Pure 80's....totally!

[TroyD]

What a cool stroll down memory lane (funny how music does that, no?)...

Recently, I picked up mint LP's of The Outfield - Play Deep and Hooters - Nervous Night. I still have my original cassettes of both as well of the horrible CD transfers. Now, the LP's aren't all that either but are superior to the other formats.

I tell you what though, spinning those, hell, I'm right back in the summer of 1986 (both albums actually came out in 1985). I would never want to go back in time, but I'd spend a week back in the summer of '86.

BDT

[danger boy]

You know... the music from the 80's has no competition or equal today. it was fun.. it was alot of electronics.. I listen to it all the time still. I do enjoy alot of todays music of course.. but one genre of music I can always depend on to get me out of a funk is 80's. ;)

[TroyD]

Oh, I dunno, I think most of it is the context in which you associate it in.

BDT

[jcaut]

Yeah, some (maybe most) of the 80's stuff sounds downright cheesy today. There's still some of it I enjoy listening to (in moderation), and I'd say that influences from '80's music have played a big role in shaping my musical tastes today. The biggest problem with it, is that I've found precious little rock/pop from the '80's that actually sounds good in any format. Almost my whole collection of vinyl albums are '80's vintage.

I agree with what Troy was getting at: The memories the songs bring back are worth far more than the value of the music. I'm up for a week or two back in the summer of '85, '86, or '87. Or '88-'90 college days, for that matter. Those were good times.

Jason

[TroyD]

Actually, some of the LP's that I have from the late 80's are actually, IMHO, very well done. Bruce Hornsby, Don Henley, Steve Winwood, Tracy Chapman to name a few....the LP's that I have from them are fantastic and are far and away better than the CD's.

Agree though, Adam Ant, Dexy's Midnight Runners or Tommy Tutone probably aren't going to make it to the Library of Congress.

BDT

[Early B.]

Yeah, late 70's to mid-80's had the best music (disco being the exception, of course). There were three things I liked about it: 1) you had to have talent; 2) everyone had their own style (i.e., not everyone sounded alike); and 3) there was lots of innovation.

Today, these kids are talentless, lack style and they all sound alike. The MTV generation killed the quality of music. All music videos should be burned, then banned forever. To go forward, we need to take two steps back. Those steps will lead us into the 80's.

[Demiurge]

Yeah, late 70's to mid-80's had the best music (disco being the exception, of course). There were three things I liked about it: 1) you had to have talent; 2) everyone had their own style (i.e., not everyone sounded alike); and 3) there was lots of innovation.

Today, these kids are talentless, lack style and they all sound alike. The MTV generation killed the quality of music. All music videos should be burned, then banned forever. To go forward, we need to take two steps back. Those steps will lead us into the 80's.

Without getting long-winded -- have you tried expanding your musical horizons lately? Just like the 80s, not everything was on AM/FM Radio or MTV. Most of that music is some of the best.

[jcaut]

Troy,

Which Bruce Hornsby are you referring to? I really like "The Way It Is" album, but the CD version I've got sounds horrible. Never had it on vinyl. You're right though: I've got a Tracy Chapman that sounds good (if I remember right, it's been a while since I had a turntable hooked up) and "Building The Perfect Beast" was a good sounding LP. I don't have the CD of that one.

Jason

[jcaut]

And speaking of expanding horizons (I guess): Yesterday I picked up an Edwin McCain (from Charleston, SC) album, "Scream & Whisper". I think it's a 2004 release, and the critics weren't too fond of it, but on some level it appeals to my " '80's musical mentality ", (though he does cover "Maggie May") I thoroughly enjoyed listening to it through.

Jason

[TroyD]

Yes, The Way it Is...on vinyl sounds much better than CD. I think I have another BH album but can't think of it off the top of my head. The Don Henley albums I have are Building the Perfect Beast and End of the Innocence. Dave has the Tracy Chapman LP, that's on my short list of must finds.

BDT

[*Seby*-Polk-]

The 80's has a great decade for glam rock lovers

POISON - MOTLEY CRUE - BON JOVI - TWISTED SISTER - EUROPE - SKID ROW - Ohh mann !!!! that is music !!!!

[pjdami]

A lot of my favorite music was during the '80s too. Women seem to go bonkers over the stuff.

Guns and Roses - Metallica - Megadeth - Def Leppard - Depeche Mode - U2 (Joshua Tree and before) - INXS - New Order - Rush - Ozzy - The Cure ... man I could go on and on. They just don't make this stuff anymore.

[jcaut]

The 80's has a great decade for glam rock lovers

POISON - MOTLEY CRUE - BON JOVI - TWISTED SISTER - EUROPE - SKID ROW - Ohh mann !!!! that is music !!!!

