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.

Billy Ocean - Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)

While Billy Ocean may have seemed like an overnight success, nothing could be further from the truth.  In fact, he had been in the music business for 15 years prior to his rapid ascent to stardom.

Born as Leslie Charles in Trinidad and Tobago, Ocean moved to London as a child, and quickly became immersed in music (his father was also a musician).  By the late 1960s, Ocean was trying to make a go of it as a professional singer, which led to a name change -- Ocean supposedly comes from the Oceans 11 football team in Trinidad and Tobago.  He scored his first album in 1976, and had a few minor hits over the years, but few would have predicted his successes in the 1980s.

Ocean's fifth LP - 1984's Suddenly - blew up, and for several years Ocean was a bona fide star.   Between 1984 and 1989, he had 3 Top 20 albums, and 11 top 40 singles - including 3 #1s and 2 #2s.  Wow.

"Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)" was the song that started the run.  The lead single off the Suddenly LP, it hit #1 in the U.S. (and #6 in the UK).  The video is pretty standard fare, but this is some well-crafted pop.

While Ocean's star faded somewhat after his 1980s heyday, he remains active in the industry as of this writing.

Note that the cool, and very weird video for Billy Ocean's "Loverboy" was posted on ERV in October 2021, as part of our annual All Hallows Even celebration. 

Ultravox - Vienna

Huge in the UK and Europe and relatively unknown in the U.S., Ultravox were an influential band that helped lay the foundation for synth pop.  The group formed in London in 1973, and was originally called Tiger Lilly.  The name was changed to Ultravox! when the act signed with Island Records in 1976, and the ! was dropped a few years later.

For all practical purposes, there were two versions of the band.  From the early days until 1979, Ultravox was led by John Foxx, and had an artsy synth-rock sound (to my ear, the sound is in the same genre as Devo).  Foxx left in '79 to start a solo career, and was replaced by Midge Ure, who pushed the band's sound in a lush, artistic direction.

The revitalized Ultravox would go on the have significant success in the 1980s in the UK, with 5 top 10 LPs and 16 top 40 singles, led by "Vienna," which hit #2 on the UK charts.  However, they made barely a ripple in the U.S., where only one album broke the top 100, and no singles reached the top 40.

I don't recall seeing the video on my favorite video music channel, but it is quite strong, especially for an early clip. Influenced by the 1949 movie The Third Man (which takes place in Vienna),  it was mostly shot in London, primarily at Covent Garden.  Interestingly, the band paid for the video, as their label at the time (Chrysalis) didn't think it was worth it.  [How things would change a few years later.]

As previously mentioned, Ultravox was successful through the eighties in Europe - and Midge Ure even co-wrote "Do They Know It's Christmas."  However, artistic difference led the Ure leaving the band in 1988, and the group broke up a few years later.  They did re-form (with Ure) in 2008, and played until 2017, but appear to have disbanded for a second time as of this writing.

Cool trivia fact "Vienna" was the 135th video played on MTV's first day.

Rush - Tom Sawyer

As many readers will know, sometimes The Universe calls out and makes a request.  Often times these are serendipitous events, but some of the time they are sad - and that's ok.  We've been processing the passing of Rush drummer Neil Peart, and were unsure at first whether to put a post up.  Then, we heard "Tom Sawyer" on the radio, reminding us of all that is great about Rush and rock and drummers.  Even better, the video is somewhat rare.

"Tom Sawyer" was the second single off Rush's breakout 1981 LP, Moving Pictures. ("Limelight" was the lead single.)  The song only reached #44 on the U.S. charts, but was a mainstay on FM rock radio in the 1980s.  The album rose to #3 and eventually went 4x platinum, making it Rush's best selling LP in the U.S.

The video was shot in Le Studio in Quebec, Canada during a cold Canadian winter.  With the exception of a quick outside intro shot, the rest of the clip is the band playing in the studio - note that these were the last few years before MTV, and we suspect the video was something of an afterthought.  As a plain vanilla video, we don't recall seeing it on MTV; perhaps it picked up a bit of airplay in the early days.

The song is particularly noteworthy in our book due to the front and center nature of the drum line.  This is the stuff that drum heroes are made of, and true to form, Rush drummer Neil Peart quickly established himself as rock's greatest living drummer.

Rush would go on to have significant success throughout the 1980s, and continued to record and tour through 2015. 

 
Cool trivia fact:  Rush is a one hit wonder, only 1982's "New World Man" broke the top 40 (at #21).

Cool trivia fact #2: Rolling Stone ranks Moving Pictures at #379 on their list of the greatest 500 albums ever.

Poison - Talk Dirty To Me

Here's a fun conversation starter:  What is the most 1980s band?  Not the most successful act of the decade; rather, what artist or group best represents the 1980s vibe?

While we're not sure of the answer, Poison should probably be on the short list.  The band's flashy glam rock sound and image dominated MTV in the second half of the 1980s, and the group sold a boatload of records, as well.

Poison (named after a 1981 Kix song) formed in 1983 in Pennsylvania, and originally was comprised of Bret Michaels (vocals), Matt Smith (guitar), Bobby Dall (bass), and Rikki Rockett (drums).  Like so many other glam rock (pop metal) acts, they moved to LA to make it, and honed their craft playing in the Sunset Strip clubs.  Later, when Smith left the group the remaining members held auditions (more on this later) before settling on C.C. DeVille.

The group signed to Enigma Records in 1986, and released their debut album, Look What the Cat Dragged In later that year.  Although sales were slow to start, a combination of flamboyant videos and a knack for self promotion helped the band break out.

The band's rise began in earnest when MTV put the video for the second single, "Talk Dirty to Me" into heavy rotation.  Poison's debut LP would eventually go triple platinum, while the single would become the first of  10 top 40 songs. 

As was the case with many pop metal acts, Posion's success waned in the early 1990s as grunge became popular, and DeVille left the group for a time (yes, drugs may have been a factor).  However, the original lineup re-formed in the late 1990s and appears to be together as of this writing.

Cool trivia fact:  C.C. DeVille played the guitar lick from "Talk Dirty to Me" at his audition for the band.

Cool trivia fact #2:  Slash (of Guns N' Roses) auditioned for Poison, and was one of three finalists (along with Steve Silva from the Joe Perry Project) for the job.

Fun Boy Three (With Bananarama) - It Ain't What You Do (It's the Way That You Do It)

Way back when, in 2013, we featured the excellent "Ghost Town" by The Specials as part of ERV's All Hallows Even celebration.  This year, we come full circle with Fun Boy Three's "It Ain't What You Do" cover.

