1985 Was When It All Started to Turn to Shit

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

It's 1985. Hardcore punk was essentially dead (or, in the case of what happened to Jello Biafra wr2 Frankenchrist, was being beaten to death). Folks like Kraftwerk, Gary Numan, Martin Gore, and Phil Oakley decided that they didn't like being thought of as androids any more, re-asserted their "humanity," and the world watched as the erstwhile robots flushed their artistry down the drain. bob mould caught pete townshend's disease (i.e., he became pretentious and boring, started making "rock operas," and "the Byrds" and "classic song structures" were beginning to be applied to his emerging oeuvre), and although Prince and Paul Westerberg were still in fine form the signs of of their inevitable decay were beginning to rear their respective heads. And the horrifying specters of REM ("real music with real instruments," i.e., "alternative" music that pony-tailed yuppies could like), U2 (stadium rock with feeling, man), Born in the USA electrobutt, thrice-refried trite roots-rock, and hair metal were stalking the land.

This was my 1985. What is yours?

― Tad (llamasfur), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 22:21 (twenty-one years ago)

still listening to stuff from 1984, the greatest year in pop music history

― James Blount (James Blount), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 22:24 (twenty-one years ago)

1984 was pretty darn good ... maybe 1985 just pales in comparison?

― Tad (llamasfur), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 22:24 (twenty-one years ago)

roller skating to doug e. fresh!

― James Blount (James Blount), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 22:25 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah, the problem with years that are heavy heavy loaded loaded is that alot of times they're followed by years that ain't

― James Blount (James Blount), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 22:26 (twenty-one years ago)

add david bowie to the list of one-time androids (or should that be aliens) who decided that they were human (of flesh and blood they're made) and at that precise moment began to really suck.

― Tad (llamasfur), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 22:26 (twenty-one years ago)

"into the groove"!

― James Blount (James Blount), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 22:30 (twenty-one years ago)

things on the horizon/just born/in gestation/yet to be invented in 1985: house, acid house, hardcore, jungle, speed garage, 2-step, the digital dancehall xplosion, southern bounce, (early) post-rock, shoegaze, death/black/xtreme metal, swingbeat and it's descendants, digital bootlegs, fushisusha, two-man noise rock duos (unless the blue humans count)...

― jess (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 22:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Another thing that sucked in 85 -- I think that was when David Lee Roth left Van Halen....

― Matt Helgeson (Matt Helgeson), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 22:34 (twenty-one years ago)

I was thinking 2 live crew was 85 but it were 86

― James Blount (James Blount), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 22:34 (twenty-one years ago)

spin magazine starts in 85

― James Blount (James Blount), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 22:34 (twenty-one years ago)

jess made a good point re stuff either being born or just over the horizon in '85. maybe it's that 1985 was when one era in music was dying and another was in its birth pains -- at a cusp?

― Tad (llamasfur), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 22:35 (twenty-one years ago)

I almost just posted that!

― James Blount (James Blount), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 22:36 (twenty-one years ago)

I always remember 1986-88 as being a bleak time in the pop charts.

― Michael B, Tuesday, 15 July 2003 22:37 (twenty-one years ago)

with the exception that 84 was a great great great year for hip-hop and american post-punk which definitely had some claim on the future

― James Blount (James Blount), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 22:38 (twenty-one years ago)

the ego trip list for 85 is crappy compared to like two years later but still very good!

i think tad is right...at least in american indie rock terms 85-86 was some kinda turning point.

― jess (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 22:39 (twenty-one years ago)

JAMC?

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 22:43 (twenty-one years ago)

(I can't befuckinglieve I abbreviated Jesus and Mary Chain)

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 22:43 (twenty-one years ago)

haha

― jess (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 22:44 (twenty-one years ago)

First And Last And Always!

