If any song could fill a dance floor back in the day it was Killing Joke’s “Eighties.” The relentless beat combined with an infectious guitar riff made it hard to stay in your seat. The video for the song perfectly matched the frantic pace. It features singer Jaz Coleman behind a presidential podium shouting about the struggles of living in the eighties, interspersed with images of religious and political leaders, war, punk rockers, and the frivolous extravagance of the decade. As I was doing a bit of research on the song, I came across an interesting tie it has to Nirvana that almost resulted in a lawsuit.
Released as a single in 1984, “Eighties” would later be included on Killing Joke’s fifth album Night Time. The song didn’t chart in the US but did appear on the soundtrack for the 1985 John Hughes’ movie Weird Science. It also had minor success in the UK, peaking at #60 on the singles chart. The song would come into the spotlight again in 1992, when the band claimed Nirvana plagiarized the riff of the song (at a slowed down pace) for the single “Come as You Are.” There are disputes of whether a lawsuit was ever filed but by 2003 all was forgiven, as Dave Grohl took leave from the Foo Fighters to record with the band. As I listened to both songs, there is a definite similarity but I’ll take “Eighties” over “Come as You Are” any day.
As I was looking for live TV performances of the ‘80s, I kept coming across The Tomorrow Show with Tom Snyder. Although the show was on past my bedtime (11:30pm in my time zone), I was able to catch it every once in a while and vaguely recall the musical guests. What I do remember was Snyder wildly waving around a cigarette while animatedly interviewing his guests. (He would later be famously mimicked by Dan Ackroyd on Saturday Night Live). As I kept coming across more and more musical performances, I realized that no one else was doing what Tom Snyder was doing at the time – exposing TV audiences to new bands and genres of music. He would also do sit-down interviews with the bands with sometimes hilarious and uncomfortable results. I was able to track down several performances and will be posting them in the coming months, but unfortunately many are unavailable.
The Tomorrow Show began as an interview show on the NBC network in 1973 (with no studio audience), and was known for the diverseness of its guests, which included Ayn Rand, Ken Kesey, Charles Manson (from prison), Marlon Brando, Jimmy Hoffa, Alfred Hitchcock, and John Lennon (his last TV interview). In 1980, to appeal to a younger audience, the show started having musical guests and began taping before a live studio audience. Some of the musical guests included The Clash, Ramones, Adam & the Ants, The Jam, Split Enz, and Public Image Ltd. The show ended in 1981, when Johnny Carson (who had contractual rights) decided he wanted a different sort of program following the Tonight Show timeslot. In early 1982, Late Night with David Letterman was launched replacing The Tomorrow Show. Snyder was offered the timeslot following Letterman but declined.
The first performance I’m starting with is U2’s appearance in June of ‘81. The band was in the states supporting the album Boy, and were on their first major US tour. This was also the band’s first US TV appearance. Along with performing “I Will Follow” and “Twilight,” Bono and the Edge sat down to chat with Snyder about things such as the origin of the Edge’s name and performing for American audiences. It’s apparent from the video clip that Bono had already mastered his signature dance moves and had acquired a penchant for wading into audiences.
There’s not much more to say about the Smiths’ third album, The Queen Is Dead. Released on June 16, 1986 to great critical praise, it has since garnered numerous accolades – #1 on NME’s 500 greatest albums of all time and #16 on Slant magazine’s top albums of the ‘80s. I’m embarrassed to admit that I didn’t warm up to the Smiths until the ‘90s. Their mix of jangle pop and rockabilly didn’t appeal to me at the time. I eventually came to see the light and I’d be hard pressed to find a party playlist that didn’t have at least one Smiths’ song.
Since choosing one song off the album seemed too daunting a task, I’ve decided to focus on the songs highlighted in the Derek Jarman film. The film contains video clips for the songs “The Queen is Dead,” “There is a Light That Never Goes Out,” and “Panic.” Although not on The Queen is Dead album, “Panic” was released as a single in 1986.
One of the best things about doing this series of posts is that I get to highlight some lesser known albums turning 30 this year, such as Strange Times by the Chameleons. Released on September 1, 1986, it was the group’s third album. Critically praised upon its release, it produced what is probably the band’s most well-known song, “Swamp Thing.” The album also contains several bonus tracks, including a great version of the Beatles’ “Tomorrow Never Knows,” and a lighthearted take on David Bowie’s “John, I’m Only Dancing.” My favorite song off the album is a bonus track of the single “Tears.” It’s a haunting instrumental version that I prefer to the original acoustic.
