I have a $100 bill with 80s on it.

[ForeverAutumn]

I've been really enjoying this new trend of 80s style music by bands like Franz Ferdinand, The Killers, The Kaiser Chiefs, et al.

It's time for me to jump into the time machine and go back to discover the 'real' thing. As mentioned in a previous discussion between Davey and I, I was a real metalhead in the 80's. I much preferred Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath over the New Wave and Punk bands of the times.

So now I want to go back and revisit the music that I missed. Who are the bands that I should be looking into? What are the CDs that I should be buying? What should no good 80s music collection be without?

Please help me put together a shopping list. I don't even know where to start.

Thanks.

[Stone]

What should no good 80s music collection be without?

Off the top of my head:

Violent Femmes - s/t

Pixies - Doolittle

Smiths - The Queen Is Dead

Feelies - Crazy Rhythms

Jesus and Mary Chain - Psychocandy

Replacements - Let It Be; Tim; Pleased to Meet Me

Husker Du - Zen Arcade; New Day Rising; Warehouse: Songs and Stories

Stone Roses - s/t

New Order - Low Life

There are many more that I'm not thinking of, I'm sure, and I didn't get into the punk stuff at all. Or you could just get copies of the 10 or so 80s comps that were done a few years back around here and go from there.

[KEXPMF]

I like a lot of the 'new wave' 80s music. Most record stores have a compilations section. I've seen huge numbers of 80s comp cds. I own about 8 of them.

[shokhead]

For me,the 80's lacked what the 60's into the mid/late 70's did.

[KEXPMF]

Jesus and Mary Chain is definitely a must. If you listen to indie rock music of today and then throw on a Jesus and Mary Chain album.... you'll see.

[Swish]

I've been really enjoying this new trend of 80s style music by bands like Franz Ferdinand, The Killers, The Kaiser Chiefs, et al.

It's time for me to jump into the time machine and go back to discover the 'real' thing. As mentioned in a previous discussion between Davey and I, I was a real metalhead in the 80's. I much preferred Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath over the New Wave and Punk bands of the times.

So now I want to go back and revisit the music that I missed. Who are the bands that I should be looking into? What are the CDs that I should be buying? What should no good 80s music collection be without?

Please help me put together a shopping list. I don't even know where to start.

Thanks.

and they were excellent. I can copy a couple for you. The idea was to pick a particular year and comp songs from that year only. I'll have to dig thru my vault, but some of the bands Stone already mentioned are on it. It appears you missed out on some of the best stuff from that era (Gang of Four, Dream Syndicate, Echo & the Bunnymen), but we can hook you up big time.

Swish

[dean_martin]

I'm in the process of going back and giving the "authentic" 80s sound another listen. I didn't care for it too much when I was growing up back then, but I'm enjoying it now. Here are some albums on my wish list based on tracks from each that I've been listening to a lot lately.

Echo and the Bunnymen - Ocean Rain
The Cure - Disintegration (and probably Pornography and Faith)
Tears for Fears - The Hurting (and maybe Songs from the Big Chair for nostalgia's sake)
Roxy Music - Avalon
The Jesus & Mary Chain - Psychocandy, Darklands and maybe Automatic
Joy Division - not sure which album or albums yet
New Order - see "Joy Division"
Psychedelic Furs - maybe, if I have some $$$ left over

Here are a few 80s albums I've owned since forever it seems, but I would put these in another category:

Sonic Youth - Evol, Sister and Daydream Nation
Pixies - Surfer Rosa, Doolittle and Bossanova

[Stone]

For me,the 80's lacked what the 60's into the mid/late 70's did.

Hippies everywhere?

[Mr MidFi]

Everything Stone mentioned, plus...

XTC - Black Sea, English Settlement, Skylarking, Oranges & Lemons

Joe Jackson - Look Sharp

The Pretenders - s/t

The Cars - first 2 albums

Elvis Costello - First 3 albums

Squeeze - Singles

Psychedelic Furs - first 3 albums

U2 - Boy

Wait...did anyone mention Galaxie 500 yet?

[Stone]

and they were excellent. I can copy a couple for you. The idea was to pick a particular year and comp songs from that year only. I'll have to dig thru my vault, but some of the bands Stone already mentioned are on it. It appears you missed out on some of the best stuff from that era (Gang of Four, Dream Syndicate, Echo & the Bunnymen), but we can hook you up big time.

