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aquapiranha
11-01-2012, 00:07
I thought I would ask if anyone has fond memories of any particular 80's tracks. I realise that this is a potentially cheesy topic, but I thought what the hell!

I like, for no apparent reason..

China Crisis - Christian (I could do a mean rendition of this on a Casio VL Tone!)

Heaven17 - Crushed by the wheels of industry.

Furniture - Brilliant mind

The Dazz Band - Let it all blow..

Depeche Mode - Master and servant

Human League - Open your heart (the 12" rocked!)


There are obviously a few more! :lol:

Oh, and Thompson Twins - Love on your side. I could go on..

Roy S
11-01-2012, 00:19
Batteries not included by after the fire springs to mind but would sound a bit dated now

Canetoad
11-01-2012, 10:35
Driver's Seat - Sniff and the Tears. Is that the 80s? :scratch:

webby
11-01-2012, 13:00
The 80's, in my opinion, produced some of the best music ever.

Talk talk it's my life
Tears for fears everybody wants to rule the world. Still one of my favourite tracks
A-ha take on me, the sun always shines on tv
Depeche mode people are people
Propaganda duel
Furniture brilliant mind

I could go on and on, and to me, not all 80's music sounds dated cos I've listened to it ever since it was released.

chelsea
11-01-2012, 14:56
Could have picked another 20 by them.
For me head and shoulders above rest of the 80s stuff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQjgJWmmRtA

Spur07
12-01-2012, 11:15
My era, so many to choose from but I'd plump for 'Wishing' by Flock of Seagulls - a proper pop song with a surprisingly hard edge.

Spur07
12-01-2012, 11:20
The 80's, in my opinion, produced some of the best music ever.

Talk talk it's my life
Tears for fears everybody wants to rule the world. Still one of my favourite tracks
A-ha take on me, the sun always shines on tv
Depeche mode people are people
Propaganda duel
Furniture brilliant mind

I could go on and on, and to me, not all 80's music sounds dated cos I've listened to it ever since it was released.

I've never stopped listening to Talk Talk over the last 30 years, or Prefab Sprout for that matter. Add the Psychedelic Furs to that list and many more!

Pretty in Pink is another of my favs. I love it when he sings the line:

Caroline talks to you softly sometimes
She says 'I love you' and 'Too much'
She doesn't have anything You want to steal
Well Nothing you can touch

morris_minor
12-01-2012, 11:57
I still play a lot of Ultravox . . :doh:

Macca
12-01-2012, 13:34
George Michael - Careless Whisper
Cameo - Word Up
Wet Wet Wet - Angel Eyes

not that I play any of this stuff nowdays but when heard on the TV or radio the nostalgia value is huge. I do still regularly play a couple of Clapton LPs from the 80s but they don't really count do they?

Pete The Cat
13-01-2012, 21:50
Am I right in thinking that many people now see the 80s as being a bit embarrassing in much the same way that the 70s used to be similarly derided before they began recovering some cool ?

For me much 80s music is characterised by very bright, tiring sound and the opening "drum" beats of the EastEnders theme are a constant reminder. Propaganda and Talk Talk were excellent and the decade had as much good stuff as any eg Sisters Of Mercy (most), The Smiths (all), Wedding Present "George Best", Heaven 17 "And That's No Lie" (full version)...

Pete

Roy S
13-01-2012, 22:03
Driver's Seat - Sniff and the Tears. Is that the 80s? :scratch:

'78 but sounds 80's (one of their many hits)

Roy S
13-01-2012, 22:09
Twisted Sister, '84, classic

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Spur07
13-01-2012, 22:12
Am I right in thinking that many people now see the 80s as being a bit embarrassing in much the same way that the 70s used to be similarly derided before they began recovering some cool ?

For me much 80s music is characterised by very bright, tiring sound and the opening "drum" beats of the EastEnders theme are a constant reminder. Propaganda and Talk Talk were excellent and the decade had as much good stuff as any eg Sisters Of Mercy (most), The Smiths (all), Wedding Present "George Best", Heaven 17 "And That's No Lie" (full version)...

Pete

Pete

I had this very same conversation with a record seller friend of mine in the mid 90's - back then 80's music really did get a bad press from the 90's 'in crowd'. I remember we both agreed the 80's was way better than what was around then at that time.

I don't think its considered embarrassing these days at all. On the contrary it's had huge influence on a lot of the music to come out over the last 5 years or so, especially early 80's synth pop like Human League, Heaven 17, Flock of Seagulls, etc. You can hear the references, a lot of the kids have been listening to this stuff.

What goes round comes around, even if people don't admit to it or even realize it. People talk about Blur's interpretation of Brit Pop as being influenced by Wire or Small Faces, whereas I just think they must have been totally obsessed with the early work of XTC in the late 70's, early 80's. (In fact I think Andy Partridge was involved with the early production of 'Modern Life is Rubbish'. He certainly pinched Partridge's 'mockney' vocal style).

Jonboy
13-01-2012, 22:27
it's of my era and i grew up with it, love most of it, good memories, enough said

Pete The Cat
13-01-2012, 22:38
What goes round comes around

Spot on.

