Except that from June '82 onwards it was already going downhill.
― Dingbod Kesterson, Friday, 7 March 2008 14:01 (sixteen years ago) link
also, I think you can make a case for technology making things sound dull in the mid eighties. As synthesizer technology improved, so the sounds they produced became less interesting as records became neater and cleaner in sound. It took other musical developments towards the end of the eighties: hip-hop entering the mainstream, the suidgy acid sound and sampling, for example, to make things sound interesting again.
― Grandpont Genie, Friday, 7 March 2008 14:10 (sixteen years ago) link
Although I'm in sympathy with the idea of a creative slump from 83 to 86 or so, that article doesn't argue the case too well. OMD as the mavericks, possibly (although how maverick is Souvenir?), but ABC?
― Zelda Zonk, Friday, 7 March 2008 14:18 (sixteen years ago) link
I liked 1983.
1984 it was all going Sade, then things perked up w/ Frankie, and then the JMC came and saved us all...
― Mark G, Friday, 7 March 2008 14:21 (sixteen years ago) link
i think the whole thing is total bollocks, really. it's based on a sample group of about 10-15 recording artists active in the early 80s. the more i read about the post-punk/new pop crowd the less interesting it becomes that they read about dada or knew who moholy-nagy was. feels like an alibi for liking pop.
― That one guy that hit it and quit it, Friday, 7 March 2008 14:22 (sixteen years ago) link
Quitney's P&J '83 singles poll:
1. Rat Rapping (Brilliant Isn't It) - Roland Rat Superstar 2. What Are We Gonna Get 'Er Indoors - George Cole & Dennis Waterman 3. Shiny Shiny - Hayzi Fantayzee 4. Dr Heckyll And Mr Jive - Men At Work 5. Can't Stop Running - Space Monkey 6. Big Log - Robert Plant 7. Superman (Gioca Jouer) - Black Lace 8. What Is Love Anyway Anybody Anyway - Howard Jones 9. Words - FR David 10. Lagartija Nick - Bauhaus
― Dingbod Kesterson, Friday, 7 March 2008 14:32 (sixteen years ago) link
Some Good things From 1983 http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drc500/c558/c55814cif68.jpg http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drc400/c495/c49530a5ngu.jpg http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drf500/f574/f57431vp28f.jpg
― Alex in NYC, Friday, 7 March 2008 14:33 (sixteen years ago) link
hmmm...there was more there originally, including Power, Corruption & Lies by New Order.
― Alex in NYC, Friday, 7 March 2008 14:34 (sixteen years ago) link
Ah Alex, and you were doing so well...
― Dingbod Kesterson, Friday, 7 March 2008 14:34 (sixteen years ago) link
25 years ago today = new order - blue monday
― djmartian, Friday, 7 March 2008 14:35 (sixteen years ago) link
The ol' 3 pics limit per post.
Dr Heckyl was Pigbag, wasn't it?
― Mark G, Friday, 7 March 2008 14:35 (sixteen years ago) link
That was the title of Pigbag's album but Men At Work appropriated it for one of their many #33 hit singles of 1983. They might have used the "Heckyl" spelling though.
― Dingbod Kesterson, Friday, 7 March 2008 14:37 (sixteen years ago) link
good things from 1983:
vvvvvvvvvvvv
― deej, Friday, 7 March 2008 14:37 (sixteen years ago) link
top albums of 1983 on rateyourmusic.com http://rateyourmusic.com/charts/top/album/1983
― djmartian, Friday, 7 March 2008 14:37 (sixteen years ago) link
We mustn't forget one of Peter Powell's big tips for stardom in 1983, Seona Dancing.
― Dingbod Kesterson, Friday, 7 March 2008 14:39 (sixteen years ago) link
haha, Ricky Gervais was in that band.
― Grandpont Genie, Friday, 7 March 2008 14:41 (sixteen years ago) link
1983 was the year of Let's Dance. While not an egregiously bad album, it kind of symbolises the idea of a blanding out in 83.
