Artists who were not very good in the 70s, but then became great in the 80s

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This one might be more difficult.

― peepee (peepee), Thursday, 3 February 2005 17:57 (twenty-one years ago)

Cheap Trick

― his face was burned off in a flaming crossbow accident (King Kobra), Thursday, 3 February 2005 17:58 (twenty-one years ago)

uh, wait, no.

― his face was burned off in a flaming crossbow accident (King Kobra), Thursday, 3 February 2005 17:58 (twenty-one years ago)

J. Geils Band?

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Thursday, 3 February 2005 17:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Umm, Prince

― Jedmond (Jedmond), Thursday, 3 February 2005 17:59 (twenty-one years ago)

J. Geils Band (no)
Prince (yes)

― peepee (peepee), Thursday, 3 February 2005 18:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Tom Waits? (arguable)
Journey (tho I don't particularly care for either edition)

ummmm, Olivia Newton-John?

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Thursday, 3 February 2005 18:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Joy Division, sorta. They were very good in the 70s but weren't phenomenal until the 80s.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Thursday, 3 February 2005 18:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Devo. Yeah, you heard me.

― My name is Kenny (My name is Kenny), Thursday, 3 February 2005 19:13 (twenty-one years ago)

too busy listening to Hardcore Devo vol I and II to believe ya, sarry.

― Snappy (sexyDancer), Thursday, 3 February 2005 19:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Joy Division, sorta. They were very good in the 70s but weren't phenomenal until the 80s.

You're on crack.

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Thursday, 3 February 2005 19:27 (twenty-one years ago)

To be entirely honest, I find myself listening to more 1980-onward Queen than I do their first 7 albums. I wouldn't say they weren't good in the 1970's, certainly, but I just find myself liking moustached Freddie to long-haired Freddie...

― Bryan Moore (Bryan Moore), Thursday, 3 February 2005 21:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Judas Priest

― briania (briania), Thursday, 3 February 2005 21:07 (twenty-one years ago)

John Mellencamp

― John Fredland (jfredland), Thursday, 3 February 2005 21:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Lou Reed, no question. He didn't start producing consistently excellent albums until 1982's "The Blue Mask." He is, in fact, the only '60s survivor who managed the feat (better than Neil Young and Dylan anyway).

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Thursday, 3 February 2005 21:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Black Flag

― Mike D (nullnvoid), Thursday, 3 February 2005 23:07 (twenty-one years ago)

The Rolling Stones

― Pete Scholtes, Friday, 4 February 2005 01:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Journey
Squeeze

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Friday, 4 February 2005 01:48 (twenty-one years ago)

Michael Jackson

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Friday, 4 February 2005 01:48 (twenty-one years ago)

rick james
billy ocean
rick springfield

(though actually they may all have been better in the '70s than i think.)

squeeze were definitely better in the '70s than in the '80s, though --their best album is *cool for cats,* and then the *uk squeeze* one.

(joan jett got *better* in the '80s, but she was pretty good in the first place, so i guess she doesn't count -- and j. geils were *great* in the '70s, though i can see how you could say they peaked in the '80s. john cougar is a pretty good choice, though he actually started being good in 1979, same year as prince.)

― chuck, Friday, 4 February 2005 01:56 (twenty-one years ago)

how good was eddy grant in the '70s? (the equals were a '60s band, right? maybe he sat the '70s out or something.)

the moody blues were better in the '80s than the '70s (if not the '60s), though calling them "great" would be stretching things.

― chuck, Friday, 4 February 2005 02:00 (twenty-one years ago)

hall and oates

― kyle (akmonday), Friday, 4 February 2005 02:08 (twenty-one years ago)

though calling them "great" would be stretching things

Oh boy...

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Friday, 4 February 2005 02:09 (twenty-one years ago)

The Equals released "Black Skinned Blue Eyed Boys" in '70, which was badass enough to last Eddy through 'til the Moog-rudie wonder of "Living on the Frontline" in '79.

― What's this place, Biblevania? (natepatrin), Friday, 4 February 2005 02:17 (twenty-one years ago)

I kinda want to say Tina Turner, but I'll feel guilty about it, like I feel guilty when I refer to her as "elderly."

Oh, and the Monkees.

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Friday, 4 February 2005 02:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Tom Waits came out of his slump in the 80's but most of his 70's output is too classic to fit here. His 80's is arguably better but I wouldn't argue that or indeed even compare it that way.

― tremendoid (tremendoid), Friday, 4 February 2005 03:06 (twenty-one years ago)

The Rolling Stones Thats a joke, no?

― Bryan Moore (Bryan Moore), Friday, 4 February 2005 04:36 (twenty-one years ago)

"how good was eddy grant in the '70s?"

Awesome. There's an obscure self-titled album from 1974? with great tunes like "Baby You Are Moving Right into the Line of Fire of My Love." Google couldn't tell me much about it, but a few sites claimed that the track "Hello Africa" was the first soca tune.

― todd (todd), Friday, 4 February 2005 17:17 (twenty-one years ago)

.38 special (definitely)

herbie hancock (maybe - he for sure got way more interesting in his electro early '80s, but his '70s stuff was pretty good, right? so he may not fit here any more than joan jett or, say, rush -- who got better in the early '80s as well, but were fine in the first place. as was michael jackson, by the way; most of the jackson five's hits were 1970 or 1971, and *destiny* in '78 was a really good album, and the jacksons did other good stuff in between. as for judas priest, their only album i've ever liked came out in 1977, but i'm a weirdo.)

― chuck, Friday, 4 February 2005 17:26 (twenty-one years ago)

hall and oates were at least as good in the '70s as the '80s too btw

― chuck, Friday, 4 February 2005 17:28 (twenty-one years ago)

another definite one, though: Grace Jones

― chuck, Friday, 4 February 2005 17:30 (twenty-one years ago)

The Rolling Stones Thats a joke, no?

It just came out. I think their '80s is underrated, though...

― Pete Scholtes, Friday, 4 February 2005 17:51 (twenty-one years ago)

The Human League

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Friday, 4 February 2005 18:31 (twenty-one years ago)

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