The place for great and not-so-great nearly forgotten videos from the decade of Miami Vice, mullets, and acid wash jeans. All praise to the bands, YouTube, and the original posters of these videos.
The House of Love was a British alternative rock band who made a dent in the college rock scene of the late 1980s and early 1990s before fading from view. The group formed in London in 1986 and was led by singer/guitarist/songwriter Guy Chadwick.
After the band gained momentum in the British college rock scene, they released their self-titled independent LP in 1988 and were soon viewed as the next big thing in British rock (the kiss of death, as long time readers will recall). From there, a combination of drinking, drugs, and egos doomed the band and they broke up in 1993. While they had four top 50 albums and two top 40 singles in the U.K., they did not break through in the U.S. (though they did have 4 top 10 singles on the Alternative charts, based on airplay).
"Destroy the Heart" is a 1988 non-album single that did not chart on either side of the Atlantic. However, it does showcase the group's alternative sound -- moody, but with a definite 1960s guitar vibe folded in. The combination was unique and interesting; with a bit of luck (and less drinking), the House of Love could have been a much bigger band.
The group reunited in 2003, and continues to record and tour as of this writing.
Way back on August 7, 2011, when we hung out a shingle and opened for business, Judas Priest's "Breaking the Law" was the last of our first nine clips. [If readers are wondering while the commentary is so short, that partly explains it.] We continue to love the video, and are particularly partial to the non sequitur two second opening.
"Breaking the Law" was off the groundbreaking 1980 LP, British Steel, which is regarded as one of the most important hard rock albums of the 1980s. While 1981's Point of Entry is a solid album, it does suffer by comparison, if only because British Steel is just that good. However, the high points remain quite strong; in short, this is some of the best 1980s hard rock ever made.
The anthemic "Hot Rockin'" (no "g") is representative of this period, and is just a great hard rock song. On the downside, some critics believed that in focusing on straight up songs the band lost some of the darkness and mystique the their fanbase loved, something that Judas Priest rectified on the superb Screaming for Vengeance album in 1982.
The video starts as a workout tape, with the band exercising (and doing about as well as one would expect from a metal band). Apparently, leather pants sans shirts constituted metal workout wear in 1981. We then see the band showering (unclear if they are still in their leather pants) and blow drying, before an extremely poorly lit (and shot) car scene. Finally, we get to see the band perform, complete with fire.
Judas Priest remained popular throughout the 1980s and remains together (with some personnel changes along the way) as of this writing.
"Stay With Me Tonight" is a classic pop funk tune from the 1980s that clicks right from the start. The funky bass line, synthesizer melody and eighties drums combine to shape a really strong song. It is not surprising that it was written by Raymond Jones, the keyboardist from Chic who built a second career as a songwriter.
Singer Jeffrey Osborne (no relation to Ozzy) developed a solid career as a funk musician. Born in Providence, Rhode Island, he rose to fame as the lead singer of L.T.D., who are best known for "(Every Time I Turn Around) Back in Love Again," a #4 hit from 1977. Osborne left the group to go solo in 1980 and landed 6 top 40 hits between 1982 and 1987.
"Stay With Me Tonight," was a solid success, reaching #30 on the pop charts and #4 on the R&B charts in 1983, while the album of the same name peaked at #25, and eventually went platinum. The vid appears to have been shot in NYC and plays like an eighties time capsule, complete with roller skates (0:13), old school video editing, and a neon-decorated club where the fashions of the day are on display. We have to say, in spite of the dated look, the clip still has a certain coolness about it that suits Osborne and the song.
Although Osborne's commercial success faded after the 1980s, he remains active in the music industry as of this writing.
We're sending this post out to Chris - the biggest Pogues fan that we know at ERV.
A modern classic in Britain and Ireland, "Fairytale of New York" is essentially unknown on this side of the Atlantic. In contrast, the song has become the most played Christmas song of the 21st century in the UK and often appears at or near the top of favorite holiday songs there.
Similar to the Pretenders "2000 Miles" (featured on ERV in December 2012), "Fairytale of New York" is a different type of Christmas song. Originally written in 1985, it took the Pogues two years to get it sorted out to their satisfaction. As a listener this makes sense; the song treads the line between bittersweet and downright bitter, but it never becomes too cynical. The resulting effort was more nuanced and realistic than the traditional syrupy sweet Christmas song.
This attitude suits the Pogues nicely, as they were essentially a traditional Anglo-Irish punk band. The members (led by the hard-living Shane MacGowan) infused traditional Irish music with a punk attitude and in doing some created some of the most unique music of the 1980s. They scored four top 20 LPs in the UK, but did not break through in the U.S. MacGowan's drug and alcohol problems eventually became severe enough for the band to sack him in 1991. The group soldiered on until 1996, when they disbanded. However, they re-formed in 2001 and continue to perform to the present day.
