When 2005 met 2006

It's that night again. New Year's Eve. A night that's overrated second only to your senior prom. At least you probably don't have to rent a tux or buy a gown tonight. Though a limo or taxi will seem like money well spent after your earlier strategy of "really good tequila never gets me drunk" goes horribly awry.

There's only one 80s movie that I can think of that revolves around New Year's Eve. Thankfully, it's the 1989 classic "When Harry Met Sally." (For all the reasons Gina loves "Heathers", I love "When Harry Met Sally.")

And the reasons would be:
1) New location. For most of the 80s, I was obsessed with the city of Chicago through the eyes of director John Hughes. This movie, on the other hand, gives 80s fans the first real urge to live in NYC. (One trip there will wipe that urge right out though.)
2) Great soundtrack. Unlike Heathers, Harry/Sally has REAL music ... the classic music of the then-obscure Harry Connick Jr. (Yeah, I have the soundtrack sitting around here somewhere.)
3) Fantastic writing and direction. Nora Ephron and Rob Reiner's best work.
4) Plenty of quotable lines. Give Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan their due. But watch out for the great zingers from Carrie Fischer ("I will never want that wagon-wheel coffee table") and Bruno Kirby ("You made a woman meow?").

Now that I've sold you on the movie, take my advice and don't watch it tonight. If you're alone, it will only depress you (see tequila warning above). If you're involved with someone, see the next top 5 list...

5 reasons guys can't watch this movie with their significant other:
5) New York. A great city to watch in a movie. But now she'll want to know why you haven't taken her there for a shopping vacation yet. (Doesn't that question answer itself?)
4) High maintenance or low maintenance? Sally is high maintenance, and now you-know-who wants to know which one you think she is. (Hint: If she's asking, she's high maintenance. Otherwise, she wouldn't care.)
3) Harry's sense of humor. It's hilarious. And laughing at half those jokes -- "No, you pretty much want to nail them too" -- will have you ringing in the New Year on the sofa with a blanket and pillow.
2) The whole romantic comedy genre. This movie is a diamond in the rough. Meaning, show too much enjoyment and suddenly "Sleepless in Seattle" and "You Got Mail" are coming to a DVD player near you. Let's just not go there today.
1) The whole "Men can't be friends with women without wanting to have sex with them." Best not to open that can of worms.

No, Heather, it's Heathers turn

The hardest working cast in the podosphere is working through the holidays to give you another new podcast. This week, we focus on the darkest comedy of the 80s -- Heathers. The 1989 flick stars Winona Ryder and Christian Slater. Download it here or PLEASE just go to iTunes and subscribe to the whole series. (Just click on the iTunes button to the right.) As you'll quickly see, Gina and I have vastly different opinions of the movie. (For starters, I don't like 80s teens movies without good soundtracks -- and Heathers' is bare of tunes.) At least we finally were able to recruit the Mistress of Cool, Cathy Wos, as a guest for the show.

You say it's your birthday: Punk goddess Patti Smith turns 59 today. We thank her for helping drag us out of the disco era and adding real poetry into music. And two of the Monkees share a birthday. Davy Jones is 60 and Michael Nesmith is 63. Yeah, yeah, the Monkees aren't from the 80s. I beg to differ somewhat. Most children of the 80s grew up on Monkees reruns, and they did tour on their 20th anniversary back in 1986. I caught it in Clearwater. Great show. I save my final birthday wish for Tracey Ullman, 46, whose landmark comedy show in the late 80s helped launch The Simpsons.

A late present for our fans

Getting a lot of requests to reinstate our list of Stuck in the 80s podcasts, so VOILA! Look to your right (no, not out the window. Just to the right of this blog item!) We've added our episode list to the blog. It's organized so the most recent episodes will always appear at the top.

Popular sentiment is that our Ferris Bueller podcast is the best of the bunch. Depends on what facet of our podcasts you like most. Personally I thought the "TV in the 80s" episode was the funniest. The Valley Girl one had the most trivia in it.

Other scatterings: Rick Gershman, the Tampa arts & entertainment for the Times, has clearly gone insane with his jealousy for the stunning but wholly undeserved worldwide popularity of the Stuck in the 80s phenomenon. (The secret of our success? We know how to properly edit and display our photos.) Check out his latest rantings. And help him pick out a better name for his blog.

Happy birthday, Ted Danson: Our favorite Cheers bartender turns 58 today. Though best known for his role as Sam Malone, Danson scored some movie roles in the 80s, including starring gigs in "Three Men and a Baby" and "Cousins." I know what you're thinking: Some people were meant to stick with TV.

