Iron Maiden - 2 Minutes To Midnight

We love highlighting the diversity of eighties music at ERV, and we particularly enjoy abrupt transitions from one video to the next. This made it hard to pass up the opportunity to go from Sheena Easton to Iron Maiden as part of our 2020 All Hallows Even Celebration.

Iron Maiden made this even easier by starting "2 Minutes to Midnight" with one of the filthiest guitar riffs of the decade.  Combined with a somewhat creepy video about ... well, we're not exactly sure, but it definitely passes the atmospheric Hallowweny test for us. (Although we're not quite sure why there's a yo-yo starting at 0:26).

The song would go on to become a hard rock classic, and it actually hit #11 on the U.K. charts, while the Powerslave LP reached #2 in the U.K. and #21 in the U.S.  As most readers will know, Iron Maiden remains active as of this writing, and is one of the few 1980s acts that has remained successful during the intervening years. 

For folks who want more Iron Maiden, "The Number of the Beast" was featured on ERV's first All Hallows Even celebration in 2011, while "Flight Of Icarus" appeared on our blog in 2015. Both are highly recommended from your friends at ERV.     

Cool trivia fact #1: "2 Minutes to Midnight" is one of the few Iron Maiden songs not written or co-written by bassist Steve Harris. It was co-written by guitarist Adrian Smith and singer Bruce Dickinson. This helps explain why it sounds different (to my ear, at least) from most other Maiden songs.

Cool trivia fact #2: The video for "2 Minutes to Midnight" about spies, cults, and a stolen nuclear weapon (we think) was the group's first concept video.  The theme plays off the fears on a nuclear war, which drove the title and lyrics for the song.

Sheena Easton - Telefone (Long Distance Love Affair)

Nine years ago (!), we started an ERV tradition - the posting of the All Hallows Even videos.  We are justifiably proud of the 22 (and counting) clips that we have presented since then, which can be found using the All Hallows Even label to the right and down a bit.

Kicking off 2020 - on October 13th, no less, we'll start with Sheena Easton. Easton grew up in Scotland, and got her big break on the BBC reality show The Big Time, were amateurs showed off their skills (dressmakers, cooks, comedians, etc.) Easton appeared in 1980, as a singer, which eventually led to a recording contract - even though the talent manager on the show (Marion Massey) was quite lukewarm on her.

Easton would go on to become a genuine pop star, with 15 top 40 hits in the U.S. - all but 1 of which were in the 1980s. "Telefone" came out during Eason's early period of success, and went on to hit #9 on the charts, while the Best Kept Secret album reached #33 and went gold.

The video is a campy black and white classic.  While the single was released in August, the LP came out in October, so perhaps that's why they went with a movie monster theme.  Frankenstein's monster, Dracula, Quasimodo, King Kong, and a disembodied hand all make an appearance - making this a great way to kick off our All Hallows Even celebration.

Sheena Easton had continued success throughout the decade, and famously worked with Prince for a time.  She remains active in the industry to the present day.

As an added bonus, we found some behind the scenes footage shot when the video was being made.

Robbie Nevil - C'est La Vie

"C'est La Vie" was the song that was played at every party in 1987, before fading away.  It was the debut single from Robbie Nevil, and became his biggest hit, peaking at #2.  Interestingly (to me at least), it spent 2 weeks at #2, but was blocked from the top spot by 2 different songs - "Shake You Down" by Gregory Abbott and "At This Moment" by Billy Vera & The Beaters.

Robbie Nevil was born in Los Angeles and worked in the industry for years prior to landing a recording contract in 1986.  His self-titled debut album was a hit, reaching #37 and yielding three top 40 hits ("Dominoes" and "Wot's It to Ya" are the other two).  He would go on the have five top 40 singles before transitioning to songwriting, and remains active in the industry as of this writing.  

The video for "C'est La Vie" was shot at a construction site, and shows a shy Nevil hanging with a bunch of models.  The clip (and song) were strong enough to go into heavy rotation for a time at MTV. 

Oh, and one other thing - this is a cover.  Nevil did co-write the song, but it was released by Beau Williams two years earlier:

Daryl Hall & John Oates - Private Eyes

Long time viewer(s) may recall that this is Hall & Oates second appearance on ERV; "How Does It Feel To Be Back" (a truly rare song and video) was posted back in September 2015.

