"Let's Celebrate The 80's"

[Mithrandir]

Too many to list from R.E.M. in the 80s...though I don’t think of their stuff that decade as “80s music”

 

I think I understand what you are saying, and I get it, but I lived through the '80s as a high school/college type (graduated in '88) and R.E.M. was EXACTLY what we thought of as "'80s music" at the time, along with U2, Husker Du, The Clash, The Cure, The Smiths, New Order, Talking Heads, Van Halen, Def Leppard, Bruce Springsteen, etc. etc. What people generally refer to now as "'80s music", as a genre, was the krahp that the people who we thought had good taste didn't listen to, no matter how popular it might have been. We didn't at the time though think of the krahp as "'80s music," it was just aural blight, like much of what one hears today. Again, R.E.M. -- definitely not krahp -- was quintessential '80s music to us... it was not what you had heard in even the late '70s, which was a pretty forward-looking period. Thinking back to college, if I had to name two groups -- of all the fantastic groups of that time -- that seemed to capture the spirit of the mid-'80s for me and my friends, it would probably be R.E.M. and The Smiths, with all due respect to U2. Sometimes hard to believe that R.E.M. was at one time the biggest band on the planet, but from '87's Document through '91's Out of Time (or '92's Automatic for the People maybe, which is my favorite) they were. Even before that, from their first album through Life's Rich Pageant, they were the world's best college rock/indie band (are you an indie band if signed with I.R.S. records? I honestly don't know how that works.)

 

Speaking of Springsteen, Van Halen, R.E.M. and Def Leppard, I should add:

 

I'm on Fire by Bruce Springsteen

Panama by Van Halen

Let it Go by Def Leppard

Let's Go Crazy by Prince

Fall on Me by R.E.M.

REM is one of the greatest bands of all time.

[Lorraine]

Well, I am a child of the 60's so that is my favorite but 80's comes in second. So much cool stuff and MTV was fun to watch and see what all they came up with. I agree with so many other songs already posted but here are a few of my faves to add:

 

Human League Don't You Want Me, Fascination for starters

 

Howard Jones Things Can Only Get Better

 

Alive and Kicking Simple Minds

 

Eurythmics Would I Lie to You

 

Rock Me Amadeus Falco

 

Fixx One Thing Leads to Another

 

Mexican Radio Wall of Voodoo

 

Duran Duran Rio

 

The Police Syncronicity and just about anything else they did

 

Thompson Twins The Gap (album)

 

Murray Head One Night in Bangkok

 

Steppin Out Joe Jackson

 

Shock the Monkey Peter Gabriel

 

Pet Shop Boys What Have I Done to Deserve This

 

ABC How to be a Zillionaire (album) Poison Arrow

 

Owner of a Lonely Heart Yes

 

What's On Your Mind Information Society

 

Then of course Rush's 80's (but I didn't actually get into them until after that decade)

 

Grace Under Pressure is my fav album by them

Being born in '54, I'm a child of the sixties as well. It's a tough call, but I love the 80's music more because it's more - I'm trying to think of the right word - buoyant? Uplifting? Cheery? The sixties' music is heavy for the most part in keeping with the times during which it came out. At least I find it is to me.

 

In any event, I love your list, Rhyta!

Edited June 1, 2019 by Lorraine

[JohnnyBlaze]

Too many to list from R.E.M. in the 80s...though I don’t think of their stuff that decade as “80s music”

 

