Let's talk about the 80s again....

[Killcrop]

I was 10 in 1981 when MTV started. I was heavily influenced by pretty much anything on MTV. I also spent a lot of time watching Aerobicise

 

[davebratta]

i like everything about the 80s, the guitars, the music, movies you had greath quality on instruments and amps, also the big stadium bands and the clothes, you hade sneakers very nice made, kswiss, jordans, nikes, you had basketball with great players, and the food and amusement parks were great

 

[redir]

Jaz Coleman summed them up relatively early in the decade:

Oh man! I probably have not heard that one since that time. Great song.

 

[sahhas]

i'm currently reading the Simon Reynolds Book: Bring the Noise.
it's not entirely about the 80s, but it starts in the late 80s....and honestly it's kind of interesting to read b/c he's got more of an "English" side of things....not so USA-centric....but I mean i did just read his review of Nirvana playing in England, but it's just different to read from a different perspective.....

 

[ChromeCrescendo]

And an even more 80's "live" version from German tv (cue the torches, smoke and volcanoes?)

 

[Brooks]

I love early to mid 80s hard rawk/metal like Dio era Sabbath, Randy era Ozzy, DLR era VH, Snowy & Sykes era Lizzy, DiAnno era Maiden, Riot (not Quiet)...




Also dug some new wave like the earlier records by the Police, the Cars, the Pretenders... & mid 80s alternative rock like early RHCPs, Fishbone, Defunkt...

At the time I was into a lot of thrash like Metallica, Anthrax, Megadeth, and shred stuff like Satch, Vai, & Yngwie (although thrash & shred hasn't aged as well for me, personally).

 

[twotone]

Best song: 'Everybody Wants To Rule The World'
Worst song: 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun'

 

[mnf67]

The Eghties spanned my the last 2 years of junior high, all of high school, and all of college. Musically, my memories range from Tattoo You and Built for Speed, to getting into punk (The Clash, SLF, Husker Du, Replacements), then the Pogues, REM, the Fall and Sonic Youth when I was in college, and at the end of the decade moving to more "Indie" music like the Pixies and Dinosaur Jr.

But nothing says 80s more than new wave/synth stuff, of which the very best iin my opinion is:

 

[majorminor]

I started the 80's with Blue Oyster Cult and the Cars, spent the mid 80's in a hard RUSH phase, and ended that decade steeped in blues with SRV and Johnny Winter.

I imagine all generations feel the same but the thing about the 80's was it seemed like music, the stars, the pop culture around the music, and especially live music was a bigger thing/event at that age compared to now.

 

[freedom's door]

I didn't pay attention to country, jazz or any "new" classical in the 1980s.

I pretty much loved everything else.

I'd listen to Flipper followed by Dokken followed by Sheena Easton followed by Iron Maiden followed by REM followed by Prince followed by Johnny Winter followed by Aldo Nova followed by Madonna followed by Dead Kennedys followed by Tony MacAlpine etc, etc, etc

I did like the rap music being made back then, but I wasn't really a consumer of it.

 

[Dr. Tweedbucket]

The 1980s were a time - life was pretty good - music was really good - and after the drudgery of the 1960s hangover that was the 1970s - there was music that was different and fun. I liked a lot of the DIY bands - many of whom were signed to distinctly non DIY labels. Great clothes - fun hairstyles - opening up of the food and drink palettes - aging rockers making really special music - and a great time to explore the world.

But the 1980s were also about brutal capitalism - poorly built appliances and cars with built in obsolescence
at 5 years - ridiculous taxes and worse politics. Cheap and Poorly run business that were out to legally scam the common people - and the beginnings of the Super Corporations that were hard core - where people
worked endless hours under brainless goofballs that were coke heads - and sadly people aspired to be in their positions so they could do the same.

We were thinking more of musical opinions in this thread. Did you get the TPS reports memo? I'll make sure you get another copy

 

[Dr. Tweedbucket]

I started the 80's with Blue Oyster Cult and the Cars, spent the mid 80's in a hard RUSH phase, and ended that decade steeped in blues with SRV and Johnny Winter.

I imagine all generations feel the same but the thing about the 80's was it seemed like music, the stars, the pop culture around the music, and especially live music was a bigger thing/event at that age compared to now.

Oh heck yeah, the 80s completely destroys now or the 2010s or the 2000s.

 

[8len8]

I focused on metal in the 80’s.

 

[BigGreggoTX]

The Eghties spanned my the last 2 years of junior high, all of high school, and all of college. Musically, my memories range from Tattoo You and Built for Speed, to getting into punk

Built For Speed was a game changer for me too. I'm a huge Setzer and Stray Cats fan to this day.

 

[GuitarGuy66]

The first :30 or so of "Drop Dead Legs" is one of my favorite Eddie moments on record.

it just has so much greasy swagger. I love playing it, such a good groove!!

 

[MIke MM]

U2, REM, The Smiths, The Cure... Good Stuff

I will always remember the culture shift when MTV first came in 82-83. Over night the biggest selling artists of 79 -80 like The Doobie Bros, Christopher Cross, ect, where toast.

Must have been what is was like for The Four Seasons when The Beatles landed at JFK in 64.

 

[JDJ]

 

[pepedede]

I started the 80's with Blue Oyster Cult and the Cars, spent the mid 80's in a hard RUSH phase, and ended that decade steeped in blues with SRV and Johnny Winter.

I imagine all generations feel the same but the thing about the 80's was it seemed like music, the stars, the pop culture around the music, and especially live music was a bigger thing/event at that age compared to now.

I was 13 in 1989, pre- internet, no digital storage, expensive to fly, only about five analogue tv stations, vhs tapes and magazines.

There just wasn't the readily available entertainment and information there is now.

Music and live concerts was one of the very few ways to really feel connected.

It was very difficult and expensive for a kid to get new music.

 

[John(aka: Moby Dick)]

The 80s were the most diverse era and possibly most creative I can think of.
Though they didn’t generate the monumental riffs and epic songs of the 70s, the 80s were prolific in all genres.

The 80s we’re a never-ending source for pop/metal/rock/new wave.
It seemed songs were quickly displaced by newer material on the charts.
Never a shortage of great music.
MTV played a big role in its prodigious output of material.

The 80s kind of ended on a down-note.
Hair metal had ran its course and had wore-out its welcome. But the decade as a whole was a great time to be a teenager through young adult.

It’s weird, maybe it’s just nostalgia but I remember the 80s exactly(almost), as it is portrayed in popular culture and film.

The 80s has something for everyone.

 

[Droliver]

The 80’s just seems to have so many iconic mega selling pop rock albums that pretty much everyone had and have stood the test of time. I don’t think that was true anymore by the end of the decade.
Back in Black
Thriller
1984
Born in the USA
Purple Rain
The Joshua Tree
Appetite for Destruction