Though I won't deny having at least one example of each of the bands you name in my collection.. I might have to argue with you on your "that is music" comment. Poison might have had one or two decent songs, but if I were going to listen to that today, I'd have to use headphones and hide the album "artwork" to lessen the chance of getting caught. How M-bare-assing.
:D

[George Grand]

The Hooters were a local Filthadelphia band. That stupid kazoo thing that they insisted on inserting into most of their songs got old real fast.

If that is the album with "All You Zombies" and "Hanging on a Heartbeat" on it, it was released a lot earlier than 1985. I was singing those tunes on Guam in 1981, effectively wiping out the birds indigenous to the island.

[TroyD]

See, while I may enjoy a listen to some of the aforementioned acts, I'm in no way convinced that they are any more artistically gifted than the no talent ass clowns that populate the airwaves today. It was just a different time and we had different tastes.

BDT

[TroyD]

The Hooters were a local Filthadelphia band. That stupid kazoo thing that they insisted on inserting into most of their songs got old real fast.

If that is the album with "All You Zombies" and "Hanging on a Heartbeat" on it, it was released a lot earlier than 1985. I was singing those tunes on Guam in 1981, effectively wiping out the birds indigenous to the island.

I saw them in, oh, 87 or so. They said that those songs had been around for about a decade, they finally went national in 1985.

Yeah, they definately weren't in it for the long haul.

BDT

[George Grand]

National my ass. I Had those songs on album in 1981 (In Jersey).

And all those "artists" that pjdami mentioned? I recently got a nice load of unopened vinyl, and those were the ones (also sealed) that I left for others. The covers alone were nothing I wanted in my home.

[capecodder]

The Hooters were a local Filthadelphia band.


Yep, I went to high school and then to college with the bass player, Andy King. He was a year behind me, good guy.

[jcaut]

effectively wiping out the birds indigenous to the island.

LOL! :D

[capecodder]

Yeah, late 70's to mid-80's had the best music

Uhhh, mid-sixties to early seventies wasn't too shabby either.:rolleyes:
Beatles, Who, Zep, Hendrix, Airplane, Stones, not even worth tryin to name them all. But I guess this is about the 80's sound.

[George Grand]

There is no time period that can compare with the absolute avalanche of incredibly good and diverse music associated with the mid 60's to very early 70's. You left out Motown and a lot of R & B as well Codder.

The 80's was the beginning of the downhill slide that has not abated to this day. Los Lobos was noteworthy in the 80's, and that's about it. Snotty boys with big hair and lipstick is my impression of the average 80's band.

[George Grand]

Fell right out of the trees Jason.

[jcaut]

I'm still laughing..

[capecodder]

There is no time period that can compare with the absolute avalanche of incredibly good and diverse music associated with the mid 60's to very early 70's. You left out Motown and a lot of R & B as well Codder.


Couldn't agree more with all of above, particularly Motown! I wasn't even gonna try to start listing cause as soon as I post I would remember 10 more that should have been included. As I ended (after I re-read and then edited) I think the point of the thread was that "'80's sound" whatever you may think of it. Also agree with Los Lobos, didn't get the attention they deserved.

[George Grand]

Hidalgo and Rosas are national treasures in my non-humble opinion.

[shack]

The 80's has a great decade for glam rock lovers

POISON - MOTLEY CRUE - BON JOVI - TWISTED SISTER - EUROPE - SKID ROW - Ohh mann !!!! that is music !!!!

Oh NO!!! That is NOISE....and bad noise at that!

In the summer of 1986 I had a 2 year old and another on the way, trying to figure out how to make ends meet while paying for a house, 2 cars and STUFF and trying to put a little money in the bank. Even if there was more than a minisule amount of decent music to buy (which there wasn't) it was a very low priority for me at that time. What I DID do was record a lot of my LPs and albums I could borrow, to cassette so I could listen to them in the car (which was the only time I really got to listen to music). I can't think of more than one or two pre-recorded cassettes that I ever bought.

[TroyD]

I dunno, the date stamped on the cover of the Nervous Night LP is 1985. If it was released earlier, well, it was released earlier.

Agree that the artistic merit of pop music died about the time I quit crapping in diapers. However, for me, music isn't always about artistic merit. Most of the time, I just want to be entertained.

BDT

[George Grand]

Sell your rigs and try your other hand for cheap entertainment.

[TroyD]

I can do that AND listen to crappy music. The essence of multi-tasking.

BDT

[danger boy]

how can you not like Twisted Sister? :rolleyes:

Each decade of music has some really good music from it.. you can't really compare them to other decades. The world was a different place in each decade as well.. the music reflected those days.

