Just a two-word review for this podcast....

Our latest podcast -- the Glory of Spinal Tap -- is online. So download it now. And at 35 minutes long, it earns the distinction as longest podcast yet. How much longer can it be? None... none more longer, Nigel would say.

I'm tempted to post the outtakes from this podcast, especially the part where Sean Daly explains his whole history with the oft-mentioned Molly Sherman, not to be confused with Shermer, Illinois. Or the Sherminator from American Pie. Or Molly Shannon from SNL. Stop me anytime now...

This podcast goes to 11...

Yes, you guessed right. For our 11th podcast, we're covering Spinal Tap from the UK ("You must be the USA"). Every fan of the movie has a special favorite line they like to quote, so we want to know yours. No, no, no. Don't write it -- call us up and quote it ... English accent and all.

Thanks to a new, non-80s technology, we have a toll-free number you can call and leave us a digital message that we can then put INSIDE the podcast ("There's a little guy in here"). Just call us for free at 866-371-9605 and follow the very simple instructions. Then at the beep, give us your favorite line from Spinal Tap. ("Hello, Cleveland!")

Then tune in later this week for the Spinal Tap ("And Puppet Show") podcast.

Greetings, program!

Our latest podcast is online. Download it now. Gina and I talk about the technology of the 80s -- personal computing, video games, movies on video on more. And of course, I sidetrack things with more childhood stories and movie trivia. I can't help it. I loved Tron and War Games.

Next week, don't miss our gala Episode #11 podcast. No hints yet. But remember, there's a fine line between stupid and clever.

No blasphemous rumor -- Depeche Mode coming soon

Ah yes, our favorite brooding 80s act is headed back to Tampa Bay. Depeche Mode is playing the St. Pete Times Forum on Thursday, Nov. 3, according to the band's website. The Brits are touring to support "Playing the Angel," which includes such happy tracks as "A Pain That I'm Used To" and "Suffer Well."

A pre-sale of tickets is already underway on iTunes. Otherwise, wait til Saturday (Sept. 24) to get them through Ticketmaster(and servant).

(My favorite Mode album? Some Great Reward, of course).

Alrighty then!

Tampa Bay's 101.5-FM -- which has suffered the wrath of our podcast recently for its inclination to play the same 80s songs OVER and OVER again -- surprised me this morning. A little Talking Heads always soothes the soul, especially "Once in a Lifetime" - a great song to drive to work to. Thankyaverymuch.

The doctor is in!

And so are Wendy and Lisa! All our favorite characters from Prince's 80s days are alive and well on the Internet. Matt Fink, aka the Doctor (and keyboard player) from Prince's Revolution days, has his own website. Wendy and Lisa (guitar and keyboards for the Revolution) can be found at wendyandlisa.com. Alas, I couldn't find a photo of Wendy from Purple Rain there. But my heart will go on.

THE OUTSIDERS ARE IN AGAIN!

Back in 1983, Francis Ford Coppola made a little movie called The Outsiders that he never much cared for. However, the movie, based on the book by S. E. Hinton, also the author of Rumble Fish (another Coppola flick, launched the careers of future stars Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, Tom Cruise, Emillio Estevez, Matt Dillion, C. Thomas Howell, Ralph Macchio,and Diane Lane.

Now, Coppola has returned to his teenage classic, wanting to "right" it, adding another 22 minutes to the film.Thus, The Outsiders: The Complete Novel was released last week on DVD.

Set in the 1960s Tulsa, Hinton's story is of a teenage world rigidly divided into "greasers" and high-society "Socs" (pronounced "Soshes"). It's the chronicle of Ponyboy (Howell) and Sodapop (Lowe) living without parents, being looked after by their older brother Darry (Swayze).

The boys are involved in gang fights, journeys into manhood and ventures into romance. It's a coming of age tale that is at once charmingly nostalgic and timeless.

Now, with Coppola's new additions, which include deleted scenes featuring Lowe and Howell sleeping in the same bed (which the director initially cut because he feared audiences misinterpreted the scenes to be homoerotic), and a more timely soundtrack featuring less of his father, composer Carmine Coppola's classical score and more Elvis Presley, The Outsiders will be seen for the first time the way it was intended to be seen.

Greetings, Professor Falkin....

Only the biggest geeks out there would recognize that line from "War Games" with Matthew Broderick. That movie was a turning point -- I went from loving really cheesy rock bands to becoming obsessed with computers. Not that I could remotely approach the art of hacking into my school computer and changing my grades. But it was nice to dream about.

Here are some highmark moments in technology during the 80s:
-- Video games: From Space Invaders to Asteroids to Donkey Kong. From Pong to Atari and beyond.
-- VCRs: I still remember the first two movies my family rented when we bought our first VCR -- Caddyshack and Urban Cowboy. (Strangely enough the only one I own today is Urban Cowboy .... part of a John Travolta 3-pack of DVDs).
-- Apple's Macintosh: The first truly easy to operate (and easy to crash) home computer.

If all goes according to plan, I'm going to talk Gina into making a podcast soon on 80s technology. So share your favorite techie memories of the decade here, and we'll give you a shoutout.

Jesse ... now Jerome .... yessss!

Gina and I set a new record for length of podcasting yesterday. Our Purple Rain novella IS HERE and long -- somewhere over 30 minutes. Not bad for a movie that Gina hates. I think I got too sidetracked telling stories. And you just GOTTA play the music, si?

