80s guitar pop. Mr Mister , Cyndi Lauper etc

Boromedic · August 2023

Philly_Q said:

Boromedic said:

The much maligned 80s has a load of great tracks, I'm never sure why it gets shit on so much. A great time to grow up and what a soundtrack too.

My Dad always moans about it, but these were real guys playing instruments to high levels, with great songwriting and production to boot. It was all still physically played/made too, unlike now where there's a whole lot more trickery involved. Now I'm not saying there wasn't any studio touch ups and tape manipulation but the basic stuff was guys in a room to tape. Some pure gold in these posts here.

How old's your dad? My dad would've thought Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen were long-haired hippy weirdos.

He's 70 this year, grew up through Beatle mania and is a massive fan of them (as am I), and then late 60s and 70s rock/blues etc.. So the hippy era was his era, he has an irrational dislike of the Synth!! Despite the Beatles being one of the first to utilise them

Boromedic · August 2023

Creed_Clicks said:

Boromedic said:

The much maligned 80s has a load of great tracks, I'm never sure why it gets shit on so much. A great time to grow up and what a soundtrack too.

To me, the 80s was the height of the “music industry”. Too much money. Too many drugs. Too many egos being stroked. But yeah, great songs!

There is that too!! Perhaps that's the missing ingredient

stickyfiddle · August 2023

@Gizmo Waiting on a Star is such a phenomenal song. Absolutely among the all time greats imo. Likewise I've Had the Time of my Life - it's famous for being in Dirty Dancing but man it's a hell of a tune.

Looks like that same guy has a good version of it too

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4b5FAOdUg4o

Philly_Q · August 2023

Boromedic said:

Philly_Q said:

Boromedic said:

The much maligned 80s has a load of great tracks, I'm never sure why it gets shit on so much. A great time to grow up and what a soundtrack too.

My Dad always moans about it, but these were real guys playing instruments to high levels, with great songwriting and production to boot. It was all still physically played/made too, unlike now where there's a whole lot more trickery involved. Now I'm not saying there wasn't any studio touch ups and tape manipulation but the basic stuff was guys in a room to tape. Some pure gold in these posts here.

How old's your dad? My dad would've thought Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen were long-haired hippy weirdos.

He's 70 this year, grew up through Beatle mania and is a massive fan of them (as am I), and then late 60s and 70s rock/blues etc.. So the hippy era was his era, he has an irrational dislike of the Synth!! Despite the Beatles being one of the first to utilise them

My dad would've just turned 89 if he was still alive, so I guess almost a generation older. He had no interest at all in popular music, although he was only a few years older than, say, Paul McCartney. His record collection, such as it was, was 90% classical with a couple of random things like James Last and his Orchestra... and a Nana Mouskouri album. I think he fancied her. Must've been the glasses.

vasselmeyer · August 2023

I love a bit of 80s pop guitar. A snappy clean single coil with loads of compression, a bit of chorus and early digital delay. It really helps the guitar to pop amongst all of those heavy synths.

rsvmark · August 2023

Rich Watson’s take on Steve Farris and a couple of 80s things. Rich is a friend and my teacher and loves his 80s so recommend his yt channel

https://youtu.be/6DIMNqc3Xus

https://youtu.be/dTR1neQmWuk

digitalkettle · August 2023

rsvmark said:

Rich Watson’s take on Steve Farris and a couple of 80s things. Rich is a friend and my teacher and loves his 80s so recommend his yt channel...

Rich really nails the tones too!

grappagreen · August 2023

vasselmeyer said:

Alan Murphy was a FABULOUS guitarist. Such a loss at an early age.

Still breaks my heart.. what a talent

GavRichList · August 2023

Guitar work from A Flock Of Seagulls on Spaceage Love Song and I Ran in particular, is absolutely great.

Offset · August 2023

GavRichList said:

Guitar work from A Flock Of Seagulls on Spaceage Love Song and I Ran in particular, is absolutely great.

I saw them at the UEA back in the '80s. They were bloody great.

GavRichList · August 2023

Offset said:

GavRichList said:

Guitar work from A Flock Of Seagulls on Spaceage Love Song and I Ran in particular, is absolutely great.

