When the Past Felt Like the Future - An Alternate Take on the Early Eighties
While the act of summing up music by decade has its merits, as a means of analysis the practice is a little arbitrary. The progression of music doesn’t neatly split into chapters with each new decade, it evolves in increments. The idea of a ‘80s Mix’ only makes sense until you realize that 1982 sounds almost nothing like 1988. Closer analysis of the decade finds a decidedly different sound during the first half the decade, with the quality of output starting to dwindle midway. Pop charts became a less reliable source for music, leaving the decade to be saved by the advent of rap and the refinement of electronic music. Ignoring the temptation to let nostalgia be my guide, this mix takes a look at lesser known music from the era and finds me selecting the content that sounds most fitting to discerning modern ears.
Track List
Radio Commercial - Talking Heads Remain in Light Album
Radio Commercial - Rick James “Fire It Up” Tour feat. Prince
Grace Jones - Art Groupie
Yazoo - Ode to Boy
Jeanette - Sunny Side
Spectral Display - It Takes a Muscle to Fall in Love
The Au Pairs - Headache For Michelle (Version)
The Fall - Hip Preist
Van Halen - Push Comes to Shove
Creation Rebel & New Age Steppers - Threat To Creation
Anthony Red Rose - Tempo
The Makers - Don’t Challenge Me
Blue Gas - Shadows From Nowhere
Freur - Doot Doot
Robert Wyatt - Shipbuilding
Jane - It’s a Fine Day
Young Marble Giants - Radio Silents
Culture Club - That’s the Way
Peter Green - Little Dreamer
TV Broadcast - MTV Debut
The Chills - Pink Frost
TV Commercial - 1981 Delorean
TV Commercial - Maxell Cassette
TV Commercial - CBS Premiere Week
China Crisis - Some People I Know to Lead Fantastic Lives
Home Service - O.M.F.I.L.
Nine Circles - Miss Love (First Version)
Fab Five Freddy - Une Sale Histoire (Female Version)
Audio Funk MC - International Punk Rocker
Basement 5 - Riot
Mink DeVille - Let Me Dream If I Want To
The Sound - I Can’t Escape Myself
The Minuteman - There Ain’t Shit on TV Tonight
Liquid Liquid - Lock Groove
Smersh - M Appeal
Willesden Dodgers - 122 BPM
Womack & Womack - Strange and Funny
Arthur Russell - Get Around To It
Arthur Brown & Leon Craig - Take a Picture
Roedelius - Goldregen
Lewis - Cool Night in Paris
N’Draman Blintch - She Africa (Ton Tour Viendra)
Depeche Mode - Everything Counts (Reprise)
Prince - Father’s Song (Purple Rain Movie Excerpt)
Prince - Baby You’re a Trip
