This recent round of fake This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio playlists concludes with My 1980s, a program of tunes I enjoyed during that period of time from my final semester in college through the year I finally traded apartment life for the joys of owning a home. Rock 'n' roll! I'm no great fan of the '80s; it was a difficult time for me (as detailed at length in my '80s memoir The Road To Goldmine), and I still find much of that decade's fashion, politics, and pop culture odious. But I liked some of it, too. I still despise (perhaps even more now than then) the vacuous, synthetic 1980s sound, but I also dig a whole bunch of '80s music at the same time. As much as I sometimes decry the '80s, it was the last time I found much of anything interesting being played on mainstream radio. If I did a My 1990s or My 2000s playlist, it would be filled with left-of-the dial stuff almost exclusively.
So consider this my salute to what I thought was good in the 1980s. As often happens, I discovered even more great stuff well after the fact, from The Soft Boys to Game Theory to the then-unreleased Mad Monster Party. I'm sure I'll discover more still, from the '80s, the '70s, the '60s, the '50s, even from this far future world of the 21st century. My mantra remains intact: RIGHT NOW is always the best time to be a pop music fan. There's new stuff every day. There's old stuff that's with us every day, too. And still more, from then and now, patiently awaiting our belated notice. The music is enticing and exciting. We'll notice it all soon enough.
(And ultimately--my long-standing policy of whining about the '80s notwithstanding--I had a lot of trouble narrowing this playlist down to just nine sets. '80s! We're livin' in the '80s!)
Like, totally.
ON SUNDAY: Hey, that's tomorrow! This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio returns for real on Sunday, October 1st, with the 2017 edition of DANA'S FUNKY SOUL PIT! This is what rock 'n' roll radio didn't sound like on a Sunday night in Syracuse this week.
This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl streams every...um, MOST Sunday nights from 9 to Midnight Eastern at www.westcottradio.org
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Our new compilation CD This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, Volume 4 is now available from Kool Kat Musik! 29 tracks of irresistible rockin' pop, starring Pop Co-Op, Ray Paul, Circe Link & Christian Nesmith, Vegas With Randolph Featuring Lannie Flowers, The Slapbacks, P. Hux, Irene Peña, Michael Oliver & the Sacred Band Featuring Dave Merritt, The Rubinoos, Stepford Knives, The Grip Weeds, Popdudes, Ronnie Dark, The Flashcubes,Chris von Sneidern, The Bottle Kids, 1.4.5., The Smithereens, Paul Collins' Beat, The Hit Squad, The Rulers, The Legal Matters, Maura & the Bright Lights, Lisa Mychols, and Mr. Encrypto & the Cyphers. You gotta have it, so order it here.
FAKE TIRnRR: My 1980s
THE RAMONES: Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio?
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THE HOODOO GURUS: (Let's All) Turn On
THE SAINTS: Big Hits (On The Underground)
GRANDMASTER MELLE MEL: White Lines (Don't Don't Do It)
ROKY ERICKSON: Don't Slander Me
RICK JAMES: Give It To Me Baby
THE GREG KIHN BAND: The Breakup Song (They Don't Write 'Em)
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THE TIME: Ice Cream Castles
HOLLY & THE ITALIANS: Tell That Girl To Shut Up
TRACEY ULLMAN: They Don't Know
THE BANGLES: Going Down To Liverpool
KATRINA & THE WAVES: Red Wine And Whiskey
THE PLIMSOULS: A Million Miles Away
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THE PANDORAS: It's About Time
1.4.5.: She Couldn't Say No
THE GAP BAND: You Dropped A Bomb On Me
CLASSIX NOUVEAU: Guilty
ROXY MUSIC: More Than This
CULTURE CLUB: Church Of The Poisoned Mind
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WHAM!: Freedom
THE MONKEES: Heart And Soul
THE KINKS: Better Things
PRINCE & THE REVOLUTION: Raspberry Beret
THE EVERLY BROTHERS: On The Wings Of A Nightingale
PAUL McCARTNEY: Not Such A Bad Boy
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THE BARRACUDAS: I Can't Pretend
GEORGE HARRISON: Devil's Radio
THE dB'S: Love Is For Lovers
THE MONROES: What Do All The People Know
THE DAZZ BAND: Let It Whip
EDDY GRANT: Electric Avenue
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MARSHALL CRENSHAW: Cynical Girl
THE ENGLISH BEAT: Save It For Later
JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS: Light Of Day
SQUEEZE: Pulling Mussels From A Shell
THE SMITHEREENS: Only A Memory
THE GO-GO'S: Vacation
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PRINCE & THE REVOLUTION: When Doves Cry
TRANSLATOR: Everywhere That I'm Not
LYRES: Help You, Ann
THE RECORDS: Hearts Will Be Broken
FOOLS FACE: Nothing To Say
HUMAN SWITCHBOARD: Saturday's Girl
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BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN: Brilliant Disguise
TOMMY TUTONE: 867-5309/Jenny
THE GRATEFUL DEAD: Touch Of Grey
LOS LOBOS: Will The Wolf Survive
LIVING COLOUR: Glamour Boys
THE LONG RYDERS: Lights Of Downtown
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LET'S ACTIVE: Every Word Means No
R.E.M.: Radio Free Europe
SCREEN TEST: Make Something Happen
MARVIN GAYE: Sexual Healing
KILLING JOKE: Eighties
THE TRAVELING WILBURYS: Handle With Care
THE GO-GO'S: Surfing And Spying
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