I appear to be against the 80s

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My obsessive campaign of filling in the date field for all my MP3s has revealed that I have loads of 2000s, 1990s, 1970s and 1960s tracks (and quite a few from the 50s and before, considering), but surprisingly few from the 80s. Part of this is just that I was a teenager in the 80s and a lot of those records are too special/overplayed for me to want them on my computer. But partly I think that maybe the 80s are a bit rubbish. In particular, mid-to-late 80s chart pop and soul I have comparatively little affection for. I still find SAW records soulless, chugging and flat and the only soul singer I could think of whose records I quite liked is Alexander O'Neal.

Tell me some tracks from the mid to late 80s that might please me (don't have to be chart or soul but no organic British indie please, as I think I know it all too well). Or alternatively diagnose my malaise.

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 22 August 2003 11:58 (twenty-two years ago)

You suffer from the affliction of good taste.

Mid to late 80's? Detroit and Chicago techno and house might be a start?

― colin s barrow (colin s barrow), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:02 (twenty-two years ago)

The Pet Shop Boys' first twenty singles...

― pete b. (pete b.), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:02 (twenty-two years ago)

How about Gang of Four's "Songs of the Free" or "Hard" ?

― dave225 (Dave225), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:03 (twenty-two years ago)

It's a bit obvious N. but "Buffalo Stance", "Manchild", "Kisses On The Wind" - late 80s chart'n'soul of impeccable quality.

― Tom (Groke), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:03 (twenty-two years ago)

i can't believe this thread was started by a Smiths fan

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:05 (twenty-two years ago)

define "organic British indie" please (i think i know what you mean, but just to save others' time + effort)

to answer the question:
jane siberry - "the taxi ride"

― zebedee (zebedee), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:05 (twenty-two years ago)

to the Pseudo Echo thread with you! (guaranteed no UK related content within)

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:06 (twenty-two years ago)

I agree SAW are overrated actually - the Hi-NRG style that gave them their first few hits is wonderful but the full-on Hit Factory stuff is a bit hit and miss. Still though "Whatever I Do, Wherever I Go" (Hazell Dean), "You Spin Me Round"/"In Too Deep"/"Brand New Lover" (Dead Or Alive), "I'd Rather Jack" and the Mel and Kim singles are superb.

― Tom (Groke), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Slovenian mentalists Laibach got me through 1986, a very bleak year.

― colin s barrow (colin s barrow), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:08 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www3.turboweb.net.au/~nigs2/files/jam&lew.jpg

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:08 (twenty-two years ago)

"Rush Hour" by Jane Wiedlin.

N you must know all of these already.

― Tom (Groke), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:10 (twenty-two years ago)

"I Should Be So Lucky" is still classic, I don't care what you mentalists claim.

What about Prince, N.?

― Larcole (Nicole), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:10 (twenty-two years ago)

PSB singles all on there Pete. Yeah, some more dance music would be good, colin. I have a few 12"s from 88 and 89 back at my mum and dad's that I'd love to transfer. Not that much, thinking about it. I have lots from 90-92 but late 80s it's just Todd Terry stuff that I can remember. I never really investigated Detroit just cause the 'Derrick May is a genius' mid-90s NME stuff got a bit boring.

Non-PE or non daisy age hip hop recommendations would be good too.

Zebedee - 'organic British indie' = Smiths, C86, Lloyd Cole, Housemartins etc.

Nipper - tell me more about Jam and Lewis.

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:11 (twenty-two years ago)

"I Should Be So Lucky" is still classic, I don't care what you mentalists claim

There is no denial here. But all you have to do is listen to the Bananarama greatest hits comp to see how quickly the formula just DIES. It's like watching a comedian tell you the same joke over and over again.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:13 (twenty-two years ago)

If someone told me I had to listen to the Banarama greatest hits comp I would run away and cry.

