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80s music, it didn't all suck - the forgotten, obscure, neglected (1 Viewer)

Gr00vus

Footballguy
My playlist has been throwing somewhat forgotten 80's tunes at me the last few weeks. I've taken it as sign that we need a thread here to revive some hidden treasures (though some might find them trash, to each their own) from the 80's. Some may be major artists' back catalog or semi-hits that don't get play anymore, others could be from bands that got airplay but never became huge or had longevity, some could  be just plain obscure local stuff. Collaborative effort here please, post 'em if you've got 'em. Genre doesn't matter.

 
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I'll start with Skateaway by Dire Straits, 1980.

There's a lovely atmospheric quality to so many of their songs, this one has that in spades. In particular, the guitar work towards the end is really wonderful. Hardly ever hear this one out in the world anymore. Wasn't even a huge hit when it came out, making it "only" to 56 at its peak.

Also there's the video, which is simple and understated yet entertaining. And of course the lead rollergirl, Jayzik (Jay) Azikiwe is dead sexy skating her way through the clip. Sadly she died back in 2008, but she's immortalized here for as long as we have youtube (or something like it). Interestingly, the music in the clip is played at a slightly higher rate than the original recording.

 
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Forgotten or obscure?
Either, or, both. Just stuff you don't hear much anymore(think what gets played on the SiriusXM/Cable 80's themed stations, etc. nowadays) but is/was good. Kinda like climbing through the 80's music attic and shaking the dust off some neglected goodies. Not really looking to argue about what forgotten, obscure, neglected means.

 
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I'll start with Skateaway by Dire Straits, 1980.

There's a lovely atmospheric quality to so many of their songs, this one has that in spades. In particular, the guitar work towards the end is really wonderful. Hardly ever hear this one out in the world anymore. Wasn't even a huge hit when it came out, making it "only" to 56 at its peak.

Also there's the video, which is simple and understated yet entertaining. And of course the lead rollergirl, Jayzik (Jay) Azikiwe is dead sexy skating her way through the clip. Sadly she died back in 2008, but she's immortalized here for as long as we have youtube (or something like it). Interestingly, the music in the clip is played at a slightly higher rate than the original recording.
Love this song 

 
unlike most 80heads, i do not celebrate the obscure. one of the great things about the decade is that everything worthy pretty much hit the surface. lots of this-is-me trash which does not sustain but to point more-talented others in the right direction

that said, the best 80s acts who might never have been icons and certainly are no longer are Thomas Dolby, Los Lobos, English Beat/General Public, Was/Not Was, Fishbone. I consider XTC & Devo icons.

ETA: oh, and i'm a freakatron for Terence Trent d'Arby and early Bobby Brown

 
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unlike most 80heads, i do not celebrate the obscure. one of the great things about the decade is that everything worthy pretty much hit the surface. lots of this-is-me trash which does not sustain but to point others more talented.

that said, the best 80s acts who might never have been icons and certainly are no longer are Thomas Dolby, Los Lobos, English Beat/General Public, Was/Not Was, Fishbone. I consider XTC icons.
Love Fishbone and Thomas Dolby

 
I'll leave one more here for tonight.

Bed Of Lies, The Cruzados (1987?)

A bit of blues adjacent rock from L.A. I've always dug the vocals on this one.

The lyric "So I finished my drink, and I got back in bed." - so good.

 
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unlike most 80heads, i do not celebrate the obscure. one of the great things about the decade is that everything worthy pretty much hit the surface. lots of this-is-me trash which does not sustain but to point more-talented others

that said, the best 80s acts who might never have been icons and certainly are no longer are Thomas Dolby, Los Lobos, English Beat/General Public, Was/Not Was, Fishbone. I consider XTC icons.
You bet

 
I'm 52, so I went to high school and college in the 80s.  I love a lot of music from that decade.  A colleague of mine who is only 7 years older than me thinks that 80's music sucked.  Overall, he has great taste in music so it surprised me that he had dismissed an entire decade of music so close to his own high school/college wheelhouse.  So I made him this playlist of some of my favorites.  

