Not all 80s music sucked

Up until the 80s my musical experience was primarily a mix of my dads 50s - 70s  rock n roll era music, coupled with my moms music which was more 1970s disco infused selection of Donna Summer, Diana Ross and the Commadores, Johnny Mathis and Barbara Streisand.  Outside of that I pretty much listened to my Sing along Disney Books.

In 1980, I lived Fruit Valley, Washington. As the year began, I was in Kindergarten. I remember hearing Devo for the first time at my Cousins house where we were celebrating Easter. I remember show and tell and how I got into trouble and had my first parent teacher conference because I shared lyrics from my favorite song which was not from the 80s . I remember my first jazz dance recital to Queen’s Crazy Little Thing Called Love. I remember going to my first ever movie in a theater: Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back. The line was long. One of my favorite singers on the radio was Eddie Rabit I love a rainy night and Drivin My life Away

1981 came Juice Newton. I loved her music. Queen of Hearts and Angel of the Morning.  Another top song for me that year was the Oak Ridge Boys with Elvira. That year Raiders of the Lost Ark came out. I remember that summer staying with my grandparents in Carson City and deciding that I wanted to be a truck driver. Like all my serious decisions, this one revolved around boys.

1982-1984 Half way through 2nd grade we moved to Lovelock Nevada and half way through 1984 we would move to Carson City Nevada. During this time the trends of my peers began to influence my listening experience. Hits of this period included Duran Duran Rio, Survior  Eye of the Tiger  Twisted Sister We’re Not Going to Take It, .38 Special Caught up In You, Cars Magic, Sammy Haggar I can’t Drive 55. The Cure Love Cats.  Square Pegs and Fame were my favorite Sitcoms. Punk rock was in the air Descendants Hope. This was also the era of break-dancing Debbie Deb  When I Hear Music.

1985-1988 Saw our relocation to Carson where I would remain through High School. Honestly, the music through the rest of elementary and on until High School was un-impressive. My free time was spent in the garage with my Dad working on cars or working wood, and mostly we listed to classic rock. When I wasn’t at home, I was sitting at the ball park either being an official scorekeeper ~ John Fogerty Centerfield ~ or just kicking it on the bleachers listening to Pink Floyd Learning to Fly. In 1996 (6th grade) I caught a softball in the throat which was nearly fatal and partially paralyzed my vocal cords. I didn’t play sports again for a few years. Eventually I would run track in 8th grade. Reemerging into sports led me into being introduced to different music once more and my world expanding with it. My thoughts turned towards the Ocean. I embraced Surf Style and began to dream of a trip to Australia where I could play in the beautiful exotic waves I saw reported to in Surfer and Surfing Magazines (Both of which I had subscriptions to).  This was also the time when Boys came into focus. I will always associate Def Leppards Pour Some Sugar On Me with a track runner from our rival Jr. High. If memory serves it was Chad. And I connected Duran Durans View to a Kill to Matt Schultz because that was the first movie my girlfriends and I were allowed to go to unchaperoned and he was there with his friends.  I had a crush on him. Can you imagine if He and I would have gotten together? We both have a zest for life but I would have killed myself trying to keep up with the adrenaline junkie.

1989 -1992 – For me the 80s spilled over into the 90’s as the first few years encompassed the last of my high school years. During this time boys and music went together like Cookies and Cream. The year and a half spent making out every night with Vince on his waterbed to the sounds Extreme, Rush, Motley Crew, Poison and other Hair Bands before he would head off to his job at the bowling alley. The walls and ceiling entirely covered with about 3 layers of “Babe” posters. Ahhh, Vince. I’ve brought him up a few times now. He wasn’t a talker but he could sure point out (usually with a nod and a grin) some irony/idiocy in the people and things going on around him. He was a rather deep thinker even if he wasn’t a talker and he would keep me laughing. He was unlike anyone else I’ve known and it wasn’t until recently that I realized he was an Aquarius. Which gave me a little more perspective on him and how he viewed the world.  Anyway, hair metal gave way to heavy metal when I started dating Ben and my preferences changed to Anthrax, Pantara, Megadeth, Iron Maiden, Queensryche and the like.

There was a lot of variety in the music of the 80s.  But even in my deep dive, I didn’t find a lot I would go dancing to. Unless Moshing is dance? I did a lot of that there at the end.