Swish

Good additions to the list. And I could add Kate Bush, Galaxie 500, The Connells, and Jane's Addiction (still without jumping into the punk arena), while still remaining pretty accessible.

Just to avoid confusion, there were two sets of comps:

(1) the 80s series (most of which had Stuck In the 80s in the title), of which there were 8 or 10 (or maybe more); and

(2) the "year" comps, where each person picked a different year and prepared a comp of music from that particular year - I believe most of the years in the 80s were covered, but the one from 1985 is probably the best one....

Hopefully Davey will show up soon and just provide a link to the track lists of the suckers.

[Davey]

Hopefully Davey will show up soon and just provide a link to the track lists of the suckers.

Well, I showed up. The old comp4trade site is at http://members.mailaka.net/davey/rav...comp4trade.htm although it hasn't been maintained for a few years and there are only a few of the Stuck in the Eighties comps listed. But yours is there.

Good luck

[DariusNYC]

I really like the stuff that's been suggested so far, but people are also forgetting the great albums that happened to sell a lot as well:

Michael Jackson, Thriller
Prince, 1999 and Purple Rain
Bruce Sprinsteen, Born in the USA
Peter Gabriel, So
Paul Simon, Graceland
U2, The Joshua Tree (actually, maybe that's been listed above)
Madonna, Immaculate Collection
Van Halen, 1984
Duran Duran, Rio or a hits collection

Slightly less sales, but a Depeche Mode hits collection would be great.

[unleasHell]

not sure where Jim is these days, but I loved the 80's stuff and since you liked metal perhaps you'll like the harder edge stuff.

1. Joy Divison: Unknown Pleasure / "80's Music" actually started in the Late 70's
2. Chameleons: Script of the Bridge / Perhaps the greats 80's CD ever!!!
3. Smiths: Greatest Hits or Best of, I can't recall but it has 20 songs on it and is a remastered Import
4. & .5 Cure: Boys Don't Cry and 17 Seconds / can't decide so get them BOTH...
6. Sisters of Mercy: Some Girls Wander by Mistake/ turn the lights down, spark a cigar and grab a beer...
7. Madness: On Step Beyond / you finished some beers and ready to move
8. The Cult: Greatest Hits / You probably were already into them as they are very hard rockin'
9. Stary Cats: Greatest Hits / the one with 20 songs on it / some wicked guitar work
10. Stranglers: Feline
11. & 12. Simple Minds: New Gold Dream and Sons & Facination / both awesome
13. Wild Swans: Bringing Home the Ashes / good luck finding it, this is perhaps the greatest under appreciated release of the 80's, $70 plus on ebay, Jim Clark and I both have it.

There's plenty more but me fingers are tired...

good luck

[Swish]

not sure where Jim is these days, but I loved the 80's stuff and since you liked metal perhaps you'll like the harder edge stuff.

1. Joy Divison: Unknown Pleasure / "80's Music" actually started in the Late 70's
2. Chameleons: Script of the Bridge / Perhaps the greats 80's CD ever!!!
3. Smiths: Greatest Hits or Best of, I can't recall but it has 20 songs on it and is a remastered Import
4. & .5 Cure: Boys Don't Cry and 17 Seconds / can't decide so get them BOTH...
6. Sisters of Mercy: Some Girls Wander by Mistake/ turn the lights down, spark a cigar and grab a beer...
7. Madness: On Step Beyond / you finished some beers and ready to move
8. The Cult: Greatest Hits / You probably were already into them as they are very hard rockin'
9. Stary Cats: Greatest Hits / the one with 20 songs on it / some wicked guitar work
10. Stranglers: Feline
11. & 12. Simple Minds: New Gold Dream and Sons & Facination / both awesome
13. Wild Swans: Bringing Home the Ashes / good luck finding it, this is perhaps the greatest under appreciated release of the 80's, $70 plus on ebay, Jim Clark and I both have it.

There's plenty more but me fingers are tired...

good luck

You really had me going there up to about # 6. Can't say I was a big fan of the rest, although I'm not familiar with the Wild Swans. The Sisters of Mercy really fokin' rawked.