Cool trivia fact: Yes, actor Matt Dillon is featured in the video.
Cool trivia fact #2: Kirsty MacColl appeared on ERV in October 2013 for "They Don't Know," as she wrote and recorded the song prior to Tracey Ullman.
This is the second Bangles cover to be featured on ERV; their version of Katrina and the Waves' "Going Down to Liverpool" (with Leonard Nimoy) was featured on ERV in May 2013. The Bangles were known to use outside songwriters -- in addition to the 2 covers posted on ERV, their hits "Manic Monday" (Prince), "Walk Like an Egyptian" (Liam Sternberg), and "Hazy Shade of Winter" (Simon and Garfunkel) were all written by outsiders. However, fully half (4) of their top 40 singles were co-written by a band member.
The group only managed to release three albums in the 1980s before disbanding, but they left behind a pretty strong collection of 1960s influenced pop, including "If She Knew What She Wants." The song (off the huge 1986 LP Different Light) was released between "Manic Monday" (#2) and "Walk Like an Egyptian" (#1). Although the song reached #29, it did not become a monster hit, and has become something of a forgotten single in the intervening years.
Interestingly, the group recorded two videos for the song. The American version was produced and directed by Susanna Hoffs' mother, Tamar Simon Hoffs (an indie film director who also directed "Going Down to Liverpool.")
The band also produced an international version that seems to have been particularly popular in the UK:
And if that is not enough, "If She Knew What She Wants" is also a cover, as our many astute readers will have deduced. The song was originally written and recorded by Jules Shear, who is also known for writing and recording the original version of "All Through the Night," which hit #5 for Cyndi Lauper in 1984.
Let's Active came out of the vibrant Southeastern college rock scene of the early 1980s and could have become a big time alternative band if things had broken for them. Unfortunately, this did not happen, leaving the group as more of a footnote in 1980s music. This is a shame, as they produced some of the best college pop this side of R.E.M.
The group was founded in North Carolina in 1981 and was led by singer/songwriter Mitch Easter. Easter is best-known for his work with R.E.M.; he produced their debut EP, Chronic Town, and co-produced (with Don Dixon) the band's first two LPs, Murmur and Reckoning. Easter's own sound was not totally dissimilar to R.E.M., but with more 1960s pop and less folk influences.
For the blog, we went with "Waters Part" from Let's Active's first LP, 1984's Cypress. The song did not chart, while the album only reached #153. Sadly, Let's Active never had a album break the top 100. The group released additional albums in 1986 and 1988 before breaking up in 1990, though there have been some reunion shows in recent years.
Cool trivia fact: The Let's Active name came from a nonsensical expression used on a Japanese T-shirt back in the day.
Fronted by the provocative and gorgeous Terri Nunn, Berlin was a LA-based synth pop group that had nothing to do with Germany (the band admired the late 1970s German synth scene; hence the name). The group was formed by bassist John Crawford in 1978 and featured a shifting lineup with Nunn as the lead singer, though she briefly left Berlin to pursue an acting career in 1979-80.
Berlin's first LP (1980's Information) was released when Nunn was acting and featured Virginia Macolino on vocals. Although that album did not chart, the group's second effort, 1982's Pleasure Victim became Berlin's biggest success, and featured several early MTV staples. "The Metro," "Sex (I'm A ...)," and "Masquerade" all broke the top 100, but none of them hit the top 40.
Berlin continued to have success with 1984's "No More Words" (#23) and 1986's "Take My Breath Away" (a #1 hit from Top Gun). However, creative tensions over whether to focus on a pop or new wave sound doomed the band and the group called it quits in 1987.
Terri Nunn has had the legal use of the Berlin name since the late 1990s, and continues to record and perform to the present day.
For the blog, we went with "Masquerade," a somewhat lesser-known Berlin cut. The video picked up a bit of airplay on MTV back in the day, and the song reached #82 on the charts.
Cool trivia fact: A remixed version of "Masquerade" was featured on the soundtrack to Perfect (a no-so-great movie starring John Travolta and Jamie Lee Curtis ... probably the less said about the movie, the better).
The previous time that we discussed Billy Squier was last August, when Squire's amazingly terrible video, "Rock Me Tonight" was featured on the blog. "Rock Me Tonight" is sometimes viewed as the worst major video ever made, and one that may have contributed to the decline of Billy Squier's career and/or Western civilization as a whole.
While Squier continued recording through the mid-1990s, he did not have a top 40 single or album after "Rock Me Tonight," making it an interesting and somewhat sad anecdote. And that would be the end of the Billy Squier story, except ...