As savvy readers will know, Fun Boy Three arose from the ashes of The Specials, when singers Terry Hall, Neville Staple, and Lynval Golding left to form their new act.  This also led to a change in musical style; while The Specials were a 2 Tone ska band (admittedly with strong pop sensibilities), Fun Boy Three was more of a straight up pop band.

"It Ain't What You Do (It's the Way That You Do It)" was the second single that Fun Boy Three released, and it became a huge hit in the UK - reaching #4 on the singles chart.  (I don't think that it charted in the U.S.)  The song also introduced Bananarama to audiences and led to a second collaboration, "Really Sayin' Something," which was featured on ERV in 2015.

 The creepy video has a dream-like atmosphere that fits both the song, and ERV's All Hallows Even theme.

In addition, "It Ain't What You Do (It's the Way That You Do It)" is a cover of a 1939 song originally called "'Tain't What You Do (It's the Way That You Do It)."  We believe that one of the first recordings was by Jimmy Lunceford, which we have included below:

Walter Egan - Fool Moon Fire

Our long time reader(s) will know that we love this time of year - to the point that we have an All Hallows Even celebration every year (since 2011!)  This year, we start off with a pitch perfect video - Walter Egan's "Fool Moon Fire."

Egan kicked around the music industry for years, and never quite broke through - with one exception.  His 1978 song "Magnet and Steel" (written about Stevie Nicks), hit #8 on the charts, making him an official one hit wonder.

Of course, this is an eighties blog, and we are taking Halloween, so we went with 1983's "Fool Moon Fire" instead.  The song did chart (#46). although the Wild Exhibitions LP did not.  The video hearkens back to the days when artists spent five grand to make a video - though we find the homemade elements charming.

And we would be remiss if we didn't point out the candy apple red vintage Mustang ... and one of the best wolf man playing guitar scenes ever (around 3:23).

George Harrison - All Those Years Ago

George Harrison's Somewhere in England album was originally slated for release in October 1980.  However, Warner Bros. initially rejected the album as too laid back (label speak for not enough radio-friendly songs).  As a result, Harrison was re-working the material when John Lennon was murdered in December 1980.

Harrison took a previously written song (originally intended for Ringo), changed the lyrics, and recorded it with a little help from his friends.  Ringo actually played drums on the song, and Paul McCartney (along with Linda McCartney and Denny Laine from Wings) sang backup vocals.  As a result, this was the first song to feature the three ex-Beatles since 1970.

In the aftermath of Lennon's death, the feeling of sadness and nostalgia was palpable, and "All Those Years Ago" became a huge hit - reaching #2 on the charts (and only kept out of the top spot by "Bette Davis Eyes.")  The video, featuring footage of Lennon, Harrison, and the rest of the Fab Four, fits the song quite well - it's more a celebration than a dirge.

After Harrison's 1982 LP Gone Troppo fell flat, he took a five year break from the business before his next album.  He then remained sporadically active in the music industry until his untimely death from cancer in 2001. 

Strawberry Switchblade - Since Yesterday

Although they had one of the coolest names in the music industry, Strawberry Switchblade was a one hit wonder in their native U.K., and didn't make a dent in the U.S. market at all.  This is a shame, as they were an odd and interesting duo whose one hit was really pretty good.

Strawberry Switchblade was formed in Scotland in 1981, and was comprised of Jill Bryson and Rose McDowall.  Their image of big bright dresses and bows fit nicely with the synth pop sound ... as long as you didn't listen to the lyrics (or pay attention to the goth makeup).  It turns out that the name was intentionally chosen, and the lyrics to their bright pop songs were often dark or disturbing.  "Since Yesterday," for instance, was written about the aftermath of a nuclear war.

The group gained traction in 1983, and released their first single, "Trees and Flowers."  This led to a recording contract and in late 1984, "Since Yesterday" was released.  The song slowly rose on the UK charts, eventually reaching #5.  Their self-titled debut LP followed in 1985, but they were not able to land another hit, and a combination of musical and personal disagreements led to a split by 1986.

I don't recall seeing the video on MTV, though it may have appeared on 120 Minutes.  However, the Tim Pope video is visually arresting, and does a solid job of conveying the band to the public. 

Eric B. & Rakim - Follow The Leader

Check out any list of the most influential hip hop artists ever and Eric B. & Rakim will be on it - probably near the top.  Their vintage sampling and laid back, complex rhyming showed the template for modern hip hop.  In fact, many critics view Eric B. & Rakim as the seminal act that helped create the transition from old school to new school rap.

Eric B. (Barrier) and Rakim (born as William Griffin, but changed his name upon his conversion to Islam) were part of the vibrant metro New York rap scene of the 1980s.  By 1986 they were working together, and that same year released their first single, "Eric B. Is President." The following year saw the release of the Paid in Full LP, often viewed as one of the most important and influential hip hop albums ever.   

In spite of their innovative approach to hip hop (from both a DJ and MC perspective), Eric B. & Rakim had only modest commercial success - the duo did not have a top 40 single or a top 20 album.  This was partly due to the duo's image - they were viewed as authentic rap artists, and made little effort to modify their image or their songs to become more commercially successful.

For the blog, we went with the timeless "Follow the Leader" video, off the 1988 album of the same name.  The song reached #16 on the R&B charts, but did not break the top 40.  The album hit #22 - their highest charting effort.

Starting in 1992, tensions over their recording contract and perhaps their master tapes led to an extended legal conflict.  As a result, Eric B. & Rakim broke up, although they remained in the industry as solo artists.  However, in 2017, they re-united for a tour and appear to be together as of this writing.

Vandenberg - Burning Heart

The Dutch band Vandenberg was one of a surprising number of acts from that country to flirt with international success.  For example, both Golden Earring and Shocking Blue have previously been featured on ERV.  Led by (and named after) lead guitarist Adrian Vandenberg, the group was known for its melodic hard rock sound and classical flourishes, especially on the guitar solos.

Vandenberg's 1982 debut LP did reasonable well, reaching #65 on the album charts, helped by the "Burning Heart" single, which reached #39. Note that Vandenberg's song is totally different from Survivor's "Burning Heart" (a #2 hit from 1985, from the from Rocky IV soundtrack).