I saw them at the UEA back in the '80s. They were bloody great.

a recent discovery for me. Had always just passed on them assuming them to be some kind of novelty act. What a difference a bad haircut can make to your entire legacy.

Kilgore · August 2023

Switch625 said:

I love the guitars behind 80s pop songs. They're so subtle yet noticeable at the same time.

A couple of songs that spring to mind are I Keep Forgettin' by Michael McDonald and Physical by Olivia Newton John. I believe both were played on by Steve Lukather. Subtle but noticeable.

Lukather also played on John Parr's St Elmos Fire, one of my favourite poptastic 80's tracks.

digitalkettle · August 2023

Kilgore said:

Switch625 said:

I love the guitars behind 80s pop songs. They're so subtle yet noticeable at the same time.

A couple of songs that spring to mind are I Keep Forgettin' by Michael McDonald and Physical by Olivia Newton John. I believe both were played on by Steve Lukather. Subtle but noticeable.

Lukather also played on John Parr's St Elmos Fire, one of my favourite poptastic 80's tracks.

How did that happen? He's from fkn Worksop?!!

Cranky · August 2023

The guitars are always best when they serve the song. That’s actually my least favorite part of 80s music, so much widdlydiddly. But good tunes in this thread.

The bestest most goldenest time of music was whenever we were young, whatever was the soundtrack to your coming of age. Even as I try to stay young and keep up with new music, even my most favorite new stuff doesn’t resonate like hearing a song that takes me back, even if I don’t particularly like that song anymore. I’m a 90s kid. 80s music usually reminds me of “bad people” and feeling trapped, but I learn to appreciate it and how it must have been a fun time for some people.

Boromedic · August 2023

Philly_Q said:

Boromedic said:

Philly_Q said:

Boromedic said:

The much maligned 80s has a load of great tracks, I'm never sure why it gets shit on so much. A great time to grow up and what a soundtrack too.

My Dad always moans about it, but these were real guys playing instruments to high levels, with great songwriting and production to boot. It was all still physically played/made too, unlike now where there's a whole lot more trickery involved. Now I'm not saying there wasn't any studio touch ups and tape manipulation but the basic stuff was guys in a room to tape. Some pure gold in these posts here.

How old's your dad? My dad would've thought Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen were long-haired hippy weirdos.

He's 70 this year, grew up through Beatle mania and is a massive fan of them (as am I), and then late 60s and 70s rock/blues etc.. So the hippy era was his era, he has an irrational dislike of the Synth!! Despite the Beatles being one of the first to utilise them

My dad would've just turned 89 if he was still alive, so I guess almost a generation older. He had no interest at all in popular music, although he was only a few years older than, say, Paul McCartney. His record collection, such as it was, was 90% classical with a couple of random things like James Last and his Orchestra... and a Nana Mouskouri album. I think he fancied her. Must've been the glasses.

Yeah he's said his parents didn't like any of them sixties stuff really so that fits, big shift for them though I guess!

Offset · August 2023

GavRichList said:

Offset said:

GavRichList said:

Guitar work from A Flock Of Seagulls on Spaceage Love Song and I Ran in particular, is absolutely great.

I saw them at the UEA back in the '80s. They were bloody great.

a recent discovery for me. Had always just passed on them assuming them to be some kind of novelty act. What a difference a bad haircut can make to your entire legacy.

It never did me any harm.

stratman3142 · August 2023

digitalkettle said:

DrCornelius said:

Sorry if I'm teaching you to suck eggs but do some 'Alan Murphy' you-tube research. I reckon he was the best in this genre - a fantastic player

Was Alan only a 'this side of the pond' player? (Kate Bush, Level 42, Go West, etc.)

I only recall him playing 'this side of the pond' and I was a mega fan. I have a very vague recollection of an interview somewhere, where he referred to a session in Japan (I might be wrong) and also, in an interview, saying that he saw Larry Carlton live (which I assume would have been in the US).

Alan Murphy was a guitar god to me. I followed SFX (the fusion band he was in) armed with a cassette tape recorder.

Once, I plucked up the courage to talk to him after an SFX gig. My mind went blank and all I could think of to say was "what plectrums do you use". He said "these" and he gave me a black Jim Dunlop Jazz III pick. And that was the end of that conversation

stratman3142 · August 2023

Just remembered that I did talk to Alan Murphy again, after my first botched attempt. After one SFX gig, he took the time to patiently show me how he played the riff to the SFX track Six Eight.

