If there's one maxim we believe, it's that musicians and other people in the biz-- like record-company bigwigs, deejays and retailers--are really frustrated critic.
MICHAEL CORNELIUS BASSIST
Housequake, Jodie Foster's Army, Junior Chemists, Zuwal
(in alphabetical order)
BAD BRAINS I Against I (SST, 1986).
BAUHAUS Mask (Beggars Banquet, 1981).
BEASTIE BOYS Paul's Boutique (Capitol, 1989).
BLACK FLAG Jealous Again (SST, 1980).
DESCENDENTS Milo Goes to College (New Alliance, 1982).
DIE KREUZEN Century Days (Touch and Go, 1988).
MINOR THREAT Out of Step (Dischord, 1983).
PUBLIC ENEMY It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (Def Jam/Columbia, 1988).
SACCHARINE TRUST Paganicons (SST, 1981).
TROUBLE FUNK Drop the Bomb (Sugar Hill, 1982).
I am a survivor of the punk explosion of 1980, but my funk roots have never been cut. Each of my selections were cutting- edge advancements in their respective musical forms. They're albums I can listen to at any time and love every cut.
BOB CORRITORE HARPIST
Bob and the Blues Keepers, Buddy Reed and the Rip-It-Ups Featuring Bob Corritore, Grant and the Geezers
1. ANSON FUNDERBURGH AND THE ROCKETS FEATURING SAM MYERS Sins (Black Top, 1987).
2. HENRY GRAY Lucky Man (Blind Pig, 1988).
3. BOWLING GREEN JOHN CEPHAS AND HARMONICA PHIL WIGGINS Dog Days of August (Flying Fish, 1986).
4. SAM MYERS AND ANSON FUNDERBURGH My Love Is Here to Stay (Black Top, 1985).
5. JOHN HAMMOND Nobody But You (Flying Fish, 1987).
6. JAMES "SON" THOMAS Highway 61 Blues (Southern Culture, 1983).
7. VARIOUS ARTISTS Tenth Anniversary Anthology Volume 1: Live at Antone's (Antone's, 1986).
8. JAMES HARMAN BAND Extra Napkins (Rivera, 1988).
9. JOHNNY "BIG MOOSE" WALKER Going Home Tomorrow (Isabel, 1980).
10. HENRY TOWNSEND Mule (Nighthawk, 1980).
The Eighties brought two trends in blues at the same time. Robert Cray created a new, extra-slick, hybrid blues sound contemporary enough to rate MTV time, and the Fabulous Thunderbirds spearheaded a roots revival. (Ironically, they would later buck a trend they helped to start.)
The traditional roots side of blues most appeals to me. A number of veterans found success in teaming up with these new traditionalists. The best example is the combination of Sam Myers and Anson Funderburgh. Four years after their initial pairing, they stole the show at the 1988 W.C. Handy Awards with their tight, no-nonsense band and their beautifully traditional LP, Sins. With the younger keepers of the flame making strong musical statements alongside their elders, it seems as if the future of the blues will be in good hands.
LINDA CUSHMA SINGER
Brides of Science, Girilla School, Laughing Gravy, Major Lingo, Meme and the Egotisticals, Street Music
1. ORIGINAL BROADWAY CAST Les Miserables (Geffen, 1986).
2. MIDNIGHT OIL Diesel and Dust (Columbia, 1986).
3. PATTI SMITH Dream of Life (Arista, 1988).
4. ELLA FITZGERALD The Rodgers and Hart Songbook Volume 1; The Rodgers and Hart Songbook Volume II (Verve/Polygram, 1985).
5. ISRAEL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA (CONDUCTED BY LEONARD BERNSTEIN) Peter Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture (Polydor, 1985).
