1989 was a really good year for 80's music. It was the last wave of this kind of hard rock that really made an impression. Though the sound is not entirely the same, the attitude and the music of Skid Row always reminded me of Guns N' Roses. "Youth Gone Wild," was a big song for me.
Best Song Of The Day:
Lita Ford & Ozzy Osbourne - "Close My Eyes Forever"
Lita Ford was the ultimate hair metal chick. Not only was she hot, and talk about fighting, but she married Chris Holmes from WASP. Please enjoy the song, the video, and the legendary video of Chris Holmes from Decline Of Western Civilization Part II.
Back In The Day 80's Memory:
Breakdancing. I mean, breakdancing was THE craze for a minute in the 80's. And when I say a minute, it was pretty much a whole year. The movies, Breakin and Beat Street. Alphonso Ribiero had his own instructional video. It was a sad time, but we all had a part in it.
All I could think, every time I saw this video, is "why is Corey Glover dressed like he's about to go surfing?"
**Update: Since the brilliant minds over at Sony/BMG don't want anyone embedding the Living Colour video, please enjoy someone playing it on Guitar Hero**
Best Song Of The Day:
Asia - "Heat Of The Moment"
Ok, so maybe just the first 20 seconds are the best song of the day, but what a great first 20 seconds it is.
Back In The Day Memory:
Ok, since I'm letting the listeners do this on the show from now on, I'll post the Back In The Day Memory from the day BEFORE.
So yesterday's was Denim Jackets With Back Patches
Glory, and kind of making a come back. I had TONS of them. And since I didn't know how to do it, I spent a fortune getting the local dry cleaners to put them on for me. I eventually took the natural jump to airbrushed jackets. The two gems of my collection being one that had the cover of LA Guns' Cocked And Loaded, and Iron Maiden's Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son.
Poison has the distinction of being the first "hair band" I ever liked. "Open Up And SayAhhh..." is the first of those albums I ever owned. It was the album that made me want to learn how to play guitar, much like Karate Kid made me want to learn karate.
Best Song Of The Day:
Guns N' Roses - "Paradise City"
A lot of songs on Appetite For Destruction have been played SO MUCH on the radio and (back then, MTV), that you forget how great they are. I recently read Slash's autobiography, and it re-ignited my enthusiasm for GNR.
Back In The Day Memory:
I got nothing today. I stayed up for the Eagles game. I'm tired as hell. Your turn. What do you remember from the 80's?
Along with being the first band playing at the first show I ever went to without adult supervision (April 1st, 1989 at the Spectrum), Britny Fox was also the first band I was ever a member of a fan club for. On one day, I joined the Britny Fox Fan Club, and the Skid Row Chain Gang. Both had membership cards, and I carried both in my wallet. By the way, Britney Spears totally stole Britny Fox's idea for this video.
Best Song Of The Day:
Lita Ford & Ozzy Osbourne - "Close My Eyes Forever"
At the time, Sharon Osbourne not only managed Ozzy, but managed Lita Ford as well. I'm guessing that's how this happened. Maybe the best duet of the 80's. I was in love with Lita Ford. We were all in love with Lita Ford.
Back In The Day Memory:
The Lost Boys
The movie from 1987 starring Keifer Sutherland and both Corey Haim and Corey Feldman. Of course you remember, the movie about teenage vampires. It sounds awful, but I remember it being one of the coolest, darkest movies I had ever seen. WARNING: This movie does not stand the test of time, if you watch it now, it's as ridiculous as it sounds.
The first Motley Crue album that I really LOVED was Feelgood. I had Theatre Of Pain and Girls, Girls, Girls, but I just wasn't a huge fan. I remember seeing the video for "Dr. Feelgood" about a million times, and still having NO idea what the hell Vince Neil was saying. If you go to see the Crue live, you'll realize that Vince Neil also has NO IDEA what he's saying.
Best Song Of The Day:
The Cult - "Fire Woman"
From Sonic Temple, my favorite Cult record. Before Ian Astbury became a creepy Jim Morrison impersonator.
Back In The Day Memory:
Oldschool Nickelodeon. Not the garbage that's on there now. When my little sister turns it on, it's either a bunch of jokes that seem like they're too weird even for me to get, or some preteen comedy/drama that takes place in a high school. Horrible. Back in the day, Double Dare, You Can't Do That On Television, Turkey Television, that was where it's at.
This one reminds me of a Summer, I'm going to guess was around 7th grade. I just remember this video being #1 on Dial MTV for an entire summer. They had to retire it. And the minute they retired it, the video for "Armageddon It," came out, and was essentially the same exact video. Equally awesome. I spent years trying to find the Def Leppard shirt that Joe Elliot wears in the "Sugar" video. Finally I can find it on Ebay, always way too expensive.
Best Song Of The Day:
Metallica - "Battery"
Best. Band. Ever.
Back In The Day Memory Of The Day:
Circus, Hit Parader and Rip magazines. If grown ups read the paper and Newsweek to stay informed about the important things in life, I read those magazines. Every single issue, exactly the same, but a must-read none the less.
I even bought a Rip t-shirt when I saw Axl Rose wearing one of them.
I started as an intern here at WYSP. Then I drove the van and hung WYSP banners. Finally, when I got hired as a DJ, the first guy I got to interview was Jack Russell of Great White. Poison was doing the first of their reunion tours with Ratt and Great White in Camden. Jack Russell was as cool a dude as I could have hoped for. I used to be fat back then. I have a picture of the interview somewhere. I'll post it when I can find it. Until then, enjoy the tune...