Squier's trademark sound was punctuated by a driving beat, something that is particularly evident on his earlier work ("The Stroke," for instance). Bolstered by the superb (and loud) Bobby Chouinard, this strong backbeat would differentiate Squier's songs from many of his contemporaries. In fact, he led off his first solo album -- 1980's Tale of the Tape -- with a drum intro on "The Big Beat" (side 1, song 1).
Having a clean drum break proved to be irresistible to early rap acts, and the drum intro on "The Big Beat" was sampled as early as 1981. Over time, the enthusiasm for the drum line has not waned, and it has been used by artists including: Jay-Z ("99 Problems"), Run-D.M.C. ("Here We Go"), and Alicia Keys ("Girl on Fire'). As of this writing, "The Big Beat" has been sampled in nearly 200 songs, and is one of the 10 most popular samples of all time. Other Squier songs, particularly "The Stroke" are also popular samples.
Unfortunately, this popularity has not translated to a resurgence in Squier's career, and in recent interviews he seems someone ambivalent about the sampling. For readers who are interested, Squier's first two LPs -- Tale of the Tape and Don't Say No are particularly strong and well worth a listen.
We don't recall ever seeing the original video for "The Big Beat" on MTV back in the day, so it definitely qualifies are a rare (and cool) video. We're not totally sure about the yellow pants, though. Also worth checking out: roller skates! (1:20) and an obscure Eraserhead marquee (2:30, but blink and you'll miss it).
Utilizing a sound that combines ska, hardcore punk, and heavy metal make the Mighty Mighty Bosstones a unique and interesting band. The act's roots go back to the early 1980s punk scene in Boston, although the Bosstones didn't officially form until the mid-1980s. Led by the plaid-wearing Dicky Barrett, the band built a local following and was signed by Taang! Records in 1989.
The group's first LP for Taang! was the 1989 Devil's Night Out LP, and we went with the title cut for the blog. The song is reasonably representative of the group's early sound, which is to say a bit all over the place (but mostly in a good way).
As with many innovative acts, the Bostones built a solid following, but did not achieve huge commercial success, although their 1997 song, "The Impression That I Get" did pick up a bunch of airplay. However, the Bosstones are viewed as one of the creators of ska-core and their music laid the groundwork for bands such as No Doubt.
While interest in ska and ska punk waned since the late 1990s, the Bosstones have continued to record and play (with a few hiatuses) to the present day.
Cool trivia fact: Dicky Barrett has been the announcer for Jimmy Kimmel Live! since 2004.
Although they never became a household name, EPMD was a hugely influential East Coast rap act. The duo from Long Island, NY formed in 1986 and took their name from the two MCs -- Erick Sermon (Easy Erick, E Double, E) and Parrish Smith (Parrish Mic Doc, PMD). Some sources state that the group started as EEPMD, and then shortened the name to make it easier to pronounce.
EPMD's first album, 1988's Strictly Business, was a breath of fresh air in the rap scene. Instead of using dance or electronica as the basis for their music, EPMD relied heavily on old school funk, with a dose of rock and pop thrown in for good measure. This, combined with their strong but laid back rhyming translated to a sound that was trailblazing,
While none of the singles from the album charted on the Billboard pop charts, the album reached #80 and went gold. Over time, it has been recognized as a classic, and was even ranked #453 on Rolling Stones' list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. Respect.
For the blog, we went with the title cut, which nicely represents EPMD's sound and solid use of grooves. While Eric Clapton's cover of "I Shot the Sheriff" is the main sample, pieces of "Jungle Boogie" (Kool & the Gang) and "Auto Man" (Newcleus) are also used, as is an earlier EPMD song "It's My Thing."
EPMD remained successful within the rap scene until their 1993 breakup, and had a second successful stint in the late 1990s before a second breakup. They appear to be together again as of this writing.
The is the Michael Stanley Band's second appearance on ERV as "He Can't Love You" was posted back in October of 2011. (By the by, "He Can't Love You" is a great early video, and was played on MTV on day one.)
The group was formed by Michael Stanley Gee in 1974 (he changed his last name early in his career, as another musician with the surname Gee was already signed to his label). While the band were local heroes in Cleveland and had decent success in the midwest, they never quite broke out at a national level. This is a shame, as the group has a solid straight up rock sound and was known for their high energy shows. In retrospect, they just never got the lucky break that helps launch many careers.
"My Town" is off the Michael Stanley Band's 1983 You Can't Fight Fashion LP, which was the band's last major label release. The album reached #64 on the charts, while "My Town" hit #39. The tune is a love song to Cleveland, which the video underscores.
The Michael Stanley Band remained together until 1986, but finally broke up as they were simply unable to continue economically. They have reunited periodically, and Michael Stanley remains active in the music industry to the present day.
WIth a little bit of luck, Frozen Ghost could have made it big. They had a new wave-influenced, radio-friendly sound, and their first single ("Should I See," below) picked up a bit of radio play. However, they were unable to build on this initial success and faded from view.
