I was reading today that New Kids On The Block (NKOTB) are set to announce something on their website. Whether that means a new album, a tour it remains to be seen.

NKOTB rose to fame in the 80s with such hits as Hangin Tough, Step by Step to but name a few.

Hard to believe it, but the members of the group are now in the late 30s!

To jog the memory, here’s one of their best songs ….

Here’s one of the stories I read (check out the current photo).

In today’s ecclectic fashion world, there are many elements that first came to light in the eighties.
Ballet shoes are all the rage again now with the kids. In the 80s they were slightly different, more like a real ballet shoe. Now they are ballet inspired flatties. However, I have seen some shoes that could have come from the depths of my cupboard where they have lived since the 80s.

The earrings the youth are splashing about are exact copies, in many cases- from the 80s. I for one remember getting about in my rainbow cloloured, shiny drop circle earrings made of only the highest quality plastic. They are everywhere again, even in the same sort of shops.

Little holes in the walls of malls, stocked to the rooftop with silver and plastic glinting “must haves”.

How come if they are all wearing it again now, and you can get it for $20, new – so you look like you are from the 80s. But, if you want to buy something that is actually FROM the 80s, which is the same, it’s called vintage or retro. AND, you will pay more than $20 for it!!!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh fashion……………

Everyone that has an ipod uses podcasts. And there are plenty out there on the internet. But what about for the good old 1980’s?

Yep, sure is. Stuck in the 80’s is a great blog on the decade that mattered, complete with a weekly podcast hosted by Steve Spears.

On the blog pages, there are links to suscribe via iTunes and the more popular readers (including the RSS feed). ALL the past podcasts are there too, so you have plenty of listening to do in order to catch up.

Once I build the site up a bit more, I think I’ll email Steve and ask him to mention my site on one of his podcasts, or even better, write an article.

One of most iconic songs from the 80’s was Robert Palmer’s Addicted to Love. The girls in the music video were scantily dressed for the 80’s, and caused quite a stir. To say they are iconic of the 80s is an understatement as even to this day they are constantly parodied.

For a reminder of the catchy tune, and the girls, check out this youtube video:

Want some trivia? Read on ….

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Addicted to Love?

‘The’ Computer of the 80’s was the Commodore 64 – the best thing since sliced bread. Released in August 1982, the C64 took the world by storm, and is even popular today amongst the cultist computer nerds.

Yeah it looks ugly, but this 8 bit (yes that’s right) computer was capable of so many things. Essentially it was a gaming computer, but there were are few non gaming titles released.

When it was first released, games came out on cassette tape, and load times were horrendous by today’s standards, Then, as the C64 became more popular, the 1541 floppy disk drive was more affordable. According to Wikipedia, over 10000 titles were released for the C64. The computer had advanced graphics and sound (for the time), and the limits of the processor was pushed by many a software writer.

Commodore Business Machines also brought out the SX-64 – a portable(?) version of the C64. It was a very heavy machine, but boasted a built in 5 inch monitor.

Here is a youtube video of the TV ad, aired in Australia, to promote the C64 (which I remember very well):

The C64 is still very popular, with an abundance of information out there on the net. Just Google it and see how many matches you get ….

Have you walked past SUPRE lately?? It is like a flash back to the 80s. All the same FLURO colours screaming out the door at you. They have even re-hashed the plastic jewellery.

If I’d had a crystal ball when I was a perky teenager/young 20 something I’d have been SO IN now, it would have been ridiculous.

I even saw A GUY WEARING HAPPY SHOES last week, I tell you I almost had to stop him and say WTF!!!

In the 80s, CINCH was the SUPRE in the shopping world, and if you were lucky enough to live in the Campsie/Earlwood/Kingsgrove area you would beat a track to their door almost religiously. Every piece of carefully handmade (read cheap and nasty) piece of clothing was there at hand, eagerly awaiting your purchase. And because not much was over $20, you could usually buy multiple items……… sounds like Supre today…….

Any area would have had their own version on CINCH, and their own 80s haven to shop.
And as with the hair and makeup, too many accessories were NEVER ENOUGH.

Think WHAM….even in the 80s they were a bit much. But we all did CHOOSE LIFE. And today we are RELAXing and walking around in a variety of other semi suggestive slogans.

It’s the same, but with a twist I guess. Where we wore skin hugging fluro orange skirts that came down past our knees, with ballet shoes and pink studded belts over over sized T-Shirts, the kids today wear tiny bum showing shorts, crop tops with fluro coulours and multilayered singlets, and flatties.

However daggy we feel as we look back at ourselves, we know we were truely the LAST original fashion (and music) era.

EVERYTHING is sampled from the 80s. Sure, they might give it a shake and a stir, but its the same same………………..

Here is a link to a RIOTOUS thread from the Vogue Australia Forums…. What was cool in the 80s

http://forums.vogue.com.au/archive/index.php/t-2563.html

LOVE IT!!

Take the L out of LOVER

and it’s OVER

(1982 – “Take the L” /made it to number 21 in AU)

Classic, poetic, timeless, and to us teenage girls in the 80s, ever so POIGNANT.

She was right up there giving us the words of the era.

What else gave you inspiration??

Turning Japanese – The Vipers

Our Lips Are Sealed – Go Gos AKA – ALEX THE SEAL lol

The 80s, the last bastion of great original hair attitude.

Back in the 80s only inner city dwellers would dare to have 2 toned hair, and now every suburban Tracey and Jacinta has it.

Back in the 80s the more makeup you had on your face at the one time, indicated your place in the pecking order of life. More was never enough…

A Flock of Hairdressers and Duranies alike revelled in the post romantic experimentation that was both girly and boyish at the same time. Boy George was an inspiration to many, even Marilyn had his place. We all existed in harmony and musicality. The bigger the beat, the bigger the hair do. the bigger the band and the wilder the dance moves.

 Blamonge (sp?) were living on the ceiling while the Clash were rocking the kasbah. Who cared, we all got along. Even Madam Butterfly ex  sex pistol punker Malcom McLaren found a new niche. Tears for Fears were telling us about the mad world and youngsters in America were passing the dutchie(sp?) on the left hand side – I SAY!

Come on and celebrate in tight jeans wearing brian Mannix’s of the day and all things UK. From those brilliant Nutty boys themselves to the pop/glam/rock of Bon Jovi.

Post, Read, Remember……………………………..

Robert is a genius!

CURE is the CURE

 Thank goodness for THE CURE. When they hit mainstream with The Head On The Door in the 80s, only us true fans knew they would still be with us today. Looking and sounding as great as they were in the heady 80s, Robert, Porl, Jason and Simon were timeless and awesome at the Sydney concert in 2007.

Playing from way back in the early days, songs from their wide repetoire spanning the 80s and into today.

True Cure lovers swayed and spun, threw their arms up and cheered.

IT was FUKN SPECTACULAR!!!