Remembering the 80s

I know I know. Long time no post. So sue me. I've never gotten the hang of sharing my life with the masses that much, but I'm trying.

But recently I've been to two concerts that threw my love of and admiration for the enduring pop music of the 80s to the forefront of my life again, and I actually have some media to share that some wil enjoy too. Actually came out alright considering I was recording with my still camera.

The early 80s were a pivitol time in my life. I graduated high school in 83, and I started exploring what gay life North Alabama had to offer (not much) in my junior year. Dealing with that and trying to still be a regular highschooler created a bit of angst in my life, and music helped me deal with that immensely.

I think it was my junior year when my sister came home with a yellow colored album by a band call The B-52s. At first I thought it was a joke band. Then I started really listening and realized it was pop genius. I was a fan from then on, and living where I did I got the oportunity to see them live quite a few times. The perfect party band, and the first time I was really struck by a death of someone from AIDS (when Ricky died after the first two albums). They've recently release their first studio album, Funplex, in something like 15-20 years. It's very recommended!

And then there was Yaz. I discovered them all on my own. The first time I heard the beat of Vince's music and the sound of Alison's voice on "Only You" I was hooooooooked. Laying on the carpeted floor of my small bedroom with the headphones on, listening over and over to both the albums and just BECOMING the music. I was so crushed when they broke up. Never seen them live, hell, they never performed live in the US except once in New York in 82 I think it was.

Flash forward 25 years and Vince and Alison think it's time to complete things, for them and for the fans, so they arrange to tour together for the first, and last, world tour of Yaz. David and I were lucky enough to get to see them here in Oakland at the Paramount Theatre. They were incredible. Performing every song from both albums! I think they were geniuely surprised and very pleased by the audience response. I think it was their first stop in the States. Alison was loving the love washing over them. Vince was his usual stotic self but very much enjoying it too.

It was a great pleasure to be sharing both these events with my man David. Being only 10 months apart in age, we have a lot of the same cultural references and we were very much into some of the same type music.

Below are a few clips I got of those tow bands, plus Cyndi Lauper. Cyndi and the B's I caught at the True Colors concert, then a week later was Yaz. I'm still buzzing from both!

The first clip is the B-52s singing a favorite of mine, "Mesopotamia":



Then "Rock Lobster":



From the new album, "Juliet of the Spirits" (love this song!):



And, of course, the very popular, "Love Shack":



Cyndi Lauper has a new album out too, called "Bring Ya to the Brink". I have to say it's very good and I highly recommend it. Very upbeat, catchy music with a message.

The first video of her below is from that new album, called "Rocking Chair":



The first single from that new album is called "Into the Nightlife" and I caught about half of it in the below clip. I wasn't going to record it at all, but she came out into the audience and sang part of it and that's where I started recording:



And then the classic, "I Drove All Night", which she began with a little bit of "Blue Savannah" by Erasure:



Now on to Yaz. I was much more wary about recording while indoors in the dark, but I got a few that turned out OK.

First up is a snippet of "Goodbye 70s":



Next up is David's favorite (or one of his favorite, who can have a favorite from Yaz?), "In My Room". They brought a soft chair with a pillow for Alison to hug as she sang this...LOVE IT:



And one of my favorites, and probably alot of other folks, "Winter Kills":



And first song of the encore, and their first single "Only You"...listen to the crowding singing along to the entire thing!:



All in all, this has definitely been the Summer of Remembering the 80s and I've loved every minute of it.