So WTF have you been up to? You used to be one of the most prolific posters a few years back, and this is the first I remember seeing you since then.

Regards,
Swish

[-Jar-]

I did a couple 80's comps (Jar's Big 80's Vol 1, 2 and 3)

Vol. 1
01 Bob Mould - See A Little Light
02 Love & Rockets - No New Tale To Tell
03 The Smiths - Frankly, Mr. Shankley
04 Meat Puppets - Swimming Ground
05 Replacements - Color Me Impressed
06 Minutemen - I Felt like a Gringo
07 Los Lobos - Our Last Night
08 XTC - Pink Thing
09 The Clash - Washington Bullets
10 R.E.M. - Wolves, Lower
11 The Cure - A Forest
12 Cocteau Twins - In Our Angelhood
13 Joy Division - 24 Hours
14 Husker Du - Pink Turns to Blue
15 Soul Asylum - Chains
16 Neil Young & Crazy Horse - White Line
17 Charlatans UK - White Shirt
18 Peter Murphy - Cuts You Up
19 Gary Numan & Tubeway Army - Are Friends Electric?
20 Tones On Tail - Lions

Vol 2.
01 Minutemen - Corona
02 The Pursuit of Happiness - She's So Young
03 R.E.M. - Hyena
04 Husker Du - Could You Be The One?
05 The Pogues - Turkish Song of the Damned
06 Violent Femmes - Dating Days
07 Timbuk 3 - Sample the Dog
08 Stone Roses - Sugar Spun Sister
09 The Jesus & Mary Chain - April Skies
10 New Order - Procession
11 Depeche Mode - Little 15
12 The Cure - Lullaby
13 Cocteau Twins - Carolyn's Fingers
14 Flaming Lips - Chrome Plated Suicide
15 Public Image Limited - Public Image
16 Bauhaus - Telegram Sam
17 Joy Division - Transmission
18 Sonic Youth - Star Power
19 Replacements - Left of the Dial
20 Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds - The Ship Song

Vol 3. (The Vinyl Stand)
01 The Flesh Eaters - Impossible Crime
02 Tar Babies - Leech
03 Minutemen - Boiling
04 Dead Kennedys - Life Sentence
05 Circle Jerks - World Up My Ass
06 The Replacements - Customer
07 Public Image Ltd. - Fishing
08 Wounds - An Object
09 False Prophets - Helplessly Screaming
10 Ultravox - Private Lives
11 Depeche Mode - Fly on the Windscreen
12 New Order - Mesh
13 The Cure - A Strange Day
14 Gary Numan - This Wreckage
15 Cocteau Twins - Because of Whirl-Jack
16 A.R. Kane - Suicide Kiss
17 R.E.M. - Stumble
18 Meat Puppets - Mountain Line
19 Moving Targets - CarCrash
20 Husker Du - Charity, Chastity, Prudence and Hope
21 Black Flag - Six Pack
22 Saccharine Trust - The Giver Takes
23 Sonic Youth - Death Valley '69

[Swish]

I did a couple 80's comps (Jar's Big 80's Vol 1, 2 and 3)

Vol. 1
01 Bob Mould - See A Little Light
02 Love & Rockets - No New Tale To Tell
03 The Smiths - Frankly, Mr. Shankley
04 Meat Puppets - Swimming Ground
05 Replacements - Color Me Impressed
06 Minutemen - I Felt like a Gringo
07 Los Lobos - Our Last Night
08 XTC - Pink Thing
09 The Clash - Washington Bullets
10 R.E.M. - Wolves, Lower
11 The Cure - A Forest
12 Cocteau Twins - In Our Angelhood
13 Joy Division - 24 Hours
14 Husker Du - Pink Turns to Blue
15 Soul Asylum - Chains
16 Neil Young & Crazy Horse - White Line
17 Charlatans UK - White Shirt
18 Peter Murphy - Cuts You Up
19 Gary Numan & Tubeway Army - Are Friends Electric?
20 Tones On Tail - Lions