I think I understand what you are saying, and I get it, but I lived through the '80s as a high school/college type (graduated in '88) and R.E.M. was EXACTLY what we thought of as "'80s music" at the time, along with U2, Husker Du, The Clash, The Cure, The Smiths, New Order, Talking Heads, Van Halen, Def Leppard, Bruce Springsteen, etc. etc. What people generally refer to now as "'80s music", as a genre, was the krahp that the people who we thought had good taste didn't listen to, no matter how popular it might have been. We didn't at the time though think of the krahp as "'80s music," it was just aural blight, like much of what one hears today. Again, R.E.M. -- definitely not krahp -- was quintessential '80s music to us... it was not what you had heard in even the late '70s, which was a pretty forward-looking period. Thinking back to college, if I had to name two groups -- of all the fantastic groups of that time -- that seemed to capture the spirit of the mid-'80s for me and my friends, it would probably be R.E.M. and The Smiths, with all due respect to U2. Sometimes hard to believe that R.E.M. was at one time the biggest band on the planet, but from '87's Document through '91's Out of Time (or '92's Automatic for the People maybe, which is my favorite) they were. Even before that, from their first album through Life's Rich Pageant, they were the world's best college rock/indie band (are you an indie band if signed with I.R.S. records? I honestly don't know how that works.)

 

Speaking of Springsteen, Van Halen, R.E.M. and Def Leppard, I should add:

 

I'm on Fire by Bruce Springsteen

Panama by Van Halen

Let it Go by Def Leppard

Let's Go Crazy by Prince

Fall on Me by R.E.M.

REM is one of the greatest bands of all time.

 

I’d say so.

[Rick N. Backer]

[Lorraine]

Here's another Kim:

 

http://youtu.be/tuleYF5KF84

[ReRushed]

Some 1980s favs:

 

"Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)" - Kate Bush

"Save It for Later" - The English Beat

"Bizarre Love Triangle" - New Order

"Talk of the Town" - Pretenders

"Sign o' the Times" - Prince

"Debaser" - Pixies

"Don't Believe the Hype" - Public Enemy

"Once in a Lifetime" - Talking Heads

"Fall on Me" - R.E.M.

"Sunday Bloody Sunday" U2

[Chicken hawk]

http://youtu.be/MEO6gYCFbr0 Edited June 2, 2019 by Chicken hawk

[Rutlefan]

Too many to list from R.E.M. in the 80s...though I don’t think of their stuff that decade as “80s music”

 

I think I understand what you are saying, and I get it, but I lived through the '80s as a high school/college type (graduated in '88) and R.E.M. was EXACTLY what we thought of as "'80s music" at the time, along with U2, Husker Du, The Clash, The Cure, The Smiths, New Order, Talking Heads, Van Halen, Def Leppard, Bruce Springsteen, etc. etc. What people generally refer to now as "'80s music", as a genre, was the krahp that the people who we thought had good taste didn't listen to, no matter how popular it might have been. We didn't at the time though think of the krahp as "'80s music," it was just aural blight, like much of what one hears today. Again, R.E.M. -- definitely not krahp -- was quintessential '80s music to us... it was not what you had heard in even the late '70s, which was a pretty forward-looking period. Thinking back to college, if I had to name two groups -- of all the fantastic groups of that time -- that seemed to capture the spirit of the mid-'80s for me and my friends, it would probably be R.E.M. and The Smiths, with all due respect to U2. Sometimes hard to believe that R.E.M. was at one time the biggest band on the planet, but from '87's Document through '91's Out of Time (or '92's Automatic for the People maybe, which is my favorite) they were. Even before that, from their first album through Life's Rich Pageant, they were the world's best college rock/indie band (are you an indie band if signed with I.R.S. records? I honestly don't know how that works.)

 

Speaking of Springsteen, Van Halen, R.E.M. and Def Leppard, I should add:

 

I'm on Fire by Bruce Springsteen

Panama by Van Halen

Let it Go by Def Leppard

Let's Go Crazy by Prince

Fall on Me by R.E.M.

 

I graduated hs in ‘90 so I know what you mean. But think about smack dab in the middle of the 80s, 1985. Virtually nobody would’ve immediately said “Driver 8” is what they think of as 80s music. ((Imho, it just happened to be better than 95% of other music out at the time)). In 1985, people would’ve said something from U2, Michael Jackson, Van Halen, Duran Duran, Def Lepard, Men at Work, Prince, and the like.

