A Musical Journey - Part 2 The 1980s - Part 2

This blog will be my musical highlights of 1983 - 1986.  Basically, my time from moving to the upper campas of my school until the 6th form.

By 1982 I was buying singles and albums, whenever I had the money. Sometimes compilation albums. Compilations albums were great for finding new stuff like...

 Aztec Camera - Oblivious

and not so good for finding other music,  (from the same compilation record)

Forrest - Rock The Boat

1983 - 1986 was a great time musically for me.  Punk was pretty much dead.  Synths were taking over music, it was an exciting time.   For me,  I couldn't get enough music (which was weird, given I dropped music at school for wood work....).  

                                                            Heaven 17 - Temptation

Thompson Twins - Love on you side.

(still one of my favourite songs).

"Records and Tapes", my local music shop, was my Saturday pilgrimage into town, to check out what was coming out.  John, the owner would let us play and check out new tracks, and occasionally track down some imports.

Late 1983, was the year I started and quite quickly stopped trying to be a break dancer...

Afrika Bambaataa - Renegades of Funk

Chaka Khan - I feel for you.

Malcolm Mclaren - Double Dutch

1983 also saw the start of the, still going, compilation series.  "Now that's what I call music".  A relatively cheap way of getting the latest hits.   Of course, I was still taping the charts each Sunday and doing my own compilations.  I did sometimes, compile the cd into the same order as the record.  We did own a copy of Now 1.

Now 1 had, one of my all time favourite artists on ot.  Namely Howard Jones.   Human's lib is another of my all time favourite albums.  

Howard Jones - Hide And Seek

Hide and Seek, is my favourite song ever.   I don't know why!

Now 1 also had such classics on it as

Men Without Hats - The Safety Dance

Will Powers - Kissing with Confidence

All manner of dodgy '80 tunes went through our house.

Though it did have my favourite Madness song on it and the Cure.

Madness - The Sun and the Rain.

The Cure - Love Cats

1983 was also the start of my 12" collection and possibly the start of me starting to collect everything by a band.

Christmas 1983 and I got for Christmas something that would define me for the rest of my life.  Namely my first computer.   The Zx Spectrum.   From that moment on, I wanted to be a computer programmer.    Thirty plus years later I am still computer programming.   (Plus I got Seven and the ragged tiger on cassette!).

1984 for me is THE music year.

The year when I started a paper round, and starting really having my own money.    My mum once complained I was buying too much vinyl.  My reply was that my friends were all drinking and smoking.  I bought records. Which would she prefer.

My favourite memories of 1984 were playing games on my ZX Spectrum listening to Seven and the Ragged Tiger (Duran Duran), Human's Lib (Howard Jones), Thriller (Michael Jackson), No Parlez (Paul Young) and Into The Gap (Thompson Twins).

1984 was also the year of Frankie Goes to Hollywood.  Yep, I have some rare 12" versions and picture discs of Relax and Two Tribes

Other 1984 highlights include

Nik Kershaw - Wouldn't it be good.

Bronski Beat - Small town boy

Plus 1984, I was introduced to two of my soon to be favourite all time bands -

Marillion.

and the Cocteau Twins.

1985 and my 12" and album collection continued to grow.

Two big musical highlights of 1985.

Live Aid

and me picking up this album, on a whim, well I quite like Run to the hills.

As a synthy punk, I'd seen Iron Maiden on Top of the Pops a few times, and liked a few of the tunes.  Bought this album with some Christmas money.  Never looked back.

Seems a bit weird to go out and buy an Iron Maiden album and also at the same time buy this album.

 Whitney Houston - Saving all my love for you!

and this album. Sade - Your love is King

But that is the way I roll.  I'll listen to anything me and decide myself, regardless of the genre.  If I like it, well, I like it.

Highlights of 1985

Aha- Take On me

Kate Bush - Hounds of Love

Madonna - Like a Virgin

King - Love And Pride

Tears for Fears - Shout

Stephen Tin Tin Duffy - Kiss Me

Marillion in the meantime had released Misplaced Childhood and had a hit single with Kayleigh.

Not my favourite album of the band.  Lavendar spoils the album for me.   But I did get to see them live in 1985.


So that is it for part two.  still into pop music, and synth pop, still got my motown influences, but slowly adding a rock touch.