― Zelda Zonk, Friday, 7 March 2008 14:45 (sixteen years ago) link
whereas every record released in 1982 was mind-shattering genius, of course.
― That one guy that hit it and quit it, Friday, 7 March 2008 14:47 (sixteen years ago) link
That Circle Jerks album is pretty shit, really.
― Colonel Poo, Friday, 7 March 2008 14:47 (sixteen years ago) link
― Herman G. Neuname, Friday, 7 March 2008 14:48 (sixteen years ago) link
aztec camera - high land, hard rain the dickies - stukas over disneyland afrika bambaataa & soul sonic force - PLANET ROCK
― htshell, Friday, 7 March 2008 14:58 (sixteen years ago) link
Planet Rock was 1982, no?
― Colonel Poo, Friday, 7 March 2008 15:01 (sixteen years ago) link
It didn't just STOP then.
― Mark G, Friday, 7 March 2008 15:05 (sixteen years ago) link
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:SabbathBorn.jpg
― Bill Magill, Friday, 7 March 2008 15:13 (sixteen years ago) link
we've discussed this before elsewhere, but it should be pointed out that there's a big diff between the u.s. and the u.k. in 1983
in america, for instance, you had:
"she works hard for the money" - donna summer "sweet dreams (are made of this)" - eurythmics "twilight zone" - golden earring "billie jean" - michael jackson "lucky star" - madonna "maneater" - hall & oates "maniac" - michael sembello "total eclipse of the heart" - bonnie tyler "come on eileen" - dexy's midnight runners "electric avenue" - eddie grant "der kommissar" - after the fire "back on the chain gang" - pretenders "puttin on the ritz" - taco "1999" - prince "(keep feeling) fascination" - human league "stray cat strut" - stray cats "stand back" - stevie nicks "rock the casbah" - the clash "is there something i should know" - duran duran "pass the dutchie" - musical youth "photograph" - def leppard
i mean.. best year for pop music ever?? i'm biased though - 1983 was the year i started listening to casey kasem's top 40 religiously..
― Tracer Hand, Friday, 7 March 2008 15:13 (sixteen years ago) link
Was that before or after his Fucking Dead Dog outburst?
― Dingbod Kesterson, Friday, 7 March 2008 15:15 (sixteen years ago) link
Tracer Hand OTM: 1983 in the US was fantastic, as we've talked about many times on here. It's funny for me, because that was the year I was old enough to be aware of pop music, so my whole sensibility is shaped by 1983 and 1984. I call nonsense on those who say it's the music you love at age 20 that shapes you; age 10 more like.
― Euler, Friday, 7 March 2008 15:18 (sixteen years ago) link
I'm confused, almost half of those songs are by British acts!
― Colonel Poo, Friday, 7 March 2008 15:20 (sixteen years ago) link
And half of them were hits in Britain in 1982.
― Dingbod Kesterson, Friday, 7 March 2008 15:21 (sixteen years ago) link
About a quarter, more like. Unless yr counting US acts that hit in the UK first (Stray Cats, Pretenders) or even Falco....
― Mark G, Friday, 7 March 2008 15:22 (sixteen years ago) link
For the actual story:
The UK Top 50 of 1983 Poll
― Dingbod Kesterson, Friday, 7 March 2008 15:22 (sixteen years ago) link
eurythmics bonnie tyler dexy's midnight runners eddie grant human league the clash duran duran musical youth def leppard
9 out of 22 seems like almost half to me. YMMV.
― Colonel Poo, Friday, 7 March 2008 15:24 (sixteen years ago) link
the real question is, why did british audiences prefer those pisspoor acts instead of the dynamic and eclectic songs found in the united states?
― Tracer Hand, Friday, 7 March 2008 15:26 (sixteen years ago) link
No problems with Bonnie, Dexy's, Eddy Grant, the League, Musical Youth or Def Leppard.