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Tuesday, 15 July 2003 22:44 (twenty-one years ago)

It's BRMC's fault I tells ya

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 22:45 (twenty-one years ago)

well all the big 84 bangin got majors attention - bye bye placemats and husker - plus bands start breaking up, d. boon dies - and (said with nothing but love for r.e.m., esp. pre-85 r.e.m.) all the r.e.m. clones started to have an impact. plus combine the mainstream roots ethos in the air with indie earnestness = apt for boredom.

― James Blount (James Blount), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 22:47 (twenty-one years ago)

there was puh-lenty of indie goodness in england in 86

― James Blount (James Blount), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 22:47 (twenty-one years ago)

haha james blount: c86 apologist

― jess (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 22:48 (twenty-one years ago)

I blame tom

― James Blount (James Blount), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 22:50 (twenty-one years ago)

james hit it on the head.

i stand somewhat corrected, since synthpop had really died before '85 (some great reward being an exception) -- felled by a combination of "roots ethos" (the dreaded rockist "they play real instruments!" horseshit), rapidly evolving technology, and (frankly) uninspired synth music. (this is a general observation with room for exceptions of course.)

― Tad (llamasfur), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 22:50 (twenty-one years ago)

IT IS THE DAWNING OF THE AGE OF CHANCE

― mark s (mark s), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 22:52 (twenty-one years ago)

synthpop had died in the us before 85, but it still lived on in the uk with new order and depeche mode (who'd eventually bring it back to the states in the late 80s)(on the backs of the pet shop boys who never had problems getting hits stateside until america's gaydar improved?)

― James Blount (James Blount), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 22:54 (twenty-one years ago)

In 1985 I was into soul-funk ie the 'r&b' of the time and also hip hop. With the funk it was the time when the reverbed snare beat started to get a bit out of hand and the DX7 too standard as the workhorse sound generator. A lot of people were still making the same kind of records as four or five years before but using nothing but cheap drum boxes and DX7s which gave everything a nasty, brittle sound (eg things like the Aleem/Leroy Burgess LP from 1986). People like Jam & Lewis were starting to master the new technology but there was a lot of 2nd rate stuff around.

― David (David), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 22:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Um, in what exact sense were either 2 step or hardcore, jungle or southern bounce on the cusp of being invented in 1985? I mean surely all of these genres required earlier prerequisites that did not yet exist in 1985...

― Jacob (Jacob), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 23:01 (twenty-one years ago)

"Sleng Teng," "Here I Come (Broader Than Broadway)" AND "Ring the Alarm" all came out that year, so it was an astonishing year for Jamaican music just based on that (and there was undoubtedly shitlaods more as well)

― M Matos (M Matos), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 23:04 (twenty-one years ago)

things on the horizon/just born/in gestation/yet to be invented

― jess (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 23:04 (twenty-one years ago)

southern bounce was certainly in gestation by 1985, HELLO miami BOING

― jess (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 23:05 (twenty-one years ago)

also The Indestructible Beat of Soweto is released

― M Matos (M Matos), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 23:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Okay, southern bounce in terms of miami bass existed, true. But 2-step? Come on...

― Jacob (Jacob), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 23:06 (twenty-one years ago)

do you need new glasses?

― jess (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 23:07 (twenty-one years ago)

was indestructible beat 85?

― James Blount (James Blount), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 23:07 (twenty-one years ago)

yes.

― jess (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 23:08 (twenty-one years ago)

'85 Earthworks in England, '86 Shanachie in U.S., which is why Xgau has it no. 1 in '86

― M Matos (M Matos), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 23:09 (twenty-one years ago)

my initial post was largely just to refute the idea that anything "turned to shit" in 1985, unless tad was referring to some underground sub-set of american rock music or his personal tastes

― jess (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 23:09 (twenty-one years ago)

also must take issue w/titling of thread: "started to turn to shit"? and what, it's all been downhill since? ugh.

xpost

― M Matos (M Matos), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 23:10 (twenty-one years ago)

it was a ebb year but eleven year old me didn't notice or mind at skate-a-round usa (too much digital revolution to worry about)

― James Blount (James Blount), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 23:10 (twenty-one years ago)

matos he doesn't really imply that I don't think

― James Blount (James Blount), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 23:11 (twenty-one years ago)

Also 1985 = peak of the Go Go scene.