6. POET'S CORNER Life, Love and Laughter (Placebo, 1988).
7. GALEN HEROD Where the Heck Is Mr. Fun? (or Up and Down the Donut With Frank) (Pegna, 1989).
8. THE STRAND The Strand (Local tape, 1987).
9. PRINCE AND THE REVOLUTION Purple Rain (Warner Bros., 1984).
10. ORIGINAL LONDON CAST Aspects of Love, The Original London Cast (Really Useful/Polygram, 1989).
Did Eighties music reflect political avarice, self-serving actions and lack of foresight and social responsibility? Were Live Aid and subsequent projects ingenious commercial coups or genuine stabs at determining the direction of our collective values? Was Eighties music intellectually honest, irresponsibly escapist or stolidly capitalistic?
The independent labels did a great job in bringing music with integrity to small numbers of people, but what about all the scary stuff some of the big guys are bringing to the masses?
JOHN DIXON DEEJAYKEYX-FM, K-15-AM, KSTM-FM, KUKQ-AM 1. JAMES BROWN CD of J.B. (Polydor, 1985).
2. RICHARD AND LINDA THOMPSON Shoot Out the Lights (Hannibal, 1982).
3. LYLE LOVETT Lyle Lovett (Curb/MCA, 1986).
4. WAS (NOT WAS) What Up, Dog? (Chrysalis, 1988).
5. SAM COOKE Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963 (RCA, 1985).
6. BILLY CLONE AND THE SAME X and Y (Moon Dog, 1979).
7. KATE BUSH The Whole Story (EMI America, 1986).
8. THE NEVILLE BROTHERS Treacherous: A History of the Neville Brothers, 1955-1985 (Rhino, 1988).
9. GREGORY ISAACS Night Nurse (Mango/Island, 1982).
10. DOUG SAHM Juke Box Music (Antone's, 1989).
Okay, so X and Y came out in '79. I got my copy in 1980. It's still the best rock ever from Phoenix. . . . How can I stop with these ten when there are so many more deserving artists out there? One of the problems in the Eighties was radio--fewer songs were played more times. Dive into the record bins before these gems are lost in the digital age of the Nineties.
DAMON DOIRON BASSIST
Algebra Ranch, the Jetzons, the Strand
1. ROY ORBISON Mystery Girl (Virgin, 1989).
2. ROXY MUSIC Avalon (Warner Bros., 1982).
3. TALKING HEADS Remain in Light (Sire, 1980).
4. THE TRAVELING WILBURYS The Traveling Wilburys Volume I (Wilbury/Warner Bros., 1988).
5. R.E.M. Murmur (I.R.S., 1983).
6. TODD RUNDGREN A Capella (Warner Bros./Rhino, 1985).
7. THE CLASH London Calling (Epic, 1979).
8. WALL OF VOODOO Call of the West (I.R.S., 1982).
9. GEORGE HARRISON Cloud Nine (Dark Horse/Warner Bros., 1987).
10. PLIMSOULS Everywhere at Once (Geffen, 1983).
I liked Roy Orbison more than I did Elvis Presley. Mystery Girl is a masterpiece. (Just squeezed in London Calling--technically not an Eighties release, but close enough.)
RONNIE GLOVER SINGER, GUITARIST, HARPIST
Cowbillys, Two Week Notice Band
1. JOE ELY Musta Notta Gotta Lotta (MCA, 1981).
2. PAUL SIMON Graceland (Warner Bros., 1986).
3. GEORGE WINSTON December (Windham Hill, 1982).
4. ELVIS COSTELLO Almost Blue (Columbia, 1981).
5. THE EVERLY BROTHERS The Everly Brothers Reunion Concert (Polydor, 1986).
6. MANHEIM STEAMROLLER A Fresh Aire Christmas (American Gramaphone, 1988).
7. LYLE LOVETT Lyle Lovett (Curb/MCA, 1986).
8. BILLY OSKAY AND MICHEAL O DOMHNAILL Nightnoise (Windham Hill, 1984).
9. STEVE EARLE Guitar Town (MCA, 1986).
10. BRIAN SETZER Live Nude Guitars (EMI Manhattan, 1988).
Eighties music had more than its share of trite, shallow, commercial garbage. Aside from the tons of trash tunes, however, music addressed global concerns of human rights, environment and world peace with a fervor unheard of since the late Sixties. The real "smoke test" for Eighties music will lie in the future applications of its ideas.
