves a spanking for making it to page two with no mention of the pixies.
I'm listening to them, will that do?
I was 16 in 1980 and spent the decade listening to quite ineffably cool bands, even the then current ones. I did naff in the early 70s and of course the 60s when I would gaily dance the Roger de Coverley, chiz chiz.
DANGERMOUSE
30-03-2004, 12:42 PM
Originally posted by oz_da II
You've got it easy. I'm the exact same age (born on the same day) as that "cheeky" twat Knobbie Williams. :(
Eighties music consisted of:
The Chuch
The Clash
The Cure
The Smiths
The Police
in that order, got to love the "The" bands. :p
;) The The must be your absolute favourites! :D
What was it with the 80s and double names? - The The, Talk Talk, Duran Duran, Sigue Sigue Sputnik, erm...
Cap'n Bob
30-03-2004, 01:51 PM
Originally posted by El Aguila
I'm listening to them, will that do?
nope, me and paco picopiedra, we in the mood for dishing it out.
Daniel_Nash
30-03-2004, 01:54 PM
Bros!
:D :moo:
El Aguila
30-03-2004, 02:05 PM
Originally posted by Cap'n Bob
nope, me and paco picopiedra, we in the mood for dishing it out.
I'm not listening to them any more, either. I'm now doing their marketing plan. Will that do?
In order, the 1980s - The Au Pairs, the Pop Group, The Fall, Jason and the Scorchers, The Gun Club, REM, The Soft Boys, Green on Red, the Ramones again, Television Personalities, Long Ryders, Violent Femmes, Died Pretty, The Pixies.... I'm sure there are lots more.....
Elephant with mouse gyp
30-03-2004, 02:11 PM
The Au Pairs? Painful.
El Aguila
30-03-2004, 02:12 PM
Originally posted by Elephant with mouse gyp
The Au Pairs? Painful.
Bad experience? Tell Uncle BBS.
El Aguila
30-03-2004, 02:16 PM
You're thinking of the Delta Five, I realise.
Originally posted by Al From Bromley
Other than the fact of course that Duran Duran wrote their own songs, played their own instruments and were able to perform live without backing tracks, yes I can see the similarity.
Oh Al.
:bash: Just because someone can play live crap - as opposed to mime to it - doesn't make it any less crap you know...
Hedgehog
30-03-2004, 02:20 PM
Originally posted by Gooders
OMD one-hit-wonders Hedgehog?!!!
Electricity, Messages, Enola Gay, Souvenir, Joan of Arc, Maid of Orleans, Tesla Girls, Talking Loud and Clear, Forever Live and Die...loads of good numbers.
Ops! :eek: Now you mention it.
I will just say they never were that big over here, but definatly heard of at least 4 of your list. :cool:
Am I dreaming, or at one time were Duran Duran not talked about as the "next" Beatles? :eek:
Cap'n Bob
30-03-2004, 02:21 PM
not unless it includes a loss leader show in the west country.
britabroad
30-03-2004, 02:23 PM
I was a teenager in the early 80s and loved every minute! The whole point about the New Romantic scene was to create some fun and glam; a reaction to all the punk politics society had just gone through. So it wasn't supposed to be deep and insightful, rather light hearted and disposable.
Japan were, and will always the the best band of the early 80s IMHO:)
Elephant with mouse gyp
30-03-2004, 02:27 PM
Originally posted by El Aguila
Bad experience? Tell Uncle BBS.
Bad music more like. I remember trying to like them because of the militant politics image but not being able to fool myself. I had Playing With a Different Sex and thought It's Obvious was okay, I suppose.
Cap'n Bob
30-03-2004, 02:29 PM
new order
cope/teardrop explodes
El Aguila
30-03-2004, 02:36 PM
Originally posted by Elephant with mouse gyp
Bad music more like. I remember trying to like them because of the militant politics image but not being able to fool myself. I had Playing With a Different Sex and thought It's Obvious was okay, I suppose.
Really? I didn't have many of the militant politics but thought they were a great r'n'r band. They used to be the support band on almost every gig I went to for about six months. They didn't really capture their live magic on record, except on their first single. They were all over by the time the album came out, I think. Mind you, I would.
Best song about faking orgasms, ever - "Oh shit, I forgot to put the cap in!".
