Back in the 80's: Mick D

Music News Wed, 22 Sep 2010 Written by Mick D
The Goonies - Best of the 80's

This second article in the series picks up where Rasha left off - with the elder statesman at triplew.me, Mick D, who remembers the '80's like it was, well, yesterday. 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. Here's Mick's account:

I remember the '80s like they were just yesterday. Were they? Gnarly. Here I go.

MUSIC + FILM

In addition to the list below, I've had to add a couple of honourable mentions that didn't make it on the main list below...

Honourable Mentions…

  • Ghostbusters;
  • Raiders of the Lost Ark;
  • Prince – The Batman Soundtrack;
  • Michael Jackson - Thriller; and
  • Young MC – Stone Cold Ryhmin’ (contained the one hit wonder “Bust a Move” along with a stack of other awesome ol’ skool rap).

Extra Special Mention goes to:

Battle of the Planets. Although not a movie, or an album, of all the pop culture that I soaked up during the 80’s, the thing that made the most significant impact on me was the animated Sci-fi series, Battle of the Planets.  A show about 5 young orphans, battling the evil space enemies, where every episode seemed to introduce a new type of mechanical alien threat.  It always seemed to be on when I came home from school, and every kid wanted to be one of the characters out of the show.  For me, I wanted to be Jason, the dark moody outsider.  For some reason all of us never really cared that they were all dressed up as oversized birds!  If you're into anime, you should check it out online or find it on DVD somewhere…you wont be disappointed. Ace.

Right, here's my life-defining moments:

THE GOONIES

The Undisputed No. 1 film of all time!!  I don’t care what anyone says.  Yeah sure, it’s a pretty simple movie about friendship, and the type of adventures that you can only have as kids.  But to me it was a movie that I loved as a kid and continue to love as an adult.  The movie captures all the magic of that special time in life when there are no boundaries, and the world is a much less complex place.  Wicked.

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PAUL SIMON - GRACELAND

I remember this album blowing my mind when I first heard it.  An album so cool that I first got my hands on it after my friend gave me a cassette tape that he had taped off his mum.  I remember hearing this and wondering how music could sound so “smooth”.  The first introduction into the sounds of African Jazz.  The Bomb.

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TRANSVISION VAMP - POP ART

Man, how much did I lust after the lead singer of this band, Wendy James.  Whoa, she was sex on a stick.  The music they played wasn’t too bad either.  A mixture of bubblegum with enough punk attitude to be cool.  Gnarly.

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THE LOST BOYS

After nominating the Goonies as my number one film of all time, putting a second “Corey” movie into the list may indicate that I may have a slight problem.  The only thing is that back in the 80’s, Corey Haim and Corey Feldman were cool, and “The Lost Boys” was the coolest.  Long before the whole Twilight phenomenon, this movie is also about a gang of rebellious teenage vampires that everyone wished they could be.  But unlike todays vampires, the Lost Boys were hardcore, blood sucking, evil dudes who sleep all day and party all night.  Also contains the classic line…”Death by Stereo”.  Rad.

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FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF

One of the key quotes in this movie says it all …. “Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” This movie tells the storey of a regular guy that just decides to take life into his own hands and take control.  Who doesn’t wish they had the guts to throw a sickie, steal a friends Dads Ferrarri, pick up the hottest chick in school, and have a day of pure adventure. Awesome.


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