Isn't it OUR time, Mr. Hand?

Yes, Spicoli ... it is! Fast Times at Ridgemont High will join the National Film Registry in the Library of Congress as a film that defined our times. Films are picked for the honor of preservation in the collection annually. Other 80s classics already preserved include: Spinal Tap, Stranger Than Paradise, Do The Right Thing, E.T. and Raiders of the Lost Ark.

But you gotta love Fast Times making the list. Mr. Vargas would approve.

When they get around to adding more from the 80s, allow me to recommend: The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, When Harry Met Sally, Back to the Future, Top Gun, Say Anything and Risky Business.

(There are some other good films from the 80s -- like Dead Poet's Society for example -- but I don't think they reflect the time in which it was made, and it sounds like that was a criteria in making the list. I could be wrong.)

Are you ready for Heathers?

Because I'm not. The late-80s dark comedy Heathers is the subject of this week's podcast, and I'm ill-prepared for some reason. The movie missed the mark with me, probably because I was too worried about college during the last of the 80s to have made time to see many movies. However, I'm told by my fellow 80s freaks that I'm completely deranged for not seeing the genius in this flick. So I have less than 24 hours to rewatch the film repeatedly (it was on cable last week, so I tivo'd it) and get some religion.

If anyone out there can help me see the light, please sound off. I'm a little spazzed because we have a new guest this week, and I'm told that she's cooler than me and Gina put together.

Mr. Vargas can drink whatever he likes now

Vincent Schiavelli, the character actor who played Mr. Vargas, the coffee-challenged science teacher in Fast Times at Ridgemont High, died Monday at age 57. (Come to think of it, he played a teacher at least twice in the 80s -- he was the math teacher in Better Off Dead too). To me, he'll always be Mr. Vargas. "I just switched to Sanka, so ... have a heart."

iPod - my new 80s time machine

Anyone else out there get a new iPod for the holidays? I got the 30-gig video iPod, and I've spent the last 48 hours filling it up with about 200 songs. For kicks, I've been recategorizing them and ranking them. Of course, it's filled to the hilt with 80s classics.

It's too early for a definitive best-of list, but here's the top 10 songs I've listened to so far:

10) I Ran - Flock of Seagulls: Did you catch their episode on VH1's Reunite the Band? Great episode. I'd swear some of it was filmed in Ybor City here in Tampa Bay.
9) Love Cats - The Cure: I bought my mom the Paul Anka cd of Rock Swings, on which he covers this song. Badly.
8) Don't Cry - Asia: Hello, my name is Steve and I like Asia. I know it's not good for me. I just can't help it.
7) Stone in Love - Journey: Still my favorite Journey song.
6) Angst in my Pants - Sparks: First heard it in the movie Valley Girl. Great flick. Fantastic songs.
5) Bad - U2: I hadn't heard this song in YEARS until I uploaded all my U2 songs into iTunes, and now I'm readdicted.
4) Solsbury Hill - Peter Gabriel: This song got some recent airplay after appearing in the movie Good Company. You can't go wrong with any Peter Gabriel song.
3) We Close Our Eyes - Oingo Boingo: Once upon a time, I'd say Oingo Boingo was my favorite band. Probably the only person not living in California to claim that. This isn't one of their classics, but it seems to pop up most often on the shuffle play.
2) Rock Me Amadeus - Falco: Only the extended version with all the cool English narration.
1) Jungle Love - Morris Day and the Time.

Didn't see the Morris Day tune coming, did you? Gotta love Purple Rain.

A Christmas Story - again and again

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. I'm not only stuck in the 80s ... I'm also stuck at work today. But the good news is that TBS is playing "A Christmas Story" -- yes, another classic 80s movie -- nonstop for 24 straight hours. We've just gotten past one of the great "Ralphie with soap in his mouth" scenes.

Ever wonder what happened to the boy who played Ralphie? Yep, talkin' about Peter Billingsley. He's now an accomplished producer in Hollywood, winning an Emmy for his work on "Dinner for Five." No more triple dog dares for him. Merry Christmas, Peter. Hope you still have that Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle.

This year, we're all Scrooged

The 1988 movie "Scrooged" gets my pick as "Best Movie about Christmas Eve." Not that I have a lot to pick from. But since Bill Murray is living proof that there's intelligent life outside our solar system (and since Stripes and Meatballs don't cut it as holiday films), I'm going with this one. I know we have fans of "A Christmas Story" out there, but how many times can you watch Ralphie shot his eye out and the dog steal the Christmas turkey? Stick with the basics, son, that's how IBM and Hilton were built.