20b1
Palace Palare
30-03-2004, 02:41 PM
Originally posted by Maz
The Only Ones... Another Girl Another Planet :confused:...:p
E.X Moontoad
30-03-2004, 02:42 PM
Originally posted by Cap'n Bob
cope/teardrop explodes
Big fan of Cope's solo stuff, probably even more than the Teardrops.
World Shut Your Mouth and Fried were great albums.
Elephant with mouse gyp
30-03-2004, 02:44 PM
Originally posted by El Aguila
I didn't have many of the militant politics but thought they were a great r'n'r band. They used to be the support band on almost every gig I went to for about six months. They didn't really capture their live magic on record, except on their first single. They were all over by the time the album came out, I think. Mind you, I would.
I guess those of us more in the know would have been looking for something beyond 'great r'n'r' by then, even if it was a bit punked up. Did you used to write 'Punk's Not Dead' on walls as well?
Grim Reaper
30-03-2004, 02:50 PM
The eighties were the best for music and 1984 in particular was the KING YEAR for music. The top four selling records of the decade all came in 1984 (alittle quiz for you to see if you can get them!) A simply phenomenal year for music.
I can still rattle off just about every Number One from that year without reference to anything. Pipes of Peace - Wake Me Up Before You GoGo - The Reflex - Power of Love - 99 Red Balloons - Feel For You - Freedom - Careless Whisper + the aforementioned Big Four. Not saying I like all of those but they're all classics in their own way. Still remembered by most people who lived at the time.
Pet Shop Boys; Duran (Funny how they did their Greatest Hits in 1989, have done a couple more single in 15 years and can now do another one!!) Spandau; UB40; Erasure; Culture club; Thompson Twins (a fave of mine) All released songs that didn't sound like all their others and you could recognise their songs within two or three seconds.
80s = :lux: :love:
El Aguila
30-03-2004, 02:55 PM
Originally posted by Elephant with mouse gyp
I guess those of us more in the know would have been looking for something beyond 'great r'n'r' by then, even if it was a bit punked up.
The Style Council, no doubt.
I think hindsight and historical perspective are laughing up their sleeves at you, Elephant. Mind you, you may well be used to that.
E.X Moontoad
30-03-2004, 02:57 PM
DoThey Know It's Christmas - Band Aid
Two Tribes - FGTH
Last Christmas - WHAM
3 of the big 4?
Smurph
30-03-2004, 03:00 PM
Has there ever been a good record called "The Power of Love?"
Frankie Goes to Hollywood's was average, Huey Lewis and the News' made you switch off the radio and Jennifer Rush's made you wish you were deaf.
DANGERMOUSE
30-03-2004, 03:03 PM
Originally posted by Smurph
Has there ever been a good record called "The Power of Love?"
Frankie Goes to Hollywood's was average, Huey Lewis and the News' made you switch off the radio and Jennifer Rush's made you wish you were deaf. :D :p
Elephant with mouse gyp
30-03-2004, 03:10 PM
History played a trick on me, that's true. I still can't really believe newly minted rock has any kind of grip anymore. I was a cheerleader/sap for the let's bury rock line pushed by bits of the NME and Pete Wiley which is quite funny looking back, I admit. Still, the early 80s were interesting because in most branches of pop music, besides heavy metal, bands were going off in all kinds of directions some good some not so but most away from our old friend guitar-based rock. Wouldn't it be better if the last such music had been The Faces and Neil Young, stuff like that?
El Aguila
30-03-2004, 03:20 PM
I have a bit of sympathy for that point of view, particularly as a lot of what I listened to then was quite a long way from the Faces, i.e the Pop Group and This Heat and avant garde bands like Ludus. But most of them had a drum kit and a bass player or a double bass - so why did these new puritans focus on the guitar? Would you be happy not to have had your Clash and Jam records?
EagleSE24
30-03-2004, 03:27 PM
Nirvana's 'Bleach' came out in '89 :p
Elephant with mouse gyp
30-03-2004, 03:32 PM
Originally posted by El Aguila
Would you be happy not to have had your Clash and Jam records?
Punk arrived to bury it all. Task complete, on we go to Sandinista and the Style Council.
Anyway, my own inconsistent prejudices aside, why do you think a certain kind of essentially late 60s/early 70s rock is the starting point for so much of what's happened in the last two decades, certainly everything in the indie camp? Twenty years after Elvis and Gene Vincent, acts like Mud, Darts and then the Stray Cats were pretty much novelty acts but thirty years after The Doors etc. and you still get moody long-haired blokes moaning about stuff and it doesn't count as second rate nostalgia somehow.
selhurstparkflyer
30-03-2004, 03:42 PM
Originally posted by Al From Bromley
Other than the fact of course that Duran Duran wrote their own songs, played their own instruments and were able to perform live without backing tracks, yes I can see the similarity.