Frozen Ghost (sometimes spelled Frōzen Ghōst) formed in Toronto in 1985, and were initially made up of Arnold Lanni (vocals, guitars, keyboards) and Wolf Hassel (bass). Lanni and Hassel had previously been two-fifths of Sheriff, who had a #1 hit with "When I'm With You," (in 1989, 4 years after that band broke up).
In the aftermath of Sheriff, Frozen Ghost scored a recording contract with WEA and released their self-titled debut LP in 1987. While the album only reached #107 on the charts, "Should I See" did a bit better and peaked at #69. The band opened for Howard Jones and The Thompson Twins and released a follow up album, Nice Place to Visit in 1988. It did not do well, and after 1991's Shake Your Spirit, the group broke up.
Arnold Lanni and Wolf Hassel have remained in the Canadian music industry to the present day; Lanni has become a producer, while Hassel has continued to play bass.
It goes without saying that MTV had a seismic impact on the music business; by 1982 or so, MTV was one of the most influential factors in the industry. However, the video music channel showed its importance virtually right from the start, even when it was not widely carried on cable systems. Of course, the early impact was a bit hit or miss, but it did show the tremendous potential of the channel.
One early success story was the Tarney-Spencer Band's single, "No Time to Lose." Australians Alan Tarney (guitars, vocals) and Trevor Spencer (drums) rose to prominence as members of Cliff Richard's backing group in the early 1970s, and went out on their own in 1975. They released three LPs, the last one being 1979's Run For Your Life. The album was a modest success, reaching #184 in the U.S., while the single "No Time To Lose" peaked at #84. Soon afterwards, A&M dropped the band, and the duo broke up.
MTV picked up the "No Time To Lose" video (roller skates and all) in 1981, and a re-released version of the single reached #74 on the charts -- 2 years after the group broke up. Unfortunately, Tarney and Spencer had moved on with their careers, and no attempt was made to reunite as far as we know.
Interestingly, both Alan Tarney and Trevor Spencer would go on to become producers, and remain in the industry to the present day. Trevor Spencer moved back to Australia and is a Perth-based producer, while Alan Tarney remained in the U.K. Tarney is best known for his work with a-Ha -- he co-produced the band's first three LPs, including Hunting High and Low (which included the huge hit, "Take On Me.")
Oingo Boingo was one of the more interesting 1980s bands, with a theatrical flair that was often compared to Devo. The band formed in LA in the 1970s and began as an avant-garde musical theater act called The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo. Shortening their name to just Oingo Boingo, the group (led by Danny Elfman) transitioned to a ska/dance/new wave sound, and was signed by I.R.S. Records in 1980.
As a southern California band with dramatic tendencies, Oingo Boingo was tailor-made for the movies, and eventually made a series of appearances on movie soundtracks. This continued into the 1990s as frontman Elfman became friends with director Tim Burton, and the band contributed a song to virtually every Burton film of the era. (In addition, Elfman wrote the musical score for virtually all of Burton's movies).
"Weird Science" was on the soundtrack of the John Hughes movie of the same name, and the song was also included on the group's 1985 LP, Dead Man's Party. The single became the most successful release of Oingo Boingo's career, reaching #45 on the charts, while the album hit #98, and eventually went gold.
Although Oingo Boingo never enjoyed mainstream success, they remained a well-known cult act until they disbanded -- after a Halloween show (!) in 1995. Danny Elfman remains active in the industry, and has become a huge success as a movie and TV soundtrack composer.
Cool trivia fact: Elfman wrote the theme to the popular TV show, The Simpsons.
What better way to continue our Halloween celebration than with Alice Cooper. Cooper (born Vincent Furnier) emerged on the scene in the 1970s with the band of the same name (in fact, Cooper took the band's name on as his own). As a cool aside, the name Alice Cooper supposedly came to the group during a session with a Ouija board.
After the act broke up in 1974, Cooper continued as a solo artist, although his success waned during the late 1970s and early 1980s due to weaker material and alcohol abuse. By the mid-1980s, Cooper had cleaned up his act, and revitalized his career by providing a song for the Friday the 13th, Part VI movie soundtrack. "He's Back (The Man Behind the Mask)" also appeared on Cooper's 1986 Constrictor LP. The single went to #56 on the charts, while the album reached #59.
This success helped to re-establish Cooper as a flamboyant rock star, and he has continued to record and perform to the present day. He also expanded into movies and radio -- his syndicated radio program, Nights With Alice Cooper has been on the air since 2004 and is well worth a listen (or three).
The video below highlights Alice Coopers showmanship. This, combined with clips from the movie, make it a superb holiday treat.