Is this good?

― Jacob (Jacob), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 23:12 (twenty-one years ago)

okay, true, 1978-1984 were amazing times for pop music but um HELLO 1998-present?? (ha ha this means 2004 will be the best pop music year since 1984...FACT!)

― jess (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 23:12 (twenty-one years ago)

omg i just used a 5-7-20 year cycle theory :-(

― jess (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 23:13 (twenty-one years ago)

I mean I can do '1998 was when it all started to turn to shit' and talk about how I can't listen to college radio anymore really but it ain't neccesarily yer standard stanley crouch grouch

― James Blount (James Blount), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 23:13 (twenty-one years ago)

I can't really think of a single year where there isn't plenty of music I love from it

― James Blount (James Blount), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 23:14 (twenty-one years ago)

I thought he meant that house was just about to emerge. And all those genres have a connection to house, although some of them deny it. And also the methodology - fiddling with sequencers and drum machines which was a new way of making music (before that the technology tended to be used in a more traditional way - 'now I have a Linndrum I can sound as tight as Steve Gadd').

― David (David), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 23:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Blount, READ. "also must take issue w/titling of thread." who cares if that's what his posts imply? it's not what the title implies.

― M Matos (M Matos), Tuesday, 15 July 2003 23:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Skipping 82 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

grrr. curse you amg you lied to me!! (it sez at least the first singles from the second album were 85)

― Sterling Clover (s_clover), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 05:38 (twenty-one years ago)

tis 86!

― James Blount (James Blount), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 05:42 (twenty-one years ago)

now that's 1985

― James Blount (James Blount), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 05:44 (twenty-one years ago)

thgreads like show why i wont ever be able to be a real music critic : (

― trife (simon_tr), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 06:00 (twenty-one years ago)

well, threads like this and matos never emailing me back : (

― trife (simon_tr), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 06:01 (twenty-one years ago)

sorry im bein a fuckwit

― trife (simon_tr), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 06:01 (twenty-one years ago)

flagpole gave ya some luv this week (finally)

― James Blount (James Blount), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 06:03 (twenty-one years ago)

too. many. freelancers. already.

― M Matos (M Matos), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 06:06 (twenty-one years ago)

haha!

― James Blount (James Blount), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 06:13 (twenty-one years ago)

that reminds me I have an idea for a story

― James Blount (James Blount), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 06:14 (twenty-one years ago)

1985 was the year that gave me Bobby Gillespie's Leather Clad Crotch.

I bow in awe. I rest my case.

― kate (kate), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 07:45 (twenty-one years ago)

1985 was 'Running up that hill' and 'Hounds of Love'.

A magnificent year, then....

― russ t, Wednesday, 16 July 2003 08:31 (twenty-one years ago)

OK, so someone somewhere mentioned "Cupid and Psyche", but nobody's mentioned the one and only Colourbox album which was a whole host of future possibilities all rolled onto one disc (though the two disc / cassette version was miles better). And then there was "Lowlife", and "Primitive painters", and "Smiling monarchs" and the Mary Chain and oh my god I've just found a website with streaming broadcasts of Peels festive fiftys for most of the 80s and 90s... don't disturb me for a few days, OK?

― Rob M (Rob M), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 10:28 (twenty-one years ago)

*cough* The Head On The Door *cough*

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 11:11 (twenty-one years ago)

...and Dead or Alive 'You Spin me round like a record'.

― russ t, Wednesday, 16 July 2003 11:12 (twenty-one years ago)

When it all turned to shit: 2004
When it all turned to gold: 2005

― Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 11:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Peel's Festive 50 1985 :

Not good at all.