Ronan Keating wrote most of Boyzone's stuff as Gary Barlow did Take That's.
Gooders
30-03-2004, 03:45 PM
Originally posted by Hedgehog
Am I dreaming, or at one time were Duran Duran not talked about as the "next" Beatles? :eek:
Only in Al's house.
El Aguila
30-03-2004, 03:45 PM
I don't know. The rockabilly revival was pretty serious in West London, though. At least as serious as all the other revivals. If you're asking me about mopey stuff like Radiohead and all that, I have to admit it's not really my bag. if you look at this thread there are lots of people who are mad keen on music because of the Smiths or the Pixies or Nirvana or Guns'n'Roses or the Manic Street Preachers or whatever and, obviously, I can see the virtue in all of them. That's what white male teenagers like, you can't seriously have expected our generation's versions to have closed the book on all that?
20cd
christopher
30-03-2004, 03:51 PM
Originally posted by Grim Reaper
I can still rattle off just about every Number One from that year without reference to anything. Pipes of Peace - Wake Me Up Before You GoGo - The Reflex - Power of Love - 99 Red Balloons - Feel For You - Freedom - Careless Whisper + the aforementioned Big Four. Not saying I like all of those but they're all classics in their own way. Still remembered by most people who lived at the time.
Pet Shop Boys; Duran (Funny how they did their Greatest Hits in 1989, have done a couple more single in 15 years and can now do another one!!) Spandau; UB40; Erasure; Culture club; Thompson Twins (a fave of mine) All released songs that didn't sound like all their others and you could recognise their songs within two or three seconds.
Well said sir :p
Elephant with mouse gyp
30-03-2004, 03:59 PM
Originally posted by El Aguila
That's what white male teenagers like, you can't seriously have expected our generation's versions to have closed the book on all that?
No, the opposite - I thought they'd have moved things on more. I suppose sections have with dance, rap, r'n'b and all that so maybe I'm up a dead end here.
The white male didn't like the stuff we're on about before the late 60s and to me it seems a historically specific kind of music that smells of west coast flowery counter culture mixed with east coast nihilism and a bit of London blokeyness. Keeping it going dilutes that sharp sense of time and place for me (possibly only me by the look of it!).
El Aguila
30-03-2004, 03:59 PM
I reckon Pet Shop Boys and Eurhythmics have worn pretty well, and a couple of Erasure songs. The rest of them sound dreadful (the most popular radio station in Spain plays, almost exclusively, hits from the 80s).
Grim Reaper
30-03-2004, 03:59 PM
Originally posted by E.X Moontoad
DoThey Know It's Christmas - Band Aid
Two Tribes - FGTH
Last Christmas - WHAM
3 of the big 4?
You got two of them. Wham set another record for 1984 in that it's the biggest selling No.2 of all time.
Grim Reaper
30-03-2004, 04:01 PM
Originally posted by Smurph
Has there ever been a good record called "The Power of Love?"
Frankie Goes to Hollywood's was average, Huey Lewis and the News' made you switch off the radio and Jennifer Rush's made you wish you were deaf.
I liked Huey Lewis' one. Agree with you on the others. Significance rather than the quality of it was the key to Frankie one in that it gave them a record-equalling (at the time) three consecutive number ones with their first three records
El Aguila
30-03-2004, 04:02 PM
Originally posted by Elephant with mouse gyp
No, the opposite - I thought they'd have moved things on more. I suppose sections have with dance, rap, r'n'b and all that so maybe I'm up a dead end here.
They have, really. The only reason people make all that fuss about the Smiths, etc. is because most rock critics are white blokes. They don't sell more records than rap or dance bands.
DANGERMOUSE
30-03-2004, 04:12 PM
Originally posted by Elephant with mouse gyp
No, the opposite - I thought they'd have moved things on more. I suppose sections have with dance, rap, r'n'b and all that so maybe I'm up a dead end here.