Vol 2.
01 Minutemen - Corona
02 The Pursuit of Happiness - She's So Young
03 R.E.M. - Hyena
04 Husker Du - Could You Be The One?
05 The Pogues - Turkish Song of the Damned
06 Violent Femmes - Dating Days
07 Timbuk 3 - Sample the Dog
08 Stone Roses - Sugar Spun Sister
09 The Jesus & Mary Chain - April Skies
10 New Order - Procession
11 Depeche Mode - Little 15
12 The Cure - Lullaby
13 Cocteau Twins - Carolyn's Fingers
14 Flaming Lips - Chrome Plated Suicide
15 Public Image Limited - Public Image
16 Bauhaus - Telegram Sam
17 Joy Division - Transmission
18 Sonic Youth - Star Power
19 Replacements - Left of the Dial
20 Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds - The Ship Song

Vol 3. (The Vinyl Stand)
01 The Flesh Eaters - Impossible Crime
02 Tar Babies - Leech
03 Minutemen - Boiling
04 Dead Kennedys - Life Sentence
05 Circle Jerks - World Up My Ass
06 The Replacements - Customer
07 Public Image Ltd. - Fishing
08 Wounds - An Object
09 False Prophets - Helplessly Screaming
10 Ultravox - Private Lives
11 Depeche Mode - Fly on the Windscreen
12 New Order - Mesh
13 The Cure - A Strange Day
14 Gary Numan - This Wreckage
15 Cocteau Twins - Because of Whirl-Jack
16 A.R. Kane - Suicide Kiss
17 R.E.M. - Stumble
18 Meat Puppets - Mountain Line
19 Moving Targets - CarCrash
20 Husker Du - Charity, Chastity, Prudence and Hope
21 Black Flag - Six Pack
22 Saccharine Trust - The Giver Takes
23 Sonic Youth - Death Valley '69

How could I forget the Meat Puppets, Black Flag, Sonic Youth, The Place Mats, the Jesus and Mary Chain, New Order, and the Pursuit of Happiness? My mind is shot from all the beer I've consumed over the years, so I'm glad I have help from you little corn-fed mohawk mutants!

Swish

[Finch Platte]

I've got a hundred-dollar bill, too!

Guess I'd better pay it, eh?

fp

[Ex Lion Tamer]

I've been really enjoying this new trend of 80s style music by bands like Franz Ferdinand, The Killers, The Kaiser Chiefs, et al.

It's time for me to jump into the time machine and go back to discover the 'real' thing. As mentioned in a previous discussion between Davey and I, I was a real metalhead in the 80's. I much preferred Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath over the New Wave and Punk bands of the times.

So now I want to go back and revisit the music that I missed. Who are the bands that I should be looking into? What are the CDs that I should be buying? What should no good 80s music collection be without?

Please help me put together a shopping list. I don't even know where to start.

Thanks.

But WTF, here's a few more ....

Gang of Four - Entertainment (actually '79, but certainly embodies the spirit of the '80s)
Wire - Chairs Missing (the most "'80s" sounding of thier classic first three albums
The Sound - From The Lions Mouth
Echo & the Bunnymen - I'd go with Crocodiles (or their G-hits album, Songs to Learn and Sing)
XTC - Drums & Wires
R.E.M. - Murmer
B-52s - st
The Jam - Sound Affects
Martha & the Muffins - Metro Music
Pursuit of Happiness - Love Junk
54-40 - Show Me
The Northern Pikes - st (the last 4 are the requisite Canadian content...don't want the CRTC on your ass).
Gary Numan - Replicas
The Pogues - If I Should Fall From Grace w/God (Little to do with the current sounds you're enjoying, but a stone-cold-classic nonetheless).
Siouxsie & the Banshees - Kaleidescope
Talking Heads - Fear of Music (has no one mentioned this one yet? For shame.)

[unleasHell]

You really had me going there up to about # 6. Can't say I was a big fan of the rest, although I'm not familiar with the Wild Swans. The Sisters of Mercy really fokin' rawked.

So WTF have you been up to? You used to be one of the most prolific posters a few years back, and this is the first I remember seeing you since then.

Regards,
Swish

How are you doing Swish? to tell ya the truth, since I started into photgraphy it is consuming all of my Computer time and most all of my CD spending money. I have a website and shoot with (hot) Models every weekend.