 

Drive 8 was very popular on college radio (I'd guess you're aware). Funny thing is that though I loved R.E.M. I didn't really like Driver 8. Driver 8 needs a break, he should take a break, that Driver 8, they've been on on that shift too long, I get it. But last week I heard it on Sirius XM and really enjoyed it. I guess it really shines in comparison to most things played today.

[Rutlefan]

Too many to list from R.E.M. in the 80s...though I don’t think of their stuff that decade as “80s music”

 

I think I understand what you are saying, and I get it, but I lived through the '80s as a high school/college type (graduated in '88) and R.E.M. was EXACTLY what we thought of as "'80s music" at the time, along with U2, Husker Du, The Clash, The Cure, The Smiths, New Order, Talking Heads, Van Halen, Def Leppard, Bruce Springsteen, etc. etc. What people generally refer to now as "'80s music", as a genre, was the krahp that the people who we thought had good taste didn't listen to, no matter how popular it might have been. We didn't at the time though think of the krahp as "'80s music," it was just aural blight, like much of what one hears today. Again, R.E.M. -- definitely not krahp -- was quintessential '80s music to us... it was not what you had heard in even the late '70s, which was a pretty forward-looking period. Thinking back to college, if I had to name two groups -- of all the fantastic groups of that time -- that seemed to capture the spirit of the mid-'80s for me and my friends, it would probably be R.E.M. and The Smiths, with all due respect to U2. Sometimes hard to believe that R.E.M. was at one time the biggest band on the planet, but from '87's Document through '91's Out of Time (or '92's Automatic for the People maybe, which is my favorite) they were. Even before that, from their first album through Life's Rich Pageant, they were the world's best college rock/indie band (are you an indie band if signed with I.R.S. records? I honestly don't know how that works.)

 

Speaking of Springsteen, Van Halen, R.E.M. and Def Leppard, I should add:

 

I'm on Fire by Bruce Springsteen

Panama by Van Halen

Let it Go by Def Leppard

Let's Go Crazy by Prince

Fall on Me by R.E.M.

 

I graduated hs in ‘90 so I know what you mean. But think about smack dab in the middle of the 80s, 1985. Virtually nobody would’ve immediately said “Driver 8” is what they think of as 80s music. ((Imho, it just happened to be better than 95% of other music out at the time)). In 1985, people would’ve said something from U2, Michael Jackson, Van Halen, Duran Duran, Def Lepard, Men at Work, Prince, and the like.

For lack of a better description, R.E.M.'s music was more organic than most of their contemporaries. They avoided most of the 1980's production techniques. Country grunge.

 

I'd grant that through Life's Rich Pageant; from Document on they were a pretty polished act.

 

I think of that divide on each side of Dead Letter Office as two really distinct phases. I loved both but I think you and JB are on to something with the early phase; they were a kind of granola indie act, which wasn't a new genre but the way R.E.M. combined that with widespread appeal was fairly trailblazing. There were some good imitators that came along, the most notable by my recollection being The Reivers (originally Zeitgeist before another band claimed the name). Debut album Translate Slowly is really great. Point is though that there was a movement of music along the lines of R.E.M. -- a mid-'80s movement -- though R.E.M. is the signature act no doubt. My introduction to R.E.M. was at The Police's Synchronicity show at D.C.'s Capital Centre. R.E.M opened. I had no idea who they were at the time though a friend with me had seen Radio Free Europe on MTV. I remember a shirtless Michael Stipe striking me as one weird dude (which it turns out is mostly true, but in a good way) and the song Pilgrimage. Anyway, I liked them enough to immediately pick up Murmur. I recorded it on the flip side of Big Country's The Crossing, and that cassette got more play than any other that coming year (my senior year in HS) for sure. The P-Furs' Talk Talk Talk and Forever Now combo was a strong second. What a great decade for music.

[Rutlefan]

I overlooked The Pretenders, amazingly. I'll add Brass in Pocket, Talk of the Town, and Message of Love to my list(s). Also The Romantics' What I Like About You though it already got plenty of love. Too good not to own it too. And since I mentioned The Reivers, their song Translate Slowly.