Add 6 points of air
here. Thanks, cj
GALEN HEROD AND GREG HORN GUITARISTS, KEYBOARDISTS, SINGERS
Dumb But Happy, Los Contempos, Special Eds, Tone Set
1. PETER GABRIEL Security (Geffen, 1982).
2. THE REPLACEMENTS Tim (Sire, 1985).
3. TALKING HEADS Remain in Light (Sire, 1980).
4. MEAT PUPPETS Meat Puppets II (SST, 1983).
5. THE FEELIES Crazy Rhythms (Stiff, 1980).
6. R.E.M. Murmur (I.R.S., 1983).
7. DINOSAUR JR. You're Living All Over Me (SST, 1987).
8. JAPAN Tin Drum (Virgin, 1981).
9. LET'S ACTIVE Big Plans for Everybody (I.R.S., 1986).
10. ROXY MUSIC Avalon (Warner Bros., 1982).
Herod says: Ten years that seemed like only nine. Music began relying more on high technology--it no longer sounded like something four or five guys could play on their front porch. I think music should kick some butt, but not sound impossible. Thankfully, as the Eighties close, certain artists (Neil Young, Lou Reed, the Stones) have discovered this and are getting back to what they do well.
Horn says: Music changed from an art into a business. The things once held sacred became defamed (the very concept of revolution being used to sell shoes!), so we had to find new things to believe in. Music has become so powerful--both to unite and destroy--and at the same time so incredibly commonplace. I used to buy a lot of records; now I make my own music instead.
DOUG HOPKINS GUITARIST
Algebra Ranch, Gin Blossoms
1. THE REPLACEMENTS Let It Be (Twin/Tone, 1984).
2. POGUES Rum Sodomy and the Lash (Stiff/MCA, 1985).
3. THE SMITHEREENS Especially for You (Enigma, 1986).
4. U2 Boy (Island, 1980).
5. BANGLES Different Light (CBS, 1986).
6. BODEANS Love & Hope & Sex & Dreams (Slash, 1986).
7. R.E.M. Murmur (I.R.S., 1983).
8. 10,000 MANIACS In My Tribe (Elektra, 1987).
9. INDIGO GIRLS Indigo Girls (Epic, 1989).
10. PLIMSOULS Everywhere at Once (Geffen, 1983).
(No comment.)
DEBI MAYBERRY AND KURT MAYBERRY OWNERS
Sun Club
(in alphabetical order)
THE CLASH Combat Rock (Epic, 1982).
ENGLISH BEAT I Just Can't Stop It (Sire, 1980).
fIREHOSE if'n (SST, 1987).
MEAT PUPPETS Monsters (SST, 1989).
ROY ORBISON Mystery Girl (Virgin, 1989).
THE SMITHEREENS Especially for You (Enigma, 1986).
STEEL PULSE Earth Crisis (Elektra, 1983).
TALKING HEADS Speaking in Tongues (Sire, 1983).
UB40 Labour of Love (A&M, 1983).
X Live at the Whisky A Go-Go on the Fabulous Sunset Strip (Elektra, 1988).
The Eighties presented new attitudes, and artists reached much further in combining various styles, therefore opening the music industry's ears.
HARRY McCALEB
GUITARIST
Algebra Ranch, Mortal Engines, Undertow
1. THE SEX PISTOLS Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols (Warner Bros., 1977).
2. PUBLIC IMAGE LTD. Second Edition (Island/Warner Bros., 1979).
3. VAN HALEN Van Halen (Warner Bros., 1978).
4. SUN CITY GIRLS Sun City Girls (Placebo, 1984); Grotto of Miracles (Placebo, 1986); Horse Cock Phepner (Placebo, 1987).
