The Music Of The 80s - Favorites, Classics And Rarities

[hitman531ph]

STEELY DAN

 

Most rock & roll bands are a tightly wound unit that developed their music through years of playing in garages and clubs around their hometown. Steely Dan never subscribed to that aesthetic. As the vehicle for the songwriting of Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, Steely Dan defied all rock & roll conventions. Becker and Fagen never truly enjoyed rock -- with their ironic humor and cryptic lyrics, their eclectic body of work shows some debt to Bob Dylan -- preferring jazz, traditional pop, blues, and R&B. Steely Dan created a sophisticated, distinctive sound with accessible melodic hooks, complex harmonies and time signatures, and a devotion to the recording studio. With producer Gary Katz, Becker and Fagen gradually changed Steely Dan from a performing band to a studio project, hiring professional musicians to record their compositions. Though the band didn't perform live after 1974, Steely Dan's popularity continued to grow throughout the decade, as their albums became critical favorites and their singles became staples of AOR and pop radio stations. Even after the group disbanded in the early '80s, their records retained a cult following, as proven by the massive success of their unlikely return to the stage in the early '90s.

Walter Becker (bass) and Donald Fagen (vocals, keyboards) were the core members of Steely Dan throughout its variety of incarnations. The two met at Bard College in New York in 1967 and began playing in bands together shortly afterward. The duo played in a number of groups -- including the Bad Rock Group, which featured future comedic actor Chevy Chase on drums -- which ranged from jazz to progressive rock. Eventually, Becker and Fagen began composing songs together, hoping to become professional songwriters in the tradition of the Brill Building. In 1970, the pair joined Jay & the Americans' backing band, performing under pseudonyms; Becker chose Gustav Mahler, while Fagen used Tristan Fabriani. They stayed with Jay & the Americans until halfway through 1971, when they recorded the soundtrack for the low-budget film You Gotta Walk It Like You Talk It, which was produced by the Americans' Kenny Vance. Following the recording of the soundtrack, Becker and Fagen attempted to start a band with Denny Dias, but the venture was unsuccessful. The pair then moved to New York City with hopes of becoming professional songwriters. Though Barbara Streisand recorded "I Mean to Shine," the duo was unsuccessful. During their stint in New York, they did meet producer Gary Katz, who hired them as staff songwriters for ABC/Dunhill in Los Angeles, where he had just become a staff producer. Katz suggested that Becker and Fagen form a band as a way to record their songs, and Steely Dan -- who took their name from a dildo in William Burroughs' Naked Lunch -- was formed shortly afterward.

 

Recruiting guitarists Denny Dias and Skunk Baxter, drummer Jim Hodder, and keyboardist/vocalist David Palmer, Becker and Fagen officially formed Steely Dan in 1972, releasing their debut, Can't Buy a Thrill, shortly afterward. Palmer and Fagen shared lead vocals on the album, but the record's two hit singles -- the Top Ten "Do It Again" and "Reeling in the Years" -- were sung by Fagen. Can't Buy a Thrill was a critical and commercial success, but its supporting tour was a disaster, hampered by an under-rehearsed band and unappreciative audiences. Palmer left the band following the tour. Countdown to Ecstasy, released in 1973, was a critical hit, but it failed to generate a hit single, even though the band supported it with a tour.

 

