Long live 1980

[Macfan4life]

I was only 10 in 1980 but remember it vividly. Looking back it was the mop up year for all the fun and great music. The 1970s produced the best music IMHO. I mean all types too. Disco was fun. I cant even imagine going out to Discos in the 1970s. For those that did, I am happy for you. For those that got to see Fleetwood Mac concerts, Eagles, or the Rolling Stones, I am also very happy for you. Once 1980 ended, the 1970s were over. A new era began and not only in American and world politics. Music and culture was never the same. 1980 was the year we got to say goodbye to the 1970s. Post 1980 everything changed. Music changed and the drum machine took over. Drunk driving laws were passed. Drug testing was passed. Free love was about to come to a halt because the AIDS epidemic was brewing. In the late summer 1980 we got the last Tusk concert at the Hollywood Bowl in CA. And we got this epic Elton John concert in New York. The Eagles were going to break up. Fleetwood Mac would enter into solo careers. Elton John would hit some hard years. Disco Sucks movement stamped out all the fun. Music changed, Culture changed. In Mick's book he talks about when Sara hit the top 10 in early 1980 it was a new era. No doubt that was true. Fleetwood Mac totally changed with management and solo careers at this time.
Enjoy this classic from Elton and remember 1980 as the year that mopped up the 1970s for good. We never had live music like this again. We were going to movie theaters to watch tripped out movies with incredible soundtracks: The Wall and Xanadu. Me and my cousin would tease this girl named Jeanie and sing this song to her. I can remember going to Three Rivers Stadium for Pirate games in the summer of 1980 and hear this song play over the speakers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvD8ailKt_0

[Villavic]

Interesting. Not that I disagree, I love lot of 70s bands and albums. Supertramp, Queen, Pink Floyd, Donna Summer, Rick Wakeman, Carpenters, Eagles, Elton, etc. And Fleetwood Mac of course. In fact, the Mac 70s albums are my favorites. I would have loved to have seen those concerts, like having gone to Studio 54, but for a 12yo kid, it was hard to travel 3600 miles to go. But I believed most people thought the 70s weren’t the best.

Cause I remember a Rolling Stone magazine issued in the 90s (can’t remember the exact year), I think it was an anniversary edition, where the article on 70s music called it decadent, if not bad, except few exceptions like Stairway to Heaven. In fact, whoever wrote it spent the whole article comparing the 70s to the 60s, I thought that was unfair. Another article from a different author praised the 80s a lot, he implied that it was a kind of a rebirth of music (unfair too).

I must admit that looking the big picture, the 80s music was my favorite. It was my time, my teenage, so that must have a lot to do with what I say. Just in case, my point is not to say the 80s were better than the 70s, but just my favorite. I’m not a music pro, I can’t technically or artistically analyze or compare songs to define what is the best the way the critics do. I always use this example to explain what defines a favorite to me: I’ve read Citizen Kane is one of the best movies ever made. I watched it twice and I liked it. But I’ve watched Empire Strikes Back hundreds of times. You fill the blanks. Just as a sommelier told me, what is the best wine? The one you like the most.

Back to the 1980 topic, from that year I like many beautiful songs, right now I think about (Just Like) Starting Over. Although I didn't like Milk & Honey's Lennon songs as much as Double Fantasy's, I think John would have given us more beautiful music during the 80s, if what happened hadn't happened.

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by Villavic

Interesting. Not that I disagree, I love lot of 70s bands and albums. Supertramp, Queen, Pink Floyd, Donna Summer, Rick Wakeman, Carpenters, Eagles, Elton, etc. And Fleetwood Mac of course. In fact, the Mac 70s albums are my favorites. I would have loved to have seen those concerts, like having gone to Studio 54, but for a 12yo kid, it was hard to travel 3600 miles to go. But I believed most people thought the 70s weren’t the best.

Cause I remember a Rolling Stone magazine issued in the 90s (can’t remember the exact year), I think it was an anniversary edition, where the article on 70s music called it decadent, if not bad, except few exceptions like Stairway to Heaven. In fact, whoever wrote it spent the whole article comparing the 70s to the 60s, I thought that was unfair. Another article from a different author praised the 80s a lot, he implied that it was a kind of a rebirth of music (unfair too).

I must admit that looking the big picture, the 80s music was my favorite. It was my time, my teenage, so that must have a lot to do with what I say. Just in case, my point is not to say the 80s were better than the 70s, but just my favorite. I’m not a music pro, I can’t technically or artistically analyze or compare songs to define what is the best the way the critics do. I always use this example to explain what defines a favorite to me: I’ve read Citizen Kane is one of the best movies ever made. I watched it twice and I liked it. But I’ve watched Empire Strikes Back hundreds of times. You fill the blanks. Just as a sommelier told me, what is the best wine? The one you like the most. It just was not music, everything changed. 1980 sort of was the last hurrah and transfer year into the slick and packaged 1980s.

Back to the 1980 topic, from that year I like many beautiful songs, right now I think about (Just Like) Starting Over. Although I didn't like Milk & Honey's Lennon songs as much as Double Fantasy's, I think John would have given us more beautiful music during the 80s, if what happened hadn't happened.

I was a teen in the 80s and even growing up in real time I hated most 80s music. The British invasion of the 1960s with the Stones, Kinks, The Who, etc was tremendous. The British invasion of the 1980s was horrific. I hated it. Countless one hit wonders of cheezy and bad pop music. Luckily there was hard rock that kept going in the 80s but the glam metal was way too much.
My post was not really comparing 70s and 80s music as just pointing out 1980 was a huge moment of change. Many of the world's greatest bands were at a cross roads if not breaking up. The 70s was a decade of decadence. Once 1981 hit the preppy look and conservatism took over. No doubt the 1980s were fun but for different reasons.
You bringing up John Lennon is an excellent point. His death at the end of 1980 was a benchmark of the end of an era.

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by Villavic

Cause I remember a Rolling Stone magazine issued in the 90s (can’t remember the exact year), I think it was an anniversary edition, where the article on 70s music called it decadent, if not bad, except few exceptions like Stairway to Heaven. In fact, whoever wrote it spent the whole article comparing the 70s to the 60s, I thought that was unfair. Another article from a different author praised the 80s a lot, he implied that it was a kind of a rebirth of music (unfair too).

I must admit that looking the big picture, the 80s music was my favorite. It was my time, my teenage, so that must have a lot to do with what I say. Just in case, my point is not to say the 80s were better than the 70s, but just my favorite. I’m not a music pro, I can’t technically or artistically analyze or compare songs to define what is the best the way the critics do. I always use this example to explain what defines a favorite to me: I’ve read Citizen Kane is one of the best movies ever made. I watched it twice and I liked it. But I’ve watched Empire Strikes Back hundreds of times. You fill the blanks. Just as a sommelier told me, what is the best wine? The one you like the most.

I say that the greatest decade of music is 1975-1985(hey, no one ever said it had to be 0 > 0). I far prefer the second half of the 70's to the first. Hell, they still play those songs now, ALL THE FREAKING TIME. Do you think they were playing music from 1925 in 1975?

[Villavic]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

Do you think they were playing music from 1925 in 1975?

Interesting. I think they didn't. But I remember during the 70s my parents listened a radio that played music from the 50s. For a kid like me, that was prehistoric music. Butthey were just 20 years old songs. It's like listening Avril Lavigne or Black Eyed Peas now. Or the Say You Will album.

On second thoughts, I believe my grandpa used to listen a tangos radio (Carlos Gardel, Astor Piazzola, etc.), mostly from the 30s.