Casbah has been battered to death by Virgin Radio.
Eurythmics and Duran are suckers of Satan's cock.
― Dingbod Kesterson, Friday, 7 March 2008 15:27 (sixteen years ago) link
getting all aspie up in this bitch
― That one guy that hit it and quit it, Friday, 7 March 2008 15:27 (sixteen years ago) link
Short answer to Tracer's query: Radio 1 policy at the time exemplified by Andy Peebles who often wondered how hard the unemployed really tried to find work and Derek Chinnery who said only dolescum and criminals listened to John Peel.
― Dingbod Kesterson, Friday, 7 March 2008 15:28 (sixteen years ago) link
Plenty of good, interesting stuff around in 1983, but a definite feeling that the lunatics who'd taken over the asylum were being reined in and it was getting back to business as usual for the record companies.
Back to having to dig a little deeper to find it, instead of it being showcased on totp every week.
― Billy Dods, Friday, 7 March 2008 15:29 (sixteen years ago) link
I'm with Tracer here -- down to the Kasey part, though I first heard his show the year before. Obv. it's also to do with youthful memories etc. but 1983 (and 1984!) were both stellar years. In contrast 1986 into 1987 for the most part felt *really* flat.
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 7 March 2008 15:29 (sixteen years ago) link
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:75954310fca08c89d17a7010.L.jpg
― Bill Magill, Friday, 7 March 2008 15:35 (sixteen years ago) link
Is that a case for the defence or the prosecution?
― Billy Dods, Friday, 7 March 2008 15:37 (sixteen years ago) link
NME's very curious Top 50 singles list of 1983:
1. Billie Jean - Michael Jackson 2. Bring It On - James Brown 3. Pills & Soap - The Imposter 4. The Bad Seed (EP) - The Birthday Party 5. Blue Monday - New Order 6. Lean On Me - The Redskins 7. All Night Long (All Night) - Lionel Richie 8. Church Of The Poison Mind - Culture Club 9. This Charming Man - The Smiths 10. Gimme All Your Lovin' - Zz Top 11. 1999 - Prince 12. Everyday I Write The Book - Elvis Costello & the Attractions 13. Looking For The Perfect Beat - Afrika Bambaataa & the Soul Sonic Force 14. The Cutter - Echo And The Bunnymen 15. Juicy Fruit - M'tume 16. Hand In Glove - The Smiths 17. I Love You - Yello 18. Who's That Girl - Eurythmics 19. Soweto - Malcolm Mclaren 20. A Paris (EP) - The Style Council 21. Let's Dance - David Bowie 22. Right By Your Side - Eurythmics 23. Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home) - Paul Young 24. Men Like Monkeys - Three Johns 25. I'm Still Standing - Elton John 26. Synchro System - King Sunny Ade & his African Beats 27. Every Breath You Take - The Police 28. Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' - Michael Jackson 29. Bad Day - Carmel 30. Oblivious - Aztec Camera 31. Go Deh Yaka (Go To The Top) - Monyaka 32. Cold Steel Gang - High Five 33. Tour De France - Kraftwerk 34. One More Shot - C-Bank 35. It's Raining Men - Weather Girls 36. Mutiny EP - Birthday Party 37. Between The Sheets - Lsley Brothers 38. Little Red Corvette - Prince 39. Money-Go-Round - Style Council 40. You Brought The Sunshine Into My Life - Clark Sisters 41. Lost Again - Yello 42. Dark Is The Night - Shakatak 43. Karma Chameleon - Culture Club 44. Hot Hot Hot - Arrow 45. Never Stop - Echo And The Bunnymen 46. Alice - Sisters Of Mercy 47. New Year's Day - U2 48. Everything Counts - Depeche Mode 49. Racist Friend - Special AKA 50. This Is Not A Love Song - PiL
Bubbling Under Cutty Sark - John Barry Seven Walkin' The Line - Brass Construction Revolution - Dennis Brown The Crown - Gary Byrd & the GB Experience Time (Clock Of The Heart) - Culture Club (1982!) Kicker Conspiracy/Wings - The Fall Man O' Sand To Child O' Sea - Go-Betweens White Lines - Grandmaster & Melle Mel Rockit - Herbie Hancock Beat It - Michael Jackson Just Got Lucky - JoBoxers Let's Stay Together - Bobby M & Jean Carn Hip Hop Be Bop (Don't Stop) - Man Parrish Calling Your Name - Marilyn Buffalo Soldier - Bob Marley And The Wailers Rip It Up - Orange Juice Lions In My Garden (Exit Someone) - Prefab Sprout Revolution Times - Red London War Baby - Tom Robinson Soul Inside - Soft Cell
― Dingbod Kesterson, Friday, 7 March 2008 15:37 (sixteen years ago) link
"Is that a case for the defence or the prosecution?"