5. X Los Angeles (Slash, 1980).
6. ELVIS COSTELLO Imperial Bedroom (Columbia, 1982).
7. METALLICA Ride the Lighting (Megaforce, 1984).
8. BAD BRAINS I Against I (SST, 1986).
9. WIRE Everything from Pink Flag (Harvest, 1977) to It's Beginning to and Back Again (Mute/Enigma, 1989).
10. BANGLES All Over the Place (CBS, 1984).
I'm not much of a fan of all this rehash-type music that's going on. Some of it's good, but for the most part, I don't want to enter the Nineties by regurgitating the Seventies or the Sixties or whatever. Hopefully, a few good bands will come along. If not, then I'll just pull out my Sonic Youth albums (they would've been No. 11) and listen to them for the next ten years.
MARY McCANN
DEEJAYKSTM-FM, KUPD-FM, KUKQ-AM 1. XTC Skylarking (Geffen, 1986).
2. JOHN HIATT Bring the Family (A&M, 1987).
3. POGUES Rum Sodomy and the Lash (Stiff/MCA, 1985).
4. GUNS N' ROSES Appetite for Destruction (Geffen, 1987).
5. JANE'S ADDICTION Nothing's Shocking (Warner Bros., 1988).
6. THE CLASH Sandinista! (Epic, 1980).
7. METALLICA Kill 'em All (Megaforce, 1983).
8. THE REPLACEMENTS Pleased to Meet Me (Sire, 1987).
9. ROBYN HITCHCOCK AND THE EGYPTIANS Globe of Frogs (A&M, 1988).
10. VAN MORRISON & THE CHIEFTAINS Irish Heartbeat (Polygram/Mercury, 1988).
These are albums that partied with me when I was high, held my hand when I was low, defended my honor when it was questioned and stirred the soup when I couldn't make it to the kitchen. Actually, they're more than favorites. They're part of my gene pattern.
HANS OLSON BLUES SINGER, HARPIST, GUITARIST
1. MUDDY WATERS King Bee (Blue Sky, 1980).
2. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN Nebraska (Columbia, 1982).
3. TRACY CHAPMAN Tracy Chapman (Elektra, 1988).
4. THE FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS What's the Word? (Chrysalis, 1980).
5. STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN AND DOUBLE TROUBLE Texas Flood (Epic, 1983).
6. VAN MORRISON Beautiful Vision (Warner Bros., 1982).
7. JOHNNY WINTER Guitar Slinger (Sonet, 1984).
8. TONE SET Cal's Ranch (Pegna, 1981).
9. LYLE LOVETT Lyle Lovett (MCA, 1986).
10. MICHELLE SHOCKED Short Sharp Shocked (Mercury/Polygram, 1988).
The Eighties disappointed me. Punk and new-wave promised new and exciting music. Instead, I saw a lot of trendy "death-hip" fashion, Fifties haircuts, leather jackets and a definite lack of serious music. Young musicians seemed determined to create a sort of mainstream/underground that never quite made sense. It was an anti-hip, anti-music, anti-everything sort of time.
But semi-underground music like blues and folk regenerated interest in the late Eighties, and a great combination of cool country, white blues and American folk protest music seemed to signal a new direction.
MARGO REED SINGER
Margo Reed and Buddy Weed
(in alphabetical order)
RAY CHARLES AND BETTY CARTER Ray Charles and Betty Carter (Dunhill, 1988).
NAT KING COLE If I Give My Heart to You (Capitol, 1984).
DONNY HATHAWAY In Performance (Atlantic, 1980).
BILLIE HOLIDAY The Quintessential Billie Holiday Vol. I (Columbia, 1987).
NADINE JANSEN A Little Taste (Jantone, 1988).
FRANCINE REED AND FEVER Back in the Living (Dreaming Body, 1988).
SOUNDTRACK When Harry Met Sally (Columbia, 1989).
BARBRA STREISAND The Broadway Album (Columbia, 1985).
KoKo TAYLOR Queen of the Blues (Alligator, 1985).
TUCK AND PATTI Tears of Joy (Windham Hill, 1988).