― Larcole (Nicole), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Jamie Principal - "Baby Wants To Ride"
Joe Smooth - "Promised Land"
Sterling Void - "Runaway Girl"
Marshall Jefferson - "Move Your Body (The House Music Anthem)"
Ten City - "That's The Way Love Is" (N this is particularly urgent, you will like it a lot)

I'd forgotten Bananarama! "Love In The First Degree" is one of the best SAW productions, LOADS better than Kylie. In fact let's be honest, Kylie was shit before 2001.

― Tom (Groke), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:15 (twenty-two years ago)

Has there ever ever ever been a better pop star name than STERLING VOID btw?

― Tom (Groke), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Another angle - good adult oriented stuff. At the time stuff like 10000 Maniacs was not quite for me, though as I am always saying, I loved Mary Margaret O'Hara, whose Miss America came out in 1989.

I am starting to think I have more of gap from 1984-1987 than the very end of the 80s.

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:19 (twenty-two years ago)

If someone told me I had to listen to the Banarama greatest hits comp I would run away and cry.

MY POINT. ;-)

Has there ever ever ever been a better pop star name than STERLING VOID btw?

It's up there. None more glam except it was in an even more alien time and place.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:20 (twenty-two years ago)

N. try that 1986 Greatest Hits thread I started last week.

― Tom (Groke), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:20 (twenty-two years ago)

OK.

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:22 (twenty-two years ago)

That Ten City track is incredibly good, yes.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Okay, Prince and his various songs he wrote for other people shall go unremarked upon.

― Larcole (Nicole), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Jam and Lewis were in The Time, N. They produced all these records in the 1980s.

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Hmm.. on looking at that 1986 I am finding that I dislike almost all the non-indie stuff on it. Maybe I am against the 80s after all.

Thanks to whoever reminded me of Rock Me Amadeus though.

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:28 (twenty-two years ago)

'that 1986' = 'that 1986 thread of Tom's'

JtN - is that complete? What workshy fops.

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:30 (twenty-two years ago)

The Family gets overlooked. As does Stacey Q, but wtfe.

― Larcole (Nicole), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:33 (twenty-two years ago)

I think that's just the albums they worked on.

There's a soppy ad on telly at the moment that has The Style Council's 'You're the best thing' on it which reminded me how much I still love mid-80s white sock soul.

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:36 (twenty-two years ago)

STACEY Q!!

Also N should hear "Meeting In The Ladies Room" and "The Men All Pause" by Klymaxx.

And was "Don't Disturb This Groove" 80s or later?

― Tom (Groke), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:36 (twenty-two years ago)

Larcole - Prince is great, but I'm trying to think of tracks that don't come from major artists with huge discographies. Doesn't have to be a one hit wonder, but someone whose career was more or less restricted to that era would be better.

Neneh Cherry is a good reminder, Tom. Jane Wiedlin I don't like (or at least not 'Rush Hour', which is the only solo thing of hers I know)

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:37 (twenty-two years ago)

What about Shannon's 'Let the Music Play'?

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Any suggestions on an indie AOR tip (like the Jane Siberry one)?

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Rickie Lee Jones' 'Pirates'.

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Rush - Big Money

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Don Henley - Boys of Summer

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Phil Bailey - Chinese Wall

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:45 (twenty-two years ago)

My mouth is opening and closing but no noise is coming out.

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:45 (twenty-two years ago)

This is a new and intriguing side of DJ Martian!

― Tom (Groke), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Actually - on the AOR tip, surely you have got all the Blue Nile stuff from Cookie or Jack?

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Lovergirl - Teena Marie

― Larcole (Nicole), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Godley and Creme - Cry :)

― willem (willem), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Killing Joke - Love like blood

― willem (willem), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:52 (twenty-two years ago)

It's Immaterial - Driving Away from Home
The Bolshoi - Away
Peter Murphy - Cuts You Up
Killing Joke - Adorations
Sinead O'Conner with Edge - Heroin

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Murray Head - One night in Bangkok

― willem (willem), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:53 (twenty-two years ago)

the Power Station - Some Like It Hot

― willem (willem), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Exposé - "Let Me Be the One" and "The Point of No Return"

― Larcole (Nicole), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Wang Chung - Dance Hall Days

― willem (willem), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:56 (twenty-two years ago)

God, these names.

