A recent conversation left me reexamining my mental (re)collection of the 1980’s music scene. I came from an acoustic, Martin, early 1960’s to gritty 1970’s household, ya see.
Now, I was a young `un during the `80s, not even alive for the full decade. I write from sloppy memory & unresearched timelines.
To wit. viz. My first memories of favorite songs (years before-gasp-receiving my first cd/tape player boombox) include:
1. Phil Collins (solo, post Genesis); Groovy Kind of Love
2. The Beach Boys (see Surf’s Up not Pet Sounds. Giggle); Kokomo
3. Don Henley (solo, stag de La Eagles); All She Wants to do is Dance
My radio cassette player allowed me to record radio to cassette tape. I took great advantage of such a Tape OP.
The draped-on drum production kinda kills me.
Insta-musical carbon dating.
Not necessarily standing the test of time.
Remaining revolutionary.
But hindsight blahblahblah.
I know I’ll take Tears for Fears, INXS, and George Michael (see also The New Radicals 1990’s) most days.
But I thought real hard about what song with which to start a Pressed review.
The 1980’s have some spectacular introductory pieces (ala Fleetwood Mac’s The Chain).
Songs that mesmerize you before they truly begin.
Donnie Darko previously re-popularized Tears for Fears Head Over Heels. Same band, Sowing the Seeds of Love continued a pop sentiment that trickled down to Oasis, Space Hog. REM.
But, as far as knock out 1980’s intros that I can immediately recall, I had to land here with INXS. Vaguely Antish?
P.s. an exemplar par excellence of the use of a 1980’s sax. Too often wrecking a track.
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WrittenCasey 