Well, it's that time of year again at ERV, when we kick back and jam on some Hallloweeny videos, including the awesome rare clip below. Regular readers will recall that we love Halloween at ERV, and post a trio of videos each year that capture the holiday spirit, without resorting to to the laziness of "Thriller" or "Ghostbusters."
Speaking of "Who ya gonna call," Ray Parker, Jr. kicks of the All Hallows Even videos this year with his underrated funk pop song, "The Other Woman." Ray Parker's early success was with his band Raydio, who had four top 50 LPs and 5 top 40 singles between 1978 and 1981. The group was textbook pop funk, and are recommended by ERV.
Raydio broke up in 1981, as Parker wanted to go out of his own, and "The Other Woman" was his first solo single, off the 1982 album of the same name. The song was a hit, reaching #4 on the charts (we have to admit that this surprised us; we did not think that it had done this well). While Parker scored a #1 hit with "Ghostbusters" in 1984, in general his solo career was uneven, and he faded from view after 1990. However, he remains in the industry and appears to be active as of this writing.
The video for "The Other Woman" fits perfectly into our theme, with vampires, skeletons, graveyards, a spooky saxophone player, and the ubiquitous Frankenstein butler. Oh, and there is definitely a Blacula reference (how freaking cool is that?) The video may not make a ton of sense, but it gets a thumbs up from us. It's also a great way to start this year's All Hallows Even celebration -- we hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
We continue our series of songs that you didn't know were covers with Animotion's 1985 hit, "Obsession." This song was originally written by Michael Des Barres and Holly Knight (more on them in a moment).
Animotion was a San Francisco-based band that was mainly comprised of former members of the Sci-Fi rock band Red Zone. The six member band was also notable for having co-lead singers -- Astrid Plane and Bill Wadhams. Their 1985 self-titled debut LP reached #28 on the charts, led by "Obsession," which would go on to become a #6 hit for them. Unfortunately, lineup changes and weaker material would hurt the band, though they did release three major label albums before their 1989 break up.
The video for "Obsession" is a nice set up for our forthcoming All Hallows Even celebration; it looks like a cool mid-1980s costume party in California. MTV loved the vid and it went into heavy rotation for quite some time in 1985, which no doubt helped the song.
As previously mentioned, the original version was written and performed by Michael Des Barres and Holly Knight and was featured in the 1983 movie A Night in Heaven. By the by, Holly Knight has been previously mentioned on ERV (we now have a tag for her) as a big time songwriter. There is more on her on the posts for John Waite's "Change" and Lou Gramm's "Just Between You and Me" ... and yes, she wrote both of those songs too.
Cool trivia fact: Animotion is not a one hit wonder, as 1985's "Let Him Go" (#39) and 1989's "Room to Move" (#9) both broke the top 40.
House of Lords was actually the continuation of keyboardist Gregg Giuffria's solo band (creatively called Giuffria). Giuffria actually had a modecum of success, including a #15 hit in "Call to Your Heart" and two additional charting singles -- "Lonely in Love" and a cover of Mink Deville's "I Must Be Dreaming."
In spite of their modest success, the band was without a recording contract after their second LP. The demos intended for the third record caught the ear of Gene Simmons (of KISS fame), who signed the group with two conditions: that the band's name and lead singer be changed. Hence, Giuffria became House of Lords and singer James Christian took over for David Glen Eisley.
To my ear, House of Lords sounds a bit heavier than Giuffria, although they remained solidly in the commercial pop metal segment. "I Wanna Be Loved" sounds very Whitesnake-influenced, which might not have been the worst sound to go for in 1988. In any event, the song would go on to chart at #58, while the band's debut album would reach #78 on the charts.
The video mimics the sound of the band, and is pretty typical pop metal stuff -- not terrible, but not groundbreaking either. House of Lords would go on to release two additional records before breaking up in 1993.
The group has re-formed several times since 2004, mostly without Gregg Giuffria, who seems to have more or less left the industry.
Rock and roll's equivalent to a shooting star, the Knack burst onto the scene in 1979 with their massively successful debut, Get the Knack. That album went to #1 for 5 weeks and reached double platinum status. However, in spite of their success (or perhaps because of it), the band quickly fell out of favor with the listening public and broke up just two short years later.
The group formed in Los Angeles in 1978 and were led by singer/guitarist Doug Fieger. Guitarist Berton Averre, bassist Prescott Niles, and drummer Bruce Gary rounded out the original lineup. Although the Knack were lazily compared to the Beatles, they were a pure power pop group, closer to Badfinger. There was nothing fancy about the Knack; they wrote straight up songs (mostly about sex), but they were really good pop rock tunes. In retrospect, their immediate success meant that many listeners viewed them as a fad, but the Knack created a catalog of strong material, much of it after their debut record. Unfortunately, egos, stress, and just bad luck torpedoed their career.