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:57 (twenty-two years ago)

I have never checked out the Blue Nile, but maybe I will.

Was there any good country or folk infused rock in the 80s? Please don't suggest Bruce Hornsby & The Range.

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:59 (twenty-two years ago)

edie brickell

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Friday, 22 August 2003 12:59 (twenty-two years ago)

NOOO!!!

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 22 August 2003 13:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Scritti Politti - O Patti
The The - Sweet Bird of Truth
Talk Talk - Life's what you make it
Prefab Sprout - Faron Young
The Mission - Serpent's Kiss
Depeche Mode - Strangelove
Gun Club - The Breaking Hands
China Crisis - King in a Catholic Style
Clan of Xymox - Louise
Ofra Haza - Im Nin Alu

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Friday, 22 August 2003 13:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Colourfield - Thinking of You
Furniture - Brilliant Mind
Cactus World News - The Bridge
The Chameleons - Tears
Hollywood Beyond - What's the Colour of Money

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Friday, 22 August 2003 13:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Siouxsie and the banshees - Killing Jar

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Friday, 22 August 2003 13:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Bobby Brown - Don't Be Cruel, My Perogative, Every Little Step, and On Our Own

― Tom Breihan (Tom Breihan), Friday, 22 August 2003 13:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Has anybody here ever heard of hip hop?

― oops (Oops), Friday, 22 August 2003 14:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Shannon's 'Let the Music Play' and Haywoode 'Roses' - very striking records by artists who apparently disappeared subsequently.

― MarkH (MarkH), Friday, 22 August 2003 14:05 (twenty-two years ago)

PAGING MIKE DADDINO - what is the mix of "That's The Way Love Is" you once put on a mixtape for me - every one I have since downloaded is much housier and that's still the best one, I'd like it on MP3 really.

Oops I'm glad you chose to make a useful comment rather than suggesting some hip-hop.

― Tom (Groke), Friday, 22 August 2003 14:08 (twenty-two years ago)

I suggested all of it.

― oops (Oops), Friday, 22 August 2003 14:11 (twenty-two years ago)

It is all encompassing, true.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 22 August 2003 14:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Yes N do as oops says and download MC Mike G and Deejay Sven at once.

(Actually, do!)

― Tom (Groke), Friday, 22 August 2003 14:17 (twenty-two years ago)

AND "original rap" by the rapping reverend [can't remember name, not gary davies tho']

― zebedee (zebedee), Friday, 22 August 2003 14:35 (twenty-two years ago)

(slightly) more serious suggestion:

eric b & rakim - 'follow the leader'

― zebedee (zebedee), Friday, 22 August 2003 14:37 (twenty-two years ago)

(bananarama greatest hits = end-to-end classics btw. i hope. i shall dig it out tonight just to make sure)

― zebedee (zebedee), Friday, 22 August 2003 14:40 (twenty-two years ago)

I could be here all day suggesting hip hop, which is why I just mentioned that the genre was being neglected here (a 'useful' thing to point out). So, just pick up Ego Trip's Book of Rap Lists. At the end, there's a list of the top singles and albums from each year.

― oops (Oops), Friday, 22 August 2003 14:41 (twenty-two years ago)

end-to-end classics btw. i hope.

Mmm, you'll find yourself sorely troubled on that point, I fear.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 22 August 2003 14:43 (twenty-two years ago)

I've already got Follow The Leader, ta. I did actually ask for hiphop recommendations upthread, oops. And just to be clear, as with the 'British organic indie' thing, I love Public Enemy and lots of the daisy age stuff - it's just that I know about all that and don't need any help.

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 22 August 2003 15:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Well...some of my fav 80s hip hop albums:
Ultramagnetic MCs "Critical Beatdown"
Mantronix "The Album"
BDP "Criminal Minded"
Kool G Rap & DJ Polo "Road to the Riches"
Marley Marl "In Control, vol 1"
Schooly D "The Adventures of Schooly D" (or just download "PSK: What Does it Mean")
Epmd "Strictly Business"
"Ego Trip presents The Big Playback" compiliation, which is a companion to the book I mentioned

― oops (Oops), Friday, 22 August 2003 15:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Thanks oops.