I guess I'm just a little partial to our hometown people. When I listen to them on tape, I feel I can also see them perform the music--something like having live videos.
BRAD SINGER OWNER
Zia Record Exchange
1. THE CLASH Sandinista! (Epic, 1980).
2. KING SUNNY ADE AND HIS AFRICAN BEATS Synchro System (Mango, 1983).
3. X Los Angeles (Slash, 1980).
4. NEW ORDER Power, Corruption and Lies (Factory, 1983).
5. R.E.M. Document (I.R.S., 1987).
6. U2 War (Island, 1983).
7. PAUL SIMON Graceland (Warner Bros., 1986).
8. HUSKER DU Zen Arcade (SST, 1984).
9. MIDNIGHT OIL Diesel and Dust (Columbia, 1987).
10. THE SMITHS Hatful of Hollow (Rough Trade, 1984).
The Eighties were confused and generally seemed to be recycling the fads of yesteryear with a new twist. Punk was the garage sound of the mid-Sixties, new-wave echoed Sixties pop, rockabilly the Fifties, psychedelia, metal and hard-rock the mid-Seventies, and now disco seems to be rearing its ugly head again.
RUSSELL SKAGGS BASSIST, GUITARIST, SINGER
Normal Brothers, Two Week Notice Band
1. JOHN HIATT Bring the Family (A&M, 1987).
2. ALBERT LEE Albert Lee (Polygram, 1982).
3. ROBERT GORDON Are You Gonna Be the One? (RCA, 1981).
4. RODNEY CROWELL But What Will the Neighbors Think? (Warner Bros., 1980).
5. NEW GRASS REVIVAL Hold to a Dream (Capitol, 1987).
6. JOHNNY CASH Classic Cash/Hall of Fame Series (Mercury/Polygram, 1988).
7. RY COODER Get Rhythm (Warner Bros., 1987).
8. JOHN PRINE German Afternoons (Oh Boy, 1988).
9. NANCI GRIFFITH Last of the True Believers (Philo/Rounder, 1986).
10. GUY CLARK Better Days (Warner Bros., 1983).
I hope that such nonmainstream artists as Delbert McClinton, David Lindley, and Joe Ely will be allowed to continue--it's a shame when good music is recorded but not heard.
Maybe radio will respond with fresher formats in the Nineties. Maybe record companies won't just be concerned with what sells. Maybe beer companies will stop sponsoring tours for dinosaur rock bands. But don't hold your breath.
SCOTTY SPENNER SINGER, GUITARIST
Stilettos
1. JOHN HIATT Bring the Family (A&M, 1987).
2. JAMES HARMAN BAND Extra Napkins (Rivera, 1988).
3. RONNIE EARL AND THE BROADCASTERS They Call Me Mr. Earl (Black Top, 1985).
4. ANSON FUNDERBURGH AND THE ROCKETS FEATURING SAM MYERS Sins (Black Top, 1987).
5. JOHN HAMMOND Live (Rounder, 1983).
6. RON LEVY'S WILD KINGDOM Ron Levy's Wild Kingdom Featuring Ronnie Earl, Kim Wilson, Wayne Bennett, Jimmie Vaughn (Black Top, 1986).
7. THE BLASTERS Hard Line (Slash/Warner Bros., 1985).
8. ROBERT CRAY BAND False Accusations (Hightone, 1985).
9. THE FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS Butt Rockin' (Chrysalis, 1981).
10. PROFESSOR LONGHAIR Crawfish Fiesta (Alligator, 1980).
Although I thought that some of the Eighties' best records include ones by Miles Davis, King Sunny Ade and His African Beats, Metallica, and Prince, I thought it best to stick to my field--blues.
While many older recordings were being remastered in attempts to bring them up to modern audio standards, many blues artists of the Eighties took a low-tech approach to equipment and recording to try to capture the live, raw sound of old recordings.
