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1980 - Pete Townshend - Empty Glass
One Sunday evening in early December 2010, I was driving home with the radio tuned to Wind-FM. It was broadcasting a weekly special called Off the Record, where influential artists are interviewed by Joe Benson about their lives and recordings. That week's featured rock group: The Who. I listened for about 5-10 minutes and caught Pete Townshend discussing his solo debut, Empty Glass, and specifically the song "A Little is Enough":
Townshend [Paraphrase]: "When I left The Who, there were a lot of trials occuring in my life. Aside from bouts of musician's writer's block, I was sieving through financial burdens and a rift in my marraige. One day, I asked my wife if she loved me. She took a moment to think about it... and when she responded she said, 'I guess I love you a little.'
"I was significantly distraught at this answer, and went to my personal Sufi master for guidance. When I told him of the trouble I had with my wife, he said, 'So what's the problem? She said she loves you a little. Shouldn't that be enough? Don't you know that all love comes from God, and that His love is infinite? Whether one person loves another a lot or a little is relative, because any love we are capable of expressing is simply a drop in the vast ocean that is God's love. And given its origin, that drop of love is infinite in of itself.' From this conversation, I would eventually write 'A Little is Enough.'"
"A Little is Enough" by Pete Townshend
1981 - Bad Religion - How Could Hell Be Any Worse?
The late-70's saw the emergence of punk rock with bands like the Ramones, The Clash and the Sex Pistols taking center stage. This UK and US East Coast sound was contrasted by the more aggressive composition of hardcore punk in the US West Coast. Bad Religion of Los Angeles released their six-song and ten-minute long self-titled EP in 1981, which was followed by their first album How Could Hell Be Any Worse? a few months later. Although future releases would delve into experimental and progressive rock, the influence that Bad Religion has had on their fans stems from the struggles with identity and angst that's found in songs like "Drastic Actions," "Eat Your Dog" and "In the Night."
"Doing Time" by Bad Religion
Listen to a live 1989 recording here.
1982 - Van Halen - Diver Down
Although I'm not much of a Van Halen fan, I'd have to say that Diver Down is the least-typical Van Halen album... which is a good thing. Part of it has to do with the fact that half the record is comprised of covers, like "(Oh) Pretty Woman" by Roy Orbinson and "Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now)" by Milton Ager and Jack Yellen. But even in the VH originals ("Secrets," "Little Guitars") the band refrains from presenting the overtly pretensious glam attitude that they're known for. Regardless, you still find songs like the cover of "Dancing in the Street" by Martha and the Vandellas which draws similarities from previous recordings (see "Dance the Night Away").
"Hang 'Em High" by Van Halen
1983 - The Police - Synchronicity
After authoring "Roxanne" and "Message in a Bottle," you knew that when the power trio of The Police would come to an end that they would leave with a bang. Synchronicity is the fifth and final studio album by The Police, best known for the song "Every Breath You Take" (which Sting claims to have written in half an hour). The pseudo-New Wave album was nominated for several VMAs, won three Grammys and has garnered critical acclaim in various "Greatest of All-Time" lists.
Whether it's a single ("King of Pain") or not ("Mother"), it's easy to see the artistic significance (Carl Jung's theory of synchronicity) and the cultural relevance (Scrantonicity) of the release. The disbandment was disheartening, but the 80's were a time when artists frequently exercised their pride and sought success on their own. We'll never know how The Police would have faired for the rest of the decade, but a least we have "Fields of Gold" and their 2007-2008 reunion tour.
"Synchronicity II" by The Police
1984 - Spinal Tap - This Is Spinal Tap
Fiction became reality in 1984, but it wasn't the fiction of 1984. Spinal Tap (typecast as Spın̈al Tap), the greatest band that never was, were featured in the documentary / rockumentary / mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap. The film highlights the ups and (many) downs of the "famous" UK flower power turned heavy metal group as they toured the States in promotion of their album Smell the Glove. The film is well worth watching, and I suggest you turn it up to eleven.
The soundtrack is also called This Is Spinal Tap and features many of the songs performed in the film. The more well-known tracks are the more "adult" ones ("Big Bottom," "Sex Farm"), but my personal favorite is "Rock and Roll Creation," mostly because of its scene in the movie.
"Rock and Roll Creation" by Spinal Tap
Listen to the album version here.
1985 - Phil Collins - No Jacket Required
To my surprise, it seems that Phil Collins is an acquired taste. Or at least that one could experience "too much" Phil Collins. That has never been an issue for me, as I grew up listening to his hits on the radio, and No Jacket Required was one of the few CDs my parents had lying around the house (along with Born in the U.S.A. and The Best of Branigan). His iconic single "Sussudio" starts off the album right, letting you know you're right smack-dab in the middle of the 80's.