I Wanna Be Adored-The Stone Roses  

I Wanna Destroy You-Soft Boys  

Head On-Jesus & Mary Chain

Debaser-Pixies   

Memphis, Egypt-Mekons

Crazy Rhythms-The Feelies 

That’s When I Reach for My Revolver-Mission of Burma

Oblivious-Galaxie 500

Mad World-Tears For Fears

Don't Fall-Chameleons

Watch Out You're Dead-A House

Between Something And Nothing-Ocean Blue  

Heartland-The The

No New Tale to Tell-Love & Rockets

The Model-Big Black

Waiting Room-Fugazi

Blood and Roses-The Smithereens

What Did Your Last Servant Die Of?-Wedding Present

Lovesick-Orange Juice

The Marriage-Billy Bragg

Time-Tom Waits  

He liked a few of them  :shrug:   

 
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I'll start with Skateaway by Dire Straits, 1980.

There's a lovely atmospheric quality to so many of their songs, this one has that in spades. In particular, the guitar work towards the end is really wonderful. Hardly ever hear this one out in the world anymore. Wasn't even a huge hit when it came out, making it "only" to 56 at its peak.

Also there's the video, which is simple and understated yet entertaining. And of course the lead rollergirl, Jayzik (Jay) Azikiwe is dead sexy skating her way through the clip. Sadly she died back in 2008, but she's immortalized here for as long as we have youtube (or something like it). Interestingly, the music in the clip is played at a slightly higher rate than the original recording.
Just discovered this song a couple years ago. Not sure how big it was but I have never heard it til it played on a jukebox. 

1980 dire straits 

Romeo and juliet 

https://youtu.be/rC95MEenIxA

 
Oh man, trying to only pluck the 80s songs. Lots of hits in the early 90s.

There is a whole genre of freestyle music, if you were into that. These classics still get played at some family functions.

Johnny O - Fantasy Girl

https://youtu.be/OmbWAINlUcg

Stevie B - Spring Love

https://youtu.be/IM8_eeWOGgE

TKA - one way love

(Their biggest hits came in 90-91)

https://youtu.be/owOQLCtq8SI

Lisa Lisa and the Cult Jam - Can you feel the beat

https://youtu.be/zWtRLBLAMlc

Noel- Silent Morning 

https://youtu.be/hL0D-Qrh4-E

 
Marco and I are the same age and have the same tastes...80s were my formative and immersive time for music and I was a record store and college radio nerd from exactly 1980 on.

Some local SF bands/tunes across some genres that may not have made it elsewhere (nice to see wire train upthread)...

The units... High pressure days

Robert seidler... Christian boy

The mutants... Twisted thing

#### ups... I think you're ####

New Musik... If the planet doesn't mind

The uptones... Get out of my way

Translator... Everywhere that I'm not

...jeebus, this could be an endless rabbit hole

 
The Kinks - Living On A Thin Line

The Passions - I'm In Love With A German Film Star

Devo - Beautiful World, The Girl You Want

The English Beat - Twist and Crawl, Click Click

X - Johnny Hit And Run Pauline

Siouxsie & The Banshees - Christine, Peekaboo

Donnie Iris - Agnes

Roxy Music - Oh Yeah!

Dan Fogelberg - Leader of the Band

Hoodoo Gurus - Too

Blondie - Dreaming

Berlin - Like Flames, Tell Me Why

Olivia Newton John - Twist of Fate, Heart Attack, Make a Move On Me

Men at Work - Overkill

Climax Blues Band - I Love You

Little River Band - Take it Easy On Me

Chilliwack - My Girl

Faster #####cat - Don't Change That Song, Bathroom Wall, Shooting You Down

Billy Idol - Prodigal Son

P.I.L. - Rise

Freur - Doot Doot

Kix - Cold Blood

Bob Seger - Even Now

The Primitives - Crash, Way Behind Me

W.A.S.P. - I Wanna Be Somebody

The Plimsouls - A Million Miles Away

Lords Of The New Church - New Church, Lord's Prayer

The Tubes - Talk To Ya Later

Sammy Hagar - Eagles Fly, Give To Live

 
Just discovered this song a couple years ago. Not sure how big it was but I have never heard it til it played on a jukebox. 

