I loved the 80s. My era. Football was ****, but the music, the fashion and the hair was me. I was young, fit and confident with my whole life ahead of me. Became ‘toy boy’ to an older woman - who became (and still is) Mrs R&W. Even had a convertible TR7 back then at the tender age of 21. Ah memories…. Songs like this take me back to that happy place - especially with those lyrics!!.
In the 80s I had hair. And the decade I moved to Brizzle, though it was the decade later our daughter was born there. I have mixed feelings about the music. Stuff from bands of the 70s was good, the rest was a mixed bag.
Back in the 70’s saw a few bands at The Colston Hall and the Hippodrome and a few other places I can’t remember. Llynyrd Skynyrd, Genesis, Hot Rods & The Radio Stars
A lot of the music of the early 80s was tolerated...... ........because it was what the girls listened to.
. Absolutely. I cant stand anything produced by Stock Aitken and Waterman (although I do like Pete Waterman’s train). I didn’t particularly like Spandau Ballet, Duran Duran or many of those ‘New Romantic’ type of bands. ELO was still going though; Time is one of my favourite albums - plus Dire Straits - and Bryan Adams (another ‘marmite’ artist that I happen to like very much), Bruce Springsteen, Tina Turner - they were still going, Heart - and The Cars; Heartbeat City is one of my favourite albums from that era. It wasn’t all bad imho.
My wife is a year younger than me, but had a brother 8 years older. She's a real 'rock chick'. Musically old before her time. I listened to a lot of the stuff she was into. Lynyrd Skynyrd, Led Zep, Cream, Tull and the like. While she also moved on, I got entrenched in the old stuff. I was always partial to The Eagles, and a lot of their solo stuff. Saw them in the old Wembley on their hell freezes over tour, 2 days before flying off to California on business. Saw Brian Adams in Cardiff while living in Bristol. Got to see a few bands in Bristol. Colston Hall and Hippodrome.
The 60’s was a magical music decade witnessing the birth of so many of the great rock bands. The 70’s carried it on with prog, glam, punk music and any number of influential solo artists. Those 2 decades do it for me. Granted in the next 54 years there have been some and still are any number of genuinely great acts but I ignore the current music which leaves me cold. Solo female and male artists rather than bands with lead vocals, guitar players, brass and keyboards.
IMHO Ninian there are probably quite a few new young talented singer/songwriters out there, but their music isn’t what the big moguls want to promote. Today’s commercial music scene is, as you rightly said, mainly about lone singers singing along to a remixed soundtrack of an old song - basically karaoke in my book. I am big into live music where I live in Swindon and I know several members of a very popular covers band called Get Carter. They told me that they used to do their own stuff but never got the crowd reaction that they did when covering old well known stuff and they didn’t have time to wait for it to build naturally, so that’s all their set is now - covers. Another local band; The Shudders - they do their own music and it’s pretty good actually so Mrs R&W and I follow them around the local venues, but bands doing their own music is not common these days - and not encouraged by the musical ‘powers’.
Musically I grew up in the 60's starting with the Beatles. My tastes developed over the years and in the early 70's got into rock stuff. Living in Newport we had the Kensington Court Club with live bands most Thursdays and Saturdays. Saw bands such as Quo, Argent, Vinegar Joe (a young Elkie Brooks with Robert Palmer), Roxy Music, the week Virginia Plain was released, Climax Blues Band, Joe Brown who was very good and an awful Doctor John - he emptied the room by his 3rd song, plus more that I can't remember. To my regret I missed Focus. My mates were into emerging prog rock, particularly Yes, ELP, Genesis and Pink Floyd. I enjoyed Yes albums so for his 15th birthday I took my brother to see Yes at the Colston Hall. Brilliant music and totally over the top stage set which must have inspired Spinal Tap. We were absolutely hooked and have been since having seen them in all their reincarnations, most recently at the Colston Hall in May. With no original members left, Steve Howe joined in 1970, some die hards say they are a cover band but I disagree. Still performing tracks produced over 50+ years at the highest quality. Jon Anderson is still performing in the USA with his support band, the Band Geeks, and gets great reviews. I would definitely try to see them if they toured the UK. Anderson's voice can never be replaced. 2 regrets, never saw the original Pink Floyd or Queen with Freddie although saw Queen with Adam Lambert at the O2 a couple of years ago. Although Freddie can never be replaced they were brilliant. I have also seen a few Queen and Floyd tribute bands. All very good and producing close to the original sound. Also seen another 70's band, Wishbone Ash (the Andy Powell version) a few times. A great live act. Me and Mrs BfB went to see Transatlantic Rumours, a Fleetwood Mac tribute band, at Wales Millennium Centre a few weeks ago. First time I can recall a rock act playing WMC in the 20 years they have been open. They were brilliant with 2 girls doing great versions of Stevie Nicks and Christine McVeigh songs. I will probably book us to see them again next August. As a penance I have to take Mrs BfB to see a show about Whitney Houston at the Motorpoint in 3 weeks. My daughter and husband saw the show in Poole and said it is very good. I suggested we go and see Squeeze in Cardiff on 1st November but she's not having that.
We’re off to see Paul McCartney in the O2 in December (the wife’s favourite Beatle) and we’re going to a local theatre in Swindon next Sunday to see a show dedicated to the music of George Harrison (my personal favourite Beatle).
The Acepela Club in Pentyrch hosts any number of tribute bands. I’ve seen decent Dire Straits, The Who, Springsteen, Pink Floyd, Hendrix, Cream, Supertramp and some others. Accomplished musicians. Also saw a decent Led Zep in the Globe in Roath.
Not got a Scooby. I run most Mondays with a lady called Libby Lavis but unless he's from Tondu and is a Welsh speaker I doubt they are related. Libby's certainly not a drummer.