Though songs like "Doesn't Anybody Stay Together Anymore" are uniquely- and obviously-Collins material, some tracks show that he can't entirely shake off the Genesis side of him: "I Don't Wanna Know" takes from the band's older sound (see "Misunderstanding") and "One More Night" provides a preview of their future direction (see "Hold on My Heart"). I can't say it's his best release (I prefer his debut Face Value), but it's not one that deserves shelving, either.
"Don't Lose My Number" by Phil Collins
1986 - Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet
If you thought Van Halen and Phil Collins were pop, prepare to have musical scales re-tuned (see what I did there?). The interesting thing about Slippery When Wet is that whether a song has an obnoxious title and synth intro like "Let It Rock" or becomes labeled as a bikers' anthem like "Wanted Dead or Alive," Jon Bon Jovi still manages to keep his cool and charisma. And I'm not saying that the songs are bad, but just I couldn't imagine anyone else getting away with it. It's along the same vein of how Def Leppard fans can describe the band as "Awesome" and leave it at that.
All the hits you couldn't avoid even if you wanted to are here, including "You Give Love a Bad Name" and "Livin' on a Prayer." And take it as you will, but songs like "I'd Die for You" make Bon Jovi out as the Paula Abdul of heavy metal. Even if you take away the make-up, hair and pompous stage presence, you can't deny the talent that lies in the band's dynamic and it's definitely not a wonder why they're still around today.
"Without Love" by Bon Jovi
1987 - Joe Satriani - Surfing with the Alien
If you know guitarists, then you know Joe Satriani. Praised for his electic electric guitar playing, Satriani specializes in instrumental rock, where he lets the guitar do the talking. In his sophomore release, Surfing with the Alien, Satriani offers excitement along with variety (and a full head of hair!). You've got tracks that are both face-melting and the dance-worthy like "Surfing with the Alien" and "Satch Boogie," and no matter how slow a song gets ("Ice 9"), there's sure to be shredding for the sheer sake of... shredding.
"Always with Me, Always with You" by Joe Satriani
1988 - Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation
In the late-70's, the New York music scene not only produced the pivotal Ramones, but also DNA, Teenage Jesus and the Jerks and a handful of other no-name No Wave bands. While punk sought to revitalize and revolutionize music through simplified song composition, No Wave wanted to mutilate the already-rotting corpse of rock. While punk was still relatively contemporary and blues-based, No Wave had no form or structure and was played by artists who admittedly lacked musical talent. In 1978, the compilation album No New York was released which gave the world an authentic listen into this expressionistic scene.
This bohemian breeding ground attracted the interests of a couple of art school graduates who would join to form Sonic Youth. The band took the chaotic sound of No Wave and refined it to give it direction, delving into the realm of noise rock. As the 80's continued, Sonic Youth's lo-fi pop and punk influences were becoming infused with their songwriting, and by the time Daydream Nation came out they had all the tools necessary to redefine alternative rock for themselves.
The thing about Daydream Nation is that one cannot say that there are no words to describe the sound... because the lyrics themselves give life to the unique composition and purpose to the otherwise aimless noise. There's the parody-ode to Hollywood glamour that is "Kissability," the homage to ZZ Top and Dinosaur Jr. that is "Trilogy Z - Eliminator Jr." and the trip that is "Eric's Trip" (and makes it no wonder why Nirvana would hang with the band for a drink now and then). Deemed as "culturally, historically [and] aesthetically important," Daydream Nation was awarded the prestige of preservation in the National Recording Registry in 2005 (a year after Nevermind). In capturing the teen age riot of years past, Sonic Youth gave teens of a new age the blueprints to devise their own riots.
"Silver Rocket" by Sonic Youth
1989 - The Cure - Disintegration
While Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me put The Cure on the map, it was Disintegration which gave them the credibility to stay on there. Returning to their gothic roots, Disintegration was one of the last great post-punk releases before the 90's grunge era kicked in. With some of The Cure's better-known tracks, like "Lovesong" and "Lullaby," it is considered by some to actually be the best album ever. "Pictures of You" was even included at the end of a Season 6 episode of One Tree Hill wherein a couple reminisce on a roadtrip to a Cure concert (don't ask me how I know that...).
Disintegration gave darkwave (and depressing music in general) a template to emulate. The album is led by the driving rapidity of the drums and bass, while the guitars and synth create a post-rock atmosphere in each song. In between extended instrumentals, Robert Smith presents a truly alternative vocal delivery, offering that strange union of slow and fast, melancholy and anger, deceit and truth, hope and hopelessness. This is best exemplified in the songs "Closedown," "Facination Street" and the title track.
"Disintegration" by The Cure
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I hope you enjoyed what 80's rock had to offer. As you can guess, the 90's will be next (unless I can think of something short and sweet to post in the meantime).
They say that love often passes in a second,
Kelvin
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