1980 dire straits 

Romeo and juliet 

https://youtu.be/rC95MEenIxA
My best pal for almost 50 yrs is a big Straits fan & mostly a grump, but Scary Mary & i could reduce him to instant puddle, anywhere, anytime, by doing the silly walks from the end of this vid.

 
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Camper Van Beethoven- She Divines Water

The Smithereens- In A Lonely Place

Jane’s Addiction- Standing In The Shower Thinking

Front 242- Headhunter V1.0

Fugazi- Waiting Room

World Party- Ship Of Fools

Poi Dog Pondering- Living with the Dreaming Body

The Flaming Lips- Everything’s Explodin’

The Jesus & Mary Chain- Gimme Hell

The Sugarcubes- F*^*ing In Rhythm & Sorrow

Husker Du-Celebrated Summer

 
I'm 52, so I went to high school and college in the 80s.  I love a lot of music from that decade.  A colleague of mine who is only 7 years older than me thinks that 80's music sucked.  Overall, he has great taste in music so it surprised me that he had dismissed an entire decade of music so close to his own high school/college wheelhouse.  So I made him this playlist of some of my favorites.  

I Wanna Be Adored-The Stone Roses  

I Wanna Destroy You-Soft Boys  

Head On-Jesus & Mary Chain

Debaser-Pixies    Doolittle

Memphis, Egypt-Mekons

Crazy Rhythms-The Feelies 

That’s When I Reach for My Revolver-Mission of Burma

Oblivious-Galaxie 500

Mad World-Tears For Fears

Don't Fall-Chameleons

Watch Out You're Dead-A House

Between Something And Nothing-Ocean Blue  

Heartland-The The

No New Tale to Tell-Love & Rockets

The Model-Big Black

Waiting Room-Fugazi

Blood and Roses-The Smithereens

What Did Your Last Servant Die Of?-Wedding Present

Lovesick-Orange Juice

The Marriage-Billy Bragg

Time-Tom Waits  

He liked a few of them  :shrug:   
Ocean Blue!  Man, that's a blast from the past.  

Your taste in music is very similar to mine.  Great list.  Blood and Roses one of my favorite Smithereens songs. 

 
Camper Van Beethoven- She Divines Water

The Smithereens- In A Lonely Place

Jane’s Addiction- Standing In The Shower Thinking

Front 242- Headhunter V1.0

Fugazi- Waiting Room

World Party- Ship Of Fools

Poi Dog Pondering- Living with the Dreaming Body

The Flaming Lips- Everything’s Explodin’

The Jesus & Mary Chain- Gimme Hell

The Sugarcubes- F*^*ing In Rhythm & Sorrow

Husker Du-Celebrated Summer
So much yes!  

Can somebody smarter than me out a Spotify playlist of these together?  

After Trump won, I must have played Ship of Fools two hundred times.  Criminally underrated band.  

 
Love 80’s music. Graduated high school and started college in 1980. For a kid who grew up listening mostly to stuff like Zeppelin, Skynyrd, Allman bro’s, Charlie Daniels, George Thorogood (sp), it was so new and fresh.

I remember my first time walking into the college pub and seeing all the NYC/LI kids dancing to “Rock Lobster” and it was like culture shock. Nobody back home (only an hour away) ever heard stuff like that. We weren’t exposed to it.

Not really obscure per se, but not super well known: Romeo Void, Never Say Never

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4x0fPZrPV3M

 

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