Defense. '83 kicked ass
― Bill Magill, Friday, 7 March 2008 15:38 (sixteen years ago) link
Never heard these three records, guess they're soul/hip-hop?
32. Cold Steel Gang - High Five 34. One More Shot - C-Bank 40. You Brought The Sunshine Into My Life - Clark Sisters
― Billy Dods, Friday, 7 March 2008 15:42 (sixteen years ago) link
What a daft thread title. Summer and fall '83 were GREAT radio periods in the US.
― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Friday, 7 March 2008 15:43 (sixteen years ago) link
High Five were a Liverpool indie group, a bit like the early Farm.
"One More Shot" would have been in my personal EOY '83 top ten; fantastic record, produced by John Robie, vocals by Jenny Burton, like a hardcore variant on Robie's more popist "IOU" by Freeez.
"You Brought The Sunshine Into My Life" - gospel-ish American nu-soul, very fine single.
― Dingbod Kesterson, Friday, 7 March 2008 15:45 (sixteen years ago) link
Here's the Peel Festive 50 for 1983:
New Order - Blue Monday Smiths - This Charming Man New Order - Age Of Consent This Mortal Coil - Song To The Siren Cocteau Twins - Musette and Drums Smiths - Reel Around The Fountain (Peel Session version) Billy Bragg - A New England The Fall - Eat Y'self Fitter Smiths - Hand In Glove Naturalites and Realistics - Picture On The Wall Red Guitars - Good Technology P.I.L - This Is Not A Love Song X-Mal Deutchland - Incubus Succubus Cocteau Twins - Sugar Hiccup Cure - Lovecats Cocteau Twins - From the Flagstones Echo and the Bunnymen - Never Stop New Order - Your Silent Face Sisters of Mercy - Temple of Love Siouxie and the Banshees - Dear Prudence The Fall - The Man Whose Head Expanded Echo and the Bunnymen - The Cutter The Assembly - Never Never The Imposter - Pills and Soap New Order - Leave Me Alone 10000 Maniacs - My Mother The War Sisters of Mercy - Alice Cocteau Twins - Peppermint Pig Aztec Camera - Oblivious Redskins - Lean on Me Chameleons - Second Skin X-Mal Deutchland - Qual Smiths - Handsome Devil (Peel Session version) Tools You Can Trust - Working and Shopping The Fall - Kicker Conspiracy Luddites - Doppleganger Sophie and Peter Johnston - Television Cocteau Twins - Hithertoo SPK - Metal Dance The Fall - Wings U2 - New Year's Day Danse Society - Somewhere Birthday Party - Deep in the Woods Caberet Voltaire - Fascination New Order - The Village Birthday Party - Sonny's Burning Strawberry Switchblade - Trees and Flowers Elvis Costello - Shipbuilding Cure - The Walk Tom Robinson - War Baby
― Dingbod Kesterson, Friday, 7 March 2008 15:47 (sixteen years ago) link
'83 was very different in America.