A successful debut album, a hit single, and a melodic hard rock sound should have translated to further success, but Vandenberg's second and third albums did not do well, and the band broke up in 1986.  The following year, Adrian Vandenberg joined Whitesnake, and remained with them through the remainder of the decade.

Adrian Vandenberg remains active in the industry as of this writing - and is also a painter.

Red Rockers - China

Red Rockers was a fascinating band who never quite found their audience.  To be fair, this was at least partly due to their evolving musical style, which seemed to shift almost on a song-by-song basis.

The band formed in New Orleans in 1979 as a punk act, influenced by groups such as The Clash and The Dils.  In fact, Red Rockers (the band) is named after "Red Rockers" (the 1979 Dils' song).   However, after  their first LP (1981's Guns of Revolution), they swung wildly from punk to pop/new wave on 1983's Good as Gold album.  This resulted in a MTV hit with "China," and set off a series of internal conflicts within the band (not to mention alienating their early punk fans).

In spite of some serious MTV airplay, "China" peaked at #53, leaving Red Rockers one hit short of being a one hit wonder.  Internal conflicts and some personnel changes continued through 1985's Schizophrenic Circus, and the band broke up later that year.

In addition to the video, we found some cool behind the scenes footage shot during the making of "China":

Del Amitri - Kiss This Thing Goodbye

Although they were stars in the UK, Del Amitri never quite broke through in the U.S., through no fault of their own.  The band's strong pop-rock songs, with folk, roots rock and even country influences, were melodic and catchy.  In spite of this, they only had 3 top 40 hits in the U.S., and only 1995's "Roll to Me" really garnered a significant amount of air play.

The band formed in the early 1980s in Glasgow, Scotland, and was named after ... well, perhaps a film producer.  It was a Scottish interpretation of the name Dimitri, and ended up sticking.  The group released a self-titled debut album on Chrysalis in 1985, but it did not gain traction, and they were subsequently dropped by the label.  Their second album, 1989's Working Hours (on A&M), did make an impact, reaching #6 on the album charts in the UK.

Del Amitri released 3 more LPs in the 1990s, all of which broke the to 10 in the UK, and had 13 top 40 singles, as well.  In the U.S., only Working Hours even broke the top 100 on the album charts.

For the blog, we went with the first single off Working Hours, "Kiss This Thing Goodbye."  It's a fine example of the band's catchy songwriting.  Interestingly, the song was released in 1989, and reached #59 on the UK charts.  A re-release in 1990 did better, reaching #43 in the UK and #35 in the U.S.

Del Amitri went on hiatus (broke up?) in 2002, but has subsequently re-formed in 2014, and seem to be active as of this writing.

ABC - When Smokey Sings

ABC burst onto the music scene as a dashing New Romantic act in 1982.  Their debut album, The Lexicon of Love became a big hit in 1982 and made them MTV favorites for a time.  While that album remains the pinnacle of their success, they continued to release well-crafted pop songs for most of the decade.

The band formed in Sheffield and was originally called Vice Versa.  Interestingly, Stephen Singleton and Mark White (both synthesizer players) met Martin Fry (also a synthesizer player) when he interviewed them for his Modern Drugs fanzine (which may have been about synthesizer players).  Fry was asked to join the band, the name was changed and before too long they had a recording contract.

By 1987, the band had been through several ups and downs.  Singleton left the group in 1983 due to their lack of touring, and Fry spend several years in the mid-1980s being treated for Hodgkin's lymphoma.  Their '87 album release, Alphabet City (named after the area in NYC when Fry and White lived for a time) became a modest success, and featured one of our favorite ABC songs, "When Smokey Sings."

Upbeat and nostalgic, "When Smokey Signs" would go on to be a hit, reaching #5 on the U.S. charts and #11 in the UK.  The Alphabet City album would also do well, reaching #7 in the UK and #48 in the U.S.  Unfortunately, this marked the end of the band's major commercial success, and they broke up in 1991.  Fry resurrected the name in 1997 (White has left the industry) and remains active as of this writing.

Cool trivia fact:  "When Smokey Sings" is of course about Smokey Robinson, whose song "More Love" was covered by Kim Carnes (and featured on ERV in December 2012).

Heart - Even It Up

The early 1980s were a difficult time in the music industry.  While the disco and punk movements had somewhat faded from prominence, New Wave was now in full swing, and the classic rock acts of the 1970s seemed outdated by many listeners.

For Heart, this transition was compounded by the changing personnel in the band.  While the Wilson sisters (Ann - vocals and Nancy - guitar) remained the constants, guitarist (and Nancy's longtime boyfriend) Roger Fisher left Heart in 1979.

Undeterred, Heart soldiered on, releasing the Bébé le Strange LP in 1980.  This is a fascinating album, as the band's music is all over the place - to my ear, this sounds like a group working to rediscover what their sound is.  In the midst of this experiment is a great straight-up rock song, "Even It Up," with a cool early video to boot.  Particularly noteworthy are sailor Nancy (who seems to really like her Stratocasters), and the sax trio.

Bébé le Strange went gold and peaked at #5, while "Even It Up" reached #33.  Heart's greatest hits album was released later in 1980, and marked the end of their first period of mainstream success.  We suspect that most listeners and critics at the time would have viewed this as the likely end of the band.  Improbably, Heart re-positioned themselves as a pop/hair band in the mid to late 1980s, ushering in a period of commercial success that was even greater than their 1970s heyday.

Heart has remained active for many years, but appears to be on hiatus as of this writing.

Kool & the Gang - Misled

This is  Kool & the Gang's second appearance on ERV, as "Get Down On It" was posted back in 2013 (and has a solid if brief summary of the band).

Unlike the funk and R&B that characterized most of Kool & the Gang's work, "Misled" is a catchy pop gem with an excellent guitar hook.  Additionally, the video is the perfect stealthy Halloween type that we love at ERV.  From the creepy guys in robes to the Indiana Jones-inspired later scenes, the whole thing is steeped in pure 1984 awesomeness.  The ghostly white dancer and that amazing blue jacket round out the major characters in the video.

The song ended up being a big hit, and reached #10 on the charts, which surprised us.  To be fair, the 1984 Emergency LP also spawned "Fresh" and "Cherish," so it isn't as if there wasn't a lot of Kool on the radio back in the day.  However, we don't remember seeing the video on MTV, which is kind of a shame.

While Kool & the Gang did have a few hits after "Misled," they had mostly faded from view by the late 1980s.  However, they remain active in the industry as of this writing.