Jesus and Mary Chain - Never Understand
Jesus and Mary Chain - Just Like Honey
The Fall - Cruiser's Creek
Cult - She sells sanctuary
Cocteau Twins - Aikea-Guinea
Chumbawamba - Revolution
Felt - Primitive Painters
Smiths - The boy with the thorn in his side
New Order - Perfect Kiss
Housemartins - Flag Day
The Men They Couldn't Hang - Ironmasters
Jesus and Mary Chain - You trip me up
Pogues - Sally Maclennane
Three Johns - Death of the European
Wedding Present - Go out and get 'em boy!
New Order - Love Vigilantes
Shop Assistants - All that ever mattered
New Order - Sub-culture
Woodentops - Move me
Pogues - A pair of brown eyes
Echo and the Bunnymen - Bring on the dancing horses
That Petrol Emotion - V2
The Fall - Spoilt Victorian Child
New Order - Sunrise
Pogues - I'm a man you don't meet every day
Rose of Avalanche - L.A. Rain
Cure - InBetween Days
James - Hymn from a Village
Smiths - The Headmaster Ritual
Age of Chance - Motor City
Smiths - That joke isn't funny anymore
Smiths - Meat is Murder
The Fall - Gut of the Quantifier
Beloved - 100 Words
Nick Cave/Bad Seeds - Tupelo
Sisters of Mercy - Marian
Vibes - I'm in Pittsburg and it's raining
Prefab Sprout - Faron Young
The Fall - Couldn't get ahead
Billy Bragg - Between the Wars
Smiths - Well I wonder
The Fall - L.A.
Sisters of Mercy - Some Kind of Stranger
Primal Scream - It happens
New Order - Face up
Husker Du - Makes no sense at all
Robert Wyatt - The Wind of Change
Woodentops - Well well well
One Thousand Violins - Like One Thousand Violins
Shop Assistants - All day long

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 11:32 (twenty-one years ago)

didn't you like jamc doctor?

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 11:48 (twenty-one years ago)

My 1985? I broke the ladder-turret of the Playmobil fire-engine in infant school by trying to take it apart and put it back together again and got in hella trouble with Mrs Kenyon. I was 6 years old woman, forgive my childish curiosity!

― Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 11:54 (twenty-one years ago)

**didn't you like jamc doctor?**

Not much

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 12:02 (twenty-one years ago)

"cruiser's creek"!!! again, 1985- good year for usa, GREAT year for uk

― James Blount (James Blount), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 12:13 (twenty-one years ago)

whoever mentioned 'steve mcqueen' up there is OTM. was listening to that a bit last week.

that first jamc alb was fine but i haven't heard that in years now.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 12:14 (twenty-one years ago)

that looks like a pretty great festive top 50 to my eyes?!

Minus the Shop Assistants, JAMC, Nick Cave and Three Johns it's a nigh-on perfect selection - The Smiths on top form, New Order on a creative roll, Cocteau Twins when they were GREAT, the Sisters at their peak...... compare it to the NME-tinged drivel he plays nowadays.....

― russ t, Wednesday, 16 July 2003 12:17 (twenty-one years ago)

Nick, I believe you have issues. Are your really that young? Hell, I feel old.

The 1985 festive fifty was the second one I heard and the first I taped in full and loved almost every second of it (with a few exceptions, never could get the Pogues or the Sisters of Mercy). And christ, nobody's mentioned Yeah Yeah Noh who were at their peak in 1985 - the Peel session they did that year was stupendous, and the "Cutting the heavenly lawn" LP... pah, who says 1985 was crap?

― Rob M (Rob M), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 12:42 (twenty-one years ago)

(with a few exceptions, never could get the Pogues or the Sisters of Mercy)
Blasphemy!

― Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 13:50 (twenty-one years ago)

KROQ Top 106.7 Countdown of 1985

Not too shabby.