The white male didn't like the stuff we're on about before the late 60s and to me it seems a historically specific kind of music that smells of west coast flowery counter culture mixed with east coast nihilism and a bit of London blokeyness. Keeping it going dilutes that sharp sense of time and place for me (possibly only me by the look of it!). If I might intrude in your private dialogue, I reckon a lot of the answer to this point boils down to the fact that you've got to be brain dead, on drugs or brain dead and on drugs to like the dance/rap gobshite which provides the soundtrack to 99% of bottlings of a Saturday night. Guitar-based rock music (encompassing the mod/indie, West Coast/prog variants) is rather subtler and requires intelligence in its audience (whether they enjoy drugs or not), and so is the natural fallback for students/middle class/social climbers who don't want to deck themselves in Ben Shermans and cheap gold in order to have a good time.
Cap'n Bob
30-03-2004, 04:12 PM
Originally posted by E.X Moontoad
Big fan of Cope's solo stuff, probably even more than the Teardrops.
World Shut Your Mouth and Fried were great albums.
i'm in complete agreement there, e.x. moontoad, both are fantastic albums, musically and lyrically. i've trying for a while to replace my copy of world shut your mouth with the cd version and it's almost completely impossible to get hold of - i've tried on ebay, amazon, music stack but no sign of it despite a nineties reissue. man, now i really wanna hear pussyface again.
citizen sane
30-03-2004, 04:13 PM
Is it me being nostalgic or was music more diverse in the the early 80's , i'd wear my keyboard out typing all the groups / records i was into at the time . A couple that no-ones mentioned . Motorhead and joy division , and my all time favorites The Stranglers .
Did anyone else see dexy's on TOTP singing Jackie Wilson in front of a massive picture of hard drinking , chain smoking , arrow chucker JOCKY Wilson .....v funny .
Elephant with mouse gyp
30-03-2004, 04:18 PM
Originally posted by DANGERMOUSE
If I might intrude in your private dialogue, I reckon a lot of the answer to this point boils down to the fact that you've got to be brain dead, on drugs or brain dead and on drugs to like the dance/rap gobshite which provides the soundtrack to 99% of bottlings of a Saturday night. Guitar-based rock music (encompassing the mod/indie, West Coast/prog variants) is rather subtler and requires intelligence in its audience (whether they enjoy drugs or not), and so is the natural fallback for students/middle class/social climbers who don't want to deck themselves in Ben Shermans and cheap gold in order to have a good time.
He he. I think maybe you've just argued my point better than I could hope to. That's exactly the kind of attitude that get's on my wick and is a pitch perfect paragraph to illustrate how rock has lot its bearings and its balls.
El Aguila
30-03-2004, 04:21 PM
Originally posted by DANGERMOUSE
Guitar-based rock music (encompassing the mod/indie, West Coast/prog variants)
I'm not sure if that's exactly what elephant's talking about. I don't think he means Beefheart, Can, the Fall, that kind of avant-garde stuff. I think he means the stuff that might as well have been left to the Stones as they will obviously never be bettered.
2171
Serpico
30-03-2004, 04:23 PM
It seems so long ago but some things that always remind me of the 80s:
Nine Below Zero
Anything by The Jam
The RedSkins
TV21
Clint Eastwood and General Saint - Another one bites the dust
Maxi Priest's first album
Stetsasonic - Talkin all that jazz
Stone Roses
Cap'n Bob
30-03-2004, 04:34 PM
Originally posted by citizen sane
Did anyone else see dexy's on TOTP singing Jackie Wilson in front of a massive picture of hard drinking , chain smoking , arrow chucker JOCKY Wilson .....v funny .
the local paper has just previewed our forthcoming james taylor quartet show with a picture of no nukes james taylor. not as funny but it did remind me of the jocky incident.
E.X Moontoad
30-03-2004, 06:13 PM
Originally posted by Grim Reaper
You got two of them. Wham set another record for 1984 in that it's the biggest selling No.2 of all time.
OK, how about Stevie Wonder 'I Just Called To Say I Love You' and Wham 'Wake Me Up Before You Go Go' to go with Frankie and Band Aid?
Gooders
30-03-2004, 06:42 PM
Is it allowed to just like the sound of guitars? :confused:
Elephant with mouse gyp
30-03-2004, 07:17 PM
Originally posted by Gooders
Is it allowed to just like the sound of guitars? :confused:
Only the ones I like.
El Aguila
30-03-2004, 07:19 PM
Sounds to me like the thin end of the wedge.
Elephant with mouse gyp
30-03-2004, 07:23 PM
Okay Gooders isn't allowed to like any guitar music at all, but I'm allowed to like it because I understand the complex historical processes involved and have a perfect ear for innovation on the one hand and sell-out on the other.
