Popdose: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 21
thefxc
· 1 year ago
Nice
jerm
· 1 year ago
The 12" Extended and Dub Version's of "You look Marvelous" are brilliant. Arthur Baker was the Timbaland of early to mid 80's hip-hop.
Jeff
· 1 year ago
Wow, those Cure songs charted that low?
I must not have been listening to much mainstream radio in the late 80's, since everyone of those songs is part of the soundtrack of my misbegotten youth. This is, for me, the best period of music from The Cure.
I remember asking the DJ at one of our high school dances to play some Cure, and he put on 'Why Can't. . . '. I was the only one on the dance floor. The song was quickly changed.
And Cutting Crew's first album still gets a lot of play on my MP3 player. There are a lot of underrated and under-appreciated songs on that album, if you can manage to overlook the played-to-death 'I Just Died. . . '
thefxc
· 1 year ago
Excellent list, as always.
If I'm not mistaken, The Cure's first Top 40 single was "Just Like Heaven" which made it to...#40. Do we get the "ass-end of the top 40" series after this one is complete?
I have a Cutie and the Boombox song called "Let's Talk It Over in the Ladies' Room" on my iPod, and I have no idea how it got there.
Thank you again for reminding America that Cutting Crew was not a "one-hit wonder." (The VH1 version of pop music history must be destroyed!) I constantly remind people (whether they care or not) that Spandau Ballet and Men Without Hats had more than one US hit, so stop lumping them in with the Mambo #5 guy!
The Curiosity Killed the Cat record is shockingly good--not groundbreaking, but a solid 80s overproduced pop record. I don't know why it didn't hit big in the US of A, except that I don't remember 85/86 as a good time for "teen idol" bands (everyone was listening to Def Leppard, I think.)
Finally, true story: I saw the Cult get booed offstage while they were opening for Metallica. Some kidz have no taste.
E
· 1 year ago
Ah yes, opening for Metallica on the Justice tour I believe it was.
I loved Electric in the late 80s, but there's a reason it hasn't aged all that well (unless maybe it's been remastered since then). Like the Doors in the old Kids in the Hall sketch, Electric had no bass. Even the weird-ass Manor Session recordings before they hired Rick Rubin had more bass than Electric.
JonCummings
· 1 year ago
You know,Dave, if we Crowded House fans weren't such a meek and tolerant bunch, you'd be in deep doo-doo today. I mean, a real Darren Robbins/Nine Inch Nails fans shitstorm!
Instead, I'll just relate the story of the evening on the Woodface tour in '91 when the band launched into "Sister Madly," got huge applause at the end, and then Neil said kinda pathetically, "See, Temple of Low Men wasn't such a bad little album, now was it?"
MichaelWSP
· 1 year ago
As "Tales of Brave Ulysses" and the theme from "Shaft" are to the Wah Pedal, and "I Ran" is to the Delay Pedal, Fire Woman is to the Phaser. It's the iconic example of that effect.
I recently played an 80s covers gig, and I borrowed a Phaser pedal from the bass player. Yes, I spent at least an hour of that first rehearsal playing the beginning of Fire Woman. This is why I don't own a Phaser.
drcastrato
· 1 year ago
I heard "Fire Woman" last night for the first time in a long while and thought, "You know, this is a really great song." And I remembered watching the video around the time it came out and being a little scared, the same way I was scared of Danzig, because it was not the hair metal I was used to hearing. Plus their name was The Cult - cults are scary.
Ray
· 1 year ago
The thing I remember most about the FIRE WOMAN video is that it was all over the place on MTV back then. Seriously it was played in regular rotation, also on Post Modern, 120 Minutes, Hard 60 and I swear I even saw it once on Club MTV!
MarlboroTestMonkey7
· 1 year ago
We, Crowded House believers, are not meek, but know salvation will come for Dave, sooner or later.
DavidMedsker
· 1 year ago
Crowded House's first two albums get more repeat listens than just about anything else in my collection. Does this mean I should fire a 'Ur stupid' across Mr. Steed's bow?
