Official! Hippest Indie bands of the 80s, specifically 83-86

[Tim W]

What about the Triffids, Hunters & Collectors and I see no one has mentioned the Cure, I suppose many considered them to be Goth nowadays but in 80's RS was still learning to put on his eyeliner and what about Joe Jackson one of the most underrated songwriters going around. Listen to his Night & Day II from a couple of years back the lyrics are pure genius.

 

[loz]

I mentioned the Cure - in my top three

 

[BlueBeard]

What about the Triffids, Hunters & Collectors and I see no one has mentioned the Cure, I suppose many considered them to be Goth nowadays but in 80's RS was still learning to put on his eyeliner and what about Joe Jackson one of the most underrated songwriters going around. Listen to his Night & Day II from a couple of years back the lyrics are pure genius.

I loved Joe Jackson's first two albums, "I'm The Man" and "Look Sharp!", really great songs on those. Unfortunately for the purposes of this thread, they were released in 1979.

See! I told you lot that the 70's were best

 

[bjd]

BB i hear you have finally stopped the denial and come out as a fully fledged Smiths brother - i expect to see you at the Peilcan with some NHS specs and a hearing aid.

 

[Tim W]

I mentioned the Cure - in my top three

Sorry Loz missed that

 

[yorkleyblue]

Oh my god! How did I miss this enthralling thread? Oh, I know, I had the "Do Not Display threads that are TOTAL bo**ocks" option selected in my profile!

It must have been switched off when Loz and Mod were doing there nefarious fiddling around in the lower regions of the CSR, and suddenly, up pops this!

With some VERY RARE exceptions, (All already listed by Bluebeard in his excellent summation) combining the words "music" and "the eighties" is referrred to in educated circles as "an oxymoron"

By removing musical talent from the list of requirements for making hits singles and albums, the electronic, "I can make music on my Amstrad word-processor in my bedroom even though I have no ability whatsoever" movement are DIRECTLY responsible for James Blunt and the parlous state of music today.

True musical genius comes from the 60's and (even more) from the 70's

I know you will all instantly recognise the truth of this and stop all of this tosh right now. All I really have to say is

"Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep" - Quod Errat Demonstrandum

Kev

PS - No-one has mentioned

coolest indie bands to visit Norwich

in MIke's Original Post to start this nonsense! That SURELY must be put into the memorables section

 

[bjd]

That SURELY must be put into the memorables section

yep, but so should this...

true musical genius comes from the 60's and (even more) from the 70's

Yup, the decade of Pink Floyd and disco.

to be fair it was also the decade ofThe Clash and Bowie (well, Bowie when he was good at least)

 

[BlueBeard]

BB i hear you have finally stopped the denial and come out as a fully fledged Smiths brother - i expect to see you at the Peilcan with some NHS specs and a hearing aid.

Sorry I didn't get back to you earlier, I was out looking for daffodils.

So, Loz has grassed me up then? Well, I may as well come clean - last night I had some kind of mental breakdown as I listened to a copy of "The Queen Is Dead". Before I could stop myself I was on e-Bay bidding for three (three!!!!) Smiths CD's

.Realising that I was in serious trouble, I took myself off to bed in the hope that I'd be back to normal in the morning, and listening to decent music again........ ::WhyMe::

Upon awakening this morning I marvelled at the sheer horror of the nightmare I'd had, and thanked my lucky stars that was all it was. Once I'd got my PC warmed up (it needs EasyStart these cold mornings), imagine how I felt when I accessed my e-mails only to find that I was still the highest bidder for such items as "Meat Is Murder", "The Smiths" and "Hatful Of Hollow".

I went out for a walk to contemplate the obviously hideous future that awaits me, only to find upon my return that some total git had outbid me for "Meat Is Murder". Despite my relief that maybe there was a God after all, I found myself making another bid, and then ten minutes later I got confirmation that I'd won the sodding thing

And to make matters even worse (not possible, I hear you sob), the dastardly Loz sent me some Morrissey solo tracks to check out. I'm listening to them even as I type........and, yes, I actually like most of 'em. The end is clearly nigh.........if I don't post for a while, don't worry, I'll be quite happy sitting in a padded cell somewhere.........

 

[Mike O]

Contrary to some people's opinion, this is surely the greatest thread EVER to appear on the CSR2, particularly since Scott has found the only reference on the net to the glory that was Gorgeous.