Huey Lewis And The News - Doing It All For My Baby

Although ERV has been mostly on hiatus of late, we could not miss the opportunity to celebrate All Hallows Even.  We've been posted rare-ish, Halloweeny (is that even a word) vids since soon after we opened up shop, 7 years ago, and it's become a tradition.  So, on to this years' festivities.

By 1986, Huey Lewis and the News had become big stars.  Fore! (the 1986 LP) was their second consecutive #1 album, and between Sports, Back to the Future, and Fore!, they scored 11 top 40 hits (and 3 #1s - "The Power of Love," "Stuck With You," and "Jacob's Ladder.")

"Doing It All For My Baby" was the last single off the Fore! album, and was released in June 1987.  The video has a prefect Halloween vibe, and is actually a tiny bit darker than we remember.  After the long intro, we're treated to a campy, monstery rendition of the song, with Huey and the band playing most of the major roles.

The song would go on to reach #6 on the charts, though we think this represented the end of the band's superstar period.  However, they have remained active in the industry (with some lineup changes through the years) until the present day.   

Cool trivia fact:  The model in the video is Tara Shannon, and there is an interview with her here.

We've previously posted videos for "Some of My Lies are True," "Workin' For A Livin'," and "Heart and Soul" (which was part of ERV's first All Hallows Even celebration in 2011.

Pat Benatar - Promises In The Dark

Pat Benatar's Precious Time album showcases the singer at the height of her powers and to this day it remains your author's favorite Benatar album.  While the LP didn't break new ground, it did show a refinement in the songwriting.  This combination of sharp, straight up rock and that voice (certainly one of the strongest in 1980s rock) proved irresistible to fans and led to huge commercial success.

While "Promises in the Dark" only reached #38 on the charts, the album went to #1 and ended up going double platinum to boot.  Sales were likely helped by the performance video, which was prominently featured on MTV, as was the sister video for "Fire and Ice."

After Precious Time, Benatar's sound evolved in a more of a pop direction, and eventually she even got into jump blues (on the True Love album).

Long time readers will recall that we featured Benatar's "You Better Run" cover as the second post on ERV in August 2011 (not coincidentally it was also the second video ever played on MTV).  In addition, her cover of "All Fired Up" was on ERV in March of 2014

Cool trivia fact:  "Promises in the Dark" is one of only two top 40 singles entirely co-written by Benatar and Giraldo (out of 15 top 40 hits).  The other one: "Ooh Ooh Song" from 1984's Tropico.

Cool trivia fact #2:  "Take It Anyway You Want It," (from the Precious Time LP) was co-written by Neil Giraldo and Martin Briley. (Yes, that Martin Briley, featured on ERV in October 2011 for "Salt of My Tears.")

Divinyls - Pleasure and Pain

"Pleasure and Pain" is the second Divinyls video to show up on ERV; "Boys in Town" was posted back in July 2012, shortly before the untimely death of lead singer Chrissy Amphlett.  We view Divinyls as a unique and underrated band who were likely hurt by their hard to categorize sound that managed to combine rock, new wave, and pop elements all at once.

Interestingly, "Pleasure and Pain" was not the lead single off their 1985 What a Life! LP.  It was actually the fourth single released - perhaps because it was not written by the band.  The song was actually co-written by producer Mike Chapman and 1980s songwriter extraordinaire Holly Knight.  (Knight has shown up on the blog before; click on her name in the labels section for more info.)

I remember "Pleasure and Pain" picking up a fair bit of airplay on Boston rock radio when it came out, but the song only reached #76 on the charts, while the What a Life! album peaked at #91.  To be fair, the band did become stars in their native Australia, but it did seem like they never really broke through in the U.S. in the 1980s. (Although "I Touch Myself" did become a big hit in 1991.)

The energetic video featuring Chrissy Amphlett was filmed in the closed Balmain power plant in Sydney, Australia.  In our view it suits the song pretty well:

In addition to the vid, we also found a cool making of video, showing the somewhat boring hard work that went in to making music videos during MTV's heyday.

Neneh Cherry - Buffalo Stance

Although American readers may remember Neneh Cherry as a one hit wonder, she actually had two top 10 hits ("Kisses on the Wind" is the song that you forgot about).  And while her period of commercial success was brief in the U.S., she had a longer stretch in Europe.  For instance, in Britain Cherry had 10 top 40 singles, running through the late 1990s.

Interestingly, Neneh Cherry was born in Sweden, and is the stepdaughter of jazz musician Don Cherry (hence the surname).  After moving to London as a teenager in the late 1970s, she became active in the punk scene but soon expanded into other musical genres.  This would eventually lead to catching lightning in a bottle, as "Buffalo Stance" became a huge hit (reaching #3 in both the U.S. and U.K.)

The song refers to a photo shoot stance, and is named after the Ray Pretri's Buffalo group.  It also pays homage to Malcolm McLaren's 1983 song "Buffalo Gals" (which it samples from).  The catchy tune combines dance and hip hop elements, while the video is a perfect late 1980s timepiece:

However, the 1988 hit version of the song was actually a re-make (cover?) of a 1986 Morgan McVey B side, "Looking Good Diving With The Wild Bunch" that featured Neneh Cherry.  Morgan McVey were comprised of Jamie Morgan and Cameron McVey, and released one single ever - 1986's "Looking Good Diving."  Two years later, Cameron McVey and Neneh Cherry were an item (they married in 1990) and McVey was producing Cherry's solo album ... and well, you know the rest.

Dio - Last in Line

After years of playing in bands, Ronnie James Dio (born Ronald James Padavona) came into his own in the early 1980s, helped by his MTV-friendly videos.  Dio's band (cleverly named Dio) scored two platinum records and added a gold one to boot before their popularity declined in the later part of the decade.

Although Dio's career traces back to the early 1960s (!) he is best known for being the frontman of Elf (1967-75), Rainbow (1975-78) and Black Sabbath (1979-82).  After leaving Black Sabbath, Dio opted to form his own band with drummer Vinny Appice, guitarist Vivian Campbell, and bassist Jimmy Bain.

"Last in Line," from the 1984 album of the same name, suits our All Hallows Even theme perfectly, and has been on our list for some time.  From the elevator ride from (to?) hell, to the weird goings on in the basement, this is one odd and creepy video.  We particularly like that the band plays only supporting roles in the clip, though Dio is pretty visible towards the end.

Though Dio's popularity faded, Ronnie James remained active in the music industry until his death in 2010.