I like music from each time period... even some older stuff too. I do have to admit that i'm struggling to find one or two or three groups that I would follow and buy everything they record. Unlike say Depeche Mode for example... i got just about everything they ever put out.. along with INXS too.

[George Grand]

I didn't realize my suggestion would be effective. I figured it for just entertainment purposes.



There isn't enough room on this page for me to list the reasons I don't care for a band like Twisted Sister. However, a cacophonous jungle of sound orchestrated by a group of extremely ugly individuals with little or no musical talent would probably capture the essence of my first paragraph.

[Dennis Gardner]

Hall and Oates............H20 from 1982 and moreso Big Bam Boom from 1984 are some of the best recorded LPs I have from the '80s

[Dennis Gardner]

Common George, there wasn't alot of time for Metal from the '80s when we were still trying to figure out what all of Zappa's stuff meant from the decade earlier.:D

[George Grand]

If you were listening to the words you were missing all the magic in the music.

By 1976 it was clear that Frank was going to cater to a special audience from that point on (Titties and Beer) in order to earn enough cash to pay guys like the London Symphony to play the REAL stuff. I have nothing of his after 1975 or 76 except for the big orchestral works. But I found it mandatory to have every note of music he wrote up till 1975 or 76. Hot Rats, Waka Jawaka, and The Grand Wazoo being the high points from 65-75.

[jcaut]

Digging through some LP's to see if I might have that Bruce Hornsby we were talking about-- I didn't -- but,....I happened upon a few other "gems". Oh, there's more, but I figured this variety should open me up to a little ridicule here.

If Hooters can wipe out the birds, I might be able to eradicate the cockroaches.

Jason

[Dennis Gardner]

If you were listening to the words you were missing all the magic in the music.

My '80s seemed to be me catchin' up on all that I missed in the '70s.;)

[Dennis Gardner]

That aha "take on me" video was a classic.

[George Grand]

Also an awesome recording job on that song Take On Me. I actually like it. Which reminds me of the other 80's song I like "Turning Japanese".

[shack]

but,....I happened upon a few other "gems".
Are We Not Men? We Are Devo! (actually from the 70s)

[jcaut]

New Traditionalists was actually about '81 wasn't it? Through Being Cool, Beautiful World, etc..

Beautiful World was a cool song at the skating rink....I'm going to hook the TT up and play this.

I think this is the "limited edition tour release", too, BTW.

[shack]

New Traditionalists was actually about '81 wasn't it? Through Being Cool, Beautiful World, etc..
Yes.

I was referring to their first album which was released in 1978...

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drf600/f613/f61310zh2ls.jpg

[Danny Tse]

I can't believe no one mentioned Rick Springfield :mad: :D

I love 80s music simply because I grew up listening to that stuff....Journey, Cyndi Lauper, Tears For Fears, Duran Duran, Sade, Van Halen, Hall & Oates, etc.... Heck, I even like "Mickey".

[TroyD]

Man, what about Sheena Easton? Her music sucked but she was oh so hot.

BDT

[danger boy]

Also an awesome recording job on that song Take On Me. I actually like it. Which reminds me of the other 80's song I like "Turning Japanese".


ok suckers. get this.. I actually saw A-Ha in concerts back in like 1985 or 86. :eek: OMG. that's been 20 yrs!!!

[Zero]

Ah, the 80's. I don't remember much of it in a musical sense, except for days going to and from Mirimar - back when the place was nothing but sand and cacti with hills. ****, I even remember Padre stadium being out in the middle of nowhere.. the only music I can associate with that era is (straps on flame suit);

Richard Marx / Luther Van Dross / Foreigner / Toto / Bette Midler / Madonna / Phil Collins / Lionel Ritchie et all.

[danger boy]

how about Huey Lewis and the News,
John Cougar Mellencamp
Haircut 100
Eurythmics
Thomas Dolby
Adam Ant
The Fixx
Timbuk3
Kajagoogoo ??
The Art of Noise
The Psychedelic Furs
Yello
til Tuesday/Aimee Mann
Howard Jones
Tears for Fears
Level 42
ABC
Animotion
Men Without Hats
Erasure
Pseudo Echo
Wang Chung
Soft Cell
Naked Eyes
Berlin
Thompson Twins
Gary Numan
Romeo Void


that's all i can think of right now.. now my head hurts.. oweee!

[Danny Tse]

How about Wham! and George Michael?