I guess the argument - which I partially subscribe to - was that in the UK in the early eighties it was possible to be a little bit experimental and yet still ride to the top of the charts. But by '83 or thereabouts it was a bit more difficult.
― Zelda Zonk, Friday, 7 March 2008 15:52 (sixteen years ago) link
As exemplified by the entirely ill-conceived in-house go-go dancers who danced to everything and I mean everything on TOTP in '83, including "First Picture Of You" by the Lotus Eaters where they succeeded in (a) obscuring the group completely and (b) causing the record to go down the chart the following week, and "The Walk" by the Cure where they clutched their heads and frothed as though, you know, Not Quite Right In The Head because "visiting time is over" innit.
― Dingbod Kesterson, Friday, 7 March 2008 15:57 (sixteen years ago) link
On the bright side, Bruce Foxton did ascend to #23 with his first solo outing, the heartrending "Freak."
― Dingbod Kesterson, Friday, 7 March 2008 15:58 (sixteen years ago) link
It probably was different in America since, with the aid of MTV, they essentially got our 1982 a year late.
― Dingbod Kesterson, Friday, 7 March 2008 15:59 (sixteen years ago) link
― Geir Hongro, Saturday, 8 March 2008 09:45 (sixteen years ago) link
Curiously, I spent most of 1983 listening to Radio Luxembourg too, and discovered a lot of great music through it which never got played on Radio One. What was that dreadful "What a wally!" record sung by that shrill girl? I can still hear it in my head to this day.
1983 was the year I stopped sitting around listening to the radio and actively bought records, inspired by hearing "Genetic Engineering" and "Doot-doot" played on the Futurist chart (Thursday nights, IIRC). But whilst the start of the year was good, by the autumn it was definitely in decline, and the likes of Howard Jones and Nik Kershaw coming into the scene was a final nail in the coffin, and around that time I discovered the Peel show and never looked back. But 1983 was a turnaround year musically for me and will always hold a place in my heart, for that spring was truly wonderful.
― Rob M v2, Saturday, 8 March 2008 10:22 (sixteen years ago) link
this is the year that I was born
also the year Bob Stanley was born I'd wager. either that or he's the most gullible journalist currently working. that Guardian article is a perfect storm of revisionist history.
― m coleman, Saturday, 8 March 2008 12:18 (sixteen years ago) link
bob stanley was 19 in 1983 -- about the age you grow out of blind fandom, maybe.
― That one guy that hit it and quit it, Saturday, 8 March 2008 12:20 (sixteen years ago) link
I can remember a time, shortly after Wham hit big in the UK, when chart pop seemed to lose it's weirdness and sense of otherness for a while, everyone seemed to be scared to appear uncool, I think? And things seemed less fun and less inventive and less thrilling in some way. Obviously it didn't stay like that but it seemed to be like that for a while.
I can't remembert if this was in '83 or not, but it was some time around then. I still hate Wham because of this (and because of george michael's horrible smarmy voice as well)
― Pashmina, Saturday, 8 March 2008 12:57 (sixteen years ago) link
By definition anything on this list that was really good/odd wasn't played nearly as much as the obv. big hits:
http://www.spiritofradio.ca/Charts.asp#1983
― 2for25, Saturday, 8 March 2008 13:19 (sixteen years ago) link
OK it's not totally awful, but there were so many better hardcore/punk albums released that year than that record!
Completely true, but again -- it only let me put up three covers.
― Alex in NYC, Saturday, 8 March 2008 14:00 (sixteen years ago) link
But whilst the start of the year was good, by the autumn it was definitely in decline, and the likes of Howard Jones and Nik Kershaw coming into the scene was a final nail in the coffin
Your loss. Both were brilliant! (Kershaw didn't have any sizeable hits until 1984 though)
― Geir Hongro, Saturday, 8 March 2008 18:11 (sixteen years ago) link
The most important point made in the article is the public school comment by Kevin Rowland. That was precisely when and where everything that is wrong with both British pop and British politics today began.