Golden Earring - Twilight Zone

Welcome to ERV's 6th annual All Hallows Even celebration.  Yes, we've been doing our version of a Halloween party since we started -- way back in 2011.  Older videos can be found using the All Hallows Even tag to the right.

While "Twilight Zone" isn't the rarest of the rare, it is an excellent video and song that suits the seasonal theme to a T.  And it has become somewhat of a forgotten gem in the 35 years (can it really be that long) since it hit our favorite video music channel.

The song is by the Dutch group Golden Earring, who are not a one hit wonder by virtue of their 1973 hit "Radar Love."  That song hit #13 on the U.S. charts only to be topped by "Twilight Zone" 9 years laters, which peaked at #10 in the U.S.

"Twilight Zone" was written by George Kooymans (Golden Earring's guitarist), and was inspired by Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Identity (before it became a hit movie).  The band translated that inspiration to the excellent video, directed by Dick Maas, and it caught the eye of the folks at MTV for pretty obvious reasons.  The result was a video in heavy rotation for months, and a hit song.

While Golden Earring would not become huge stars in the U.S., they remained successful in Europe (especially their native Holland), and remain active in the industry to the present day.

Oh, and one word of caution -- this is the uncensored version of the song, which includes brief nudity and a drug injection.  (These scenes were removed from the U.S. version back in the day).

Genesis - Land of Confusion

For the second video of our "confusion" double shot, we went with Genesis' "Land of Confusion" - one of the more overtly political songs of the 1980s.

By 1986 Genesis (and Phil Collins separately) were huge pop stars, and the band seemed far removed from their art rock roots with Peter Gabriel.  In fact, 1986's Invisible Touch would be the third of four top 10 LPs in the U.S., and the fourth of five consecutive #1 albums in the U.K.

"Land of Confusion" was one of five top five singles from Invisible Touch and hit #4 on the U.S. charts.  The video featured puppets from Spitting Image (a British TV show that was popular at the time).  Interestingly, Spitting Image often made fun of Genesis, which led to the idea of using them in the first place.  The political lyrics from Mike Rutherford suite the theme perfectly, and older readers will recall that "Land of Confusion" went into heavy rotation on MTV for a time.

 Eagle-eyed readers may want to try to identify the many politicians and celebrities caricatured in the video.

As many readers will know, Genesis remained major stars through the early 1990s, before fading from view.  In recent years, the band has sporadically re-formed for reunion tours.

The Kinks - State of Confusion

We're back, and what better way than with a song that may be more apropo today than when it came out. 

The lyrics of "State of Confusion" touch on both personal and global stresses, and remind the listener that Ray Davies had been on the rock scene for a long time by 1983.  Musically, the strong pop rock sound fits in nicely with the Kinks' early 80s work.

Interestingly, "State of Confusion" was not released as a single in the U.S., although the song did hit #26 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart (based on airplay).  The album of the same name hit #12 on the charts, driven by the success of "Come Dancing" - the Kinks most successful song in decades.

The video seems a little bit more lighthearted than the song, but still conveys the intended message.  We particularly like how Davies singing is out of synch with the song at several points.

While State of Confusion (and "Come Dancing") were the last big successes of the Kinks storied career, long time readers may recall that we featured "Do It Again" on ERV in September 2012.  We encourage folks to check that one out, as well.

Peter Gabriel - I Don't Remember

For this years' slightly abbreviated All Hallows Even celebration, we are going with Peter Gabriel's excellent, creepy, and underrated video for "I Don't Remember."

As many readers will know, Peter Gabriel left Genesis in 1975, and released his first solo album in early 1977.  [As a side note, the first four Peter Gabriel solo albums are all untitled, and are often referred to by the cover art.]  While Gabriel's first two solo albums sold well, it was his third LP, 1980's 'Melt' that broke him as a solo artist.  The album was a sonic breakthrough with a modern, driving sound.  As one example, the album did not use any cymbals at all, which led to the innovation of the gated reverb drum sound.

'Melt' would go on to hit "1 in the U.K. and #22 in the U.S., led by "Games Without Frontiers," which reached #4 in the U.K. and #48 in the U.S.  The album also drew no small amount of critical acclaim; Rolling Stone ranked it as the 45th greatest album of the 1980s.  The LP is remarkably strong from cover to cover with lyrics that are creative and political, and a sound that was unlike anything on radio at the time.

In the All Hallows Even spirit, we opted for "I Don't Remember," which has a genuinely unnerving video.  The song only reached #107 in the U.S. and did not chart in the U.K., and we doubt that the video would have been played by most mainstream outlets back in the day.  However, it fits seamlessly into our theme of the season here.

Also note that previous All Hallows Even videos can be selected by choosing the Label to the right.

Cool trivia fact: Rolling Stone rates the Melt LP as the 46th greatest album of the 1980s.

Dokken - Just Got Lucky

While Dokken's version of melodic hard rock seemed tailor made for the pop metal era, they never quite landed the big breakout song or album.  To be fair, though, they did have three consecutive platinum (and top 50) LPs in the 1980s, which is more than most groups can say.

The band's roots date back to 1976, when singer/guitarist Don Dokken formed Airborn in Los Angeles.  The name change to Dokken occurred in 1979, when the group discovered that there was a signed band with the Airborn name.  Four years later Dokken had gathered enough of a following to land a recording contract with Elektra.  Unfortunately, their first album (1983's Breaking the Chains) did not do well -- to the point that convincing the label to finance a second album became quite an ordeal (as an aside, this led to the LP's name -- Tooth and Nail).

Though Tooth and Nail didn't become a smash hit, it did establish Dokken as a legitimate rock act, and eventually reached #49 on the album charts.  "Just Got Lucky" did not chart on the singles charts, but hit #27 on the Billboard mainstream rock chart.  It remains our favorite Dokken song, though we don't recall seeing the video back in the day.

The vid is pretty standard stuff, though it does look as though portions of it may have been filmed in a dressing room (mirrors!).  The guitar solo was shot in Hawaii, near an active volcano that apparently made breathing difficult.

As previously mentioned, Dokken would go on to have further successes in the 1980s, before the simmering tensions between Don Dokken and lead guitarist George Lynch caused Dokken to break up in 1989.  However, there have been multiple reunions since then, and the band seems to be doing reunion shows as of this writing.
 

a-ha - Take On Me

No one in their right mind could consider a-ha's monster hit "Take on Me" to be a rare song or video, which begs the question:  have we (finally) lost our minds?  The answer to this question may well be yes, but there is a method to our madness for this video.