I've noticed people wincing when recalling the 80s but each decade is as good as the last with the benefit of time IMHO. The 80s spanned post-punk to indie-dance, the rise of hip-hop, thrash...these last few years by comparison don't seem to have covered as much ground.

Put me down for New Order's "Your Silent Face" as well.

Pete

Jac Hawk
13-01-2012, 23:01
Hmmmm i could go on for ages about 80's music, i just love it and as many have said it saw loads of different sounds, some of my faves where.....

Howard Jones "new song"
Duran Duran "planet earth"
Marshall Jefferson "Move your body"
The Specials "Ghost town"
Gary Newman "cars"

I could go on and on...............but i won't;)

Audioman
13-01-2012, 23:02
Pete

I had this very same conversation with a record seller friend of mine in the mid 90's - back then 80's music really did get a bad press from the 90's 'in crowd'. I remember we both agreed the 80's was way better than what was around then at that time.

I don't think its considered embarrassing these days at all. On the contrary it's had huge influence on a lot of the music to come out over the last 5 years or so, especially early 80's synth pop like Human League, Heaven 17, Flock of Seagulls, etc. You can hear the references, a lot of the kids have been listening to this stuff.

What goes round comes around, even if people don't admit to it or even realize it. People talk about Blur's interpretation of Brit Pop as being influenced by Wire or Small Faces, whereas I just think they must have been totally obsessed with the early work of XTC in the late 70's, early 80's. (In fact I think Andy Partridge was involved with the early production of 'Modern Life is Rubbish'. He certainly pinched Partridge's 'mockney' vocal style).

Frankly you can split 80's music in two halves. I never had much time for the early 80's synth pop though there are exceptions. My main listening was probably Dire Straits, Sting, Jackson Brown, Fleetwood Mac etc who carried on with more traditional rock styles. I did like releases from Talk Talk, Sade, Tears for Fears, All About Eve and XTC from this period. Can also add RLJ and Tracy Chapman to that list. There was a wider variety of musical styles available to suit most tastes than the 90's.

I think the indie scene kicked off by The Smiths utimately stifled that variety in the 90's and beyond. Never was a great lover of either grunge or Brit Pop in general. Please don't compare the nauseating mockney on Blur's Park Life to XTC. Andy Partridge sings with a strong Swindon/Wilts twang.

The problem with the 80's is the perception created by chart music and dress styles of the time. Also it followed the two most innovative decades in music in history.

The Grand Wazoo
14-01-2012, 00:46
Fake drums, weeny, widdly-widdly keyboard sounds & thin production - that's what comes to my mind when I think of when 80's music.

Spur07
14-01-2012, 12:17
I think the indie scene kicked off by The Smiths utimately stifled that variety in the 90's and beyond. Never was a great lover of either grunge or Brit Pop in general. Please don't compare the nauseating mockney on Blur's Park Life to XTC. Andy Partridge sings with a strong Swindon/Wilts twang.

The problem with the 80's is the perception created by chart music and dress styles of the time. Also it followed the two most innovative decades in music in history.

Paul,

I wasn't comparing it - I was just commenting on how obviously influenced Albarn was by AP's vocal style and the ideas behind it. I always felt AP had his tongue firmly in cheek with his 'Mayor of Simpleton' persona, and it was something that appealed to Blur who were keen to escape their middle class identities.

Spur07
14-01-2012, 12:26
Hmmmm i could go on for ages about 80's music, i just love it and as many have said it saw loads of different sounds, some of my faves where.....

Howard Jones "new song"
Duran Duran "planet earth"
Marshall Jefferson "Move your body"
The Specials "Ghost town"
Gary Newman "cars"

I could go on and on...............but i won't;)

The Specials "Ghost town" - that's something else the 80's did so well. I was in a busy pub couple of months back and that came on jukebox at the end of the night and virtually everyone got up and started dancing, even the blokes!

People used to take the piss out of Gary Numan not so long ago. They'd moan about his 'single finger digit' synth melodies, oh that's just too simple and easy. Then that ad company used 'Cars' for that car advert and people realized how genius that track is, it sounds like nothing that came before or after - it hits you like a hammer to the head. Now he makes guest appearances on the Mighty Boosh and he's proper cool.

Audioman
14-01-2012, 20:42
Paul,

I wasn't comparing it - I was just commenting on how obviously influenced Albarn was by AP's vocal style and the ideas behind it. I always felt AP had his tongue firmly in cheek with his 'Mayor of Simpleton' persona, and it was something that appealed to Blur who were keen to escape their middle class identities.

Paul.

I just can't agree with you on the origins and influences of this song. It's more Chas and Dave and an attempt to emulate London working class estuary english. In fact the spoken part on the song 'Park life' was the voice of Quadrophenia actor Phil Daniels not Albarn. Never struck me as obviously similar to XTC in any case.

Reid Malenfant
14-01-2012, 20:53
Anything on this album! Propaganda - A Secret Wish (http://www.discogs.com/Propaganda-A-Secret-Wish/release/167784)

Superb stuff, nothing to touch it really imho :eyebrows:

I remember hearing one track for the first time & I was hooked. It was P Machinery...