Best Scrooged quotes (that I can print online):
-- "I never liked a girl well enough to give her 12 sharp knives."
-- "We've spent $40 million on a live TV show, you guys have got an ad with America's favorite old fart reading a book in front of a fireplace! Now, I have to kill all of you!"
-- "Would you please hold the g----n hammering, now."

If you don't own this movie, run to the video store now, break a window and steal a copy for yourself. Afterall, it's the holiday season.

Top 5 Corey Haim films

No, that's not a joke headline! Corey Haim, who turns 34 today, actually turned out a few decent flicks in between all the rubbish. And I say that with all the humility that comes with never having made a million dollars in Hollywood myself. So, if forced to pick his 5 best films, I'm gonna go with:

5) License to Drive
4) Secret Admirer
3) Lucas
2) Prayer of the Roller Boys
1) The Lost Boys

Ferris returns, but after the holidays

Save those retail gift cards you get for the holidays until Jan. 10 -- the date of the re-release of the Ferris Bueller's Day Off special "Bueller... Bueller" DVD edition. The DVD's special features will include a vignette on the cast, a "making-of" feature, a class album, stuff about Ben Stein, a "Who is Ferris" part and more. One thing that appears to be missing is the audio commentary by director John Hughes, but since you faithful 80s fans already own the previous edition of the DVD, you can still listen to it on that one. (Or just listen to our Ferris podcast.)

Strangely enough, Amazon.com gives the movie Ferris Bueller a somewhat disparaging review. "Like a soda pop left open all night, Bueller seems to have lost its effervescence over time," they write. Aww, what grinches.

Stingrays, rollerskates and Chrissie Hynde

It's all there and more in today's Christmas in the 80s episode of our Stuck in the 80s podcast.

Download it now!

Best soundtrack to a vampire movie ... ever

Must be talking about The Lost Boys, starring today's birthday boy, Keifer Sutherland (39!). A vampire-crazed girlfriend in college dragged me to see this movie back in 1987. Tuns out The Lost Boys had some great tunes: "Good Times" and "Laying Down The Law" by INXS, "People Are Strange" by Echo and the Bunnymen, and "I Still Believe" (a cover version originally performed by the vastly underappreciated The Call).

Throw in some great performances by Jason Patric, Barnard Hughes, the birthday boy Keifer, Jami Gertz and -- dare I say -- the two Coreys, and you have a classic 80s flick.

Ready for an 80s Christmas?

The 300-member staff of Stuck in the 80s (give or a take a few hundred) has been busy dusting off our collections of holiday favorites for our special podcast this week. Some gems you weren't expecting? A holiday song by Wham! Yikes. Not that the Christmas song by U2 is much better.

There's just not strong-enough eggnog available, except maybe in Mexico, in order to achieve the desired level of conciousness for this particular episode of our podcast.

Early present for Boy George

A judge in New York has delayed a court appearance by Boy George, who faces some fairly serious narcotics charges. Why the delay? Because our 80s star is working on "literary and recording projects" in London. No more life stories in print, Boy!

Gina still loves ya, though!

The 80s wouldn't have been the same without...

Alyssa Milano and Jennifer Beals, who share birthdays today. Beals, 42 today, debuted, peaked and basically retired with Flashdance. Milano -- 33 today and former star of "Who's the Boss?" -- can recall the 80s as that period when her career still had potential. Not that I'm downing her acting in "Poison Ivy 2" and "Deadly Sins"-- in fact, I make a point of taping them every time they run on Skinemax at 3 a.m.

Which Tom Cruise movie first?

We need to pick a Tom Cruise movie to roast in a Stuck in the 80s podcast to celebrate the New Year. The question is: Which one to do first?

The playful, thrill-ride of Top Gun? The dark, socially hip Born on the Fourth of July? Or perhaps the can't-lose classic Risky Business? (I vote for Risky Business, but talk me out of it if you want.)

Tom was THE MAN in the 80s. He appeared in 13 movies during the decade. Here are his other flicks: Endless Love, Losin' It, Taps, The Outsiders, All the Right Moves, Legend, The Color of Money, Cocktail and Rain Man. The imdb.com site even gives his an uncredited appearance in Young Guns.

By the way, kooky Tom is back in the news today, with the AP talking about his Scientology leanings.

In our dreams

We just don't get our due here at the Stuck in the 80s headquarters. And it's not for a lack of love by you, our beloved fans. Last week we had record visitors to this blog. Gracias, amigos.

Despite our heroic ballot-stuffing effort, Gina and I failed to win Time magazine's Persons of Year. So we've invented our own award.

