thettctransitfanatic
Senior Member
The only thing that has changed with music between 2000 and 2019 is it has gotten worse
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I miss the 1980’s
- Thread starter TransitBart
- Start date
The only thing that has changed with music between 2000 and 2019 is it has gotten worse
Admiral Beez
Superstar
Agreed. The super skinny 1990s OTOH weren’t to my taste. First time I saw Kate Moss I thought, get that girl a sandwich.
lenaitch
Senior Member
It's called getting older. Get used to it - it gets worse.
20000LeaguesUnderTheDon
New Member
The 80s was mostly filled with cheesy, overwrought music, but U2 was king of that decade. Too bad they are so unlistenable, today. This song is a masterpiece and might be their magnum opus; a hidden gem on arguably their greatest album: 1983's, War. There's a nice reference to Isaiah 40:31, near the end.
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Towered
Superstar
U2 is unbearable.
20000LeaguesUnderTheDon
New Member
Most of their stuff since Achtung Baby (1991), yes. Prior to that, they were incredible. War, The Unforgettable Fire, The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby are some of the most classic albums ever made.
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doady
Senior Member
U2 was little different from other 80s post-punk/alternative rock bands. It's strange that people single them out either as "unbearable" or the "king of the decade". For example, their War era material, including the song above, is very similar to what The Cure was already doing the previous year and in prior years. One of U2's earliest singles in 1980, "I Will Follow", is very reminiscent of "Public Image" from 1978. If you hate or give credit to U2 then you must hate or give credit to The Cure and PiL and all those other bands as well.
20000LeaguesUnderTheDon
New Member
I do like The Cure as well, but I think U2 wrote more profound material. I’m not really big on Boy and October. I think War was their first ‘real’ album. They still sounded like kids on their first two. War was when they really developed and matured as songwriters.
Another classic from the same album:
doady
Senior Member
These are literally the only vinyls I have in my collection (I only collect CDs). I didn't have a record player at the time, but when saw them for only $3 and $4 at a garage sale or flea market or something in Quebec a few years ago, I couldn't resist.
War is a good album, it has my favourite U2 song ("New Year's Day"), but overall I think U2 never really found their own sound until The Joshua Tree. But their best album of all is Achtung Baby which is a 90s album. So for 80s, I would say The Cure was better, while U2 was better during the 90s. Overall, the two bands are about equal, but maybe U2's influences are a bit too obvious in their early work. They weren't trailblazing band until the late 80s or early 90s.
If I were to rank the best 80s post-punk/alternative rock bands it would be something like this:
25 The Feelies
24 Big Black
23 Mission of Burma
22 Galaxie 500
21 Minutemen
20 The Soft Boys
19 Cocteau Twins
18 Echo and the Bunnymen
17 Bauhaus
16 Sonic Youth
15 Swans
14 The Chameleons
13 The Sound
12 Wipers
11 R.E.M.
10 The Stone Roses
09 The Jesus and Mary Chain
08 The Go-Betweens
07 The Cure
06 The Fall
05 The Replacements
04 Felt
03 Pixies
02 The Smiths
01 Joy Division/New Order
Just looking at 80s output, U2 was very close, but still a notch below these bands, imo.
20000LeaguesUnderTheDon
New Member
Nice records.
These are literally the only vinyls I have in my collection (I only collect CDs). I didn't have a record player at the time, but when saw them for only $3 and $4 at a garage sale or flea market or something in Quebec a few years ago, I couldn't resist.
War is a good album, it has my favourite U2 song ("New Year's Day"), but overall I think U2 never really found their own sound until The Joshua Tree. But their best album of all is Achtung Baby which is a 90s album. So for 80s, I would say The Cure was better, while U2 was better during the 90s. Overall, the two bands are about equal, but maybe U2's influences are a bit too obvious in their early work. They weren't trailblazing band until the late 80s or early 90s.