 

p.s. The La's self-titled debut (and final album) came out in Oct of '90. If it had just been ten months earlier I would definitely include the perfect jangle rock tune "There She Goes." It should have been an '80s tune.

 

p.p.s. Just realized the P-Furs debut snuck in the decade so I'll add India and Sister Europe. Might as well add Imitation of Christ too. This was just three months after London Calling. I had no idea at the time how spoiled we music listeners were. Late '70s/early '80s was similar to '65 through '69 (I'll end it with Abbey Road); classics released every few months.

Edited June 3, 2019 by Rutlefan

[Lorraine]

The school down the road that had the 80's dance Friday night is blasting this song over their outdoor loudspeaker right now:

 

http://youtu.be/5c1m2BAg2Sc

 

:7up:

[GeddyRulz]

I'd grant that through Life's Rich Pageant; from Document on they were a pretty polished act.

 

I think of that divide on each side of Dead Letter Office as two really distinct phases. I loved both but I think you and JB are on to something with the early phase; they were a kind of granola indie act, which wasn't a new genre but the way R.E.M. combined that with widespread appeal was fairly trailblazing. There were some good imitators that came along, the most notable by my recollection being The Reivers (originally Zeitgeist before another band claimed the name). Debut album Translate Slowly is really great. Point is though that there was a movement of music along the lines of R.E.M. -- a mid-'80s movement -- though R.E.M. is the signature act no doubt. My introduction to R.E.M. was at The Police's Synchronicity show at D.C.'s Capital Centre. R.E.M opened. I had no idea who they were at the time though a friend with me had seen Radio Free Europe on MTV. I remember a shirtless Michael Stipe striking me as one weird dude (which it turns out is mostly true, but in a good way) and the song Pilgrimage. Anyway, I liked them enough to immediately pick up Murmur. I recorded it on the flip side of Big Country's The Crossing, and that cassette got more play than any other that coming year (my senior year in HS) for sure. The P-Furs' Talk Talk Talk and Forever Now combo was a strong second. What a great decade for music.

I love R.E.M. I went through a big R.E.M. phase, where they had essentially replaced Rush in importance in my heart. I like a lot of their stuff, but I eventually settled on Life's Rich Pageant as being my favorite album of theirs. Document, Green, Out of Time, and Automatic for the People are all excellent too, of course. EDITED TO SAY: and oh yes, I put the Psychedelic Furs "Talk Talk Talk," "Forever Now" (I love the title track!), and "Mirror Moves" in heavy rotation during my senior year of HS and immediately after! I saw the Furs in concert, and you'd be surprised what an amazing live act they were. - Edited June 3, 2019 by GeddyRulz

[Mithrandir]

The school down the road that had the 80's dance Friday night is blasting this song over their outdoor loudspeaker right now:

 

http://youtu.be/5c1m2BAg2Sc

 

:7up:

but it's from the 70's.

[Lorraine]

The school down the road that had the 80's dance Friday night is blasting this song over their outdoor loudspeaker right now:

 

http://youtu.be/5c1m2BAg2Sc

 

:7up:

but it's from the 70's.

I thought I remembered it from 1980 and didn't bother to check.

 

Thanks

 

 

 

:musicnote: ...Come on baby

you can do more than dance ... :musicnote: :7up:

Edited June 3, 2019 by Lorraine

[J2112YYZ]

The school down the road that had the 80's dance Friday night is blasting this song over their outdoor loudspeaker right now:

 

http://youtu.be/5c1m2BAg2Sc

 

:7up:

but it's from the 70's.

 

Stupid millennials.

[Rutlefan]

I'd grant that through Life's Rich Pageant; from Document on they were a pretty polished act.