Didn't Arthur Baker produce that Billy Crystal single? That would explain the big beat.
steed
· 1 year ago
You know, by post #21 I should have just natually assumed this was an Arthur Baker beat. It defintiely is - as usual sir, right on the money.
And it wouldn't be the first time someone fired that at me...
arensb
· 1 year ago
The two greatest lines of the song
I'm gonna have to disagree with your choices. I still prefer "Oh, look! There's Sting looking for his last name in the dip!"
TruthMinister
· 1 year ago
On behalf of the overwhelming majority of the population of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, I apologise unreservedly for Curiosity Killed The Cat.
And The Cult.
And Cutting Crew.
God, this country's screwed....
steed
· 1 year ago
I just wanted to tell everyone that's commenting right now that:
You Look Marvelous!!!!
wags
· 1 year ago
I actually made it through each track this week (well, except that disco thing) and even enjoyed most of them. I totally forgot about Curiosity Killed the Cat -- one of my last tape purchases that never got the upgrade to CD. After listening to the "hit" here, I know why.
Loved the addition of this week's videos tho... even the bad Curiosity one...
Matt
· 1 year ago
Don Cugini? Wasn't he one of the heads of the Five Families in the Godfather?
DwDunphy
· 1 year ago
Those two Cult songs are great for what they are, but damned if Ian Astbury has the dumbest elocution in rock. Way-all way-all, leetle hawh-nayh!!
Jonathan
· 1 year ago
Guys, if you have not heard Lullaby by Cure. Please do it NOW. Its a killer track and remains one of my most favourite. Cheers
All Comments
I must not have been listening to much mainstream radio in the late 80's, since everyone of those songs is part of the soundtrack of my misbegotten youth. This is, for me, the best period of music from The Cure.
I remember asking the DJ at one of our high school dances to play some Cure, and he put on 'Why Can't. . . '. I was the only one on the dance floor. The song was quickly changed.
And Cutting Crew's first album still gets a lot of play on my MP3 player. There are a lot of underrated and under-appreciated songs on that album, if you can manage to overlook the played-to-death 'I Just Died. . . '
If I'm not mistaken, The Cure's first Top 40 single was "Just Like Heaven" which made it to...#40. Do we get the "ass-end of the top 40" series after this one is complete?
I have a Cutie and the Boombox song called "Let's Talk It Over in the Ladies' Room" on my iPod, and I have no idea how it got there.
Thank you again for reminding America that Cutting Crew was not a "one-hit wonder." (The VH1 version of pop music history must be destroyed!) I constantly remind people (whether they care or not) that Spandau Ballet and Men Without Hats had more than one US hit, so stop lumping them in with the Mambo #5 guy!
The Curiosity Killed the Cat record is shockingly good--not groundbreaking, but a solid 80s overproduced pop record. I don't know why it didn't hit big in the US of A, except that I don't remember 85/86 as a good time for "teen idol" bands (everyone was listening to Def Leppard, I think.)
Finally, true story: I saw the Cult get booed offstage while they were opening for Metallica. Some kidz have no taste.
I loved Electric in the late 80s, but there's a reason it hasn't aged all that well (unless maybe it's been remastered since then). Like the Doors in the old Kids in the Hall sketch, Electric had no bass. Even the weird-ass Manor Session recordings before they hired Rick Rubin had more bass than Electric.
Instead, I'll just relate the story of the evening on the Woodface tour in '91 when the band launched into "Sister Madly," got huge applause at the end, and then Neil said kinda pathetically, "See, Temple of Low Men wasn't such a bad little album, now was it?"
I recently played an 80s covers gig, and I borrowed a Phaser pedal from the bass player. Yes, I spent at least an hour of that first rehearsal playing the beginning of Fire Woman. This is why I don't own a Phaser.
Didn't Arthur Baker produce that Billy Crystal single? That would explain the big beat.
And it wouldn't be the first time someone fired that at me...
I'm gonna have to disagree with your choices. I still prefer "Oh, look! There's Sting looking for his last name in the dip!"
And The Cult.
And Cutting Crew.
God, this country's screwed....
You Look Marvelous!!!!
Loved the addition of this week's videos tho... even the bad Curiosity one...