Let's get the obvious out of the way first:  "Take on Me" was the song that seemingly every teenage girl (and many boys) loved during 1985.  The song hit #1 all over the world, including the U.S.  The video was in heavy rotation for seemingly all of 1985 and beyond, and won six MTV VMAs.  Video savant Steve Barron combined pencil animation with live action in an innovative and creative way; we think it is fair to say that many critics would view "Take on Me" among the greatest music videos ever made.  For younger readers, folks who want to reminisce, or anyone who was locked in a closet for 1985, the original clip is below.

Yep, still a great video.  a-ha would go on to have a second top 40 hit in the U.S. with "The Sun Always Shines on TV" and became bonafide stars in Europe through the mid 1990s.  Since 1994, a-ha has broken up and re-formed several times, most recently in 2015.

In order to get to the rare video, a little about the song itself is helpful.  The origins of "Take on Me" go back to two earlier songs -- 1981's "The Juicey Fruit Song" which evolved into "Lesson One" which in turn became "Take on Me" in early 1983.  The band recorded a demo shortly afterwards, and recorded a different version after they were signed to Warner Bros. in 1984.  The second version of the song was released, and a video was made - so here is your rare video:

 
Though the song and video are fine, we think it is fair to say that they were unexceptional.  At this point, the band caught a huge (and we mean huge) break.  Warner Bros. in the U.S. took a liking to the group, and decided to invest in them.  First, Warner helped a-ha re-record the song (with producer Alan Tarney, who was previously featured on ERV for "No Time to Lose"). Then, they brought in Steve Barron to make the top video.  Lastly, Warner aggressively promoted the video, even showing it before movies.

Needless to say, this record company support led to the huge success of the single (and album).  Unfortunately for the group, synth pop fell out of favor, and it appears that Warner's promotional efforts turned elsewhere.  Still, a-ha can't complain too much:  they became the first Norwegian act to have a #1 hit in the U.S.

The Babys - Back On My Feet Again

The Babys were a British-American power pop act who by all rights should have become big stars in the 1970s.  Guitarist/keyboardist Mike Corby and manager Adrian Miller formed the band in 1974 and held auditions to fill out the roster.  Tony Brock (drums), John Waite (vocals/bass) and Wally Stocker (guitars) made up the original lineup.

The group were signed by Chrysalis and seemed to be building an audience, but a dispute with the record label resulted in Corby and Miller being fired in 1978.  Soon afterwards, Americans Jonathan Cain (keyboards) and Ricky Phillips (bass) joined; this lineup continued until the group broke up in 1980.

While The Babys has some modest successes (3 top 40 hits and 2 top 40 LPs), their hard work never really paid off, and this frustration eventually led to their breakup.  John Waite would go on to have some success in the 1980s as a solo artist, while Jonathan Cain would join Journey right as that band became megastars.  In 1989, Waite, Cain and Phillips would reunite in Bad English (with guitarist Neil Schon and drummer Deen Castronovo).

For the blog, we went with the group's last top 40 single, 1980's "Back on My Feet Again."  The song peaked at #33 on the charts while the Union Jacks album only hit #42.  However, it is a solid representation of the band's later material.

In 2013, original members Tony Brock and Wally Stocker reformed the band.  Additionally, John Waite has been know to perform Babys songs at concerts from time to time.

Wang Chung - Everybody Have Fun Tonight

A wonderfully catchy piece of dance-pop, "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" was the peak of Wang Chung's career, and might also be the most dangerous eighties video ever made.  (More on the second point in a bit.)

Wang Chung (originally spelled  Huang Chung) was a British new wave act that formed in London in 1980.  The group was comprised of  Jack Hues (born as Jeremy Ryder) on vocals and guitars, Nick Feldman on bass, and Darren Costin on drums (though he left the group in 1985).  Named after the first note in the Chinese classical musical scale, the band released their first LP in 1982, using the original spelling.  However, it was 1984's Points on the Curve that put them on the map (in the U.S., at least), as "Don't Let Go" and "Dance Hall Days" became top 40 hits.

The band continued to have success in 1985 with the soundtrack of To Live and Die in L.A, but 1986's Mosaic contained their biggest hits, with two top 10 singles -- "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" (#2) and "Let's Go" (#9).

Unfortunately, Wang Chung's 1989 LP, The Warmer Side of Cool did not do particularly well, and the band broke up in 1990.  The did re-form in 1997, and remain together as of this writing.

Now, as to the video ...  The clip was directed by the famous duo of Godley and Creme, who opted for a strobe effect of rapid cuts.  Unfortunately, someone at the BBC became concerned that this cause trigger epileptic seizures, and the network banned it on health grounds.

Shannon - Let The Music Play

"Let the Music Play" was a successful and influential single that helped create the dance sound of the eighties.  When the song was released in 1983, dance had mostly fallen off the pop charts, as nothing had filled the void left by the collapse of disco.

With its Latin beats and use of drum machines and synthesizers, "Let the Music Play" pointed to a new sound, that was initially called the "Shannon Sound," but eventually evolved into Freestyle music.  Unfortunately, Shannon did not remain at the forefront of the scene, as other acts such as Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam and The Jets became far more successful.  However, "Let the Music Play" really opened the door for much of mid to late 1980s dance pop.

Shannon (born Shannon Green) was in the business in New York City when she met producers Mark Liggett and Chris Barbosa.  She auditioned for them, they liked her voice, and soon afterwards they were in the studio recording "Let the Music Play."  The success of the single (it hit #1 on the dance charts and #8 on the pop charts) led to a 1984 LP of the same name, but that turned out to be Shannon's commercial peak.  Although she had several dance and R&B hits, she did not break the top 40 again, and she asked to be released from her contract in 1987.  However, Shannon remains active in the industry as a working musician to the present day.

In spite of the song's success, the video for "Let the Music Play" remain somewhat rare, exacerbated by the fact that MTV (and many other video channels) were more focused on rock and new wave at the time.  As a result, it's perfect for ERV.

Jimmy Page - Wasting My Time

It goes without saying that it's not a bad thing to be considered one of the greatest rock guitarists ever.  We suppose it is also not surprising that Jimmy Page seemed to have trouble figuring out what to do after the demise of Led Zeppelin.