Eighties dislikes: corporate-rock guitar gymnastics as an art form (e.g., guitar-wanking, two-handed tapping); men in mascara, spandex, et cetera; mediocre harmonicas from hell; drum machines instead of drums; triggered anything; new-age; Seventies monsters who would not die; disco; country rock.
BILL TARSHA HARPIST
Midnite Blues Band, Rocket 88s
1. SMOKEY WILSON 88 St. Blues (Murray Bros., 1983).
2. WALTER HORTON Mouth Harp Maestro (Ace, 1989).
3. RON LEVY Ron Levy (Black Top, 1985).
4. SAM MYERS AND ANSON FUNDERBURGH My Love Is Here to Stay (Black Top, 1985).
5. THE FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS What's the Word (Chrysalis, 1980).
6. HOLLYWOOD FATS BAND Hollywood Fats Band (PBR International, 1981).
7. STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN AND DOUBLE TROUBLE Texas Flood (Epic, 1983).
8. JOHN NICHOLAS Too Many Bad Habits (Blind Pig, 1980).
9. RONNIE EARL AND THE BROADCASTERS They Call Me Mr. Earl (Black Top, 1985).
10. HOWLIN WOLF Cadillac Daddy (Rounder, 1989).
The Eighties started with many promising new groups, recording techniques, and the new age of video and MTV. But they rapidly deteriorated with boring commercialism and metal-band, rap-group, Madonna, and Janet Jackson clones. There seems to be no more room for individuality or taking risks with a different sound.
TONY VICTOR PRESIDENT
Placebo Records
1. JOHN LENNON AND YOKO ONO Double Fantasy (Geffen, 1980).
2. PAUL SIMON Graceland (Warner Bros., 1986).
3. BOB DYLAN Infidels (Columbia, 1983).
4. DEAD KENNEDYS Plastic Surgery Disasters (Alternative Tentacles, 1982).
5. TOM WAITS Rain Dogs (Island, 1985).
6. WORLD PARTY Private Revolution (Chrysalis, 1986).
7. KING SUNNY ADE AND HIS AFRICAN BEATS Ajoo (Makossa, 1985).
8. INDIGO GIRLS Indigo Girls (Epic, 1989).
9. THE JUDDS Rockin' With the Rhythm (RCA, 1985).
10. JELLO BIAFRA No More Cocoons (Alternative Tentacles, 1987).
How will the Eighties be remembered? As the age of MTV? Or as the period of heavy-metal's mental-midget movement? Certainly as the time Michael Jackson proved that a black male could be turned into a white female. Yes, the decade of "We Are the World," the Parents' Music Resource Center, the transformation of "Born to Run" into "Born in the U.S.A.," fighting for your right to party, material girls, the Rolling Stones and fucking Budweiser teaming up to "rock" America, and the assassination of John Lennon.
Sure, there were some bright spots in Eighties music, but not bright enough to shine through the thick layer of total shit that the industry has spewed out. Will the Nineties be any better? Don't count on it; after all, we've got a record-buying audience that's made Madonna and Axl Rose their heroes.
GRANT WOLF CONDUCTOR
Valley Big Band
1. WORLD SAXOPHONE QUARTET Revue (Blacksaint, 1983).
2. DAVID MURRAY OCTET Ming (Blacksaint, 1980).
3. THE ART ENSEMBLE OF CHICAGO The Third Decade (ECM, 1985).
4. CLARE FISCHER AND GARY FOSTER Star Bright (Discovery, 1982).
5. PHIL WOODS LITTLE BIG BAND Evolution (Concord Jazz, 1988).
6. RICHARD BEIRACH Elegy for Bill Evans (Palo Alto, 1982).
7. PAT METHENY GROUP First Circle (ECM, 1984).
8. DON SEBESKY Full Cycle (GNPS, 1984).
9. JACK DeJOHNETTE'S SPECIAL EDITION Irresistible Forces (MCA/Impulse, 1987).
10. MILES DAVIS Amandla (Warner Bros., 1989).
These albums represent to me the highest level of edutainment. And I feel they are not just transitional, but eternal in my ears.