Like many, I discover new music through music blogs and social media. (There’s still nothing like coming across a great find). This is how I first heard of Modern Eon, a post-punk band out of Liverpool. A page I follow – The 80s Underground – posted their song “Euthenics.” I took a listen and immediately wanted to find out more about the group. It turns out that they were a short-lived band, producing a handful of singles and only one full-length album. It’s no wonder I’d never heard of them before. Their dark and atmospheric sound drew comparisons to Joy Division but the use of offbeat drum rhythms and bursts of electronics and horns gave them a sound all their own.
Founding members Alix Plain and Danny Hampson started the band in 1978. At the time they were called Luglo Slugs but after a few lineup and band name changes they decided on Modern Eon. The group gained a following within the “New Wave Liverpool Scene,” which produced other notable acts such as Echo & the Bunnymen, OMD, and The Teardrop Explodes. After some success with the EP “Pieces” and the single “Euthenics” (and after more lineup changes), they released their only album, Fiction Tales, in 1981. Although the album didn’t do well commercially, it did receive critical acclaim. Later that year they were set to tour with The Stranglers when drummer Chris Hewitt critically injured his wrist. They went on with the tour but eventually had to replace Hewitt with drum tracks. After Hewitt’s recovery, they recorded demos for a second album that were never completed. By the end of 1981, the group had disbanded. It’s unfortunate, since it would’ve been interesting to see how their music would have evolved.
The song “Euthenics,” originally released as a single in 1980, also appears on the Fiction Tales album. It’s a soaring, atmospheric song with Hewitt’s off-kilter drumming on full display, along with a shot of special effects they were known for. The band was a big fan of composer Ennio Morricone, and he was asked but declined to produce their album. You can definitely hear his influence on this song.
“Mechanic” is another single off the Fiction Tales album. It’s a more melodic song off the LP with a steady bassline and great guitar work by Tim Levers, who would later go on to find success with Dead or Alive.
The Psychedelic Furs’ “Pretty in Pink” was a song with two lives, pre- and post-John Hughes. I prefer the grittier pre-Hughes version, which is probably an opinion shared by most Furs fans. The song was originally released in 1981 and is the first track off the album Talk Talk Talk. With its darker and moodier feel, the original is a much better fit with the cynical lyrics of the song. As many songs that fed my love of new wave, I first saw the video on MTV. I loved the song then and still do. The song reached #43 on the UK charts, but did not make a mark in the US until the mid-eighties.
Years later, Molly Ringwald brought the song to the attention of John Hughes and history was made. The band recorded a more upbeat and polished version of the song in 1986, and a new video was made to promote the Pretty in Pink movie. Even though they went along for the ride, the Furs weren’t too pleased with the changes and thought Hughes failed to capture the spirit of the song. As Richard Butler told Mojo magazine, “The song was about a girl who kinda sleeps around and thinks it’s really cool and thinks everybody really likes her, but they really don’t…It’s quite scathing.” Regardless, it was the song that really put the Furs on the US map and was their highest charting single in the UK, peaking at #18.
I look for any occasion to get a group of ‘80s music lovers together, and NYE seemed like the perfect opportunity. Since we’re both not too keen on venturing out on NYE, my husband and I decided to throw a dinner party to ring out the year. Fortunately, all attendees either grew up in the ‘80s or had a love of ‘80s music. With that kind of crowd, I couldn’t help but put together a playlist of songs from the era that included old favorites, rediscoveries, and new music I’ve come across this past year. Oh, we also attempted to play some games but the music took over and our living room became a dance floor until the wee hours of the morning.
Along with the usual suspects (Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, The Smiths, etc.), the playlist included songs from bands I had forgotten about over the years. Bands such as The Members (“Working Girl”), The Producers (“She Sheila”), Wire Train (“Chamber of Hellos”), and Felony (“The Fanatic”) found a much overdo spot on the playlist. Although sharing forgotten songs with the group was enjoyable, it was the unearthed gems I was most looking forward to playing. For a few, it was the first time hearing some of the songs and for others they brought back fond memories.