"Private Eyes" highlights Hall & Oates in their prime, and shows the incredibly catchy pop craftsmanship that made them superstars.  The song was originally written by Warren Pash, and started as a Janna Allen solo project, before turning into a Hall & Oates song - with assists from Janna and Sara Allen and Daryl Hall. As an aside, Sara Allen was Daryl Hall's long term girlfriend ("Sara Smile" was written about her) and sisters Sara and Janna were heavily involved in Hall & Oates songwriting in the early 1980s.

The video was released at the dawn of the MTV era, but its low budget charm was likely evident even in 1981.  The backup band (with G.E. Smith), the trench coats and fedoras ... this represents a master class in how to make a fun, inexpensive video.  Still, we don't remember seeing the video much on MTV back in the day, though it did show up on other programs, such as HBO's Video Jukebox (now who remembers that).

And as many readers will know, the song went on to become a #1 smash, cementing Hall & Oates position in the industry.  In fact, between 1980-83, the duo released 3 LPs and had 11 top 40 singles and 4 #1s.  While their commercial success faded after their 1980s heyday, Hall & Oates have remained active in the industry (with some breaks) to the present day. 

Cool trivia fact: for some extra fun while watching the video, check out bass player Tom Wolk. (Trust us.)

Cool trivia fact #2: The song's title came from the 1980 movie of the same name.

LL Cool J - Going Back To Cali

The late 1980s were a weird time for hip hop.  Following the huge success of the Beastie Boys' License to Ill, the genre found itself becoming more and more mainstream.  The backlash to this was predictable - and led to concern over artists "selling out" or "going commercial."

LL Cool J was in the midst of this maelstrom.  Born James Smith, he opted for a stage name based on Ladies Love Cool James.  He started rapping at 9, and was a rising star by 1988.  He also had a vision for hip hop that added ballads and pop sensibilities to the growing segment, something that was controversial back in the day. 

"Going Back to Cali," with its nostalgic intro, highlights LL Cool J's vision, and became his second top 40 hit ("I Need Love" was the first).  The song was originally released on the Less Than Zero soundtrack (best known for The Bangles cover of "Hazy Shade of Winter"), and was also released on the Walking with a Panther album, which reached #6 on the album charts.

As many readers will know, LL Cool J would go on to have a long and successful musical career, before transitioning to acting.  He remains active in both art forms at the time of this writing. 

Robert Plant - Burning Down One Side

Nothing lasts forever - not even the mighty  Led Zeppelin.  John Bonham's death in 1980 ended the band, and left the remaining three members jobless for the first time in years.  After the tragedy, John Paul Jones semi-retired from the business, while Jimmy Page would go on to form several groups (The Firm being the most successful).  However, it was Robert Plant who carved out the strongest career post-Zeppelin. 

In 1982, Plant released his first solo album, Pictures at Eleven ... and rock fans had no idea what to make of it.  Plant co-wrote all of the songs, but they sounded nothing like his prior band.  Sure, it was still rock, but it was wrapped in a smoother, jazzier package.  

Yet somehow, it worked.  Pictures at Eleven would go on to become a top 5 album in both the U.S. and the UK, and would establish Plant as a star in his own right.  He would go on to have an interesting, eclectic career, up to the present day.

The first song from Plant's debut solo LP was "Burning Down One Side."  Its odd vibe and striking visuals fit perfectly with MTV, and it picked up a significant amount of airplay, which no doubt helped the album, and introduced Plant to a new, younger audience.  It seems to have become a bit of a forgotten song and video, though, making it perfect for our little blog.

The Comsat Angels - I'm Falling

ERV reader(s) who are into movies from back in the day may recognize this song, as it was featured prominently in Real Genius, a fun (and underrated) 1985 flick starring Val Kilmer.  However, the Comsat Angels were a well-regarded early New Wave act, and with a bit of luck could have become major stars.

The band formed in Sheffield, UK in 1978 and were named after a J. G. Ballard short story.  Their initial work was sparse, atmospheric pop, in the same segment as Joy Division.  Unfortunately, they never quite found their audience and their label (Polydor) did not know how to promote them.

The band switched to Jive, and then Island records during the 1980s, and tried to transition to a more pop-oriented sound, in an effort to become successful.  Sadly, nothing seemed to work.  By 1990, the group even changed its name to Dream Command and released a more rock-oriented LP (Fire on the Moon).  Several years later, they broke up, although they did briefly re-form in 2009-10.