Best Song Of The Day:
Guns N' Roses - "My Michelle"
Because you hear the songs on the radio so often, it's easy to take for granted how incredible an album Appetite For Destruction is. I know you know that it's awesome, but when was the last time you listened to it front to back? Not when a song comes up on your iPod, but listening to the album begining to end? You should. I remember MTV used to show this video of GNR playing at the Ritz in NY over and over again. A great show. Here's "My Michelle" from that show:
Back In The Day 80's Memory:
Good sitcoms.
I've never seen Frazer. I've never seen Everybody Loves Raymond. Well, that's a lie. I've seen 2 minutes of both of them. They were both B-S and not funny and not as good as the sitcoms that existed in the 80's. Screw that. I miss The Cosby Show. I miss Cheers. I MISS SILVER SPOONS:
Cinderella - "Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)
It's actually not a Cinderella memory that it evokes, but a Motley Crue memory. Well, it's kind of a Cinderella memory. Anyway, I was at the Spectrum for the Motley Crue tour for Dr. Feelgood. I THINK that Faster Pussycat opened, but I'm not sure. In any case, I was sitting in the Press Box because that's where my dad got me tickets. I went with my friend John Shepherd. In the Press Box, watching the show was who I thought was Jeff Labar from Cinderella. I said "you're Jeff Labar from Cinderella." He said "no I'm not." I said, "Yes you are man, I know who you are." He said "no, really I'm not." I said, "then who are you?" He said, "I'm Fred Coury." And at that point, I was the a-hole. Right band, wrong guy.
Best Song Of The Day:
Motorhead - "Ace Of Spades"
Although I don't entirely agree, I feel like someone would set the station on fire, if I don't pick this as the best song of the day.
Back In The Day Memory Of The Day:
April 1st, 1989.
The Spectrum.
Ratt/Britny Fox/ Kix
This was the first show that my parents let me go to without them. I was at two shows (as far as I can remember) before this one, but both accompanied by someone. They were the Springsteen Born In The USA tour at the Vet, and the Jackson 5 Victory Tour at JFK Stadium. It was for Ratt's "Reach For The Sky" record, which although not the most popular, is in my opinion, the best of their albums. It included the SMASH HIT "Way Cool Jr."
I remember getting into Alice Cooper when I was 12 years old. I remember I was 12 because I was telling everyone on my Aston Middletown Little League team about getting the album "Raise Your Fist And Yell." I think that was the last album with Kip Winger on bass.
In any case, because of when I got into Alice Cooper, Trash was an album I looked forward to a lot. "Poison" ended up being Cooper's biggest hit. I wasn't in love with the album, it was a touch overproduced, but Poison was a great tune.
Best Song Of The Day:
Bon Jovi - "Wanted Dead Or Alive" (honorable mention to "Run To The Hills.")
Greatest rock song ever written. Hands down.
Back In The Day Memory Of The Day:
The 80's back in the day memory today is Jams. Jams were those long shorts that were horribly ugly. Every single pair of them had some ridiculous print on them. Every decade has their fashion faux pas (bell bottoms in the 70's, Zubaz in the 90's) but the 80's seemed to have the most.
I liked Winger, I really did. Truthfully, even going back to that debut record, it's a good record for the time. It's not really too much different than anything else that came out at the time. Yet, for some reason, Winger became the poster child (afterwards) for a lot that was "wrong" with the genre. Perhaps it was the bare chest in the video, perhaps it was the ballet. I don't remember those things. I remember watching it on MTV and thinking "this was cool."
In hindsight, maybe that was the wrong thing to do. Can you believe it actually looked like this:
Best Song Of The Day:
Joan Jett - "I Hate Myself For Loving You"
I've been on a Joan Jett kick of late. I got to interview her on election day, so it reminded me to go back and listen. Fact: Joan Jett and I were both born at the same hospital (Lankenau). Also, she's 50 years old and still hot.
Enjoy the video:
Back In The Day Memory Of The Day:
The Kids Table
Thanksgiving Day reminded me of family gatherings. And at every family gathering, since I've been old enough to sit at a table and feed myself, I've been part of the kids table. I don't know how I escape it. I've been told the only way is to host one of these gatherings at my own house, and then I graduate. Screw that. I'll sit at the table with the folding chairs and the 5 year olds. I'm not allowing those people in my house.
This was from 1988's "Blow My Fuse." I think it's special to me because it was the first show I ever saw without my parents. The Spectrum, 1988 (or 1989). It was Ratt, Britny Fox and Kix. Also I believe Ratt's best album, Reach For The Sky. I wish I still had that t-shirt.
Take a moment, and enjoy the awful keyboard intro and ridiculous video:
Best Song Of The Show:
Skid Row - "Youth Gone Wild"
HANDS DOWN. Let me tell you something. This may sounds ridiculous, but seeing this video changed my life. I'm not sure how to quantify the changes, only that to this day, at 32 years old. I still consider getting that tattoo Sebastian Bach has of the sneakers on fire on his arm.
In addtion, I feel like Skid Row's first two records (the second being Slave To The Grind) hold up better than any albums of this era. INCLUDING Metallica.
See the tattoo for yourself:
The 8 From The 80's Back In The Day Memory:
The 94 WYSP Commercial
I've worked here for 12 years, and I've never seen a WYSP commercial on TV.
Wait. That's a lie. For about a year we had a weird commercial with a bunch of bands listed, and Melissa (remember Melissa?) dancing in between the songs playing. It was on late at night on Sundays. I think I remember seeing it half-asleep one night.
IN ANY CASE...
Before I worked here, apparently we had REAL commercials. Including this one, featuring Sammy Hagar and his horrible hair, and my hero, George Thorogood.