Were there just not many things released in the 80s or something? Nowadays people are always talking about bands I've never heard of, and there are still loads of obscure 60s and 70s artists that I keep on discovering, but I've heard of most of the recommendations on this thread, even if I don't know the records.

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 22 August 2003 15:24 (twenty-two years ago)

(I know I started off talking about chart pop, which could explain it.)

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 22 August 2003 15:25 (twenty-two years ago)

I can't even stand "Big Money". "Boys of Summer" isn't bad though.

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Friday, 22 August 2003 15:41 (twenty-two years ago)

N., the fact that you were alive and conscious of pop music in the 80's might make a difference as well.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Friday, 22 August 2003 15:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Do you know "Rocket" by Def Leppard?

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Friday, 22 August 2003 15:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Yes.

Ricky - yes, but that doesn't explain how there are loads of 90s and 00s stuff that I don't know.

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 22 August 2003 16:01 (twenty-two years ago)

'Peace Frog' - Saccahrine Trust
'The Punchline' - the Minutemen
'New Mind' - Swans
'Greasy Spine' - the Volcano Suns
'New Bully in Town' - the Laughing Clowns

plus the obv cuts by Mission of Burma, Big Black, Sonic Youth, Black Flag, the Flesheaters/Divine Horsemen, etc etc

― Andrew L (Andrew L), Friday, 22 August 2003 19:05 (twenty-two years ago)

inner city - good life
doug lazy - let it roll
wally jump jnr and the criminal element orchestra - turn me loose
redhead kingpin - do the right thing
planet patrol - play at your own risk
sun ra - nuclear war
gary byrd - the crown
third bass - brooklyn queens
keith sweat - i want her

AOR: check sam (nee leslie) phillips. penman approved.

― gaz (gaz), Saturday, 23 August 2003 07:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Kylie was shit before 2001

except for 1990 kylie!

― minna (minna), Saturday, 23 August 2003 15:05 (twenty-two years ago)

PAGING MIKE DADDINO

Damnit, I'm playing Vice City! What do you want?

what is the mix of "That's The Way Love Is" you once put on a mixtape for me - every one I have since downloaded is much housier and that's still the best one, I'd like it on MP3 really.

I can't remember. I mean, I know it's the mix with the fake strings at the beginning, but I don't remember which one it's called -- the "Deep House Mix" or the "Underground Mix" or the "Acieed Mix." I can't find my 12", since I probably tossed it due to water damage.

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Sunday, 24 August 2003 21:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Inspired (kind of) by your love for Mary Margaret O'Hara, and the question about country-type stuff, what about the Cowboy Junkies?

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 24 August 2003 22:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Good idea. Never really heard them. Can you recommend a track to try out?

― N. (nickdastoor), Monday, 25 August 2003 05:32 (twenty-two years ago)

the chills, the verlaines, the doublehappys, look blue go purple, the clean, the axemen.

― The Lady Ms Lurex (lucylurex), Monday, 25 August 2003 07:23 (twenty-two years ago)

oh thats right, dunedin is the "axis of tweevil".

― The Lady Ms Lurex (lucylurex), Monday, 25 August 2003 07:24 (twenty-two years ago)

and we love it for that

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Monday, 25 August 2003 07:41 (twenty-two years ago)

oh and the axemen are from chch anyway

― The Lady Ms Lurex (lucylurex), Monday, 25 August 2003 07:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, I was gonna suggest the Chills, but seeing as they once had an alb out on Creation I sorta thought they were covered by N's no "organic"(?) British indie 'rule'.

― Andrew L (Andrew L), Monday, 25 August 2003 08:17 (twenty-two years ago)

I know 'Pink Frost' and it's OK.

I nicked 'organic' from Tom. Classic guitar pop or rock sound = organic. 4ADish or experimental indie = non-organic and all not that familiar to me.