Big Country
Spandau Ballet - need to do reunion
Simple Minds - still alive and kicking
Human League
Beastie Boys
Whitesnake - still around
Culture Club - Boy George's drug charge dropped
REO Speedwagon
Laura Branigan - RIP
Janet Jackson
Tina Turner

[Ron-P]

I grew up in the 80's, loved most all the music. I've got Journey filling the air space in my office right now.


Some of my fav bands...

Duran Duran
Bon Jovi
Human League
A-ha
Berlin
The Physc Furs
Oingo Boingo
REO
The Smiths
The Cars
...and that's just a start. Ask me to name 10 bands from the 90's, I couldn't.

Animotion, this band played my grad night at Disneyland in 1985.

[shack]

Danger Boy and Danny's lists:

Huey Lewis and the News
John Cougar Mellencamp
Haircut 100
Eurythmics
Thomas Dolby
Adam Ant
The Fixx
Timbuk3
Kajagoogoo
The Art of Noise
The Psychedelic Furs
Yello
til Tuesday/Aimee Mann
Howard Jones
Tears for Fears
Level 42
ABC
Animotion
Men Without Hats
Erasure
Pseudo Echo
Wang Chung
Soft Cell
Naked Eyes
Berlin
Thompson Twins
Gary Numan
Romeo Void
Wham! and George Michael
Big Country
Spandau Ballet
Simple Minds
Human League
Beastie Boys
Whitesnake
Culture Club
REO Speedwagon
Laura Branigan
Janet Jackson
Tina Turner

I may not be a "normal" rock music fan but I have been buying music for over 35 years. I still buy music from new recording artists and try to stay current on stuff, so I think I know quite a bit about music. (I sometimes even amaze my kids that are 18 and 21 how much I know about "their" music). Of the list above I recognize most of the artists, but there are 7 (out of 41) I've never heard of. I only own a CD/LP from 4 of them. Maybe they just aren't groups I liked. :confused:

[shack]

Since based on my prior post it appeared that I knew of very little music of the 80s, I started thinking about just how much music from the 80's I actually owned. So I did a quick check and the following is a list of artist that I own albums of music that was recorded in the 80s:

.38 Special
Abba
AC/DC
Bryan Adams
Alan Parsons Project
Pat Benatar
George Benson
David Bowie
Jacksone Browne
Jimmy Buffett
Kate Bush
Kim Carnes
The Cars
Eric Clapton
Phil Collins
Crosby , Stills, and Nash
David Crosby
Def Leppard
Dire Straits
Duran Duran
Dan Fogelberg
Glenn Frey
Peter Gabriel
Marvin Gaye
Genesis
J. Geils Band
Daryl Hall & John Oates
Heart
Don Henley
The Hooters
Bruce Hornsby
Billy Idol
Billy Joel
Elton John
Howard Jones
Fleetwood Mac
Huey Lewis & the News
Randy Meisner
John (Cougar) Mellencamp
Men at Work
Steve Miller
Pink Floyd
Police
Queen
Bonnie Raitt
REO Speedwagon
Linda Ronstadt
Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band
Patty Smyth/Scandal
Rick Springfield
Sting
Talk Talk
Joe Walsh
The Traveling Wilburys
Toto
U2
Van Halen
Stevie Ray Vaughan
John Waite
Steve Winwood
Yes
Neil Young
Warren Zevon

There may be more.

Maybe "The 80s" wasn't such a music wasteland after all.

[Danny Tse]

Many of the listed artists are still around.

Toto just released a new studio album last month. And even Phil Collins is not out-of-the-question for a Genesis reunion.


Animotion, this band played my grad night at Disneyland in 1985.

Was that version of the band w/ Cynthia Rhodes (aka Mrs. Richard Marx)?

[Ron-P]

I don't know, that was too many years ago.

[*Seby*-Polk-]

My 80's list .... ( I like various types of music)

* BON JOVI
* MOTLEY CRUE
* SKID ROW
* POISON
* DEF LEPPARD
* AEROSMITH
* GUNS N' ROSES
* AIR SUPPLY
* BRYAN ADAMS
* A-HA
* MODERN TALKING
* PET SHOP BOYS
* DIRE STRAITS
* EUROPE
* ALICE COOPER
* OZZY
* MR. BIG
* STEVE VAI
* WHITESNAKE


Enjoy THAT music ;) :D

[cfrizz]

I hate to tell you this Shack, but the majority of those singers started in the late 60's & the 70's and are still doing quite well today!

That simply tells you that real musical talent can & has gone on for decades!

[shack]

Cathy - I know that and have many of the albums they recorded prior to the 80s and subsequent to the 80s. It is simply a list of stuff I have that was actually recorded and/or released in the 80s. It is more than I would have thought. One of the things that struck me was that few of the artists on my list actually STARTED recording in the 80s.