1. Shake the Disease - Depeche Mode
2. Vigilante - Felony
3. Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money) - Pet Shop Boys
4. In Between Days - The Cure
5. Shout - Tears for Fears
6. You Spin Me Round - Dead or Alive
7. Take On Me - A-ha
8. This Time - INXS
9. Everybody Wants to Rule the World - Tears for Fears
10. Dead Man's Party - Oingo Boingo
11. Alive and Kicking - Simple Minds
12. The Perfect Kiss - New Order
13. Viva La Rock - Adam Ant
14. Don't You Forget About Me - Simple Minds
15. The Bottom Line - Big Audio Dynamite
16. Love and Pride - King
17. So In Love - OMD
18. World Destruction - Time Zone
19. Flexible - Depeche Mode
20. If You Love Somebody Set Them Free - Sting
21. Head Over Heels - Tears for Fears
22. Dancing in the Streets - Mick Jagger & David Bowie
23. Blue Kiss - Jane Weidlin
24. One Night in Bangkok - Murray Head
25. Just Another Night - Mick Jagger
26. Kosciusko - Midnight Oil
27. Sussudio - Phil Collins
28. Good Bye Bad Times - Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder
29. Stay Up Late - Talking Heads
30. Blowing Up Detroit - John Polumbo
31. Sun City - Artists United Against Apartheid
32. The Perfect Way - Scritti Politti
33. Be Near Me - ABC
34. Bring on the Dancing Horses - Echo & the Bunnymen
35. I Got You Babe - UB40 & Chrissie Hynde
36. Election Day - Arcadia
37. Running Up That Hill - Kate Bush
38. A View to a Kill - Duran Duran
39. Weird Science - Oingo Boingo
40. It's Called a Heart - Depeche Mode
41. Road to Nowhere - Talking Heads
42. Some Like it Hot - Power Station
43. My Heart Goes Bang - Dead or Alive
44. Close to Me - The Cure
45. Subculture - New Order
46. Say it Again - Danse Society
47. Just Another Day - Oingo Boingo
48. Secrets - OMD
49. King for a Day - Thompson Twins
50. Vienna Calling - Falco
51. Slave to Love - Brian Ferry
52. Won't You Hold My Hand Now - King
53. What You Need - INXS
54. Nemesis - Shriekback
55. Vanity Kills - ABC
56. Strength - The Alarm
57. Communication - Power Station
58. Lay Your Hands on Me - Thompson Twins
59. Lover Come Back to Me - Dead or Alive
60. Fire in the Twilight - Wang Chung
61. Would I Lie to You - Eurythmics
62. Things Can Only Get Better - Howard Jones
63. The Sun Always Shines on TV - A-ha
64. Castles in Spain - The Armory Show
65. She Sells Sanctuary - The Cult
66. Bang a Gong - Power Station
67. Sanctify Yourself - Simple Minds
68. Face the Face - Pete Townshend
69. Don't Mess With Dr. Dream - Thompson Twins
70. Black Cars - Gino Vanelli
71. Burning House of Love - X
72. How to be a Millionaire - ABC
73. Johnny Come Home - Fine Young Cannibals
74. A Sort of Homecoming - U2
75. Tonight She Comes - The Cars
76. Gratitude - Oingo Boingo
77. Loving the Alien - David Bowie
78. Life in One Day - Howard Jones
79. Never You Done That - General Public
80. Universal Radio - Nena Hagen
81. Love Parade - Dream Academy
82. Radioactive - The Firm
83. Eye to Eye - Go West
84. Break Them Down - Graham Parker
85. Tarzan Boy - Baltimora
86. Born in East LA - Cheech Marin
87. Raspberry Beret - Prince
88. Perfect Skin - Lloyd Cole & the Commotions
89. Walking on Sunshine - Katrina & the Waves
90. In Too Deep - Dead or Alive
91. America - Prince
92. Love is the 7th Wave - Sting
93. Colleen - Living Daylights
94. Dave - Boomtown Rats
95. Love You Like a Ball & Chain - Eurythmics
96. Cities in Dust - Siouxsie & the Banshees
97. Broken Wings - Mr. Mister
98. Hits of the Year - Squeeze
99. Don't Lose My Number - Phil Collins
100. Midnight Man - Flash in the Pan
101. Warning Sign - Nick Heyward
102. This is not America - David Bowie
103. Nineteen - Paul Hardcastle
104. An Act of War - Elton John
105. East of Eden - Lone Justice
106. Kat Box Beach - Living Daylights
106.7 Woodpeckers in Space - Video Kids

― o. nate (onate), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 14:04 (twenty-one years ago)

All good music created and released in 1985 was sucked into the black hole of DEATH that was No.22 above.

