The 80's - love it or hate it ?

[Ousetunes]

rikimaru - calm down! Whilst I understand where you're coming from, you must remember that the charts, toward the end of the eighties, were chockfull of off-the-shelf Stock, Aitken and Waterman records. Even the likes of Cliff Richard and Donna Summer were recording songs written and 'produced' by SAW! At least the Hair Rock brigade you mention above were talented musicians and decent singers (as opposed to the Reynold Girls and Sonia, say).

 

There was also a decent Goth scene in the 80s and one great memory of mine is being in the Roxy nightclub on Bootham in York having my ears torn to shreds by Sisters Of Mercy's This Corrosion (and enjoying watching a fight which erupted on the top floor of what was a three floored club - long closed, sadly).

 

For the record, my CD collection consisted of the Smiths, Morrissey, Bangles, (recently available-) Beatles, Terence Trent D'Arby, Bee Gees, T'Pau, Talk Talk, U2, Climie Fisher, George Harrison, John Lennon, Wings etc, etc.

[Powerage]

Sweet jesus I hated this stuff even then, long hair on blokes was NOT the fashion and Kiss sexy . Dave Lee Roth, Jon Bon Jovi, Def Leppard and Kiss ahhh man making people cringe is the only things these soft rock middle of the road, American shlock rock inspired (I use the word lightly) bands ever did. When I look back on the eighties there was so much good music around and the this sort of embarrassing lame stuff just devalues all the good stuff that was around.

Poodle metal (as we called it then) was a joke and it was dying the death even in the eighties, grown men with tight leggings or dressed as school boys, ridiculous perms, stupid cliche ridden imagery and tired predictable music was the worst element of the eighties (even worse than all the novelty stuff)

 

I know I am going to get some stick for this post but seriously seeing these poodle haired berks prancing around the stage trying to be hard used to make me laugh and their predictable music just made me despair, ooooh look here comes a HARD guitar solo two thirds of the way through the song.

Do not get me wrong there has and still is some damned good metal out there and a few of the above had some merit, Metallica stand out among the list above (Iron Maiden pfft) but Bon Jovi, Whitesnake, Dave Lee Roth brrrr just makes me shudder to think about how terminally embarrassing they were. The 70's glam scene at least had humour.

 

I have to say even though I am a through and through rocker I have to agree with you on a lot of this. I hated most of the 80's Glam rock AOR with a passion and still do much to OH's despair as for some reason he still seems to like a lot of it!

 

I loved the Glam of the 70's as it was fun and a laugh I still love most of the 70's rock bands (Zeppelin, Purple etc).

 

I like a lot of 90's rock and present day but just can not stand AOR it makes me cringe and always will. By the way Whitesnake are exempt from the above as they have done some brilliant stuff and were formed in the 70's.

[rikimaru]

I have to say even though I am a through and through rocker I have to agree with you on a lot of this. I hated most of the 80's Glam rock AOR with a passion and still do much to OH's despair as for some reason he still seems to like a lot of it!

 

I loved the Glam of the 70's as it was fun and a laugh I still love most of the 70's rock bands (Zeppelin, Purple etc).

 

I like a lot of 90's rock and present day but just can not stand AOR it makes me cringe and always will. By the way Whitesnake are exempt from the above as they have done some brilliant stuff and were formed in the 70's.

I am certainly not against rock, only the embarrassingly cringe worthy stuff like Europe's "final countdown". As for SAW they are just as bad only in a different way.

Do not get me wrong everyone is entitled to their own taste in music and I have no doubt my own taste in music would draw just as much criticism, for the record my tastes in the 80's were:

 

Joy Division

Heaven 17 (early stuff before the early split and later stuff)

The The (awesome)

Adam and the Ants (more the earlier "young Parisians stuff but still liked the Ant Music, Kings of the wild frontier stuff)

OMD (again Enola gay time earlier stuff)

kraftwerk

Smiths

Slayer

B-Movie

Art of Noise

Metallica

Simple Minds

Early U2 (we are talking very early before Bono turned into the worlds conscience)

Talking Heads

Grandmaster Flash

N,W,A

Roxxane Shante

Imported Electro

Pixies

Megadeath

Run DMC

Depeche Mode (Vince Clark era)

 

And many others like the Kane gangs first album, the Christians and Terrance Trent Darby who I saw at the city hall when he supported Simply Red, Terrance had an awesome voice but Mick Hucknall blew him out of the water (even though TTD's songs were better) by the way it was the girl friend who wanted to see Simply Red but I was quite frankly amazed at how good Mr Hucknall was.

 

Please feel free to mock my taste at your leisure, tis Ok I am thick skinned

 

Ousetunes: why calm down, I was not being Mr angry here it was just a slight good natured dig at bad eighties music and fashion. One other thing came to mind, the videos for the poodle rockers songs used to make me laugh. All those gorgeous women getting turned on by lycra leggings and perms heh great stuff. AOR should be banned period, If I have one overriding annoying memory its having to listen to drunk girls singing "were half way there, woo ohhh living on a prayer" gahhhh, while sane normal people were trying to have a good time and get quietly drunk

[M_Woodward]

For all of you that loved the 80's, The Old Crown on Penistone Road is having an 80's night on Saturday, 25th October. (Fancy dress optional) I can't wait to see all the the ra-ra's and batwing tops not forgetting the make up. I may even bump into George Michael Even better, the bar is open until 1am.

[office]

The early eighties I remember more..

New Wave Music: Human League, Heaven 17, ABC, Cabaret Voltaire, Kraftwerk, OMD, Gary Numan (Warriors live at the City Hall 83) Thomas Dolby live Octagon 83, Ultravox, Midge Ure, Depeche Mode (Vince Clarke) Siouxsie, the Cure, Adam and the Ants (Early Ants Car Trouble), Visage (Fade to Grey), Soft Cell, The Thompson Twins, Duran Duran, Spandau, Kim Wilde, David Bowie, Sparks 70's to 80's, Bauhaus, Jam, Police, Undertones, Specials, Selector, Madness, The Beat, Fun Boy Three, Associates the list goes on.

 

The Hair Styles were very weird, Studded Belts, Chelsea Boots.

 

The Limit Club West Street.

 

Great Days...

[Dude111]

The 80s were ONE OF THE BEST DECADES EVER!!!!

 

This is the BEST '80s discussion site!

 

http://www.80sxchange.com/forums

 

Come one,come all BACK TO AN AWESOME DECADE

[Billy Casper]

Every decade has it's good and bad points but the 80's was the decade i went from 10 - 20! that massive leap....what a time it was!

Loved it, and today i even play with an 80's tribute band (1 particular band, not the whole 80's thing!) and we're doing very very well too!

[Babooshka]

BRING BACK THE 80'S!! Best hair, best music, best attitude to life. Oh, how I wish I could turn back the clock to those days.....for many, many reasons.

[donnygirl]

1980s = married, miner's strike, unemployment, divorce, motherhood.

[Babooshka]

I do remember joining the Adam and The Ants fan club in 1981. Think I still have the Adam wristbands I used to wear back in the day. I love them. Imagine my delight when I got to meet him when I was 15...........oh, and got a kiss on the lips. Heaven!!!!!! I think he might have loved me too. NOT!!!