Steely Dan replaced Hodder with Jeff Pocaro and added keyboardist/backup vocalist Michael McDonald prior to recording their third album, Pretzel Logic. Released in the spring of 1974, Pretzel Logic returned Steely Dan to the Top Ten on the strength of the single "Rikki Don't Lose That Number." After completing the supporting tour for Pretzel Logic, Becker and Fagen decided to retire from live performances and make Steely Dan a studio-based band. For their next album, 1975's Katy Lied, the duo hired a variety of studio musicians -- including Dias, Pocaro, guitarist Elliot Randall, saxophonists Phil Woods, bassist Wilton Felder, percussionist Victor Feldman, keyboardist Michael Omartian, and guitarist Larry Carlton -- as supporting musicians. Katy Lied was another hit, as was 1976's The Royal Scam, which continued in the vein of its predecessor. On 1977's Aja, Steely Dan's sound became more polished and jazzy, as they hired jazz fusion artists like Wayne Shorter, Lee Ritenour, and the Crusaders as support. Aja became their biggest hit, reaching the Top Five within three weeks of release and becoming one of the first albums to be certified platinum. Aja also gained the respect of many jazz musicians, as evidenced by Woody Herman recording an album of Becker/Fagen songs in 1978.

 

Following the release of Aja, ABC was bought out by MCA Records, resulting in a contractual dispute with the label that delayed until 1980 the release of their follow-up album. During the interim, the group had a hit with the theme song for the film FM in 1978. Steely Dan finally released Gaucho, the follow-up to Aja, in late 1980, and it became another Top Ten hit for the group. During the summer of 1981, Becker and Fagen announced that they were parting ways. The following year, Fagen released his solo debut, The Nightfly, which became a critical and commercial hit.

 

Fagen didn't record another album until 1993, when he reunited with Becker, who produced Kamakiriad. The album was promoted by the first Steely Dan tour in nearly 20 years, and while the record failed to sell, the concerts were very popular. In 1994, Becker released his solo debut, 11 Tracks of Whack, which was produced by Fagen. The following year, Steely Dan mounted another reunion tour, and in early 2000 the duo issued Two Against Nature, their first new studio album in two decades

[Cain N Moko]

THE CULT

 

Following a succession of name and stylistic changes, the Cult emerged in 1984 as one of England's leading heavy metal revivalists. Picking up the pseudo-mysticism and Native American obsessions of the Doors, the guitar-orchestrations of Led Zeppelin, and the three-chord crunch of AC/DC, while adding touches of post-punk goth rock, the Cult gained a dedicated following in their native Britain with mid-'80s singles like "She Sells Sanctuary" before breaking into the American metal market in the late '80s with "Love Removal Machine." Though the group managed one Top Ten American with 1989's Sonic Temple, the band was plagued with off-stage tensions and problems which prevented them from retaining their popularity. Following a pair of unsuccessful records, the Cult split in 1995.

 

The origins of the Cult lie in the Southern Death Cult, a goth rock outfit formed by vocalist Ian Astbury (b. May 14, 1962) in 1981. Astbury was the son of a merchant navy man, which meant he moved frequently during his youth; at one point in his childhood, his family lived in Canada, where the young Astbury became fascinated with Native Americans, which would become a recurring theme in his songwriting. Astbury eventually settled in Bradford, Yorkshire, where he met a group comprised of David Burrows (guitar), Barry Jepson (bass), and Haq Quereshi (drums). Ian joined the group as their lead vocalist (performing with the last name of "Lindsay," which was his mother's maiden name) and had the group renamed the Southern Death Cult. At only their fifth concert, the band was attracting audiences of 2,000. In December of 1982, the Southern Death Cult released their first single -- the double A-side "Moya"/"Fatman" -- and the following month, they supported Bauhaus on tour. Though the group's future was looking bright, Astbury pulled the plug on the band because he was frustrated with the positive articles he was receiving in the press. The remaining three members joined Getting the Fear, which eventually became Into a Circle; in the late '80s, Quereshi became a member of Fun-Da-Mental. All of the Southern Death Cult recordings were eventually released in 1986.

 

Following the disbandment of the Southern Death Cult, Astbury shortened the name of the group to Death Cult and recruited guitarist Billy Duffy -- who had previously played with Morrissey in the pre-Smiths band the Nosebleeds, as well as Theatre of Hate -- and drummer Ray Mondo and bassist Jamie Stewart, who had previously played with Ritual. Death Cult released an eponymous EP in the summer of 1983; on the EP, Astbury reverted back to his given name. Later in the year, Mondo was replaced by Nigel Preston, who had previously played with Duffy in Theatre of Hate; coincidentally, Mondo became the drummer for Preston's previous band, Sex Gang Children.