The Knack reunited for the first time in 1986, and worked together on and off through 2010. They even released another solid album in 1991, Serious Fun. Sadly, in 2006 Doug Fieger became disoriented during a show and it was eventually determined that he had brain cancer. Fieger passed away in 2010, marking an official end to the band.
For the blog, we went with "I Want Ya" off 1980's ... But the Little Girls Understand (named after a line from Willie Dixon's "Backdoor Man.") We don't believe that the song was released as a single, and the album reached #15 and went gold, which was considered a disappointment after Get the Knack. "I Want Ya" is classic Knack; fun, well-crafted, and eminently listenable.
With his larger-than-life persona, humor, and style Morris Day was the perfect frontman for The Time. He was also a tremendous foil for Prince in Purple Rain, but had a tough time translating that to continued commercial success.
The Time began as a Prince side project and provided an outlet for some of his funkier music as he transitioned to rock and pop. He created the group in 1981, and filled it with talented members of the Minneapolis funk scene, including Morris Day, a childhood acquaintance (who also co-wrote "Partyup" on the Dirty Mind LP). Most of The Time came from a preexisting R&B act called Flyte Time, which included Jellybean Johnson on drums, Jimmy Jam and Monte Moir on keyboards, and Terry Lewis on bass. With Morris Day and Jesse Johnson (guitars), the group was complete.
Though The Time released three top 50 albums in the early 1980s, there were issues with Prince from the start. First, Prince played all of the music on their albums and required that Morris Day sing the songs note-for-note as Prince intended. There were also problems concerning the pay and the treatment of the band; by 1984 The Time had broken up.
"Jungle Love" may be The Time's best-known song; it reached #20 on the singles chart in 1984. It is a straight up funk jam that is captured quite well in Purple Rain. Though it is not the rarest of the rare, it has become something of a forgotten classic.
There have been several Time reunions, starting in 1990 for the Graffiti Bridge movie soundtrack. The group is currently together, and has been working under the name The Original 7ven since 2001.
R.E.M.'s song about acid rain (according to Bill Berry) or oppression (according to Michael Stipe) was the first single released from their 1987 Lifes Rich Pageant LP (and yes, the lack of an apostrophe is intentional on the band's part). The record continued R.E.M.'s progression away from folk rock towards a more mainstream sound, a transition that would lead to significant success in the 1990s.
At the time it was released, Lifes Rich Pageant became the highest-charting R.E.M. album, as it reached #21 on the charts. Of course, the group would go on to have two #1 and three #2 albums later in their career. "Fall on Me" was not a big hit, but it did chart, reaching #94.
The video for "Fall on Me" was directed by lead singer Michael Stipe, and consists of words (mostly from the song's lyrics) that flash over upside down footage of a quarry in Indiana. For extra points, one word in the video is famously misspelled; see if you can identify it without resorting to Google.
Note that R.E.M.'s first single "Radio Free Europe" was posted on ERV back in September 2011, when the band officially broke up.
While American readers may view Madness as a one hit wonder (they actually had 2 top 40 hits in the U.S. -- "Our House" and "It Must Be Love"), the group were superstars in their native Britain. Between 1979 and 1983, every single that they released broke the top 10, except "Cardiac Arrest," which hit #14. That translates to 15 hits during that period. Additionally, they (along with The Specials) were the face of the 2 Tone ska revival of that time.
The group formed in London in 1976, and were called The North London Invaders and Morris and the Minors before changing their name to Madness in 1979. The name came from a Prince Buster song; he was also the topic of their first single, 1979's "The Prince." The band's songs were infused with humor, but it was their strong pop-influenced ska that truly made them stars. However, at their 1983 peak, keyboardist and songwriter Mike Barson abruptly quit, leaving the industry in order to spend more time with his family. The band soldiered on for a few years, with less success, before breaking up in 1988. As with many 1980s acts, Madness has re-formed in recent years, and continues to perform and record as of this writing.
For the blog, we opted for the 1982 non-album single "House of Fun." It was the group's only #1 hit in the U.K., though the song did not chart in the U.S. We particularly like the contrast between the whimsical music and the coming-of-age lyrics. The low-budget but appropriate video was primarily filmed in three locations -- the joke shop and chemist were in London, while the roller coaster was in Great Yarmouth. We believe that the clip received some airplay on MTV back in the day, but it did not go into heavy rotation.
Cool trivia fact #1: "House of Fun" charted a second time in 1992 when it reached #40 in the U.K.
Cool trivia fact #2: The song was originally titled "Chemist Facade" and did not have the chorus, which was quickly written (by Mike Barson) and recorded.