"South Americaaaaaa!"

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!

Thus, the original premise is correct, since That Song killed music.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 14:21 (twenty-one years ago)

...great to see a mention of Time Zone - World Destruction in the KROQ chart - what a fantastic single that was.... and still is.

― russ t, Wednesday, 16 July 2003 14:31 (twenty-one years ago)

oh, but surely No. 24 alleviates No. 22 somewhat?

― James Blount (James Blount), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 14:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes! Yes! Yes!
#24: A deliciously sleazy song about NOT being sleazy. Every sixth or seventh line of lyric was a subtle triple entendre. And the writer/ composer/ singer is named Murray HEAD. You gotta love that.

― Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 18:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Murray Head didn't write it; it's from Chess

― James Blount (James Blount), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 18:44 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm trying to figure out how "Sussudio" ended up on a 1985 KROQ list. But more to the point:

2. Vigilante - Felony

?!?!? I've NEVER heard of this band or song.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 18:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes, but didn't Murray Head create Chess? (not the game, just the musical)

― Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 18:48 (twenty-one years ago)

no way - Bjorn and Tim Rice!!!

― James Blount (James Blount), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 18:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Okay. I'll take your word for it.

Still, anyhow. One Night in Bangkok...it's a great, smarmy choon. It's like Fred Schneider got coolness lessons from Bryan Ferry and luuurrrve man lessons from Serge Gainsbourg.

― Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 18:52 (twenty-one years ago)

'85 was when it all started.

― Johnny Badlees (crispssssss), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 19:50 (twenty-one years ago)

one month passes...

Nothing much to do with the general history of rock, but how has this thread got this far without any mention of Don't Stand Me Down or This Nation's Saving Grace?. Or Clouds Across The Moon?

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 28 August 2003 11:05 (twenty-one years ago)

++any Boston people remember V66?

yup yup, my only exposure to videos.

― kephm, Thursday, 28 August 2003 14:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Things weren't really starting to go in the wrong direction until around 1986-87, with rap and house arriving and hair metal starting to sell even more than before.

However, there have still been enough great records released during the past 15 years that I will not write off the entire period as "crap". Hitlist pop (read: singles lists) has never been as great again after the mid to late 80s that it used to be in the past though.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 28 August 2003 19:47 (twenty-one years ago)

two months pass...

this thread was way fun. even with Geir after-the-fact involved.

― M Matos (M Matos), Saturday, 22 November 2003 01:25 (twenty-one years ago)

(rarely a mention of the starting of Wax Trax! even? *peep*)

― donut bitch (donut), Saturday, 22 November 2003 01:43 (twenty-one years ago)

(front 242 "commando"?)
(ministry "nature of love"?)
(wiseblood "motorslug"?)
(minimal compact "next one is real"?)
(revolting cocks "no devotion"?)

― donut bitch (donut), Saturday, 22 November 2003 01:44 (twenty-one years ago)

oh, i dunno if i still adhere so strongly to my original views on this subject. there was some pretty good stuff in 1985, plus the birthpangs of better things to come.