It's arguable that 1983 is when the sort of people who'd previously have ignored pop altogether began listening to it in the UK (and, yes, I am thinking of a certain current political leader who'd have done O-levels that year at Eton): Jones/Kershaw/T Twins invented a sort of "light pop" to appeal to people who in a different political universe would still have listened to light classical. Then Hucknall turned it into a perverse kind of minor artform that could be vaguely admired, dispassionately.
― February Callendar, Saturday, 8 March 2008 22:10 (sixteen years ago) link
Was about time then. The entire idea of music as rebellion against older generations was pathetic from the very beginning.
― Geir Hongro, Saturday, 8 March 2008 22:30 (sixteen years ago) link
Ulmer didn't actually go anywhere near the charts, did he? (Hope I'm wrong!)
― Sundar, Saturday, 8 March 2008 23:29 (sixteen years ago) link
I can remember a time, shortly after Wham hit big in the UK, when chart pop seemed to lose it's weirdness and sense of otherness for a while, everyone seemed to be scared to appear uncool, I think? And things seemed less fun and less inventive and less thrilling in some way.
I would say you are thinking of 1986-87, when everyone started having mullets. And not inventive mullets with personality, like Mike Score, Limahl and even Howard Jones had. No, just the same boring standard mullet, looking alike on everyone.
― Geir Hongro, Sunday, 9 March 2008 00:23 (sixteen years ago) link
1986 was about the year I stopped loving chart music. (I was 13)
― Herman G. Neuname, Sunday, 9 March 2008 00:24 (sixteen years ago) link
-- February Callendar, Saturday, March 8, 2008 10:10 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Link
is what rowland said verifiable, though? was there really a social sea-change in the music business in the early 80s? i wouldn't have thought so.
any thoughts on the 'jam generation', RC?
― That one guy that hit it and quit it, Sunday, 9 March 2008 00:25 (sixteen years ago) link
There was a sea-change in politics and business in the 90s. When the generations who grew up listening to rock would actually start getting the top jobs. And that is why you suddenly had pop/rock fans among the people in power. Not because anything actually happened to the music.
― Geir Hongro, Sunday, 9 March 2008 00:27 (sixteen years ago) link
10.00pm Now That's What I Call 1983
Denise Van Outen presents a nostalgic trip through the musical highlights of 1983. Heaven 17, Howard Jones, Nick Heywood, Paul Young, Ali Campbell, Kajagoogoo, Nik Kershaw and Tony Hadley perform their greatest hits in the studio, and there is a glance at the year's big events, including the release of Michael Jackson's Thriller video, the arrival of the compact disc and the advent of morning television.
― the pinefox, Friday, 21 November 2008 13:56 (fifteen years ago) link
Wow, quite some cultural diversity on that line-up!
― NickB, Friday, 21 November 2008 14:07 (fifteen years ago) link
Tony Denton must be rubbing his hands in glee.
― mike t-diva, Friday, 21 November 2008 14:13 (fifteen years ago) link
I would start a different thread out of this question, but I'm too lazy.. which years (or time periods) were the most different between America and the UK? I'm guessing 1983 was one of those years.
― billstevejim, Friday, 21 November 2008 14:46 (fifteen years ago) link
David Van Day would be on this, but a) Dollar didn't release any records in 1983, and b) he's too busy being a wanker in Ant & Dec's jungle.
― snoball, Friday, 21 November 2008 14:50 (fifteen years ago) link
I've no recall of starting this thread, which is a bit disturbing since it was only earlier this year. Still, I think the argument kind of works, if you stick solely to UK chart music. In 80-82, postpunk had loosened things up a little, some unlikely things might make the charts, but by 1983 that was less likely. Can't be arsed to look through old charts to see if my hunch is correct though.