― N. (nickdastoor), Monday, 25 August 2003 08:28 (twenty-two years ago)

I guess what Kerry called 'naturalistic' here:

Does the "fake" music of the 80s sound less dated than the naturalistic stuff?

― N. (nickdastoor), Monday, 25 August 2003 08:32 (twenty-two years ago)

N., I would try anything off the Trinity Session. I'll make a tape for you and give you it next time I see you, but you might want to try here for some stuff.

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 25 August 2003 09:03 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't know if someone who like Mary Margaret O'Hara is necessarily going to like the Cowboy Junkies though: I am a big fan of the former and the latter never did much for me.

― Larcole (Nicole), Monday, 25 August 2003 11:11 (twenty-two years ago)

I really like Foreigner's I Want To Know What Love Is.

― David Merryweather (DavidM), Monday, 25 August 2003 11:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Who doesn't?

― N. (nickdastoor), Monday, 25 August 2003 11:41 (twenty-two years ago)

That definitely wasn't meant to sound snarky. It was a thumbs up.

― N. (nickdastoor), Monday, 25 August 2003 11:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Cameo - 'Word Up'

To me they epitomise everything that was good about the 80's.

― colin s barrow (colin s barrow), Monday, 25 August 2003 11:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, some Cameo was one of the things I realised I must get. Haven't heard anything except Word Up for ages.

― N. (nickdastoor), Monday, 25 August 2003 11:48 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't like it, for one. N. do you have Berlin (lots of stuff)/Australian Crawl's "Reckless" already?

― Andrew Thames (Andrew Thames), Monday, 25 August 2003 11:50 (twenty-two years ago)

No, never heard of it. I don't like Take My Breath Away, though.

I sort of hate that Foreigner track too, if that helps.

― N. (nickdastoor), Monday, 25 August 2003 11:54 (twenty-two years ago)

You don't like "Take My Breath Away"? I'm like mildly surprised

― Andrew Thames (Andrew Thames), Monday, 25 August 2003 11:55 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't know - maybe I do now. I'm getting soft. I'm playing it in my head right now and it sounds OK.

Tom wrote interestingly about I Want To Know What Love Is here, for anyone who hasn't seen it.

― N. (nickdastoor), Monday, 25 August 2003 12:00 (twenty-two years ago)

My mom sure liked it.

― Kim (Kim), Monday, 25 August 2003 12:18 (twenty-two years ago)

It's kind of weird when parents identify so closely with lyrics like that.

― N. (nickdastoor), Monday, 25 August 2003 12:21 (twenty-two years ago)

Harlequin - "Innocence"

Grapes of Wrath - "All the Things I Wasn't" is pretty organic and I bet you haven't heard it. I haven't either in maybe a decade but I remember liking it.

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Monday, 25 August 2003 12:22 (twenty-two years ago)

You are right - I have never heard of it. It sounds super-emo and I will check it out.

― N. (nickdastoor), Monday, 25 August 2003 12:24 (twenty-two years ago)

That's freaky Sundar - I was just thinking of suggesting that!

― Kim (Kim), Monday, 25 August 2003 12:31 (twenty-two years ago)

The Grapes that is - if Nick can even *find* Harlequin I'll be even more suprised than if he actually likes it.

― Kim (Kim), Monday, 25 August 2003 12:33 (twenty-two years ago)

It's possible you're mad?

― David. (Cozen), Monday, 25 August 2003 12:52 (twenty-two years ago)

I've never liked Take My Breath Away; it sounds hopelessly dated now, it is absolutely rigidly of, and stuck in, its time. To me, I Want To Know What Love Is is far, far less specifically 80s sounding. It has a certain 80s sheen, and it blows up into an over-cooked power-ballad roar that’s typically 80s but despite all that it strikes me as a song that could probably have got away with being released any time from 70s to now (with varying chart success, I suppose, and certainly airplay).
I don’t know about Foreigner but I like the song; in the right time, in the right mood it really works for me.

I’m surprised no-one’s mentioned the old favourites I Can’t Wait by Nu Shooz and Since Yesterday by Strawberry Switchblade yet. (unless they have and I’ve missed it).