 

In early 1984, the band shed "Death" from the title, fearing that the word gave them the misleading appearance of being a goth band. Where both Southern Death Cult and Death Cult had been overtly influenced by post-punk, the Cult was a heavy hard rock band with slight psychedelic flourishes. Dreamtime, the group's first album, was released in the fall of 1984, accompanied by a single "Spiritwalker," which reached number one in the U.K. in the spring. Dreamtime reached number 21 on the U.K. charts. In the spring of 1985, Preston left the group. For the group's summer single, "She Sells Sanctuary," the band was joined by Big Country's drummer, Mark Brzezicki. "She Sells Sanctuary" became a major U.K. hit, peaking at number 15. During the recording of the group's second album, drummer Les Warner joined the group. Love, released in the fall of 1985, continued the hard rock direction of its teaser single and became a number four hit in Britain.

 

For their third album, the Cult shuffled its lineup -- Stewart moved to rhythm guitar, while former Zodiac Mindwarp bassist Kid Chaos joined the lineup -- and hired Rick Rubin as producer and the result, Electric, was their hardest, heaviest record to date. The first single from the album, "Love Removal Machine," became a number 18 hit in the spring of 1987, while the album itself reached number four in the U.K. upon its April release. Later that year, Electric gained the Cult a fan base in America, and the album cracked the U.S. Top 40.

 

In 1988, the group fired Chaos and Warner, replacing the latter with Matt Sorum; the band failed to hire another bassist. The new lineup released Sonic Temple, which would prove to be its most successful album. The hit single "Fire Woman" helped propel the album into the American Top Ten and within no time, the Cult was seen hanging out with the likes of Mötley Crüe and Aerosmith, as well as supporting Metallica on the Damaged Justice tour. Though the group was experiencing its best sales, it was fraying behind the scenes, due to infighting and substance abuse. By the time they recorded their follow-up to Sonic Temple, Sorum had left to join Guns n' Roses and Stewart had quit; they were replaced by drummer Mickey Curry and bassist Charlie Drayton. The resulting album, Ceremony, was released in the fall of 1991 to weak reviews and disappointing sales.

 

Following the release of Ceremony, the group took a break for the next three years. In 1993, the band released the U.K.-only hits compilation Pure Cult, which debuted at number one. By the summer of 1993, the Cult had a new rhythm section, featuring former Mission bassist Craig Adams and drummer Scott Garrett. This lineup recorded The Cult, which was released in late 1994 to poor reviews and sales. In the spring of 1995, the Cult disbanded, with Ian Astbury forming the Holy Barbarians later in the year. Billy Duffy briefly played with Miles Hunt's Vent 414 before leaving to pursue a solo project. In 2000, the band's catalog was remastered and reissued, and Pure Cult was released in the U.S. (despite a similar compilation, High Octane Cult, having appeared four years earlier). It was followed by Rare Cult, a six-disc box set of rarities

[Karma Policeman]

Steely Dan actually got the name from a fictional vibrator's name in William Borrough's Novel, Naked Lunch ^__^

[hitman531ph]

QUARTERFLASH

 

The sax-heavy pop/rock band known as Quarterflash formed in early 1980, joining together two of the city's more popular acts: Seafood Mama, which contributed Rindy and Marv Ross; and Pilot, which added Jack Charles, Rick DiGiallonardo, Rich Gooch, and Brian Willis. The band would release four albums together, starting with their 1981 self-titled debut, which sold over two million copies and spawned two of their biggest songs, "Harden My Heart," which went to number three on the charts, and the Top 20 hit "Find Another Fool." Subsequent albums would not reach the blockbuster commercial success of their debut, but they continued to sell albums steadily throughout the mid-'80s. Another notable song was "Night Shift," which was the theme for the movie of the same name, starring Henry Winkler. They followed up their debut with 1983's Take Another Picture, which produced another Top 20 hit, "Take Me to Heart," as the band continued forward with their trademark rock sound. By Girl in the Wind in 1984, the band began to run out of clever hooks and they issued just one more album, Back into Blue, in 1985. A modified version of the band anchored by the Rosses continued to perform live, calling it quits just after recording an unreleased album in 1995