[cfrizz]

Yup!!! That's the truth!:D

[danger boy]

The Pretenders
Quarterflash
Talking Heads
Missing Persons
Roxy Music (disbanded 1983)
New Order
Bronski Beat
Modern English
A Flock of Seagulls (how can we forget that hair?)
Split Enz
OMD
ELO
The Go Go's
Squeeze

[Early B.]

One of the things that struck me was that few of the artists on my list actually STARTED recording in the 80s.

Interesting observation. Prince is a mega 80's superstar that comes to mind. Never really liked his music, but he was extremely talented and inventive.

MJ would probably like another shot at the 80's, 'cuz the 21st century hasn't been very kind to him.

[jcaut]

A lot of those listed- like them or not - did some fairly innovative stuff, IMO. Just looking at those db listed above:

Pretenders, Talking Heads, Split Enz (Crowded House..I like the Finn bros.) ELO, Squeeze.. All pretty talented as musicians and songwriters, IMO.

However, all of those were 70's acts that continued to produce hits into the '80's (some changing their styles accordingly).

I'm a closet ELO fan, too. I enjoy all their stuff, from the early Beatlesques, transition-from-the Move stuff, through the '80's electronica.

Prince was responsible for Sheena Easton's transition from hotness to just nasty.

[cfrizz]

ELO is great. I just downloaded their song Fire On High. It starts out wierd & ends up real cool! I like thier mix of classical/rock sound.

[Strong Bad]

Interesting observation. Prince is a mega 80's superstar that comes to mind. Never really liked his music, but he was extremely talented and inventive.

Alot of his stuff has grown on me. I'm going to give "Purple Rain" on DVD a whirl sometime soon. Movie did quite well actually. Very solid song!

I remember reading somewhere that he wrote and recorded his portion of the score to "Batman" (Tim Burton) in a few weeks. Please correct me if i'm wrong.

[seo]

Bands from the 80's that I still like:

REM
The Replacements
Husker Du/ Bob Mould
B-52's
Smiths
The Cure
U2
Violent Femmes

[zombie boy 2000]

i've seen the Cure five times in concert, and I cannot even begin to tell you how amazing they sound..
Robert Smith is one of the most underrated guitarists of our generation

[Ron-P]

Agreed zombie. Saw them once in concert at the Irvine Amp here in CA. One of the best I've ever been to. No show, no stunts, no fireworks, no stage decor. Just the band on stage singing. It was awesome, one of those concerts I'll never forget.

[zombie boy 2000]

exactly... four hours of music, most of it pulled from every nook and cranny of their catalog
w/ no frills, just an awesome performance that trumped their recorded material (which is the number one factor i take into consideration before I shell out Ticketmaster moolah)

[George Grand]

Are we at war with Argentina yet, and if not, why not?



"OUR" generation?

[danger boy]

in honor of this thread... i listened to The best of the Smiths tonight.

a lot of good stuff going on there.

[dorokusai]

Bananarama (http://www.bananarama.co.uk/index_fla.html). Still Delicious after all these years.

[danger boy]

is that the same Bananarama as in the 80's? New members perhaps? Are they imposters? ;)

[ND13]

Planet P Project
The Smithereens
The Cult

[fatchowmein]

A Flock of Seagulls
Book of Love
OMD
Erasure
Depeche Mode
James
The Cure

... and so many one hit wonders
Concrete Blonde
Dexy's Midnight Runners
Divinyls
The Dream Academy (ok, they had 2)
Icehouse (ok, they had 2)
The Lightning Seeds
CCCP
Flesh for LuLu
Kon Kan

[Danny Tse]

is that the same Bananarama as in the 80's? New members perhaps? Are they imposters? ;)

Wow! I am surprised that 2 of the founding members of Bananarama are still at it. Good for them.

[seo]

Oops-

I forgot Talking Heads, but I guess you could argue that they were a 70's and 80's band.

[Ron-P]

Bananarama. Still Delicious after all these years.
No kidding. Wonder what happened to the 3rd girl. One of my fav bands from the 80's.

[reeltrouble1]

There is no time period that can compare with the absolute avalanche of incredibly good and diverse music associated with the mid 60's to very early 70's. You left out Motown and a lot of R & B as well Codder.

Perfect.

Sans the bubble gum bands.

RT1

I like the Wilson Sisters they were in the eighties? Right? I dig some of those musicians from the 80's, 1680, 1780, 1880.

[Danny Tse]

I like the Wilson Sisters they were in the eighties?

For a moment, I was thinking you meant the Wilson sisters of Wilson Philips (daughters of Brian Wilson) :D