As most readers will know, Jimmy Page became a well-regarded studio musician in Britain in the 1960s before forming Led Zeppelin in 1968.  Books have been written about Led Zep, but suffice to say that they remain one of the most important and influential rock acts of all time.  The sudden end of the group (in 1980, due to the death of drummer John Bonham) left Page without a clear direction, and for much of the next 15 years he embarked on short-lived collaborations.

In 1988, he released his first solo studio album, Outrider.  The album sounded a bit like a (slightly) updated Led Zeppelin, with its stripped down blues/rock sound.  Unfortunately, it didn't do all that well -- the album peaked at #26, and none of the singles charted.

In spite of the lack of success, we've always been partial to "Wasting My Time," which was co-written and sung by John Miles.  Jason Bonham (Drums) and Tony Franklin (Bass) round out the lineup.  While the song doesn't break any new ground, it is a solid track which isn't helped much by the standard performance video.  [As an aside, has there ever been a performance video made where the singer is show less frequently?]

Page continued with short-lived projects through the 1990s, but has re-connected with (Led Zeppelin) singer Robert Plant with greater frequency since the mid-1990s.  He remains active in the music industry as of this writing.

Steve Winwood - Still In The Game

Steve Winwood got his musical start at the tender age of 14 when he joined the Spencer Davis Group, though he would go on to even greater fame in Traffic and Blind Faith.  However, by the mid-1970s his career was on the wane.  In fact, when his first solo album performed poorly in 1977, he apparently considered leaving the music business altogether.

This all changed with the success of his second solo LP, 1980's Arc of a Diver.  The synthesizer-driven pop album sounded fresh and original, and would go on to become a huge hit, reaching #3 on the charts.

Winwood tried to capitalize on this success, releasing Talking Back to the Night in 1982.  This album sounded a bit like a reprise of Arc of a Diver, and did not do as well  (though "Valerie" became a top 10 hit when it was re-released in 1987).  Interestingly, Winwood may have realized that the formula wasn't working, and soon shifted into more soul-influenced pop.  The result was even greater success by the end of the 1980s.

While the LP was not a big hit, we've always been partial to "Still in the Game," a synth pop gem that picked up a bit of airplay on MTV back in the day.  The song became the highest charting single off Talking Back to the Night, but only reached #47 on the charts, while the video was only aired for a short while.

Although Winwood has slowed down in recent years, he remains active in the industry as of this writing, both as a solo artist and in occasional projects with other classic rock stars.

Cool trivia fact:  The woman in the video is Nicole Winwood, who sang backup on "Still in the Game" and was Steve Winwood's wife from 1978 - 1986.  Sadly, she passed away in 2005.

The Long Ryders - I Want You Bad

This is the second appearance on ERV for The Long Ryders; the superb "Looking for Lewis and Clark" was posted on our little blog in October, 2013.

Regular readers will recall that The Long Ryders were a roots rock act associated with the LA Paisley Underground scene.  They made a bit of a ripple on the college radio scene in the middle part of the 1980s, but never quite found their audience.

"I Want You Bad" was the lead single of the group's 1987 LP, Two Fisted Tales.  It is a cover (more on that below), but highlights the band's style and musicianship.  Unfortunately, we don't believe that either the LP or single charted.

While The Long Ryders remained well-regarded by critics, their big breakthrough never happened and in 1987 and the strenuous touring schedule finally did the band in.  Bassist Tom Stevens and guitarist Stephen McCarthy left the group by year end, and the remaining members (vocals/guitarist Sid Griffin and drummer Greg Sowders) chose not to continue.  However, the group did re-form in 2014, and plans to tour and perform some more as of this writing.

As mentioned above, "I Want You Bad" is a cover of an NRBQ song, below.  NRBQ is an influential and eclectic rock band who are known for their live shows.

Ray Parker, Jr. and Raydio - A Woman Needs Love (Just Like You Do)

Ray Parker, Jr. formed Raydio in 1977 with with Vincent Bohnam, Jerry Knight, and Arnell Carmichael.  The group's smooth pop/funk quickly led to success, with "Jack and Jill" and "You Can't Change That" as strong examples of their style.

First among equals bands, where there is one dominant member, often have trouble staying intact and Raydio was no exception.  By 1980, the group was called Ray Parker, Jr. and Raydio; this only lasted around a year before Parker left Raydio to go out on his own.

"A Woman Needs Love (Just Like You Do)" was off the last Raydio LP of the same name, and the success of the song and album likely encouraged Ray Parker, Jr. to go solo.  The single reached #4 on the charts, while the album peaked at #13 and went gold.

While the song picked up a significant amount of airplay on pop and adult contemporary radio, we don't recall ever seeing it on MTV.  The combination of the soft pop sound and MTV's initial positioning as a new wave/rock video channel probably account for this.  However, the vid is an awesome timepiece -- from the time Parker gets out of his Porsche, we were hooked.  Smooth, relaxed love advice never sounded so good (at least in 1981).

As regular readers will know, Parker's solo career go off the a strong start, with "The Other Woman," featured in our All Hallows Even celebration of 2014.  However, his career was inconsistent from there, though he did score a #1 hit in 1984 with "Ghostbusters."

The Hooters - Day by Day

After a long, bumpy road, Eric Bazilian and Rob Hyman finally saw significant success with The Hooters 1985 Nervous Night LP.  The album peaked at #12 on the charts and went double platinum; it also featured all three of the group's top 40 singles.

In fact, the Bazilian/Hyman partnership (sounds dirty but isn't) dates back to the early 1970s when they met as students at Penn.  Their first group (Baby Grand) recorded some decent material, but did not break through.  [Baby Grand also recorded the original version of "Never Enough" which was covered by Patty Smyth in 1987 and featured on ERV in April, 2014.]

Bazilian and Hyman formed The Hooters in 1980 and played extensively in the Philadelphia music scene before breaking up in 1982.  However, the group re-formed the following year and released their first (independent) album.  Their big break came when an old friend (Rick Chertoff from Baby Grand) asked Bazilian and Hyman to work with him on Cindy Lauder's She's So Unusual album.  The success of that project led to The Hooter's signing with Columbia Records.

Many readers will be surprised that "Day by Day" was the highest charting single from Nervous Night -- it hit #18 on the charts.  The song (co-written with Chertoff) is pretty typical of the band's music from this period -- upbeat roots rock, with some new wave and folk elements, to boot.

Sadly, Nervous Night was the peak of The Hooter's success.  Though their material remained strong, the albums did not sell as well.  The band broke up in 1995, but has reunited from time to time in the intervening years.  