― Zelda Zonk, Friday, 21 November 2008 14:56 (fifteen years ago) link
good songs from the top 40 25 years ago:
MaccaJacko - Say Say SayThe Cure - The Love CatsJacko - ThrillerAdam Ant - Puss N' BootsTina Turner - Let's Stay TogetherMen Without Hats - The Safety DanceRocksteady Crew - Hey YouYes - Owner Of A Lovely HeartThe Smiths - This Charming ManRogers & Partonstein - Islands In The StreamTracey Ullman - They Don't Know
but that's just out of the 25 i knew plus being harsh on 'That's All', 'Waterfront', 'Union Of The Snake' and one or two others (not including the re-release of 'Oblivious')
― GSOHSHIT (blueski), Friday, 21 November 2008 15:07 (fifteen years ago) link
Back in 1983 Channel 4 had a show called Unforgettable in which old pre-Beatles Britpop stars came back for a lap of honour (I won't say bus pass lap of honour since most of them would only have been in their forties then), mostly singing their hits from 25 years earlier.
So nothing changes really; I'm assuming this is a tie-in with 25 Years of the Now! series and watching it is going to be for rubberneckers only.
― What a broad smile! It is like a delta! (Marcello Carlin), Friday, 21 November 2008 15:11 (fifteen years ago) link
Other things I like from the Top 40 of 19/11/83:
Cry Just A Little Bit - one of Shaky's best; his Rock 'n' Roll Part 2.Never Never - Vince Clarke and Feargal Sharkey, both near their peak.Calling Your Name - brilliant New Pop/Northern Soul forgery; fantastic Langer & Winstanley production. Even if Marilyn didn't necessarily sing it.Undercover Of The Night - ludicrous in a lot of ways but about the last time the Stones showed any signs of real life.
― What a broad smile! It is like a delta! (Marcello Carlin), Friday, 21 November 2008 15:16 (fifteen years ago) link
A lot of these "good" songs are people past their peak though: Stones, Adam Ant, The Cure, Tina Turner, Macca. Only the Smiths are really brand new here. I guess Jacko is arguably at his peak, although personally I much prefer the Off The Wall period.
― Zelda Zonk, Friday, 21 November 2008 15:28 (fifteen years ago) link
If you look up the chart in question the 41-100 section is much more interesting.
― What a broad smile! It is like a delta! (Marcello Carlin), Friday, 21 November 2008 15:29 (fifteen years ago) link
It seems a bit harsh to say the Cure were past their peak in 1983!
― I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE UP TO (Colonel Poo), Friday, 21 November 2008 15:34 (fifteen years ago) link
I must admit I liked them better when they were miserable bastards and did go off them a bit after Pornography (and their current album is the first one I've really liked since Pornography).
― What a broad smile! It is like a delta! (Marcello Carlin), Friday, 21 November 2008 15:35 (fifteen years ago) link
Owner Of A Lovely Heart
lol my brane
― GSOHSHIT (blueski), Friday, 21 November 2008 15:38 (fifteen years ago) link
Maybe the Cure weren't past their prime in 1983, but they became a different band with The Love Cats. For the postpunk generation, I guess 1983 was the transitional period from rock miserabilism to pop hedonism. Best exemplified by New Order's Power, Corruption & Lies.
― Zelda Zonk, Friday, 21 November 2008 15:56 (fifteen years ago) link
Because nothing's more pop hedonist than an album with that name!
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 21 November 2008 16:00 (fifteen years ago) link
And a final song called "Leave Me Alone!"
"You've caught me at a bad time......so why don't you piss off."
"Transitional" is what I said! It's got some of the miserabilism of "Movement" and some of the hedonism of later New Order. "Our love is like the flowers" is not a line Ian Curtis was ever going to come up with! Age Of Consent is upbeat! etc.
― Zelda Zonk, Friday, 21 November 2008 16:03 (fifteen years ago) link
yeah, upbeat with that extended fadeout of "I've lost you"...