― David Merryweather (DavidM), Monday, 25 August 2003 13:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Despite the title, I went on to specify asking about mid-late 80s, so that might explain the lack of Strawberry Switchblade recommendation, David.

Other David: who's mad?

― N. (nickdastoor), Monday, 25 August 2003 13:09 (twenty-two years ago)

I met a bum Friday night who called me "Champion." He asked me if I liked the music that was coming out of his ghetto blaster and I was like "I do, actually." I didn't say "actually." He was like "it's the Strawberry Alarm Clock! I've got a whole tape of this stuff! But go on, I didn't mean to separate you from your friends."

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Monday, 25 August 2003 13:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Am I mad? Moi? Possibly.

Despite predating the emo trend, All The Things I Wasn't probably really is the most emo song ever - aside from the subject matter and slow tempo, the Grapes had that look about them, and the video featured a slowly turning set of rooms in a house where they moped about looking lonely, staring at the ceiling and playing records to themselves. It's great.

― Kim (Kim), Monday, 25 August 2003 14:04 (twenty-two years ago)

whoops, I meant "in addition to", not "aside from".

― Kim (Kim), Monday, 25 August 2003 14:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah well if we discounted music that was stuck in its time we might not be left w/too much, man

― Andrew Thames (Andrew Thames), Monday, 25 August 2003 14:10 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.geocities.com/grapesnut/discs/singles/attiw-45.htmlb

― Kim (Kim), Monday, 25 August 2003 14:11 (twenty-two years ago)

gah sorry I added an accidental b

http://www.geocities.com/grapesnut/discs/singles/attiw-45.html

― Kim (Kim), Monday, 25 August 2003 14:14 (twenty-two years ago)

"Hours of hiding and spent apart/A wall's the most we share/Unlike you there is no way I can spend forever there" = emo bumper sticker

My sister saw the singer from TGOW do a solo show this year. She said he gets really upset when people ask for "All the Things I Wasn't", which is pretty emo in itself.

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Monday, 25 August 2003 15:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Which singer? I'll bet money it was Kevin, not Tom.

― Kim (Kim), Monday, 25 August 2003 15:44 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm surprised no-one has mention Fleetwood Mac's Tango In The Night. It's got "Everywhere", "Little Lies", "Seven Wonders", "Big Love" - talk about hit factor!

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 01:45 (twenty-two years ago)

don't like it, for one. N. do you have Berlin (lots of stuff)/Australian Crawl's "Reckless" already?
-- Andrew Thames (cleanbridge...), August 25th, 2003.

Bloody hell! Oz Crawl gets a guernsey!

― colin s barrow (colin s barrow), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 05:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Tim, I'd still rather jack.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 07:00 (twenty-two years ago)

seven years pass...

Part of this is just that I was a teenager in the 80s and a lot of those records are too special/overplayed for me to want them on my computer. But partly I think that maybe the 80s are a bit rubbish

80s radio was pretty terrible overall. 80s underground music was thriving. early 80s new wave was pretty thrilling to young teenage me.

― Daniel, Esq., Wednesday, 15 September 2010 10:20 (fifteen years ago)

The kids of today should defend themselves against the 70s. Actually. I think we might skip a few generations. We need to go back deeper into our past to comparitively analyze the 10s.

― hypo ilxa/hermes ban (kkvgz), Wednesday, 15 September 2010 10:35 (fifteen years ago)

Ragtime, tin pan alley, oh brother where art thou shit

― hypo ilxa/hermes ban (kkvgz), Wednesday, 15 September 2010 10:38 (fifteen years ago)

I will rep for alt 80s music until I go blue in the face. 4AD alone is worth the price.

― Connect Four Tet (Trayce), Wednesday, 15 September 2010 10:39 (fifteen years ago)

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

see also, almost everything on this:

http://static.rateyourmusic.com/album_images/fca05a33b948d4974ad94f1303a085d4/197279.jpg

― Daniel, Esq., Wednesday, 15 September 2010 10:40 (fifteen years ago)

I was about to say I was suprised at who started this til I realised it was dastoor and not sick mouthy.