I still pickup some things here and there, I even have a hot tip for anyone who thinks they might like this sort of thing: The Spacious Mind: Live Volume One / do you own thing, but don't touch ours (live in Skogsnas 26/10/99). Wow, this thing is mega hot, only 5 songs, but they are 8, 12, 13, 14 & 23 minutes long!!! The first song is the 23 minuter and sounds EXACTLY like Pink Floyd must have sounded live in 1970, it is a friggen trip, the rest of the CD is great too.

anyway, the wild swans, were a band that sounded like a mixture of the smiths (no hot leads or as flamboyent as morrisey) but the angst in their lyrics and perhaps someone on the mellow side with great melodies and tunes like echo and the bunnymen or lightning seeds. It is a cd that grows on you and you will be loving nearly every song after multiple listens. i need so much stuff, I would love to do a cd-r trade with you for it, just say the word.

[Dusty Chalk]

Mine are definitely more synth-oriented than e.g., Franz Ferdinand, but here ya go:

New Order, Power Corruption & Lies and Low-Life (seminal)
Yeah, definitely some Joe Jackson, especially Beat Crazy if you can find it, but I'm the Man will do in a pinch.
Gary Numan, Premier Hits (besides, it gives you "Stormtrooper in Drag", my favourite song from that era)
Human League, Dare (seminal)
Cars, Just What I Needed (compilation)
Yaz, Upstairs at Eric's
The The, Infected (everyone else will tell you Soul Mining -- that's good, too)
Talk Talk, The Party's Over (synthpop finery)
Ministry, With Sympathy (ditto)
Soft Cell, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret (silly fun)
Gang of Four, Entertainment

I'll see if I can't think of some more guitarsy stuff if I can think about it (New Order, Joe Jackson, The The, Gang of Four and Cars qualify).

[newtrix1]

Unless I missed them, I don't think any of these have been mentioned yet:

China Crisis - What Price Paradise
Berlin - (best of)
Tears For Fears - Tears Roll Down (best of)
Pete Townshend - White City
Yes - Drama

plus;

Men at Work - Business as Usual
Talking Heads - Speaking in Tongues

[nobody]

A few of my favorites from the era...

New Order: Power, Corruption and Lies
Echo and the Bunnymen; Ocean Rain
Jesus and the Mary Chain: Darklands
Yaz: Upstairs at Erics
Thompson Twins: Sidekicks
English Beat: I Just Can't Stop It
Love & Rockets: Express
The Cure: Seventeen Seconds (or just start with the Standing on the Beach compilation)
The Jam: Modern World
Talking Heads: Fear of Music
The Cars: Self-titled
The The: Soul Mining

I'll leave out the punk stuff from the era, since mostly then I listened to hardcore stuff that I don't think you're interested in. If you are interested in the melodic, poppy side of punk that has influenced a lot of modern bands, they came a little earlier, but you should absolutely go grab a copy of the Buzzcocks: Singles Going Steady.

Also, in a more straight-up rock vein, just since i listed to them last night and they were in the 80s, I'll mention thet the Smithereens: Especially for You was a fantastic album.

[Swish]

I have a website and shoot with (hot) Models every weekend.
anyway, the wild swans, were a band that sounded like a mixture of the smiths (no hot leads or as flamboyent as morrisey) but the angst in their lyrics and perhaps someone on the mellow side with great melodies and tunes like echo and the bunnymen or lightning seeds. It is a cd that grows on you and you will be loving nearly every song after multiple listens. i need so much stuff, I would love to do a cd-r trade with you for it, just say the word.

Hey dude, I would love to hear that. I'll PM you and we can work out the details without so many others spying on our conversation.

Swish

[Ex Lion Tamer]

The Jam: Modern World

Really? I love The Jam, and would recommend anything by them, but I would consider This is the Modern World as one of their weakest efforts..."All Mod Cons" is the one I'd call essential...Modern World, only after, and if you love AMC, In The City, Setting Sons and Sound Affects. Don't mean to be argumentative.

I'd second your Smithereens selection...Green Thoughts ain't half bad either.

I'd also throw in Wire Train's In A Chamber, certainly not essential, but a real good example of the kind of music FA is enjoying these days.

[nobody]

You're probably right. Really, I just like everything by The Jam, and it was the first one that popped into my head, so I went with it. Sound Effects is one I really like too, especially for the 1-2 punch of Start! and That's Entertainment. Bottom line as far as I am concerned...if it's by The Jam, just grab it.