― What a broad smile! It is like a delta! (Marcello Carlin), Friday, 21 November 2008 16:09 (fifteen years ago) link
x-post -- Fair enough, but for a sec I'm all, "Wait, WHAT?"
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 21 November 2008 16:10 (fifteen years ago) link
'Hedon the Door'?
― NickB, Friday, 21 November 2008 16:21 (fifteen years ago) link
Blueski's list of good songs is impressive!
I really like 'owner of a lonely heart'.
― the pinefox, Friday, 21 November 2008 16:34 (fifteen years ago) link
thread is total bullshit. I mean, yeah interesting things weren't on the radio and a small group of bands in the UK started putting out crap, but so what? albums I still listen to from '83, some of 'em all-time favorites:
butthole surfers - a brown reason to livesonic youth - confusion is sexthe fall - perverted by languagethe fall - in a holeglenn branca - symphony no 1birthday party - mutiny / the bad seedswans - filthrem - murmureinsturzende neubauten - drawing of patient o.t.rudimentary peni - death churchthe cramps - smell of femalemisfits - earth adsuicidal tendencies - s/tminutemen - what makes a man start fires?husker du - everything falls apartcreatures - feastbig black - bulldozerthe comes - no side
also stuff by jandek, the ex, daniel johnston, harmonic choir, etc etc
and this happenedhttp://static.rateyourmusic.com/album_images/s365578.jpg
― Edward III, Friday, 21 November 2008 16:41 (fifteen years ago) link
You're missing the point. The point was that there were some quirky things getting into the UK charts in the early eighties, but then by 1983 or thereabouts that didn't happen so much. Which may or may not be true, but there is no parallel universe in which Jandek or Daniel Johnston were storming the charts in 1983.
― Zelda Zonk, Friday, 21 November 2008 16:52 (fifteen years ago) link
In other words, none of the above was happening VISIBLY, whereas a year earlier they might have done.
― What a broad smile! It is like a delta! (Marcello Carlin), Friday, 21 November 2008 16:54 (fifteen years ago) link
In the US, I think the decline started a bit later - around 1985.
― o. nate, Friday, 21 November 2008 16:55 (fifteen years ago) link
(I mean the decline in Top 40 radio - not talking about small, independent releases.)
― o. nate, Friday, 21 November 2008 16:57 (fifteen years ago) link
A song like Ashes To Ashes is a good example I think. A number one in 1980. Could a song like that - with its Kafka-quoting lyrics, its ghostly, treated piano sound - have got to number one a few years later? Bowie obviously didn't think so when he released Let's Dance.
― Zelda Zonk, Friday, 21 November 2008 17:07 (fifteen years ago) link
there is no parallel universe in which Jandek or Daniel Johnston were storming the charts in 1983
it's right here inside my head. also in this universe stan brakhage's the garden of earthly delights outgrosses return of the jedi.
― Edward III, Friday, 21 November 2008 18:28 (fifteen years ago) link
When I look at the overall number of great releases, it was a slump for sure. But I certainly didn't think it at the time. As a tweener kid, I was was just discovering how much there was beyond Queen and Rush, but was enjoying a wide spectrum, from Iron Maiden, Metallica, Slayer, Def Leppard, Motley Crue, Accept, Dio, The Fixx and Cheap Trick on one end to R.E.M., Tom Waits, Bad Brains, U2, Violent Femmes, Social Distortion, Minutemen, Husker Du, X, The Fall, The Wipers, Big Black, Talking Heads, Kid Creole, Lou Reed, Suburbs, Pretenders, Shriekback, Big Country, Minor Threat, Birthday Party, James Blood Ulmer, King Sunny Ade, etc. on the other.
― Fastnbulbous, Friday, 21 November 2008 19:07 (fifteen years ago) link
Boring Pazz & Jop results imo.
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 1 November 2019 02:02 (four years ago) link