― Connect Four Tet (Trayce), Wednesday, 15 September 2010 10:43 (fifteen years ago)

I wasn't at the age yet during the '80s when I cared about production values, so pop music just sounded like pop music to me. Later, I revolted against anything that sounded '80s (excepting things like Depeche Mode, The Cure, 4AD stuff, etc) with all its thin synth sounds, gated drums, sax solos, Linn drum fills, and so on.

Cut to now. I can't get enough of it. I probably embrace more Top 40 stuff these days than I did when it was new. I love the sound of it. I love the feel of it. I'm a sucker for any present-day band who tries to recreate it, and I'm not talking about the Joy Division clones. Bands like Superfamily, O'Spada, Alphabeat (well, their first album anyway), Montauk, DYNO...and a lot of other ones, but you get the idea.

I realize this puts me in the same bracket as people who went nuts over The Black Crowes in 1990 (the timing differential is exactly the same). Whereas the Stones and Zeppelin used to be dad rock, it's now granddad rock. Dadrock now is Daryl Hall & John Oates, INXS and Lisa Lisa. I'm not a dad, but I'm gladly embracing the rape and pillage of my youth.

― Johnny Fever, Wednesday, 15 September 2010 10:50 (fifteen years ago)

thanks, johnny. not sure i'll like all those bands you mention, but i've never heard of them before, and now i'm going to check them out.

lately, i've been on a kick for big sounding music, rather than my more usual preference for lean, angular stuff. so i've been sampling bands like black mountain (who i've heard before, to be fair), main street gospel, and mount carmel. strange. anyway, for another thread, i suppose.

― Daniel, Esq., Wednesday, 15 September 2010 11:02 (fifteen years ago)

(bands you mention being the string-cite beginning with superfamily . . .)

― Daniel, Esq., Wednesday, 15 September 2010 11:03 (fifteen years ago)

Dadrock now is Daryl Hall & John Oates, INXS and Lisa Lisa

sadly true. but don't worry -- someday, not so far away, katy perry will be dadrock. well, maybe dadpop.

― Daniel, Esq., Wednesday, 15 September 2010 11:07 (fifteen years ago)

by the by, Montauk has already kind of abandoned their '80s fetishism in favor of a more modern-sounding dance thing and Alphabeat's second album kind of moves into the early '90s copping things like Ace of Base.

I should probably make a comp out of the particular bands/songs I'm talking about. That will be a fun project for the weekend.

― Johnny Fever, Wednesday, 15 September 2010 11:08 (fifteen years ago)

The thing that first drew me to Superfamily was this song, which sounds like Daryl Hall singing for Prefab Sprout.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22wn1MqkST0

― Johnny Fever, Wednesday, 15 September 2010 11:10 (fifteen years ago)

another: this new band -- christian death -- sounds exactly like a blended version of early-to-mid 80s hair-bands/judas-priest. i dig their disc, too.

― Daniel, Esq., Wednesday, 15 September 2010 11:11 (fifteen years ago)

For me the 80s is all about big clear sparkling bright production - and the perfect example is "New Gold Dream" by Simple Minds.

But i also love that "we recorded this in a room with shag carpeting on the floor, walls and ceilng" sound. Hum, cant think of any specific examples though.

― Connect Four Tet (Trayce), Wednesday, 15 September 2010 11:11 (fifteen years ago)

Here's the Montauk song I love the most.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-f_gSG9vgI

― Johnny Fever, Wednesday, 15 September 2010 11:12 (fifteen years ago)

sorry: christian mistress. too many interchangeable doomy, death, s&m terms with these bands.

― Daniel, Esq., Wednesday, 15 September 2010 11:13 (fifteen years ago)

this new band -- christian death

You're playing dumb here, right?