As a reward, I therefore present you all with the definitive top ten indie(-ish) albums of the classic 1983-86 era. The selection methodology is a complicated process involving OCP (Oliver Cool Points) ratings index-linked to warm memories of girls and guitars, and adjusted according to some of the very good feedback from you lot.

Here goes...

10. Rum, Sodomy and The Lash - The Pogues (1985)

9. Happy Head - The Mighty Lemon Drops (1986)

8. Soul Mining - The The (1983)

7. Psychocandy - The Jesus and Mary Chain (1986)

6. High Land, Hard Rain - Aztec Camera (1983)

5. Don't Stand Me Down - Dexys Midnight Runners (1985)

4. Life's Rich Pageant - REM (1986)

3. The Queen is Dead - The Smiths (1986)

2. Stop Making Sense - Talking Heads (1984)

1. King of America - The Costello Show (1986)

Let battle commence...

BTW Bluebeard, this is but one era of many that I am passionate about. Rest assured that Back in Black is never far away from my CD player although it is the only album I possess that the missus refuses to have on when she's in the house....

 

[loz]

Yup, the decade of Pink Floyd and disco.

Steady.....

 

[bjd]

Numbers 10 and 3 are in my top greats albums of all time Mike.

Funnily enough i bought a Pogues cd yesterday - their debut 'Red Roses For Me' remastered for ?5. Obviously its brilliant. Ive now got everything they have done apart from 'Waitng For Herb' which is meant to be awful anyway.

TQID simply needs no introduction.

 

[Elliott]

Loz,

Slightly off topic, but can you comment on 'The View'?

Got their album today - bunch of lads from Dundee.

I've only heard good things?

 

[yorkleyblue]

Yup, the decade of Pink Floyd and disco.

Steady.....

I eventually got around to watching the video of Dark Side of the Moon that I taped weeks ago. Cracking! That's all that needs to be said. The most iconoclastic album ever made.

The Lunatics are in my head.........................

Kev

 

[loz]

OK Mike I will rise to the challenge!

The definitive definitive top ten albums of the classic 1983-86 era are (not I have dropped the indie-ish tag as that can mean just about anything! ? and I am not including compilation albums):

1. The Smiths ? The Queen is Dead (1986). From the very first time you placed the needle on the vinyl (still the finest way to listen to an album) and you heard the opening 5 seconds of ?The Queen is Dead? you wither knew you were in for something very very special or you are deaf.

2. The Smiths ? The Smiths (1984). Yes I have them at one and two. This was the album that temporarily turned 80s music around and made people realise that most of what had been offered to date in the 80s had been simply horrific. (I have deliberately not included ?Meat is Murder? in my top 10 as I thought putting three Smiths albums in would have been taking the p*ss and also because I do like a nice bit of chicken pakora!) For me this is a great album throughout but side 2 especially can hold its head up high from now until the end of time. And to tackle an issue like the Moors Murders on your first album took balls like water melons. And on top of that it is a beautiful song.

3. The Pogues ? Rum, Sodomy & The Lash ? I am surprised you have it as low as 10 ? this album is the Pogues finest hour both in terms of the music but especially in terms of McGowan?s lyrics.

4. Talking Heads ? Stop Making Sense (1984) ? Can?t argue with you on this one. I was never keen on the Al Green cover but I know a lot of people thought it was better than the original ? that amazed me! However apart from that this was a stunning piece of work

5. The Cure ? The Head on the Door (1985) ? The return of Porl Thompson and Simon Gallup resulted in the finest of all the Cure albums and probably marks the point in their career when their music changed to sounding like what most people would now recognise as the Cure?s 80s sound

6. REM ? Life?s Rich Pageant (1986) ? Again I can?t argue on this one. REM?s finest album. IU have never heard the original version of ?Superman? by ?The Cliques? ? have you Mike?

7. The Waterboys ? This is the Sea (1985) - This heralded in the Steve Wickham era with the Waterboys (a fiddle player extraordinaire) and pretty much changed the Waterboys forever. For me this is their finest album however I can understand why a lot of people would choose Fisherman?s Blues.

8. David Bowie ? Lets Dance (1983) ? The great man returns to greatness and also throws a little Stevie Ray Vaughan into the pot as well. I still see this as the album that save Bowie?s career, if it had flopped I?m not convinced he would have ever produced anything decent again.