 

I think of that divide on each side of Dead Letter Office as two really distinct phases. I loved both but I think you and JB are on to something with the early phase; they were a kind of granola indie act, which wasn't a new genre but the way R.E.M. combined that with widespread appeal was fairly trailblazing. There were some good imitators that came along, the most notable by my recollection being The Reivers (originally Zeitgeist before another band claimed the name). Debut album Translate Slowly is really great. Point is though that there was a movement of music along the lines of R.E.M. -- a mid-'80s movement -- though R.E.M. is the signature act no doubt. My introduction to R.E.M. was at The Police's Synchronicity show at D.C.'s Capital Centre. R.E.M opened. I had no idea who they were at the time though a friend with me had seen Radio Free Europe on MTV. I remember a shirtless Michael Stipe striking me as one weird dude (which it turns out is mostly true, but in a good way) and the song Pilgrimage. Anyway, I liked them enough to immediately pick up Murmur. I recorded it on the flip side of Big Country's The Crossing, and that cassette got more play than any other that coming year (my senior year in HS) for sure. The P-Furs' Talk Talk Talk and Forever Now combo was a strong second. What a great decade for music.

I love R.E.M. I went through a big R.E.M. phase, where they had essentially replaced Rush in importance in my heart. I like a lot of their stuff, but I eventually settled on Life's Rich Pageant as being my favorite album of theirs. Document, Green, Out of Time, and Automatic for the People are all excellent too, of course. EDITED TO SAY: and oh yes, I put the Psychedelic Furs "Talk Talk Talk," "Forever Now" (I love the title track!), and "Mirror Moves" in heavy rotation during my senior year of HS and immediately after! I saw the Furs in concert, and you'd be surprised what an amazing live act they were. -

 

I love most of their stuff as well but Life's Rich Pageant, Out of Time and Automatic for the People would be my favorites, esp. Automatic. I remember reading a rock critic comment that just when he'd had enough of the U.S. and was ready to move to New Zealand R.E.M. releases Out of Time and he's convinced to stay. They didn't quite hold that power over me but from Fables of the Reconstruction through Automatic for the People they were among my very favorite bands for sure.

[Rhyta]

Well, I am a child of the 60's so that is my favorite but 80's comes in second. So much cool stuff and MTV was fun to watch and see what all they came up with. I agree with so many other songs already posted but here are a few of my faves to add:

 

Human League Don't You Want Me, Fascination for starters

 

Howard Jones Things Can Only Get Better

 

Alive and Kicking Simple Minds

 

Eurythmics Would I Lie to You

 

Rock Me Amadeus Falco

 

Fixx One Thing Leads to Another

 

Mexican Radio Wall of Voodoo

 

Duran Duran Rio

 

The Police Syncronicity and just about anything else they did

 

Thompson Twins The Gap (album)

 

Murray Head One Night in Bangkok

 

Steppin Out Joe Jackson

 

Shock the Monkey Peter Gabriel

 

Pet Shop Boys What Have I Done to Deserve This

 

ABC How to be a Zillionaire (album) Poison Arrow

 

Owner of a Lonely Heart Yes

 

What's On Your Mind Information Society

 

Then of course Rush's 80's (but I didn't actually get into them until after that decade)

 

Grace Under Pressure is my fav album by them

Being born in '54, I'm a child of the sixties as well. It's a tough call, but I love the 80's music more because it's more - I'm trying to think of the right word - buoyant? Uplifting? Cheery? The sixties' music is heavy for the most part in keeping with the times during which it came out. At least I find it is to me.

 

In any event, I love your list, Rhyta!

 

Thanks...I know what you mean about the "heavy" tone in the 60's but I was a Beatles fan so that colors it all for me. I have been enjoying all the songs posted and listened to a lot of them since then :goodone: :D

Edited June 3, 2019 by Rhyta

[Mithrandir]

I'd grant that through Life's Rich Pageant; from Document on they were a pretty polished act.