Tim of the 80's
30-03-2004, 08:41 PM
There seems to have been some dissing of the Style Council. Well I'd choose most of their stuff over any solo Weller and Our Favourite Shop is a better album than This is The Modern World or Sound Affects too.
Another band working a similar sort of sound was Animal Nightlife - some great singles - Native Boy, Mighty Hands of Love, Mr Solitaire. There were quite a few white boys trying to be funky at the time - Funkapolitan, Haircut 100, Spandau Ballet...
I liked all the Trevor Horn stuff - Frankie, ABC, Dollar (Hand held in Black and White, Give Me Back My Heart - fabulous pop records), even the stuff he did with Bucks Fizz. But not Buggles.
James Brown made one of his best ever record IMHO - a belting funk workout - Bring it On. And Chuck Brown (the Godfather of GoGo) made a fabulous live double album the title of which escapes me...
Of the crucial three, I was a big fan of the variants of Wah!, quite liked Julian Cope and really didn't get on with the Bunnymen. The stuff I listen to most from those days though are the postcard acts, Orange Juice and Aztec Camera, both still making good stuff too.
firesign
30-03-2004, 08:57 PM
I saw Duran Duran at the Hammersmith Odeon in 1982 at the height of their fame. I was there with a mate and bizarrely we had tickets for the second row from the front. I think we were the only two lads there and we got completely crushed by thousands of screaming teenage girls. Which was nice.
I spent most of my free time going to gigs. I saw them all. Gary Nman seven times. Japan twice. OMD four times. Ultravox four times. Simple Minds five times. Classic Nouveux once - they were sh!te. A Flock of Seagulls once. Loads of others, Blancmange, John Foxx, Thompson Twins, Tears for Fears, ABC... pretty much all the big names of that era. Even saw Thomas Dolby play a gig at the Green Dragon in Croydon. Mainly went to the Hammersmith Odeon but a lot of bands use to play at the Palais as well which was a great venue - saw the Undertones doing a really cracking gig there. Saw plenty of smaller bands too like The Scars, The Associates, B Movie, the Danse Society.
Every Sunday night I used to go to The Warehouse Theatre in Dingwall Road where they used to do a cabaret evening which always featured a band, 99% of whom were useless but it used to good fun. Had quite a few good comperes though - saw Mark Steel there a few times when he was just starting out the comedy circuit.
They were great days. Apart from the Tories obviously, but that's another thread...
Tim of the 80's
30-03-2004, 09:05 PM
Originally posted by firesign
The Associates
How could I forget the great and tragic Billy MacKenzie? Saw him do a wonderful show at the Dominion just after Perhaps came out. They ran out of encores so he had to do Party Fears Two twice.
Al From Bromley
30-03-2004, 10:19 PM
Originally posted by Gooders
Only in Al's house.
:) The thing is, I'll defend Duran as, whilst I don't actually own any of their albums, i think for their time they were OK and it makes me laugh how the music snobs ridicule them all these years later almost just for the sake of it.
Del Martian
30-03-2004, 11:37 PM
I don't think I'm taking a quantum leap here by suggesting that we all gyrate back favourably to the decade where we musically "came of age". For me, and a lot of you, it was the '70's and while it's dangerous to generalise a whole decades worth of music, for me the '80's were where Fenders were replaced by Casio's and Roland's, bass lines became tinny and did little to underpin a song and worst of all, when drums started to sound like they do on the "Eastenders" theme.
That's my own narrow over generalisd view and I know there was a lot more to it than that ( Smiths , REM , Police , Waterboys and continued excellent work by Elvis Costello, Sting etc ), but the two groups I still love from that era would be Aztec Camera ( Roddy Frame has more talent than just about anyone) and Prefab Sprout ( Paddy McAloon THINKS he has more talent...) Still love it though.
Gooders
31-03-2004, 07:39 AM
Originally posted by Del Martian
I don't think I'm taking a quantum leap here by suggesting that we all gyrate back favourably to the decade where we musically "came of age". For me, and a lot of you, it was the '70's and while it's dangerous to generalise a whole decades worth of music, for me the '80's were where Fenders were replaced by Casio's and Roland's, bass lines became tinny and did little to underpin a song and worst of all, when drums started to sound like they do on the "Eastenders" theme.
With you DM. It really does depend on what you grew up with.
I had 3 teenage sisters in the 60's so I got into music at a very young age, and the 80's is my least favourite decade musically speaking.
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