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Saturday, 22 November 2003 01:45 (twenty-one years ago)

MY BEST TRACKS OF 1985:

1. The Word Girl – Scritti Politti
2. A Night Like This – The Cure
3. Your Latest Trick – Dire Straits
4. Mole From The Ministry – The Dukes Of Stratosphear
5. Shake The Disease – Depeche Mode
6. Spirit Of 76 – The Alarm
7. Heart Of Lothian – Marillion
8. Raspberry Beret – Prince
9. One Vision – Queen
10. Long Long Way To Go – Phil Collins
11. Fly On The Windscreen – Depeche Mode
12. King For a Day – Thompson Twins
13. What In The World – The Dukes Of Stratosphear
14. St. George Street – Squeeze
15. State Of The Heart – Rick Springfield
16. Kyoto Song – The Cure
17. One Mouth Is Fed – Split Enz
18. Come Summer – Fra Lippo Lippi
19. We Said Hello Goodbye – Phil Collins
20. Father To Son – The Alarm
21. Perfect Way – Scritti Politti
22. Specialty – Howard Jones
23. Why Worry – Dire Straits
24. 25 O’Clock – The Dukes Of Stratosphear
25. Calling America – Electric Light Orchestra
26. Castles In The Air – Colourfield
27. Wendell Gee – R.E.M.
28. Strength – The Alarm
29. Election Day – Arcadia
30. Kia Kaha – Split Enz
31. Field Work – Thomas Dolby & Ryuchy Sakamoto
32. Horsing Around – Prefab Sprout
33. Watching You Without Me – Kate Bush
34. Your Gold Dress – The Dukes Of Stratosphear
35. Kiss Me – Stephen “Tin Tin” Duffy
36. Paisley Park – Prince
37. Samurai (Did You Ever Dream) – Michael Cretu
38. Change – Sparks
39. Bike Ride To The Moon – The Dukes Of Stratosphear
40. Faron Young – Prefab Sprout
41. I Walk Away – Split Enz
42. Soldier’s Gun – Stage Dolls
43. Coming Home – Fra Lippo Lippi
44. Is There a Difference? – Howard Jones
45. Secret – Orchestral Manouvers In The Dark
46. Take Me Home – Phil Collins
47. Call Of The Wild – Midge Ure
48. Whatever Happened To Fun – Candy
49. Don’t Stop The Dance – Bryan Ferry
50. Goodbye Is Forever – Arcadia
51. Hallelujah – Prefab Sprout
52. Wide Boy – Nik Kershaw
53. Voices – Split Enz
54. And Dream Of Sheep – Kate Bush
55. One More Night – Phil Collins
56. Sub-Culture – New Order
57. Small Talk – Scritti Politti
58. In-Between Days – The Cure
59. Hunting High & Low – a-ha
60. Russians – Sting
61. Stereotomy – Alan Parsons Project
62. Mother Stands For Comfort – Kate Bush
63. Moving The River – Prefab Sprout
64. Leaving Me Now – Level 42
65. Absolute Reality – The Alarm
66. Celebrate Youth – Rick Springfield
67. Years Go By – Split Enz
68. We Close Our Eyes – Go West
69. Shouldn’t Have To Be Like That – Fra Lippo Lippi
70. Brothers In Arms – Dire Straits
71. Cheerio – The Monroes
72. Janey Don’t Lose Heart – Bruce Springsteen
73. Be Near Me – ABC
74. It’s Alright (Baby’s Coming Back) – Eurythmics
75. Valotte – Julian Lennon
76. Overjoyed – Stevie Wonder
77. Heaven Can Wait – The Monroes
78. Appetite – Prefab Sprout
79. Uncle Sam – Madness
80. When a Heart Beats – Nik Kershaw
81. West End Girls – Pet Shop Boys
82. Don’t Lose My Number – Phil Collins
83. Living On Video – Trans-X
84. It’s Called a Heart – Depeche Mode
85. Don’t Mess With Dr. Dream – Thompson Twins
86. Marlene On The Wall – Suzanne Vega
87. That Ole Devil Called Love – Alison Moyet
88. The Flame – Arcadia
89. Last Time Forever – Squeeze
90. La Femme Accident – Orchestral Manouvers In The Dark
91. Bonny – Prefab Sprout
92. The Hounds Of Love – Kate Bush
93. Close To Me – The Cure
94. My Love Explodes – The Dukes Of Stratosphear
95. Knife Edge – The Alarm
96. Breaking My Back – Split Enz
97. Hello Earth – Kate Bush
98. When The Angels – Prefab Sprout
99. I’ll Compete – Madness
100. Moon Over Bourbon Street – Sting

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Saturday, 22 November 2003 01:59 (twenty-one years ago)

eleven months pass...