 

I think of that divide on each side of Dead Letter Office as two really distinct phases. I loved both but I think you and JB are on to something with the early phase; they were a kind of granola indie act, which wasn't a new genre but the way R.E.M. combined that with widespread appeal was fairly trailblazing. There were some good imitators that came along, the most notable by my recollection being The Reivers (originally Zeitgeist before another band claimed the name). Debut album Translate Slowly is really great. Point is though that there was a movement of music along the lines of R.E.M. -- a mid-'80s movement -- though R.E.M. is the signature act no doubt. My introduction to R.E.M. was at The Police's Synchronicity show at D.C.'s Capital Centre. R.E.M opened. I had no idea who they were at the time though a friend with me had seen Radio Free Europe on MTV. I remember a shirtless Michael Stipe striking me as one weird dude (which it turns out is mostly true, but in a good way) and the song Pilgrimage. Anyway, I liked them enough to immediately pick up Murmur. I recorded it on the flip side of Big Country's The Crossing, and that cassette got more play than any other that coming year (my senior year in HS) for sure. The P-Furs' Talk Talk Talk and Forever Now combo was a strong second. What a great decade for music.

I love R.E.M. I went through a big R.E.M. phase, where they had essentially replaced Rush in importance in my heart. I like a lot of their stuff, but I eventually settled on Life's Rich Pageant as being my favorite album of theirs. Document, Green, Out of Time, and Automatic for the People are all excellent too, of course. EDITED TO SAY: and oh yes, I put the Psychedelic Furs "Talk Talk Talk," "Forever Now" (I love the title track!), and "Mirror Moves" in heavy rotation during my senior year of HS and immediately after! I saw the Furs in concert, and you'd be surprised what an amazing live act they were. -

 

I love most of their stuff as well but Life's Rich Pageant, Out of Time and Automatic for the People would be my favorites, esp. Automatic. I remember reading a rock critic comment that just when he'd had enough of the U.S. and was ready to move to New Zealand R.E.M. releases Out of Time and he's convinced to stay. They didn't quite hold that power over me but from Fables of the Reconstruction through Automatic for the People they were among my very favorite bands for sure.

Murmur and Reckoning are fantastic. Two of the best albums of the 80's

[Entre_Perpetuo]

I'd grant that through Life's Rich Pageant; from Document on they were a pretty polished act.

 

I think of that divide on each side of Dead Letter Office as two really distinct phases. I loved both but I think you and JB are on to something with the early phase; they were a kind of granola indie act, which wasn't a new genre but the way R.E.M. combined that with widespread appeal was fairly trailblazing. There were some good imitators that came along, the most notable by my recollection being The Reivers (originally Zeitgeist before another band claimed the name). Debut album Translate Slowly is really great. Point is though that there was a movement of music along the lines of R.E.M. -- a mid-'80s movement -- though R.E.M. is the signature act no doubt. My introduction to R.E.M. was at The Police's Synchronicity show at D.C.'s Capital Centre. R.E.M opened. I had no idea who they were at the time though a friend with me had seen Radio Free Europe on MTV. I remember a shirtless Michael Stipe striking me as one weird dude (which it turns out is mostly true, but in a good way) and the song Pilgrimage. Anyway, I liked them enough to immediately pick up Murmur. I recorded it on the flip side of Big Country's The Crossing, and that cassette got more play than any other that coming year (my senior year in HS) for sure. The P-Furs' Talk Talk Talk and Forever Now combo was a strong second. What a great decade for music.

I love R.E.M. I went through a big R.E.M. phase, where they had essentially replaced Rush in importance in my heart. I like a lot of their stuff, but I eventually settled on Life's Rich Pageant as being my favorite album of theirs. Document, Green, Out of Time, and Automatic for the People are all excellent too, of course. EDITED TO SAY: and oh yes, I put the Psychedelic Furs "Talk Talk Talk," "Forever Now" (I love the title track!), and "Mirror Moves" in heavy rotation during my senior year of HS and immediately after! I saw the Furs in concert, and you'd be surprised what an amazing live act they were. -

 

I love most of their stuff as well but Life's Rich Pageant, Out of Time and Automatic for the People would be my favorites, esp. Automatic. I remember reading a rock critic comment that just when he'd had enough of the U.S. and was ready to move to New Zealand R.E.M. releases Out of Time and he's convinced to stay. They didn't quite hold that power over me but from Fables of the Reconstruction through Automatic for the People they were among my very favorite bands for sure.

