My Love-Hate Decade-The 80s-Some Thoughts From That Time–Saturday Nite

The 80s was, for the most part, a dreadful decade in more ways than one. Reaganomics, that dumb trickle down theory that was considered to make the entire US of A wealthy.  I think we all know that the reaganomy didn’t trickle very far at all.

Later that decade, in 1988, Dubya’s Daddy, along with perhaps the dumbest vp in history took over to continue the damage left by Bonzo. Question, why did ol’ Ronny Reagan share the same nick name with Led Zeppelin drummer, the late John Bonham?? Just curious. It’s kinda creepy, now that I think of it.

The Parti Quebecois under Rene Levesque was still in power; a bitter teachers’ strike that resulted in pay cuts for teachers just after the Levesque gov’t voted themselves pay raises–I would like to see the anti-union civil service hating connies defend that one.  My Dad, a retired high school teacher, then, regional union rep, remembers that strike all too well. For most kids in my neck of the woods, the strike meant a long holiday. In our household, it meant a whole lot more. Like most kids, I didn’t like school, but it was a stressful time as well. Ironic, given my dad, like so many others from the common front–separatist or not–voted for him in 1976,  following another bitter strike that threw Robert Bourassa  and the Liberals out. While the Parti Quebecois would come back, it was more apparent as time goes on they were another typical political party heading rightward. After studying his history later in life, Rene Levesque, in his early days, was a man I respected even if I disagreed with a lot of what he said. After the strike, respect was lost.

The decade of excess as it was known; greed and glamour were not only the norm; they were entrenched in our culture.   I remembered most girls overdid it on accessories, make-up,  and hairspray. The idea was to have big spikey hair that could knock out someone’s eye.  I think many must have owned stock in French Formula or Aquanet or both.

Seeing all that then, I wonder if anyone would have predicted the mess we find ourselves in today?

The decade I would love to forget for the most part, but at the same time, I look back at with some fondness. It was the decade of my formative years. High school, which I pretended to like and pretended to have fun at. In reality, I was an awkward kid with nasty haircuts, who didn’t fit in.  I was the type of kid who would get into trouble either to gain popularity or purely by accident. One of my activities? Typically for a lot, smoking in the washrooms.  An upside to being as old as I am today is I can truthfully say that I hated high school with authority.  I think most of us did; including the so-called popular kids; the pretty people.

I would never have done an 80s music spotlight on my blog, but an old friend from high school, Warren, who was a few grades above me,  one of the few kids back then who was actually humane and can have a conversation with,  found me on Facebook not all that long ago and we had been catching up. It’s a different relationship now, as I’m no longer as awkward; I now have a forked tongue. Anyway,  Warren, now has an internet radio show every Thursday evening from 8pm – 11pm, Montreal time, called “Animal House” and he plays mainly 80s music. For those who are into that, you can catch him here.  Warren will also take your requests.  Wanna hear a song from your high school days or just wanna chat with him, you can do so here.

I ended up in Warren’s chatroom last Thursday evening with the owner of the site, madman (it’s what he calls himself; he hosts some reggae shows); all of us in the teasing spirit, which is my favourite kind of ambiance.  I convinced Warren to rock up his show a bit and he did.

Now, to me, most 80s music sucks. I was always a rocker chick. I raised with my parents’ music.  They introduced me  to greats like  The Doors, Janis Joplin, Cream and a bunch of others.  Girls  went gaga over Duran Duran. I couldn’t stand ‘em! Still can’t.  Wacko Jacko was at the height of his popularity with “Thriller”.  Madonna had come along only further fuelling the moralty of of the excessive glam and greed culture with songs like “Material Girl”. Later that decade, more bubble gummy shit like Rick Ghastley Astley, or  Tiffany. Never got it.  Yech!

However, I will post some videos of some of my favourite  songs of that decade.   Rock and some softer metal.

The first one is “Nobody’s Fool” by Cinderella from 1986- the only song of their’s that I like.  The video portrayed is the exaggeration of what was fashionable back then. All that pink and polka dots! Brutal. Not to mention the neon and of course, mullets.  Gawd, people went out in public like that outside of Halloween? Warning, the song is much better without the visual.  Watching the video is not recommended for migraine sufferers.

The next video will be much easier on the eyes. A cool slideshow. If someone were to ask me what my favourite 80s band would be, I would have to say that one of them would definitely be The Scorpions.  Below, is “Holiday”, one of my favourites (Much different than Madonna’s version and a lot less bubble gummy).  Unlike the Cinderella video above, these visuals are safe and definitely far easier on the eyes.

Ok, the song is from the album “Lovedrive” , which was released in 1979. Close enough.

I saw a different video of this song earlier today; the poster said they found it on their uncle’s recordings. Ok, uncle? I do feel old now.

In the mid-80s  Deep Purple came to Montreal after the release of the album, “Perfect Strangers”.  A concert I wanted to go to, but at the time, we lived  far from the city, in Hudson, Quebec.

I would get to see them over 25 years later for their reunion tour at the Bell Center (now Molson Center again) in the summer of 2007. It was my current husband and my second date, as well as the first time I would meet his sons.   While nothing beats their older material, the title track of “Perfect Strangers” still a favourite. Notice it doesn’t have a typical 80s sound.

Yes, come to think of it, I was as dark as I am today.

Some of the better tunes from back then, but nothing beats the classic rock of the 60s and 70s. Nothing wrong with classic rock or oldies’ stations; sometimes older is better.

Just so long as we don’t go backward, politically, which is happening now.