When we started ERV in August 2011, the Outfield were one of the first bands to go in the bullpen, and they have been patiently waiting their turn ever since. This is somewhat typical of the group -- they weren't avant-garde, or loved by critics, and they did not develop a large cult following over time. What they did do, however, was produce a bunch of strong power pop songs, led by a #6 hit with one of the best opening lines of the decade: "Josie's on a vacation far away..."
The Outfield's original lineup of Tony Lewis (bass and vocals), John Spinks (guitars), and Alan Jackman (drums) formed around 1983 in London. The group was originally called The Baseball Boys, a name inspired by the Baseball Furies gang from The Warriors movie (a great flick that gets a thumbs up from ERV). When the group signed with Columbia/CBS in 1984, their manager suggested that the name might be too campy. After a discussion, the group renamed itself the Outfield.
Unlike most British acts, the Outfield were much more popular on this side of the Atlantic, where they had five top 40 hits and four charting albums. (In the U.K., the group had two charting singles, but no top 40 hits). It seems likely that their sound, with soaring vocals and strong guitar lines, fit better into the American music scene of the time.
For the blog, we went with "Say It Isn't So," the lead single from their 1985 breakthrough, Play Deep. While the song didn't chart, the next three singles from the LP did, and the record ultimately peaked at #9 on the album charts. Sadly, the Outfield would never match the success of their debut album, though they continued to be moderately successful until the grunge era.
Although they never officially broke up, the Outfield took an extended break for most of the 1990s. They have performed sporadically since then, but have been more active since 2009 (when the original lineup with drummer Alan Jackman re-formed). Sadly, it is unclear what the current status of the band is, as guitarist (and primary songwriter) John Spinks passed away from cancer in 2014.
The Outfield's "My Paradise" was featured on ERV in November 2021,
By 1989, The Cure had become big stars in the U.K. with four consecutive top 10 albums, and they had even broken through in the U.S. (1987's Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me broke the top 40 on the album charts). However, frontman Robert Smith was depressed about turning 30 and concerned that the band's music had become too commercial.
As a result, 1989's Disintegration was broody and somewhat downbeat -- to the point that the label was concerned that the record could be considered commercial suicide (a phrase that turns up a lot when discussing this record). But a funny thing happened on the way to the discount bins -- Disintegration became a huge hit, and received no small amount of critical acclaim as well. It turns out that the songs' melancholy vibe had just enough pop sensibilities to appeal to a broad audience, and the sound was unlike anything in pop music at the time.
Although there are many strong cuts on the album, we have always been partial to "Pictures of You." The song was supposedly inspired by a Myra Poleo story called The Dark Power of Ritual Pictures ... except that there is no such story or author. Cure fans have pointed out that Myra Poleo is an anagram for Mary Poole (Robert Smith's wife), for what it is worth. Smith has also stated that the inspiration for the song came after a fire damaged his house, and left him looking through old photographs from his wallet. Whatever the source, "Pictures of You" remains a haunting, sad and romantic song.
Disintegration would go on to reach #12 on the U.S. album charts (#3 in the U.K.), while "Pictures of You" would hit #71 in the U.S. (#24 in the U.K.).
For a slightly more upbeat Cure song, "In Between Days" was featured on ERV in April 2013. If a creepier video is more your style, "Lullaby" was part of ERV's All Hallows Even celebration in 2020.
Your basic bar band made good (almost), Tommy Conwell & The Young Rumblers came onto the music scene in 1988 with their major label debut, Rumble. Sounding like a mix of Bruce Springsteen and George Thorogood (with some 1950s rock and roll thrown in for good measure), the band was definitely cutting against the musical grain of the time.
The group formed in Philadelphia in the mid-1980s and released an independent record (Walking on the Water) in 1986. They were signed to Columbia Records in 1988 and released two major label LPs before being dropped by the label.
"If We Never Meet Again" is off their 1988 major label debut. The song picked up some radio play, though we do not recall seeing the video at the time. The single never charted, while the Rumble album peaked at #103 on the charts -- the group's only charting record.
Conwell and The Young Rumblers disbanded soon after they were dropped by Columbia. Conwell remained in the music business for a number of years, but never broke through. In more recent years, he has taught third grade, was a DJ on WYSP (a Philadelphia rock station) and most recently is in the family's fence business. He and the Young Rumblers continue to periodically perform, typically in the Philadelphia area.
Tommy Conwell & The Young Rumblers excellent first single, "I'm Not Your Man" was featured on ERV in February, 2015.
Unlike most established rock stars, Rod Stewart embraced music videos, and he made several great ones during the 1980s. Unfortunately, his music was not the strongest during this time (something that even he has admitted in recent years). Even so, there are a few clips that stand out, and "Infatuation" is foremost among them.
The song comes off Stewart's 1984 Camouflage album. The LP peaked at #18 in the U.S., while "Infatuation" hit #6. It is not a terrible song, and is typical of the lightweight, somewhat commercial pop material that Stewart was recording in the 1980s. However, the video is something else.
