The Hooters released their album of the eighties on this date in 1989. I’ve always felt this band was horribly underrated. Although they had other songs that were bigger hits (and we will get to them, Ket), this song is one of my favs. It’s a tune that dates back to the civil war that they remade and added lyrics that were relevant at the time (including a reference to Tienanmen Square). Sixties folk icons Peter, Paul, and Mary sing back up on the song.

WATN? The Hooters are still going strong, after a six year hiatus from 1995 to 2001. Mostly successful in Europe, they released another studio album (Time Stand Still) in 2007.

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Living on a Prayer was voted best song of the 80’s in an online poll by VH1.  The 2nd single from Slippery When Wet, it was released in late 1986. The song hit #1 on the U.S. charts in February of ‘87 and stayed there for 4 weeks.  The album spent 94 weeks on the Billboard album chart, including 8 weeks at #1.

Looking back, the video isn’t that remarkable. But, it’s a great look back at the hair band era from one of the few acts to actually survive and thrive post 80’s.  And yes, I did see this tour. Twice. Feels good getting that off my chest. Seriously though, Bon Jovi was a great show for the money (and probably still is) and that’s what Rock N Roll is all about.

WATN? Still making records and touring. They released Lost Highway last year.

Trivia: Jon Bon Jovi is co-owner of the Philadelphia Soul of the Arena Football League.

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This was truly one of my favorite songs of the 80’s, but the video never lived up to the song. Still not sure why the stalker chick is carrying a picture frame or why the egg has an eyeball in it. But, somebody had an artistic vision and this is the tragic result. The Church deserved better.

Under the Milky Way was from the album Starfish, released in 1988. The song was once voted Best Australian Song of the past 2 decades by readers of a Melbourne newspaper. Considering rock icons ACDC and INXS were in the running, that’s a pretty strong statement.

WATN? The Church have continued to tour and release albums throughout the 90’s and this decade. American chart success has eluded them, but they still have a significant following worldwide.

Trivia: Since the release of Starfish, the Church have refused to issue lyrics with their albums. They believe lyrics should be heard and not read.

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With album sales sagging in 1983, KISS decided to take off the make-up.  Lick it Up was the first album and video in which the band appeared without their trademark look. They keep you guessing for the first 40 seconds of the video, only showing the band from the waist down. It looks like the guy who shot all those annoying Dockers commercials was trying to sell ripped jeans and leather pants.

About 43 seconds into the video, you want them to put the make-up back on.The only member who benefited from the loss of the makeup was Vinnie Vincent (far right in the opening sequence) because he never embraced is KISS “alter ego.” Gene was the Demon. Ace was Space Ace. Peter was the Cat. Paul was Star Child. However, Vinnie never got over the guys calling his Kiss character Transgender Crack Whore. Of course, after this video was released, that’s what the rest of the world called him!

Lick it Up is another post apocalyptic videos that were popular in the early to mid 80’s (mostly with metal bands). I remember liking it when I was in high school, but let’s face it: I was pretty much an idiot then!

WATN? Catch Gene on A&E’s Simmons Family Jewels. I love that show!

Trivia: Eddie Van Halen wanted to join KISS after Ace Frehley left. Gene Simmons talked him out of it.

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Exactly 20 years ago today, The Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1 was released. This video isn’t all that remarkable until the shear talent assembled sinks into your brain. Usually, a collection of Rock & Roll Hall of Famers forming a group turns out to be something less than memorable. But the Wilbury’s managed to turn out two pretty good albums with an all star lineup.  Roy Orbison, Tom Petty, George Harrison, Bob Dylan, and Geoff Lynn made up the group.  The song Handle With Care was originally supposed to be a b-side to a Harrison single. The result was so good, they decided to record a whole album together. They wrote and recorded Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1 in only 10 days!

WATN? Petty continues to tour and Lynn has done more producing lately than actual recording. Orbison passed shortly after the release of Wilburys Vol. 1.  Harrison passed in 2001. Dylan is still performing on the “Never Ending Tour.”

Trivia: Petty was added to the group because Harrison left his guitar at Petty’s house.

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The lads released their landmark documentary, This is Spinal Tap, in 1984, and the American “mockumentary” was born! This video was in regular rotation on MTV and many people didn’t realize they weren’t really a band! This team went on to create the comedy classics Waiting for Guffman, Might Wind, Best in Show, and For Your Consideration.

WATN? David St. Hubbins achieved immortality by uttering the following,

“Well, I don’t really think that the end can be assessed as of itself as being the end because what does the end feel like? It’s like saying when you try to extrapolate the end of the universe, you say, if the universe is indeed infinite, then how – what does that mean? How far is all the way, and then if it stops, what’s stopping it, and what’s behind what’s stopping it? So, what’s the end, you know, is my question to you.”

Trivia: The butler in the video is the same butler from Ratt’s Round and Round video.

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The Cure is one of a number of annoying bands that have blocked embedding on their YouTube videos. But we managed to grab this live version of Just Like Heaven from the 1989 VMA’s for our Saturday Night Concert Cuts. Seriously people, if you’re a band who’s heyday was in the 80’s, you could do with the publicity. Tell your lawyers to lighten up and let bloggers embed your videos!

Anyway, this is a pretty good song that’s unusually upbeat for a goth rock band. I tried to go goth once, but I didn’t own enough black.

WATN? The Cure are releasing a new album later this month.

Trivia: Robert Smith of The Cure battled Barbara Streisand in a classic South Park episode.

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In 1983, Quiet Riot released a cover of Slade’s Cum On Feel the Noize and changed rock history. Although the band never had the love of the critics, the song became the first heavy metal single to reach the top 5 of the pop charts. The strength of the video/single took the album to #1 on the album charts, making Quiet Riot the first heavy metal band to have a top 5 hit and the #1 album in the same week. Their success paved the way for artists like Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, Motley Crue, etc. to get regular rotation on MTV.  Thus, the hairband juggernaut can be traced to this quirky video with a guy in a Hannibal Lecter mask.

WATN? Lead singer Kevin Dubrow passed away this year, so don’t expect any new music from QR.

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Ground Breaking Video

This is probably my favorite INXS song, but it’s a lousy video. About 2 minutes into the video, I can’t tell who seems more intoxicated -the cameraman or Michael Hutchence. The band would go on to make a lot of great videos in the 80’s. This wasn’t one of them. Great song, though. So give it a look.

Trivia: The drummer is wearing hot pink socks. Why? The keyboard is suspended from a wire so it’s being played above the head of Andrew Farriss. Again, why?

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Some days, you just need to get your weird on. Nobody helps you do that better than the Johns.  TMBG released Purple Toupee as a single from 1988’s Lincoln album. It looks like it was partly filmed at a flea market I drove by last week.  You can tell their getting warmed up for Birdhouse In Your Soul a few years later (One of my all time favorite videos!).

WATN? Still making great music and touring, they’ve also released several children’s albums. Here Comes Science will be released in 2009.

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