Philly_Q · August 2023

Offset said:

GavRichList said:

Guitar work from A Flock Of Seagulls on Spaceage Love Song and I Ran in particular, is absolutely great.

I saw them at the UEA back in the '80s. They were bloody great.

My brother went to UEA, but probably not until 1989 or 1990. I think he saw Terrorvision and the Chili Peppers (separately).

rsvmark · August 2023

digitalkettle said:

Kilgore said:
Lukather also played on John Parr's St Elmos Fire, one of my favourite poptastic 80's tracks.

How did that happen? He's from fkn Worksop?!!

Bloody hell. You learn something everyday. I mean Luke has such a convincing LA accent! ;-)

hollywoodrox · August 2023

FelineGuitars said:

Cyndi’s guitar playing was Eric Bazilion from the Hooters and Steve Farris played on Mister Mr

You probably know this , but Steve Farris guitar was the sister to Steve Vai’s Green meanie

hollywoodrox · August 2023

CaseOfAce said:

If you are at all triggered by
Floyd Rose charvels
rack gear
keyboard stands
frightening mullets
scary musicianship
electronic drums
rolled-up sleeve jackets and looking like you've just stepped out of a John Hughes movie
balloons
DO NOT watch this video.

Everybody else enjoy - it doesn't get more 80s than this.
There's some use of backing tracks in there... but mostly this is a band at the height of their powers.
New York / The Ritz / 1985

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtTKSKDIXtg

Love it absolutely essential 80s

stratman3142 · August 2023

The Fixx were a great band. Jamie West-Oram was another hero of mine. An MXR Dyna Comp and a chorus became pretty common on guitarists' pedal boards in that era.

Majorscale · August 2023

Playing in a couple of function bands I've had to learn quite a few 80s tracks, both rock and pop. I didn't appreciate a lot of it at the time, but I now realise just how high the average level of musicianship was back then, especially if you compare it to the average level of musicianship displayed in pop records post 2000... As art, I like pop music from then and now, but definitely enjoy playing the 80's stuff more as there's a lot more to do!

bloodandtears · August 2023

hollywoodrox said:

FelineGuitars said:

Cyndi’s guitar playing was Eric Bazilion from the Hooters and Steve Farris played on Mister Mr

You probably know this , but Steve Farris guitar was the sister to Steve Vai’s Green meanie

so basically a Charvel?? pics??

I thought he had Dan Huff's VA guitar..

EricTheWeary · August 2023

I had a real fondness for Alfie Zappacosta, Canadian singer songwriter who was nearly The Next Biggest Thing at points in the eighties. Not particularly guitary music but I think the singing, playing and writing help it still stand up (admittedly he recorded a few clunkers but let’s overlook those). Anyway, lovely clean rhythm on this:

https://youtu.be/X3kZMVuPM48

PhilKing · August 2023

CaseOfAce said:

If you are at all triggered by
Floyd Rose charvels
rack gear
keyboard stands
frightening mullets
scary musicianship
electronic drums
rolled-up sleeve jackets and looking like you've just stepped out of a John Hughes movie
balloons
DO NOT watch this video.

Everybody else enjoy - it doesn't get more 80s than this.
There's some use of backing tracks in there... but mostly this is a band at the height of their powers.
New York / The Ritz / 1985

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtTKSKDIXtg

I'm pretty certain I was at this gig. I spent a lot of time at the Ritz in the mid to late 80's, as one of my friend's wife was the talent booking rep for St Pauli Girl beer, so we were at their table upstairs (along with some of the buxom St Pauli girls!). I saw some fantastic bands there.

Vintage65 · August 2023

Jonathangus said:

We had Songs From the Big Chair by Tears For Fears as a listening party (what happened to them?) a while back. Some fine guitar playing sitting within a predominantly synth-pop album.

Some nice bits in here.

Nitefly · August 2023

No mention yet for Hall and Oates?

Some absolute gems, e.g. Kiss On My List, I Can't Go For That, Man Eater...

Vintage65 · August 2023

Here's another one that blended guitar and synth with some funky bass

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80s guitar pop. Mr Mister , Cyndi Lauper etc

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