[Cain N Moko]

ULTRAVOX

 

Rejecting the abrasive guitars of their punk-era contemporaries in favor of lushly romantic synthesizers, Ultravox emerged as one of the primary influences on the British electro-pop movement of the early '80s. Formed in London in 1974, the group -- originally dubbed Ultravox! -- was led by vocalist and keyboardist John Foxx (born Dennis Leigh), whose interest in synths and cutting-edge technology began during his school years; with an initial line-up consisting of bassist Chris Cross, keyboardist/violinist Billy Currie, guitarist Steve Shears and drummer Warren Cann, their obvious affection for the glam rock sound of David Bowie and Roxy Music brought them little respect from audiences caught up in the growing fervor of punk, but in 1977 Island Records signed the quintet anyway, with Brian Eno agreeing to produce their self-titled debut LP.

After scoring a minor UK hit with the single "My Sex," Ultravox returned later that year with Ha! Ha! Ha!; sales were minimal, however, and Shears soon exited, replaced by guitarist Robin Simon. A third LP, 1978's Systems of Romance, was recorded in Germany with renowned producer Conrad Plank, but it too failed commercially; Island soon dropped the band, at which time both Foxx and Simon quit, the former mounting a solo career and the latter joining Magazine. At that point the remaining members of Ultravox tapped singer/guitarist Midge Ure, an alumnus of Silk as well as Glen Matlock's Rich Kids; upon signing to Chrysalis, the new line-up recorded Vienna, scoring a surprise smash hit with the single "Sleepwalk," which reached the number two spot on the UK pop charts in 1981 and pushed the LP into the Top Five.

 

After 1981's Rage in Eden, Ultravox teamed with legendary producer George Martin for 1983's Quartet; their most successful LP in the otherwise impenetrable American market, it launched the minor hit "Reap the Wild Wind." Upon completing 1984's Lament, Warren Cann left Ultravox to forge a solo career. The remaining members, adding Big Country's Mark Brzezicki, resurfaced with U-Vox in 1986 before going their separate ways. Currie and Simon reformed the band as U-Vox in 1993, adding vocalist Marcus O'Higgins; three years later, they released the lackluster Ingenuity

[Cain N Moko]

HAIRCUT 100

 

Combining light funk with frothy pop, Haircut 100 was one of the cleanest and most accessible new wave groups. Formed in 1980, the British band's core members were vocalist Nick Heyward, bassist Les Nemes, and guitarist Graham Jones; the following year, drummer Memphis Blair Cunningham, saxophonist Phil Smith, and percussionist Mark Fox joined the group. Once the band was signed to Arista Records, they were put under the direction of producer Bob Sargeant, who helped them polish their stylish pop. Released in late 1981, Haircut 100's first single, "Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)," managed to reach number four in the U.K., establishing the group's widespread appeal. The band released their debut album, Pelican West, in early 1982. Their next single, "Love Plus One," was a bigger hit, making the band one of the hottest British pop groups of the year. However, their momentum crashed to a halt when Heyward decided to pursue a solo career. Fox became the lead vocalist in early 1983, yet Haircut 100 could not replicate their previous success; they broke up after the release of their second album, 1984's Paint and Paint

[Cain N Moko]

TALKING HEADS

 

At the start of their career, Talking Heads were all nervous energy, detached emotion, and subdued minimalism. When they released their last album about 12 years later, the band had recorded everything from art-funk to polyrhythmic worldbeat explorations and simple, melodic guitar pop. Between their first album in 1977 and their last in 1988, Talking Heads became one of the most critically acclaimed bands of the '80s, while managing to earn several pop hits. While some of their music can seem too self-consciously experimental, clever, and intellectual for its own good, at their best Talking Heads represent everything good about art-school punks.