Murmur and Reckoning are fantastic. Two of the best albums of the 80's

 

And Life's Rich Pageant

[Rutlefan]

"Murmur and Reckoning are fantastic. Two of the best albums of the 80's"

 

Yup, I loved those. Still do.

[Rick N. Backer]

Moving away from "new wave" and "indie rock":

 

Welcome to the Jungle - Guns N Roses

 

Photograph - Def Leppard

 

Just Got Lucky - Dokken

 

Lay it Down - Ratt

 

You Can't Stop Rock and Roll - Twisted Sister

 

In and Out of Love - Bon Jovi

 

Slow and Easy - Whitesnake

 

Don't Tell Me You Love Me - Night Ranger

[goose]

... I love the 80's music more because it's more - I'm trying to think of the right word - buoyant? Uplifting? Cheery?

 

 

 

[Lorraine]

Speaking of Jon and friends, here's an 80's tune they did which is the only song they ever did that I ever liked. It's also one of my favorite MTV videos:

 

 

[Mithrandir]

I'd grant that through Life's Rich Pageant; from Document on they were a pretty polished act.

 

I think of that divide on each side of Dead Letter Office as two really distinct phases. I loved both but I think you and JB are on to something with the early phase; they were a kind of granola indie act, which wasn't a new genre but the way R.E.M. combined that with widespread appeal was fairly trailblazing. There were some good imitators that came along, the most notable by my recollection being The Reivers (originally Zeitgeist before another band claimed the name). Debut album Translate Slowly is really great. Point is though that there was a movement of music along the lines of R.E.M. -- a mid-'80s movement -- though R.E.M. is the signature act no doubt. My introduction to R.E.M. was at The Police's Synchronicity show at D.C.'s Capital Centre. R.E.M opened. I had no idea who they were at the time though a friend with me had seen Radio Free Europe on MTV. I remember a shirtless Michael Stipe striking me as one weird dude (which it turns out is mostly true, but in a good way) and the song Pilgrimage. Anyway, I liked them enough to immediately pick up Murmur. I recorded it on the flip side of Big Country's The Crossing, and that cassette got more play than any other that coming year (my senior year in HS) for sure. The P-Furs' Talk Talk Talk and Forever Now combo was a strong second. What a great decade for music.

I love R.E.M. I went through a big R.E.M. phase, where they had essentially replaced Rush in importance in my heart. I like a lot of their stuff, but I eventually settled on Life's Rich Pageant as being my favorite album of theirs. Document, Green, Out of Time, and Automatic for the People are all excellent too, of course. EDITED TO SAY: and oh yes, I put the Psychedelic Furs "Talk Talk Talk," "Forever Now" (I love the title track!), and "Mirror Moves" in heavy rotation during my senior year of HS and immediately after! I saw the Furs in concert, and you'd be surprised what an amazing live act they were. -

 

I love most of their stuff as well but Life's Rich Pageant, Out of Time and Automatic for the People would be my favorites, esp. Automatic. I remember reading a rock critic comment that just when he'd had enough of the U.S. and was ready to move to New Zealand R.E.M. releases Out of Time and he's convinced to stay. They didn't quite hold that power over me but from Fables of the Reconstruction through Automatic for the People they were among my very favorite bands for sure.

Murmur and Reckoning are fantastic. Two of the best albums of the 80's

 

And Life's Rich Pageant

I didn't include that album as he referenced Fables through Automatic and Pageant is among that group.

[Mithrandir]

Speaking of Jon and friends, here's an 80's tune they did which is the only song they ever did that I ever liked. It's also one of my favorite MTV videos:

 

 

http://youtu.be/SRvCvsRp5ho

Riding a steel horse. just stupid! :)