Back in the 80's: Rasha Omer

Music News Tue, 21 Sep 2010 Written by Rasha Omer
Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense, one of the best parts of the '80's

Firm believers of the age-old assertion that you need to know where you came from to know where you're going, triplew.me is taking a look back at the influential moments in the 80's, 90's & 2000's that have help shape our times . Rasha Omer (Today), Mick D (Wednesday), Paul Kelly (Thursday) all join in this week.

We decided a little while back to take a look at each decade, separately and almost innocently, to see what's changed about entertainment as we know it. We start in the 1980's, next week we hit the shoe-gazing heights of the 90's and the week after we're in 2000's. This first week's series picks up at the '80's and Rasha Omer's thoughts on a decade of spandex, big hair and tight white underwear (and that was just Guns n Roses!).

Here's Rasha's account:

When I was given the brief to discuss what 80’s music and film meant to me, I'll be the first to tell you that I was, and am still, not really aware of the culture, style or impact of the decade directly.

But, even though the 80’s are a decade that's quite foreign and mysterious to me, I have become a little more than intrigued in recent years to discover, and even appreciate, what it had to offer. So here we are. Here's my take, standing from outside looking in...

MUSIC

I find music in the 80’s to be intriguing both in its glamour, which sometimes verges on the comical, and away from pop - its eeriness and complexity which makes it all so, well, damn interesting. I think sometimes that even when the misses were more the hits throughout the decade, and almost-definitely-maybe, the ambition and almost celebratory nature it had is what has resonated with the music of today perhaps more than any decade before it.

Here's my list:

KATE BUSH - HOUNDS OF LOVE

In my opinion, Kate Bush was the quintessential 80’s performer. Flamboyant, “out there”, decadent, self-indulgent, inventive but all-so sincere in all of her fantasies. Bush went from being a teen prodigy to a completely competent and self-aware artist, her self-expression was kooky and wild, but it was never contrived. This record sounds like, and potentially typifies, the 80’s – lost and bewildered, yet with enough melancholy mixed with something so catchy, that keeps it fresh and alive in 2010.

YOUTUBE CLIP

 

TALKING HEADS - SPEAKING IN TONGUES

You dance. You think. You pause. And you dream. Talking Heads, and particularly David Byrne, in all of his brilliance of melodies constructed to not make sense – influenced by anything and everything he was exposed to – pushed the envelope to new heights of creativity for a decade often accused of lacking so much in it.

YOUTUBE CLIP

 

The Cure – Disintegration

Robert Smith cried out the dark lyrics over dense layers of guitar and synthesizers creating sounds of the new wave, “goth” rock and post-punk and by doing so, created the soundtrack for shunned out teenagers throughout the decade (and beyond). Behind the haunting, dark persona and stereotypes, The Cure was one of the best bands to come out in a busy scene looking for progression – and their impact is still seen (resoundingly, so) today.

YOUTUBE CLIP

 

PRINCE - 1999

Prince’s ode to the future found him make a gem of a record – while not completely abandoning his funk roots, he took further steps to fuse and play and indulge – synthesizers and high notes are a plenty, but the pop sensibilities is what makes it all come together. If anything, Prince knew how to get the party started.

YOUTUBE CLIP

FILM

Film in the 80’s were a different story to me – Childhood memories today are heavily reliant upon seeing some of these titles. And in contrast to the music, some of the films of the decade were never a foreign concept to me, but in the same way; a little cryptic and dark at times – though what I find the most appealing about the movies from back then was this unbound sense of fun they had with the cheesiness and without the real big glitzy productions.

GHOSTBUSTERS

Definitely my favorite movie from the decade, hilarious, fun, adventurous, silly, tender– it was great! It is still great.

TRAILER

 

BACK TO THE FUTURE

For a “fluff sci fi” movie this one was actually smartly written – it was entertaining yet whimsical – Huge yet cozy. It’s what childhood dreams are made of.

TRAILER

 

RAISING ARIZONA

A Coen brothers fine comedy from the decade, starred Nicolas Cage in one of his best roles – this was an odd comedy but also an enthralling mischievous adventure.

TRAILER

 

THE SHINING

The only “dark” movie on this list – I didn’t watch this one until later, but it will always be one of my favorite films – the sight of crazy Jack Nicholson, the minimalism, the hollow ambience, the terrific directing and the nonsensical ending, beginning, twists and turns – it’s marvelous.

TRAILER