And they were literally art-school punks. Guitarist/vocalist David Byrne, drummer Chris Frantz, and bassist Tina Weymouth met at the Rhode Island School of Design in the early '70s; they decided to move to New York in 1974 to concentrate on making music. The next year, the band won a spot opening for the Ramones at the seminal New York punk club CBGB. In 1976, keyboardist Jerry Harrison, a former member of Jonathan Richman's Modern Lovers, was added to the lineup. By 1977, the band had signed to Sire Records and released its first album, Talking Heads: 77. It received a considerable amount of acclaim for its stripped-down rock & roll, particularly Byrne's geeky, overly intellectual lyrics and uncomfortable, jerky vocals.

 

For their next album, 1978's More Songs About Buildings and Food, the band worked with producer Brian Eno, recording a set of carefully constructed, arty pop songs, distinguished by extensive experimenting with combined acoustic and electronic instruments, as well as touches of surprisingly credible funk. On their next album, the Eno-produced Fear of Music, Talking Heads began to rely heavily on their rhythm section, adding flourishes of African-styled polyrhythms. This approach came to a full fruition with 1980's Remain in Light, which was again produced by Eno. Talking Heads added several sidemen, including a horn section, leaving them free to explore their dense amalgam of African percussion, funk bass and keyboards, pop songs, and electronics.

 

After a long tour, the band concentrated on solo projects for a couple of years. By the time of 1983's Speaking in Tongues, the band had severed its ties with Eno; the result was an album that still relied on the rhythmic innovations of Remain in Light, except within a more rigid pop-song structure. The album chalked up a US Top 10 hit "Burning Down The House" which was helped by extensive MTV airplay. It is their most successful hit. After its release, Talking Heads embarked on another extensive tour, which would turn out to be their last; it's captured on the Jonathan Demme-directed concert film Stop Making Sense. After releasing the straightforward pop album Little Creatures in 1985, Byrne directed his first movie, True Stories, the following year; the band's next album featured songs from the film. Two years later, Talking Heads released Naked, which marked a return to their worldbeat explorations, although it sometimes suffered from Byrne's lyrical pretensions.

 

After its release, Talking Heads were put on "hiatus"; Byrne pursued some solo projects, as did Harrison, and Frantz and Weymouth continued with their side project, Tom Tom Club. In 1991, the band issued an announcement that they had broken up. Five years later, the original lineup minus Byrne reunited as the Heads for the album No Talking Just Head. Then in 1999, all four worked together to promote a 15th-anniversary edition of Stop Making Sense

[h20]

Give these bands a listen:

 

The Bible

Prefab Sprout

Pale Fountains

[Karma Policeman]

The E-Heads actually took a riff from a Pale Fountains song. Great band.

[hitman531ph]

The number 1 songs of the 80s on January 17 of each 80s year.

 

1980 "Please Don't Go" KC and The Sunshine Band

1981 "(Just Like) Starting Over" John Lennon

1982 "Physical" Olivia Newton-John

1983 "Down Under" Men At Work

1984 "Say, Say, Say" Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson

1985 "Like a Virgin" Madonna

1986 "That's What Friends Are For" Dionne & Friends

1987 "Shake You Down" Gregory Abbott

1988 "Got My Mind Set on You" George Harrison

1989 "My Prerogative" Bobby Brown

[hitman531ph]

GRAMMY AWARDS WINNERS 1980

 

 

Album of the Year:

Christopher Cross by Christopher Cross

Record of the Year:

"Sailing," by Christopher Cross

 

Song of the Year:

"Sailing," by Christopher Cross

 