"I heard that you have a white label of every seminal Detroit techno hit - 1985, '86, '87."

― Chewshabadoo (Chewshabadoo), Thursday, 18 November 2004 18:39 (twenty years ago)

Debbie just hit the wall
She never had it all
One Prozac a day
Husbands a CPA
Her dreams went out the door
When she turned twenty four
Only been with one man
What happen to her plan?
She was gonna be an actress
She was gonna be a star
She was gonna shake her ass
On the hood of white snake’s car
Her yellow SUV is now the enemy
Looks at her average life
And nothing has been alright since
Bruce Springsteen, Madonna
Way before Nirvana
There was U2 and Blondie
And music still on MTV
Her two kids in high school
They tell her that she’s uncool
Cuz she's still preoccupied
With 19, 19, 1985
Woohoohoo
(1985)
Woohoohoo
She’s seen all the classics
She knows every line
Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink
Even Saint Elmo’s Fire
She rocked out to wham
Not a big Limp Bizkit fan
Thought she’d get a hand
On a member of Duran Duran
Where’s the mini-skirt made of snake skin
And who’s the other guy that's singing in Van Halen
When did reality become T.V.
What ever happen to sitcoms, game shows
(on the radio was)
Bruce Springsteen, Madonna
Way before Nirvana
There was U2 and Blondie
And music still on MTV
Her two kids in high school
They tell her that she’s uncool
Cuz she's still preoccupied
With 19, 19, 1985
Woohoohoo
She hates time make it stop
When did Motley Crew become classic rock?
And when did Ozzy become an actor?
Please make this stop
Stop!
And bring back
Bruce Springsteen, Madonna
Way before Nirvana
There was U2 and Blondie
And music still on MTV
Her two kids in high school
They tell her that she’s uncool
Cuz she's still preoccupied
With 1985
Woohoohoo

Bruce Springsteen, Madonna
Way before Nirvana
There was U2 and Blondie
And music still on MTV (woohoohoo)
Her two kids in high school
They tell her that she’s uncool
Cuz she's still preoccupied
With 19, 19, 1985

― miccio (miccio), Thursday, 18 November 2004 18:51 (twenty years ago)

I'm curious if I'd love this song so much if it wasn't for ILX providing me with so many examples of this archetype.

― miccio (miccio), Thursday, 18 November 2004 18:53 (twenty years ago)

Wasn't Chicago House blowing up then? Creatively I mean.

― djdee2005 (djdee2005), Thursday, 18 November 2004 18:59 (twenty years ago)

Double Dee and Steinski - "Lessons 1-3" EP
Baltimora - "Tarzan Boy"
David Bowie and the Pat Metheny Group - "This is Not America"
Prince - "Let's Go Crazy"/"Erotic City"
ZZ Top - "Legs"
The Dream Academy - "Life in a Northern Town"
Simple Minds - "Don't You Forget About Me"
Harold Faltermeyer - "Axel F"/"Shoot Out"
D-Train - "You're the One for Me (Remix)"
The Cars - "Drive"
Huey Lewis and the News - "The Power of Love"
Level 42 - "Something About You"
Stevie Wonder - "Part-Time Lover"
The Clash - "This is England"
Dire Straits - "Money for Nothing"
Pet Shop Boys - "West End Girls" (not the Bobby O version)

So, not all bad then. You want the worst year for music ever, try finding anything good from 1998. Besides Moon Safari. And Mark Hollis.

― Mr. Snrub, Friday, 19 November 2004 03:15 (twenty years ago)

Also there was some really great obscure dance music, like...

Model 500 - "No UFOs"
Paul Scott - "Off the Wall"
Jamie Principle - "Waiting on My Angel"
J.M. Silk - "Music is the Key"

― Mr. Snrub, Friday, 19 November 2004 03:45 (twenty years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.