Audioman
14-01-2012, 21:00
Anything on this album! Propaganda - A Secret Wish (http://www.discogs.com/Propaganda-A-Secret-Wish/release/167784)

Superb stuff, nothing to touch it really imho :eyebrows:

I remember hearing one track for the first time & I was hooked. It was P Machinery...

Surprisingly good for synth pop. See album club.

http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=15200

Reid Malenfant
14-01-2012, 21:03
Surprisingly good for synth pop. See album club.

http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=15200
Yes, & I'm the only one who can properly give it a 10/10 :rfl:

webby
14-01-2012, 21:41
Shout out must go to tears for fears the hurting album. Excellent debut. The human league put out some great stuff too. Depeche mode. Howard jones. Nik kershaw. Japan. Prefab sprout. Aztec camera. Simple minds. A-ha. Not forgetting haircut 100!

Spur07
14-01-2012, 22:23
Paul.

I just can't agree with you on the origins and influences of this song. It's more Chas and Dave and an attempt to emulate London working class estuary english. In fact the spoken part on the song 'Park life' was the voice of Quadrophenia actor Phil Daniels not Albarn. Never struck me as obviously similar to XTC in any case.

mate, Chas and Dave :lol:

lets just agree to disagree. This conversation is going nowhere. I'm quite aware that's Phil Daniels and not Albarn, but thanks for pointing it out anyway.

Canetoad
15-01-2012, 14:07
Music in Australia in the 80's was fantastic. Bands like Cold Chisel, INXS, Little River Band, The Angels, even Colin Hay and Men at Work made great music. Synth pop and the fashion thing wasn't really relevant there. We were into pub rock bands! :surf:

dantheman91
15-01-2012, 15:19
Hi

anything by O.M.D / PET SHPOT BOYS / ABC / TEARS FOR FEARS / HUMAN LEAGUE/ THIS LIST IS ENDLESS EVEN A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS

twelvebears
15-01-2012, 17:42
While I do have a great fondness for many 80s albums and artists, the truth is that then, as now, there was just as much great and awful music.

Examples of the great:

Talk Talk
Eurythmics
Depeche Mode
Talking Heads

Examples of the awful:

Rick Astley
Jason and/or Kylie
Erasure

I guess my point is that then as now there was good and bad. The good STILL sounds good and the bad is as cring-worthy as ever. Now of course we have X-Factor fodder rather than Stock Aitken & Waterman.

The one thing I will say about the 80s was that it was an era before the Loudness Wars, and so the good stuff was frequently recorded to a great standard. For me two cracking examples of quality recording would be Brothers In Arms and Word Up! by Cameo.

The disappointment now is that often the musically great can be dynamically knackered by MASSIVE over-boosting of recording levels.

chelsea
15-01-2012, 18:14
While I do have a great fondness for many 80s albums and artists, the truth is that then, as now, there was just as much great and awful music.

Examples of the great:

Talk Talk
Eurythmics
Depeche Mode
Talking Heads

Examples of the awful:

Rick Astley
Jason and/or Kylie
Erasure

I guess my point is that then as now there was good and bad. The good STILL sounds good and the bad is as cring-worthy as ever. Now of course we have X-Factor fodder rather than Stock Aitken & Waterman.

The one thing I will say about the 80s was that it was an era before the Loudness Wars, and so the good stuff was frequently recorded to a great standard. For me two cracking examples of quality recording would be Brothers In Arms and Word Up! by Cameo.

The disappointment now is that often the musically great can be dynamically knackered by MASSIVE over-boosting of recording levels.

Two tribes 12" is probably my favourite production wise.

Also abc lexicon of love and grace jones island life.

Think they are all trevor horn productions.

Cans
16-01-2012, 21:24
The 80s was my favourite decade for music. The first time I heard The Model by Kraftwerk or Are Friends Electric? Gary Numan Open Your Heart Human League Bedsitter Soft Cell O Superman Laurie Anderson I knew it was going to change everything.....:):):):):)

Reid Malenfant
16-01-2012, 21:47
<snip> The 80s was my favourite decade for music. The first time I heard The Model by Kraftwerk or Are Friends Electric? Gary Numan Open Your Heart Human League Bedsitter Soft Cell I knew it was going to change everything.....:):):):):)
Agreed with every track you mentioned there :) I cropped one as I'm not sure I remember it & thus like it :eyebrows:

Only one Human League track I like better was "Being Boiled", I think I was into the darker stuff even then :eyebrows:

Only other comment is Are Friends Electric? was Gary Numan & Tubeway Army...

Superb... It's the friend I left in the hallway :D


Enjoy!

keiths
16-01-2012, 22:16
Though my heart really lies in the 70's, I like a lot of the 80's stuff including early Human League - I've still got the early Fast Records singles - Being Boiled/Circus Of Death and The Dignity Of Labour 12". I also liked their first album Reproduction, but they lost it a bit for me after that.

Kraftwerk I love, but will always think of them as a 70's band. Tubeway Army were great too. I went to school with a lad who was Gary Numan's cousin. He told me he was a right prat.