Pop Vocal - Male:

Kenny Loggins, "This Is It"

 

Pop Vocal - Female:

Bette Midler, "The Rose"

 

Pop Performance - Duo or Group with Vocal:

Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb, "Guilty"

 

Rock Vocal - Male:

Billy Joel, Glass Houses

 

Rock Vocal - Female:

Pat Benatar, Crimes of Passion

 

Rock Performance - Duo or Group with Vocal:

Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band, Against The Wind

 

New Artist:

Christopher Cross

[hitman531ph]

Grammy Awards Winners 1981

 

 

Album of the Year:

Double Fantasy by John Lennon and Yoko Ono

 

Record of the Year:

"Bette Davis Eyes," by Kim Carnes

 

Song of the Year:

"Bette Davis Eyes," by Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon

 

Pop Vocal - Male:

Al Jarreau, "Breakin' Away"

 

Pop Vocal - Female:

Lena Horne, Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music Live on Broadway

 

Pop Performance - Duo or Group with Vocal:

The Manhattan Transfer, "Boy from New York City"

 

Rock Vocal - Male:

Rick Springfield, "Jessie's Girl"

 

Rock Vocal - Female:

Pat Benatar, "Fire & Ice"

 

Rock Performance - Duo or Group with Vocal:

The Police, "Don't Stand So Close To Me"

 

New Artist:

Sheena Easton

[hitman531ph]

GRAMMY AWARD WINNERS 1982

 

Album of the Year:

Toto IV by Toto

 

Record of the Year:

"Rosanna," by Toto

 

Song of the Year:

"Always On My Mind," by Johnny Christopher, Mark James, and Wayne Thompson

 

Pop Vocal - Male:

Lionel Richie, "Truly"

 

Pop Vocal - Female:

Melissa Manchester, "You Should Hear How He Talks About You"

 

Pop Performance - Duo or Group with Vocal:

Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes, "Up Where We Belong"

 

Rock Vocal - Male:

John Cougar, "Hurts So Good"

 

Rock Vocal - Female:

Pat Benatar, "Shadows In The Night"

 

Rock Performance - Duo or Group with Vocal:

Survivor, "Eye of the Tiger"

 

New Artist:

Men At Work

[hitman531ph]

GRAMMY AWARDS WINNER 1983

 

Album of the Year:

Thriller by Michael Jackson

 

Record of the Year:

"Beat It," by Michael Jackson

 

Song of the Year:

"Every Breath You Take," by Sting

 

Pop Vocal - Male:

MIchael Jackson, Thriller

 

Pop Vocal - Female:

Irene Cara, "Flashdance...What A Feeling"

 

Pop Performance - Duo or Group with Vocal:

The Police, "Every Breath You Take"

 

Rock Vocal - Male:

Michael Jackson, "Beat It"

 

Rock Vocal - Female:

Pat Benatar, "Love Is A Battlefield"

 

Rock Performance - Duo or Group with Vocal:

The Police, Synchronicity

 

New Artist:

Culture Club

[hitman531ph]

Grammy Awards Winners 1984

 

Album of the Year:

Can't Slow Down by Lionel Richie

 

Record of the Year:

"What's Love Got To Do With It?" by Tina Turner

 

Song of the Year:

"What's Love Got To Do With It?" by Graham Lyle and Terry Britten

 

Pop Vocal - Male:

Phil Collins, "Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)"

 

Pop Vocal - Female:

Tina Turner, "What's Love Got To Do With It?"

 

Pop Performance - Duo or Group with Vocal:

The Pointer Sisters, "Jump (for My Love)"

 

Rock Vocal - Male:

Bruce Springsteen, "Dancing In The Dark"

 

Rock Vocal - Female:

Tina Turner, "Better Be Good To Me"

 

Rock Performance - Duo or Group with Vocal:

Prince & The Revolution, Purple Rain

 

New Artist:

Cyndi Lauper