One of the bands I recently rediscovered is The Bolshoi. I knew of The Bolshoi back in the day but embarrassingly had never listened to any of their songs. My current favorite (and one I can’t seem to stop playing) is “Can You Believe It?” off their 1987 LP Lindy’s Party. It features an addictive, bouncy synth line and a heavy drum bass. I’ll definitely be seeking out more from them for a future post.
Another band discovered this past year is The Monochrome Set. From what I’ve come across they were favorites of Morrissey and Johnny Marr. This is another band that I’ll be exploring and posting about in the New Year. The song “He’s Frank” was first released as a single in 1979 and re-released as a slightly different version years later. I prefer this version, in which they sound like a cross between the Violent Femmes and The Velvet Underground. Just as above, there was no official video for the song available.
I’ve been away for a while but am looking forward to sharing more classics and overlooked songs of the ‘80s in 2016!
When it comes to classic songs of the eighties, you can’t get more classic than The Smiths’ “How Soon Is Now?” Some have called it the “Stairway to Heaven” of the eighties. I remember hearing the song on college radio in the mid-eighties but didn’t see the video until years later. Included on the album Meat is Murder, which was released 30 years ago today, the song was originally intended as a B-side. But with the perfect combination of Johnny Marr’s haunting guitar and Morrissey’s somber lyrics, it was destined to be the group’s biggest and most enduring song.
Known for its swirling, dreamy guitar work, the song was the result of much experimentation with reverb, rhythm tracks, and harmonization. Marr told Guitar Magazine that achieving the changing pitch of the guitar (vibrato) took some time and he has since forgotten how to recreate the slide guitar sound. He also lamented that not writing down the process on the slide part has been “one of the banes of my life.”
Upon hearing the single, the record company, Rough Trade, didn’t think much of it and felt it didn’t represent The Smiths’ sound. Plans for the song as an A-side were thrown out and it became a B-side to the 1984 single “William, It Was Really Nothing.” Despite this, the song was picked up by British DJs and later that year was the most requested song on many prominent shows. Although it failed to chart upon its initial release, it wasn’t until its re-release as a single in 1985 that it made the UK charts (reaching #24).
The US release of the song, by Sire Records, was accompanied by an unauthorized video. The band was not a fan of the video and thought it was degrading. Regardless, it gave the band great exposure in the US and helped make it their most famous song. The track has gone on to make numerous lists of best songs of the eighties, topping some lists as the greatest song. Although it might not be the greatest representation of The Smiths’ “sound,” it definitely earned all the accolades and its place in the annals of best and most influential songs of the decade.
Back in the early ‘80s, the USA network featured a show called Night Flight on Friday and Saturday nights. The show focused on alternative music (showing videos that were censored on MTV or banned on other programs), cult movies, and documentaries, among other topics. This was in the relatively early days of cable and networks were on the lookout for original and unique material to lure the younger demographic. This is where I saw many music documentaries and cult and B movies, and where I came across a movie called Smithereens (directed by Susan Seidelman years before Desperately Seeking Susan). Released in 1982, it’s a gritty movie about the dwindling New York City punk scene and doing whatever it takes for that “15 minutes of fame.”
The film follows a narcissistic young girl named Wren (played by Susan Berman) on her quest to find celebrity in the NYC punk music scene (only to find the scene has moved to L.A.), and all the toxic relationships and misadventures that go with it. Wren doesn’t necessarily have any talent but doesn’t let that get in the way of ruthless ambition. The film also stars punk legend Richard Hell as a musician in a one hit wonder band (Smithereens) that she desperately wants to hook up with in order to get her ticket to L.A. The film, which had an original $20,000 budget, didn’t fare well with critics upon its release. Despite this, it was the first American independent movie invited to compete for the Palme d’Or at the 1982 Cannes Film Festival. It has also gone on to be praised for its realistic look at the slums of the Lower East Village, its portrayal of the early ‘80s music scene, and its great soundtrack.
The soundtrack is a mix of new wave, pop, and post-punk and features several songs from the New Jersey group The Feelies. Other artists who contributed to the soundtrack include Richard Hell & The Voidoids (“Another World,” “The Kid with the Replaceable Head”), The Raybeats, Dave Weckerman, and a gem by ESG called “Moody.” Although the movie doesn’t quite live up to its soundtrack, it’s worth checking out as a great time capsule of the period and, of course, the music.