If I were to rank the best 80s post-punk/alternative rock bands it would be something like this:
25 The Feelies
24 Big Black
23 Mission of Burma
22 Galaxie 500
21 Minutemen
20 The Soft Boys
19 Cocteau Twins
18 Echo and the Bunnymen
17 Bauhaus
16 Sonic Youth
15 Swans
14 The Chameleons
13 The Sound
12 Wipers
11 R.E.M.
10 The Stone Roses
09 The Jesus and Mary Chain
08 The Go-Betweens
07 The Cure
06 The Fall
05 The Replacements
04 Felt
03 Pixies
02 The Smiths
01 Joy Division/New Order
Just looking at 80s output, U2 was very close, but still a notch below these bands, imo.
I don't listen to punk/post punk. I really can't stand any of that sort of music. I find it as unpalatable and nihilistic as most rap. I prefer music with more supple lines, beauty/poetry and romance.
The Smiths have some great songs, but Morrissey's lyrics -- though very literate and witty, at times -- are so myopically miserable; heaven knows. Since he was/is so obsessed with Oscar Wilde, I wonder what he thinks of his deathbed conversion, considering the former's disdain for the Church. As for Johnny Marr: he is an an excellent guitarist, though, who used really beautiful, organic guitar chords; a great melody writer.
The Replacements were the biggest influence on Johnny Rzeznik of the Goo Goo Dolls; who were a great band, at one time (early 90s), before they sold out for commercial success. I've never listened to much of the former's material, though.
The Cocteau Twins have some beautiful songs, but I've never listened to them extensively. Cherry Coloured Funk is beautiful (though Liz Fraser's voice is unintelligble a lot of the time), but that is from 1990.
The Stone Roses released a decent album in 1989, then disappeared and never really amounted to anything.
I do like some of R.E.M.'s music, though, I wouldn't consider myself a big fan. Michael Stipe is one of the more unorthodox songwriters out there.
I only have a cursory knowledge of the other bands you've listed and some of them I have never heard; though I am aware of them. Overall, I am not terribly keen on much 80s music. Depeche Mode is another great band that emerged in that decade, but I prefer their 90s music. I don't collect vinyl either, but here is -- I think -- all of what I have. Most of this was purchased by my parents, years ago. I swear that I don't listen to Barry Manilow.
What a weird assortment of music.
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W. K. Lis
Superstar
1980... Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back came out. Bring your dad to watch it.
Admiral Beez
Superstar
Ah, that record collection triggered my purging instinct. I just want to collect all those records off the floor, post them on Kijiji and send them packing. I get a real thrill for some reason when stuff leaves my home. Probably because my family can't stand a vacuum, so any horizontal surface is quickly filled with crap, meanwhile I'm calling out that chairs are not for storage and kitchen counters are for activities not for storage.
Sorry to go off topic, but I find mementos and nostalgic items of no utility anathemic. I especially dislike it when family members use me as a conduit to ditch their old crap. I can just imagine my parents coming by and saying here, take my old LPs from the 1980s, and I'd be saying if you don't want them, take them to the dump.
Sorry to go off topic, but I find mementos and nostalgic items of no utility anathemic. I especially dislike it when family members use me as a conduit to ditch their old crap. I can just imagine my parents coming by and saying here, take my old LPs from the 1980s, and I'd be saying if you don't want them, take them to the dump.
lenaitch
Senior Member
Yup. Moving is a great time to consider what's worth keeping, but it seems that, although we have moved roughly every 10 years, I was still dragging stuff along. I finally got serious a few years ago; vinyl went to a store for free, the 1970s Pioneer/Dual component system went to a good home via Kijiji and some stuff just got tossed. I am a fan of the ReStore and Value Village. We went through the purge with the homes of both my father and father-in-law. I have little desire to put my kid through that.
Admiral Beez
Superstar
I absolutely love Value Village on Queen St. I’d go there every weekend to drop off crap if I could.
Now, I have a perfectly good twin mattress. Hardly used, safely stored. I want it gone, but Furniturebank doesn’t pick up for free, and it won’t fit in my car.
lenaitch
Senior Member
Same here (+box spring). ReStore won't take it but did suggest trying local women's shelters or similar. Failing that I'll try the free-to-a-good-home route or the County will take it (but they charge and it's a shame 'cause it's in good shape). At least I have a truck and the space to hold it until the weather improves.