"I'm Falling" is a catchy synth pop song that hints at the strong songwriting of the band.  The song did not chart in the U.S., but did reach #90 in the UK.

Robbie Robertson - Showdown At Big Sky

In 1987, Robbie Robertson released his eponymous debut album.  Younger listeners might not have been quite sure what to make of it, but it was a significant event for the music industry.

To understand why, we need to go back to Robertson's prior work as the main songwriter of The Band.  That group started as Bob Dylan's backing act, but would go on to become one of the most influential acts of the late 1960s and early 1970s.  They helped pioneer a type of roots rock that influenced ... seemingly everyone, from The Beatles and the Rolling Stones to Eric Clapton and The Eagles.

The Band broke up in 1977 (documented through one of the greatest rock movies ever made - Martin Scorsese's The Last Waltz).  And in the aftermath of The Band's breakup, Robertson didn't seem to have much interest in the mainstream music industry.  Instead, he acted and worked on film soundtracks (often with Scorsese).

So when Robertson decided to release his first solo record, it was kind of a big deal, especially as it became apparent that the sound was different from his prior work.  In general, the critics were supportive of the LP, though the commercial success was mixed.  "Showdown at Big Sky" did pick up a fair amount of rock radio play, but the song did not chart.  The album reached #38.  

Robertson continued to sporadically release albums through the years, and remains active in the music industry as of this writing.

Cool trivia fact:  Rolling Stone ranked Robbie Robertson's first solo LP at #78 on the best albums of the 1980s list. 

Rufus & Chaka Khan - Ain't Nobody

Rufus were a successful funk act during the 1970s with six top 20 albums, as well as ten top 40 singles.  However, changing tastes and lead singer Chaka Khan's desire to go solo (a story as old as time) resulted in the group's decline at the end of that decade.  In fact, although Chaka Khan's 1978 LP Chaka made her an emerging star, the singer remained in the band for an additional two albums to fulfill her contract.

All of this made Khan's appearance on 1983's Stompin' at the Savoy – Live album somewhat surprising.  The album and documentary were meant to be a commemoration of Rufus, and Khan was not required to participate.  Fortunately, she opted to assist with the project.

In addition to the live songs, the group recorded four new studio tracks for the double album, one of which was "Ain't Nobody."  This led to a dispute with their label, as the band wanted the song to be the lead single, while label executives were less enthusiastic about the track.  Warner Bros. finally relented after the song's composer (Rufus keyboardist Hawk Wolinski) threatened to sell the rights of "Ain't Nobody" to Quincy Jones for the upcoming Michael Jackson album Thriller.  (Some readers may have heard of this album, as it was somewhat successful.)
 
"Ain't Nobody" would go on the become a big hit, reaching #22 on the charts (and #1 on the R&B charts).  The song became an eighties dance mainstay, and won a Grammy to boot.  However, in spite of this, the video received little airplay on our favorite video music channel.

Rufus disbanded after the album, and have rarely played together since.  Chaka Khan remained successful as a solo artist, though she only had one top 40 hit post-Rufus: "I Feel For You."

Cool trivia fact:  Khan's 1984 hit "I Feel For You" is a cover of a Prince song.  It was originally on Prince's self-titled 1979 LP.

XYZ - Inside Out

The story of XYZ begins in Lyon, France - not exactly a hotbed of successful rock acts.  However, Patt Fontaine (bass) and Terry Ilous (vocals) hail from Lyon, though they moved to Los Angeles in 1984 in search of fame and fortune.

Fontaine and Ilous soon put a band together and by 1986 XYZ was playing on the Sunset Strip as the unofficial house band at the Whisky a Go-Go. A self-financed EP followed, as the band slowly gained a following in the LA hard rock scene.

In 1989, Enigma records signed them, and they cut their self-titled debut album, which Don Dokken produced.  The album ended up as a small success, reaching #99 on the charts, and the videos for "Inside Out" and "What Keeps Me Loving You" both picked up a bit of airplay on MTV.

Unfortunately, the 1991 follow up (Hungry) did not do well, and the band was dropped by the label.  XYZ broke up in 1993, although they have re-formed in the early 2000s, and appear to be active as of this writing.

For the blog, we went with the video for "Inside Out," an excellent time piece from 1989.  Hair, girls, and a sharp guitar hook - it's enough to make one wonder why these guys didn't do better.