Down the podcast now! Or be prepared to purify yourself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka.

The comments on the previous post sprang loose this side item: What's your favorite line from Purple Rain? My favorite line, and there are MANY of them: "Say the password, onion-head!"

Ah, Morris Day. Is there anything he can't do?

When Morris shows up in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, I nearly passed out from laughing so hard. I'm going to rewatch that movie again tonight. Too bad Kevin Smith isn't an 80s phenomenon. But I guess we all need things to live for in the post 80s apocalyptic society in which we're forced to live.

Look 4 the purple banana til they put us in a truck

Ah, Purple Rain. Is there any greater guilty pleasure from the 80s? Heck no! And I apologize to loyal Prince fans, but my appreciation of the Purple One begins and ends with this movie and soundtrack (I've owned this soundtrack in album, tape version -- twice -- and now on CD).

Alas, it's Purple Rain Appreciation Week here in "80s Land." Gina and I will tackle the movie, the star and the music on this week's podcast. So feel free to share your thoughts on it all.

For example: Is the movie great or awful? I say it's both - at the same time. Is it just me or do entire parts of the movie just not make sense? For example, nobody allegedly understands the lyrics of his songs early in the movie, but he sings "Purple Rain" -- which has got to be stranger than anything he sings early -- and suddenly everyone GETS it? Whaaaaa?

Tell me I'm wrong, Gina!

We won't play Sun City

On this day in 1985, President Ronald Reagan ordered economic sanctions against South Africa in an effort to end the nation's apartheid system. An odd move because Reagan always seemed reluctant to take a stand against apartheid and even publicly called the Botha administration "an ally and friend." A year later on the same day, Congress passed the Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986 over President Reagan's veto. The Act prohibited U.S. trade and other economic relations with South Africa. [Click for more]

Glory days, they'll pass you by

That "Glory Days" song is rattling around my head today. I'm not a big Springsteen fan, compared with the state of New Jersey for example. But I'd like to think I have an appropriate level of appreciation for the Boss.

The reason for this particular tune today is probably because I'm officiating a varsity football game at my old high school for the first time tonight. That's the fun part. But it's being televised on tape delay by the local sports cable station. So take any original fun and dilute it with the embarassment of running up and down the sidelines in polyester knickers on TV.

"Glory Days" came out about the same time I graduated (song in 84, graduation 85). And although it's about baseball, not football, and I was a lousy football player anyway (that's me in uniform in the photo, circa 1982), I don't think the Boss would mind if each of his fans adopts the song in his or her own personal way. I don't know if Gina will ever let me do a "Steve's now a ref and likes to hum Glory Days even though he experienced no Glory whatsoever" podcast, so consider this my moment of zen.

Ah, Bruce. Would he have been a Cougars fan? No way.

Let's hear some more from....

We made good on our promise -- a podcast on the most overplayed songs of the 80s. It's online now! Hope everyone enjoys it. We used your feedback to help decide which songs to choose.

Help us with another question now: Give us your picks of the most underrated bands of the 1980s. Obviously U2 wouldn't make the list -- they're hardly underrated. But a band like Oingo Boingo (photo right) might make your list. Or the Hoodoo Gurus. (Those are two of my picks). Maybe even Simple Minds. Sure, they got a lot of press for "Don't You Forget About Me", but they had a slew of other great songs too that hardly anyone remembers. (Plus, they did a killer live show at Curtis Hixon Hall back in spring 1986, with The Call opening up for them.)

So share your picks for "Most Underrated Bands of the 1980s" -- and we'll get you a shoutout in a coming podcast.

Jim Kerr of Simple Minds

Don't read this post ... and if you do, don't blame me. (Or at least don't hurt me)

Why? Because I'm going to mention an unbearable song. "The Future is So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades." I'd be surprised if anyone even remembers the band that sang this particular atrosity. (It was Timbuk 3).

When Gina and I were doing our podcast for this coming week -- "Most Overplayed Songs of the 80s" -- someone suggested this particular tune was overplayed. I didn't agree at the time. But ever since reading that suggestion, I can't get the dreaded tune out of my head!

"I study nuclear science, I love my classes
I got a crazy teacher, he wears dark glasses
Things are going great, and they're only getting better
I'm doin' all right, getting good grades
The future's so bright I gotta wear shades "

AWFUL. Simply awful. And now it's in your head too. I'm sorry. I did warn you afterall.

Journey podcast - any way you want it.

A podcast 30 years in the making. Well, not really. But Journey is celebrating its 30-year anniversary this year, so Gina and I -- along with Times pop critic Sean Daly -- gave a shout-out to the band you either love or hate.

This is a MUST download: [click here]

And hey, if you had to download it, that begs the questions -- why aren't you a subscriber yet? It's free, it's painless and it will eliminate the need for me to keep begging you.

Try "Press to Eject" instead

On this date in 1986, Paul McCartney released his "Press to Play" album. (Or CD, right? Did they have both albums and CDs back then? Does anyone remember?) In any case, NOT an 80s album we'll be singing the praises of anytime soon.

Why do I say that? The only memorable tune is "Spies Like Us." OK, unscrinch your face now.

Anyone out there going to his Tampa concert on Sept. 17? I caught him back in the early 90s at the old Tampa Stadium. God bless the Beatles and all, but once was enough for his act. Given a choice between seeing him again or catching Journey sans Steve Perry, I pick .... staying home at watching "Valley Girl" on DVD again.