Tag: 1980s
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The Del Fuegos, The Longest Day, 1984 on Slash Records
The Del Fuegos, The Longest Day, 1984 on Slash Records My favorite Del Fuegos album: Back Seat Nothing, Have You Forgotten, Missing You. Both Dan Zanes and Warren Zanes have gone on to great things They had a reunion benefit show in 2011 at the Paradise which I alas missed
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The Smithereens, Especially For You, 1986 on Enigma
The Smithereens, Especially For You, 1986 on Enigma Blood and Roses, Behind the Wall of Sleep, Strangers When We Meet. After this album was a hit they released an album (Green Thoughts) with a song titled Especially for You which is confusing as that song it isn’t on this album.
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Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, The Message, 1982 on Sugar Hill Records.
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, The Message, 1982 on Sugar Hill Records. My intro to socially conscious hip-hop, circa 1982. “It’s like a jungle sometimes it makes me wonder how I keep from going under”
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Terence Trent D’Arby, Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D’Arby, 1987 on Columbia Records.
Terence Trent DArby, Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D’Arby, 1987 on Columbia Records. One of the gems of the later 80s – I think every note of this album is perfect. Still sounds current but also fits into that decade. D’Arby is now known as Sanada Francesco Maitreya
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Stevie Nicks, Bella Donna, 1981 on Modern Records.
Stevie Nicks, Bella Donna, 1981 on Modern Records. Nicks’ debut solo album, produced by Jimmy Iovine with Benmont Tench as musical director, Tom Petty on Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around, Don Henley on Leather and Lace, and many other guests Recently reissued by Rhino and Vinyl Me, Please – but my copy is from ’81…
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Echo and The Bunnymen, self-titled EP, 1983 on Sire
Echo and The Bunnymen, self-titled EP, 1983 on Sire My favorite era of Echo and the Bunnymen Via In Your Ear in Allston
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Laurie Anderson, Mister Heartbreak, 1984 on Warner Bros.
Laurie Anderson, Mister Heartbreak, 1984 on Warner Bros. Not sure how I first heard of Laurie Anderson, but it would have been around the time of this album. Includes “Excellent Birds” with Peter Gabriel and Nile Rodgers, which was originally composed as part of Nam Jun Pak’s “Good Morning Mr. Orwell” installation, on New Years…
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A Few, It’s A Wonderful Life, 1985 on Gark.
A Few, It’s A Wonderful Life, 1985 on Gark. Gark was (is?) A Minneapolis label owned by Dave Pinsky who released records by A Few, Angle Park, Gear Daddies, Trip Shakespeare and others. This album is an underappreciated gem that myself and 20 other people have, according to discogs. 🙂
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Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Organisation, 1980.
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Organisation, 1980. Mine’s a 1986 UK pressing on Virgin sublabel Dindisc. Via Dyno Records in Newburyport (pre-covid). “Enola Gay, you should have stayed at home yesterday . . . ”
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Steve Earle, Live From Austin TX, 2017 on New West
Steve Earle, Live From Austin TX, 2017 on New West Recorded in 1986, released in 2004, and issued on vinyl in 2017. Long time fan of Steve Earle – this just goes to show how long he’s been producing great stuff
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‘Til Tuesday, Voices Carry, 1985 on Epic.
‘Til Tuesday, Voices Carry, 1985 on Epic. My first exposure to Aimee Mann through MTV at the time. Via Planet Score Records in St. Louis MO
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O Positive, Only Breathing, 1985 on Throbbing Lobster records.
O Positive, Only Breathing, 1985 on Throbbing Lobster records. Boston based alternative band from the 80s – whose singer now teaches entertainment law at The Northeastern University College of Arts, Media, and Design Saw them open for Sinead O’Connor circa 1990 at Great Woods (I think) Via In Your Ear Allston
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Blancmange, Don’t Tell Me, 1984 on London Records.
Blancmange, Don’t Tell Me, 1984 on London Records (uk pressing). 12″ single, b-side is “Get Out of That.” Neil Arthur and Stephen Luscombe, my favourite electropop duo named after a gelatinous milk dessert. They aren’t on Insta but see http://blancmange.co.uk/ for updates on new music and tour dates Via The Thing in Greenpoint, Brooklyn (pre-covid)
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The Alarm, Declaration, 1984 on IRS Records.
The Alarm, Declaration, 1984 on IRS Records. Look at that 1984 hair – I think Eddie MacDonald set the bar for my 14 year old attempts at big hair. Debut album from The Alarm
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Gene Loves Jezebel, Discover, 1986 on Geffen.
Gene Loves Jezebel, Discover, 1986 on Geffen. Saw them on tour in August 1987 at Northrup Auditorium with Echo & the Bunnymen and New Order – quite a triple bill.
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Now This Is Music, 1984 on EMI out of the Netherlands.
Now This Is Music, 1984 on EMI out of the Netherlands. First in a series of Dutch copilations which appeared between 1984 and 1989 – basically the Dutch version of “Now That’s What I Call Music” Great time capsule, with U2, Duran Duran, Queen, UB 40, but also Malcolm McLaren, Flying Pickets, Blue Nile and…
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The Pretenders, Learning to Crawl, 1984 on Sire.
The Pretenders, Learning to Crawl, 1984 on Sire. Third Pretenders studio album, recorded after the deaths of James Honeyman-Scott and Pete Farndon. Middle of the Road, Chain Gang, My City Was Hone, 2000 miles. Via Music Connection in Manchester NH
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13th Floor Elevators, Fire In My Bones, 1985 on Texas Archive Recordings.
13th Floor Elevators, Fire In My Bones, 1985 on Texas Archive Recordings. Side: A live from the “Sump N’ Else” TV show (Dallas, 1966). Side B a mix of live and studio cuts from 1965-66.