9. Prince ? Purple Rain (1984) ? One out of leftfield I know ? I am not much of a Prince fan, in fact I am not a Prince fan at all but I acknowledge this was a very fine album and for me easily the high point of his career.

10. Iron Maiden ? Somewhere in Time(1986) ? Another unexpected choice as I am no fan of heavy metal - however maybe not that much of a leap from the norm as this is probably the least heavy metal of Iron maiden?s albums. The 8 minute ?Alexander the Great? is a great song even if they did take a little bit of poetic license with the history.

So there you have it Mike!

 

[loz]

Loz, Slightly off topic, but can you comment on 'The View'?

Got their album today - bunch of lads from Dundee.

I've only heard good things?

Sorry Elliott I can't - never heard them

 

[Tim W]

1. The Smiths ? The Queen is Dead (1986)2. The Smiths ? The Smiths (1984).

3. The Pogues ? Rum, Sodomy & The Lash

4. Talking Heads ? Stop Making Sense (1984)

5. The Cure ? The Head on the Door (1985)

6. REM ? Life?s Rich Pageant (1986)

7. The Waterboys ? This is the Sea (1985)

8. David Bowie ? Lets Dance (1983)

9. Prince ? Purple Rain (1984)

10. Iron Maiden ? Somewhere in Time(1986)!

Did you have personality issues during this period Loz or just a broad taste in music?

Must admit 4, 5, and 7 are excellent

 

[loz]

Did you have personality issues during this period Loz

You talking to me?

Or to me?

Whichever of us it is we are both offended!

I'm not

Yes you are

Ok maybe you're right, maybe just a little

Right, now don't argue with me again

 

[Mike O]

2.The Smiths ? The Smiths (1984).

Two by the same artist? Breaks all the rules, pal. I give you that it includes 'Hand in Glove' and 'Reel Around the Fountain' but you're just being greedy

5.The Cure ? The Head on the Door (1985)

I'm much more of a "Seventeen seconds" man myself. Everything after was pants, IMHO.

8. David Bowie ? Lets Dance (1983)

What? This was the album that effectively ended his artistic credibility. Coming after the amazing Scary Monsters, it was very lightweight and throwaway (not in a good way like Young Americans). Possibly his most dated album ever, too.

9. Prince ? Purple Rain (1984)

The artist of the 80's, in my view, but everything he did pales besides 'Sign of The Times', this included.

10.Iron Maiden ? Somewhere in Time(1986)

Own goal! Own goal! I can't comment because I've never heard it and for that I am very proud indeed.

 

[loz]

Sign of the Times should have been a single album - if that had been the case (i.e. cut out the weaker tracks) then I would probably agree it was better than Purple Rain.

I didn't mind the fact that Let's Dance was something of a pop album - some called it a dance album which was ludicrous, sometimes, admittedly not that often, pop can be good and I think this is one of those examples.

I am far from saying it is anywhere near Bowie's best work - heaven forbid, just saying that it squeezes into a top 10 based purely on those three years.

I thought the Iron Maiden entry would raise an eyebrow or two. It is pretty hard to think of Iron Maiden without picturing silly men with head bands and West Ham sweat bands (shocking I know) but I do have to acknowlegde that Steve Harris was a very talented musician and song writer (even though most of what he created was not to my taste) and the appointment of Dickinson to replace the previous lead singer (name I can't remember I'm sure Bluebeard will know) was a masterstroke becasue he actually brought a pretty sizable brain to the lyric writing department and he was also operatically trained sowas one of few heavy metal lead singers who could actually hold his own against the onslaught of noise from the band. However I reiterate I am no fan of Iron Maiden - I just thought this album was a class above most heavy metal albums (and again it is only in there because I am restricted to a 3 year window)

 

[loz]

p.s. I may bow down to you on the Seventeen Seconds call - I could be easily persuaded that this was their best album however I wouldn't agree that they were pants after that.

I didn't think they turned poor until the Mixed Up album.

Even Wish had a couple of decent tracks (Edge of the Deep Green Sea and the one albout an alcoholic - name slips me) but it was pretty average. Didn't stop me going to the tour though - a good night out at the quality venue that is the Glasgow Barrowlands.