Note that The Hooters excellent and underrated "Karla with a K" was featured on ERV in March, 2012.

The B-52's - Private Idaho

New wave and surf rock might seem like an odd combination (ok, it is an odd combination), but somehow the B-52's hit on a sound that was pure campy fun.  Sounding simultaneously  modern and vintage, the band sported an odd look that included the high beehives that gave the band its name.  Combine that with some seriously catchy material, and it is not surprising that the group made a name for itself in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

The B-52's emerged out of the growing Athens, Georgia music scene, and would soon be joined by fellow Athenians R.E.M.  However, the group's sound was more Devo or Talking Heads than southern rock.  After forming in 1976 with little musical training, the band had progressed enough to make a demo of "Rock Lobster" in 1978.  That song would go on to become an independent hit, and would lead to recording contracts with Warner Bros. and Island Records.

"Private Idaho" was off the B-52's second LP, 1980's Wild Planet.  The single hit #74 on the charts (the group's second charting single, after "Rock Lobster"), while the album hit #18.  From there, things became more challenging -- the next few albums did not do as well, and founding guitarist Ricky Wilson (whose sister Cindy was also in the band) died of an AIDS-related illness in 1985.

As many readers will know, that wasn't the end of the story.  The B-52's 1989 comeback album, Cosmic Thing, became a huge surprise hit and led to a second period of success.  The group remains active as of this writing, though there have been some personnel changes and periods of inactivity through the years.

Indigo Girls - Closer to Fine

Indigo Girls were part of the late 1980s folk revival scene that included 10,000 Maniacs, Michelle Shocked, and Tracy Chapman, among others.  While they never became superstars, the duo has maintained a strong following through the years and is still active as of this writing.

Amy Ray and Emily Saliers met as students at Emery University in the mid-1980s and began performing together around the same time.  Their first independent album was released in 1987, but it was their 1989 major label eponymous debut that brought them national attention.  As the lead single off the LP, "Closer to Fine" was a major part of that breakthrough.

Interestingly, Ray and Saliers write separately; Saliers tends to favor a more traditional folk sound, while Ray's songs often incorporate more rock elements.  "Closer to Fine" was written by Saliers, and is loosely based on her experiences.  The song would go on to become the group's biggest hit, reaching #52 on the singles charts.  The album would peak at #22 and eventually go double platinum.

The video is a straightforward performance piece that highlights the strong songwriting and crisp harmonies that are the signature of the group.  It remains one of our favorite 1980s folk tunes.

Glenn Fry - Smuggler's Blues

It has been a tough few weeks in rockland; Atropos has been busy.  And while we already had posts up for Lemmy ("Ace of Spades") and Bowie ("Ashes to Ashes"), Glenn Fry was still in the bullpen at the time of his passing.  As a result, we moved him up in order to create a fitting ERV memorial to him.

Glenn Fry was born in Detroit, Michigan, and moved to California in the late 1960s to follow his dream in music.  This eventually led to work in Linda Ronstadt's backup band, and in 1971 he and fellow backup band members Don Henley, Randy Meisner, and Bernie Leadon formed the Eagles.

The Eagles were at the forefront of the California folk/country/rock sound of the 1970s, and became one of the best-selling acts of the decade.  And though there was some turnover among the band members, the group was more or less run by Fry and Henley.

After the Eagles disbanded in 1980, Fry continued recording as a solo artist, and had three top 40 LPs and 7 top 40 singles in the 1980s.  His solo popularity faded in the 1990s, but this was offset by the Eagles' resurgence, as they had several reunions starting in 1994.

"Smuggler's Blues" showcases Glenn Fry at the peak of his popularity, and the song was helped by the movie-like video.  Additionally, the song and theme fit perfectly with the TV show Miami Vice, and Fry (and his song) were showcased on the 15th episode, which was named (not coincidentally) Smuggler's Blues.  All this publicity helped "Smuggler's Blues" to reach #12, while The Allnighter album hit #22.

With its bluesy guitar sound and cool video, this remains our favorite Glenn Fry single and is, we think, a fitting tribute to him.

Rest peacefully, Glenn Fry, and thanks for the music.

Stabilizers - One Simple Thing

Stabilizers were another act that appeared on MTV for the briefest of time before fading from view.  The band consisted of Dave Christenson on vocals and Rich Nevens on guitar and keyboard.  By 1985, they had generated enough buzz on the Erie, PA music scene to get signed by Columbia Records, and Tyranny (their debut LP) came out the following year.

"One Simple Thing" was the lead single from Tyranny, and it picked up a bit of airplay -- even breaking into the top 100 at #93.  However, the follow up single did not do as well, and the band was dropped by the label before releasing their second effort.

There seems to be remarkably little information on Christenson and Nevens since then, so if any reader has information to share, please leave it in the comments.

"One Simple Thing" is a classic 1980s pop song, in the Mr. Mister vein (note that Mr. Mister's Welcome to the Real World hit #1 on the album charts in early 1986).

Cool trivia fact:  "One Simple Thing" was directed by David Fincher, who got his start in videos (including Jermaine Stewart's "We Don't Have To Take Our Clothes Off" and Loverboy's "Notorious")  before transitioning to movies (Seven, Fight Club and The Social Network, among others).

Helix - Heavy Metal Love

I remember seeing "Heavy Metal Love" back in the day, and thoroughly enjoyed it.  The same holds true for Helix's earlier entry on ERV, "Deep Cuts the Knife," which was posted back in October, 2011.

As we mentioned on the earlier post, Helix is a hard working, hard rocking Canadian band.  The group formed in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada in 1974 and has been led by Brian Vollmer on vocals from day one.  At the time of this single, the remainder of the band consisted of Paul Hackman and Brent 'The Doctor' Doerner on guitars, Mike Uzelac on bass and Greg 'Fritz' Hinz on drums.

Hinz and Vollmer remain with the band to the present day.  Hackman was killed in 1992 when the band's van crashed during a tour.  Doerner left Helix in 1989, but has rejoined the act several times over the years, and  Uzelac quit in 1983.

While "Heavy Metal Love" picked up some airplay on my favorite music video channel, the song did not break into the singles chart, though it did reach #23 on the Mainstream Rock chart (based on airplay on rock radio stations).  The No Rest for the Wicked LP peaked at #186 on the album chart.

Cool trivia fact: The woman in the video is actress Sandahl Bergman, best known as the female lead in the 1982 film Conan the Barbarian.