― Johnny Fever, Wednesday, 15 September 2010 11:13 (fifteen years ago)

Oh, haha. Ok. xp

― Johnny Fever, Wednesday, 15 September 2010 11:13 (fifteen years ago)

Here's another one I neglected to mention above: "Only Do For Love" by Cache Cache. The production is exquisite, and it's written like '80s pop (chord choices and such).

http://www.myspace.com/cachecachemusic

― Johnny Fever, Wednesday, 15 September 2010 11:22 (fifteen years ago)

Dead Kennedys - Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables (Manifesto Records, 1980)
Cramps - Songs The Lord Taught Us (IRS, 1980)
Young Marble Giants - Colossal Youth (1980)
Glenn Branca - Lesson no. 1 EP (99Records, 1980)
Tony Allen - No Discrimination (1980)
Glenn Branca - The Ascension (Acute, 1981)
Au Pairs - Playing With a Different Sex (1981)
Jon Hassell - Fourth World, Vol. 2: Dream Theory in Malaya (Editions Eg Records, 1981)
Durutti Column - LC (Factory Records, 1981)
Wipers – Youth of America (Restless Records, USA, 1981)
Derek Bailey - Aida (Incus - 1981)
Antena - Camino del Sol (Crepuscule, 1982)
King Sunny Adé - Juju Music (Mango, 1982)
The Television Personalities - They Could Have Been Bigger Than The Beatles (Fire UK, UK, 1982)
Rain Parade - Emergency Third Rail Power Trip (Restless Records, USA, 1983)
Liquid Liquid - Optimo Ep (1983)
King Sunny Adé - Aura (Mango, 1984)
Arvo Pärt - Tabula Rasa (ECM, 1984)
Husker Du - Zen Arcade (Sst Records, 1984)
Minutemen - Double Nickels on the Dime (Sst Records, 1984)
Cocteau Twins - Treasure (4AD, 1984)
Jacobites - Robespierre's Velvet Basement (Glass, 1985)
Jesus And Mary Chain - Psychocandy (Reprise, 1985)
Scraping Foetus Off The Wheel - Nail (Thirsty Ear, 1985)
Beat Happening - Beat Happening (K. Records, 1985)
Tom Waits - Rain Dogs (Island, 1985)
Einsturzende Neubauten - Haus der Lüge (Thirsty Ear, 1985)
Eric B. & Rakim - Eric B. Is President / My Melody 12" (4th + B'Way, 1986)
The Feelies - The Good Earth (Coyote Records, 1986)
They Might Be Giants - They Might Be Giants (Bar/None, 1986)
H.N.A.S. - Im Schatten der Möhre (dom, 1987)
Kahondo Style - Green Tea & Crocodiles (nato, 1987)
Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation (Sonic Youth Record, 1988)
Big Black - Songs About Fucking (Touch & Go Records, 1988)
Stone Roses - Stone Roses (1989)
Pixies - Doolittle (Elektra, 1989)

― Moka, Wednesday, 15 September 2010 18:05 (fifteen years ago)

The 80s were an ace period, but most of the best stuff was 80-84 rather than 85-89. Early Depeche Mode, Japan, Human League, Duran Duran, ABC, Heaven 17, Yazoo, Ultravox, Howard Jones, Thomas Dolby, Thompson Twins, Dollar. So much great stuff!

― Tied Up In Geir (Geir Hongro), Friday, 17 September 2010 00:39 (fifteen years ago)

Early Depeche Mode, Japan, Human League, Duran Duran, ABC, Heaven 17, Yazoo, Ultravox, Howard Jones, Thomas Dolby, Thompson Twins, Dollar. So much great stuff!

I like all these bands of course, but that's maybe the most homogeneous list I've ever seen used to make a case for anything.

― Johnny Fever, Friday, 17 September 2010 01:42 (fifteen years ago)

It is homogenous on purpose. Because that genre more than anything else was what made the early 80s so great. I left out a lot of great names on purpose. :)

― Tied Up In Geir (Geir Hongro), Friday, 17 September 2010 08:28 (fifteen years ago)

Well, that all has the "80's" badge stamped on it, true.

― Mark G, Friday, 17 September 2010 11:23 (fifteen years ago)

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