The music video was directed by Jonathan Kaplan, who is probably best-known for his 1988 film, The Accused. Mostly taking place in an apartment complex (as a homage to Hitchcock's Rear Window), the vid features Stewart as a voyeur infatuated with a mobster's girlfriend (played by Kay Lenz). Character actor Mike Mazurki rounds out the cast as the mobster's enforcer or bodyguard.
Shot primarily in black and white, the storytelling, camera shots, and connection to the song's lyrics made this a truly exceptional video, in your author's opinion. Several scenes really jump out, including the intro in the pool, the goldfish feeding, and the scenes where Stewart dances in front of the oversized picture of the object of his affection. And it has Jeff Beck, who brings his sizzling guitar with him.
Stewart would go on to have a long and successful career in the music business, though he did transition to something of a crooner in the 1990s.
Cool trivia fact: There were two version of the video made. In the one above, the mobster rides off with the girl. In the second version, below, Stewart gets the girl (or maybe it is just in his head).
Cool trivia fact #2: There is a solid interview with actress Kay Lenz at Noblemania.
Lastly, we found a cool making of video with Rod Stewart and Jeff Beck, so of course we had to include that too:
Loud, brash, and borderline out-of-control, Mötley Crüe created the pop metal mold. The band formed in 1981 in LA (of course), and were led by bassist Nikki Sixx (given name: Frank Feranna). The original band consisted of Sixx, drummer Tommy Lee (given name: Thomas Lee Bass) and guitarist/singer Greg Leon. When Leon left, Sixx and Lee replaced him with guitarist Mick Marrs (given name: Robert Deal) and singer Vince Neil (given name: Vincent Neil Wharton) and just like that, Mötley Crüe was born.
By combining hard rock with glam metal, Mötley Crüe stumbled upon a marketable formula. This was helped by their solid hooks; some critics have compared the band to Cheap Trick, although we see a lot of Kiss influences as well. The music and strong live shows would likely have made Mötley Crüe successful in any era, but the visuals proved to be a huge advantage in the MTV-led 1980s. Unlike older hard rock bands (and even the New Wave of British Heavy Metal acts), Crüe embraced videos and became big stars as a result.
While the 1983 "Looks That Kill" video really propelled the band to hard rock stardom, we opted for their first major video, 1981's "Live Wire." The band is not as polished as it would be in later efforts, but the vid shows a young, energetic band with some nice licks and a real understanding of visuals -- something that was often lacking in hard rock acts of the early 1980s.
Mötley Crüe would go on to sell 80 million units and have six top 10 LPs. They would also have six top 40 hits during the 1980s, although "Live Wire" was not among them (it did not chart). As of this writing, the band intends to go on a final tour and call it quits in 2015 or so.
The Whispers are an old school R&B act that formed in Los Angeles in 1964. The band began regularly charting on the R&B charts (and occasionally hitting the singles charts) in 1969. Their fortunes took a turn for the better in 1979, when the disco-influenced "And the Beat Goes On" went to #1 on the R&B charts and broke the top 40 at #19 on the singles charts.
"Rock Steady" was from the group's 1987 LP, Just Gets Better with Time. This was the Whispers eighteenth studio album, and it became the second highest charting album of their career at #22 - only the band's self-titled 1979 album charted higher, at #6.
The video is a pretty standard performance piece, although the mustaches of Wallace (Scotty) and Walter Scott are prominently featured. Sadly, "Rock Steady" was the last big hit of the Whispers' career, although they continue to record and perform to the present day.
Cool trivia fact: "Rock Steady" was co-written by L.A. Reid and Babyface, who also produced the Just Gets Better with Time album (it was one of their first projects together).
Originally from Bangor, Wales, Fay Ray were a new wave act who made one really solid album before things went south. The band was named after one of photographer William Wegman's Weimaraner dogs and was fronted by Sheila McCartney. Other members of the band were John Lovering (guitar), Owen Hughes (drums), Tony Travis (bass), and Jeff Taylor (sax).
Fay Ray were sometimes lazily compared to Siouxsie and the Banshees, another British new wave band with a female lead singer. However, they sounded quite different from Siouxsie, with a strong pop sense folded into their new wave sound. This could have made them quite successful, had things broken their way a bit more.
The band released their debut album, Contact You, in 1982, but it did not chart. They did make a couple of videos, and even picked up a bit of airplay on MTV. However, Elektra/Warner dropped the band after the recording of their second LP, and refused to release the master tapes (!). Fay Ray broke up soon afterwards, although they have re-formed in the early 2000s and are still occasionally active as of this writing.
"Modern Lovers" was off Contact You, and is a great driving new wave song with a cheap and colorful video to boot. File this one under rare and really good.