The opening scene of the movie features The Feelies’ “The Boy with the Perpetual Nervousness.” It also shows how Wren illegally supplements her accessories.
Wren dancing in slow motion to The Feelies’ “Original Love.”
I’ve been a fan of the Pretenders since I saw the video for the song “Message of Love” back in the very early days of MTV (it was the 19th song played on the channel’s debut). Their videos were in heavy rotation back then, and I looked forward to seeing every one of them. Though they would go on to greater fame later in the decade, my favorite period from the band is the early eighties (before the drug-related deaths of guitarist James Honeyman-Scott and bassist Pete Farndon). There was something quite magical about the original line-up of Chrissie Hynde, Martin Chambers, Honeyman-Scott, and Farndon that the mid-eighties lineup lacked.
My favorite album from the group is their self-titled debut, released in 1980. The album is a mix of hard rock, punk, and pop, and the songs move seamlessly from raw rock to lyrical beauty. Although “Brass in Pocket” was the most successful single, I preferred other songs such as “Kid,” “Stop Your Sobbing,”and “Tattooed Love Boys.” The album debuted at #1 on UK album charts and made the top 10 on the US charts. Rolling Stone ranked the album as the 155th best album of all time, and 20th best album of the ‘80s (Slate Magazine has it at #64 of the ‘80s).
One of the best songs off the album is “Tattooed Love Boys.” It’s three minutes of pure energetic rock, and has a great guitar riff by Honeyman-Scott. The video is smoky and sweaty and fits perfectly with the song.
“Kid,” the second single from the album, shows Hynde’s emotional range as a singer. It reached #33 on the UK charts and music critic Stewart Mason stated that it was “probably the Pretenders’ masterpiece.”
With her quirky style and unusual vocals, Lene Lovich was one of the most unforgettable artists of the early eighties. My first glimpse of Lovich was in the video “Lucky Number.” Although it was released in 1978, it received pretty good airplay on MTV in the early eighties. The song’s combination of punk and new wave sound fit in well with the time period. The video featured Lovich in her signature braids looking very much like a Goth flamenco dancer. I had never heard such odd vocals and seen such an eccentric performance before (I had yet to encounter Nina Hagen). Taking a look back at Lovich’s career, you realize how much she influenced artists like Cyndi Lauper, Bjork, and Gwen Stefani, among many others, and it’s evident she didn’t get the recognition she deserved.
Due to her English accent, I mistakenly thought Lovich was British but she was actually born in Detroit, Michigan (her mother and siblings moved to England when Lovich was 13). She also had a very unconventional background, which most likely contributed to her theatrical stage persona. She attended several art schools, was a cabaret and go-go dancer, played sax in a funk band, wrote songs for disco artist Cerrone, was a member of a West Indian soul band, dubbed screams for European horror films, and worked in fringe theater groups. After brief stints with other bands, Lovich and partner Les Chappell signed with Stiff Records in 1978 and released the album “Stateless,” which includes the single “Lucky Number.” The song was a hit, reaching #3 on the UK charts.
Lovich went on to record two more albums and one EP with Stiff records before breaking with the company after the release of 1982’s No Man’s Land. There were rumors that Lovich, under pressure from the record company, refused to tone down her look and act for the bosses at MTV so they broke ties. She didn’t release another album until 1989, and took a long leave and returned in 2005 with another album. Lovich continued to make guest appearances on stage with other artists and in 2012 formed the Lene Lovich Band and toured throughout 2013. That same year, she started her own record label, Flex Music, which allowed her to gain control of the back catalogue of her music. She is now in the process of getting ready for a European tour with talks of a new album and an American tour.
“New Toy” is off the EP of the same name released in 1981. It was written by Thomas Dolby, who also plays keyboards and appears in the video. It was a hit in the US dance clubs and peaked at #53 on the UK singles charts.
The video for “It’s You, Only You (Mein Schmerz),” has Lovich dressed up as a Spanish bride and a Zorro-like character. The song was the first single released from the album No Man’s Land, and had minor success on the US dance charts.
Living In Oblivion 