Stuck in the 80s rules again

Time magazine today named Bono as its Person of the Year (along with Bill and Melinda Gates), only hours after our blog post proclaiming 80s stars are more socially aware that their peers from other decades. We'll be accepting our VH1 Soothsayers of the Year Award any time now (about the same time Dexy's Midnight Runners get their lifetime achievement award).

Click here for the full list of the Time honorees dating back to 1927 -- alas, no rock stars from the 60s.

Does any decade's stars care as much as ours?

Bono and Bob Geldof are back in the news again today, both working on their separate but similar causes. Each has seen his fair share of ink lately, but it's obvious they're interested more in results than publicity (a state of mind that is probably completely foreign to today's celebrities and musicians).

Which leads to the question: Is there a decade of stars that is more politically and socially engaged in the world than those from the 80s? I don't think so, and so there's another reason to totally love the 80s. Great music. Great movies. (Great hair and fashion? Not so much.) And, special bonus, we actually cared about the world around us -- and still do. Forget all the propaganda about the 80s being the "Me Decade." If there was EVER a decade like that, we're living it in now.

Sounds of the season

Do you have any favorite songs from the 80s about the holidays? You'd be surprised how many popular 80s artists recorded seasonal tunes: The Waitresses, Billy Squire, Pat Benatar. Even the Smithereeens.

Tell us your favorite tune and we'll include it in this week's Christmas edition of Stuck in the 80s.

And no, "We Are The World" does NOT count. In fact, any song involving Lionel Ritchie doesn't count.

George online (Boy, not W.) ... What's next?

The Boy George podcast is online. Go to iTunes or Yahoo podcasts to subscribe! Your 80s addicts are on a roll now, and you don't want to miss out on a single episode.

Speaking of which, what's next? Ah, thanks for asking. Well, it's Christmastime in case you haven't noticed, and judging from the lack of holiday cards, you've haven't. So next week, get ready for "Christmas in the 80s." Yes, your favorite 80s musicians and actors all did holiday projects they'd rather forget. But we at "Stuck in the 80s" won't let them! I can't wait to record it.

(Hey, doesn't the Snow Miser look too much like John Kerry? What's up with that?)

Too snarky about Vice?

A sobriety-challenged fan of Stuck in the 80s e-mailed overnight to say my reaction to Chase Squire's love of Miami Vice was a bit too arrogant for his tastes. (For the sake of anonymity, we'll call this guy Abe Froman.) Abe's particular objection: Who do I think I am, saying I was never home on Friday nights? Glenn from The Wedding Singer?

Chase, my fellow blogger and podcaster, I should have been more clear. Most Friday nights were spent bagging groceries and waxing floors at the nearby Publix supermarket (see historical photo-illustration to the right). I had a job for most of my junior and senior years in high school (Publix, McDonalds, Phar-Mor, Electronic Boutique, and yes, even bagging and helping deliver copies of the St. Pete Times). And yeah, an occasional party or date. Alas, there was no Tivo back then, so no Vice for me.

Sony Crockett, renaissance man

Don Johnson, suffering from the dullest name an actor can have, turns 56 today. And while we all love him for playing Detective Sony Crockett on Miami Vice (and truthfully I NEVER actually watched a single episode), let's give him credit for some other notable 80s appearances, such as:

-- "From Here to Eternity" (umm, the TV series in 1980, not the award-winning movie);
-- "Revenge of the Stepford Wives" (1980)
-- "Elvis and the Beauty Queen" (1981 -- playing Elvis, naturally)
-- "G.I. Joe -- The Movie" (1987)

Trivia question: His "Nash Bridges" series is based on a movie he wrote with a famous literary neighbor. What was his or her name?

Highlights of Boy George podcast

The final cut isn't ready yet, but we know the highlights for today's Boy George and Culture Club podcast already. So get ready to enjoy....

-- Sean does his impression of an ex-girfriend who hunted him down after the Billy Idol podcast to tell him he's not an aloof lover afterall.
-- Gina shows off her singing voice during nearly every Culture Club song. (She's in a real band afterall, whereas Steve and Sean would rather just watch Journey on DVD and fake singing like Steve Perry... "You shoulda been gone!")
-- Steve briefly forgets he's married. Now being an aloof lover is the least of his worries.

We are, afterall, professionals.

Checkup time with the podcast

Hey gang. Got a few messages over the last month about troubles with our Stuck in the 80s podcast RSS feed. Here's the deal: We changed the RSS feed when it was picked up by iTunes. We've since worked things out so that any RSS feed should work, but in case it doesn't, here are some tips:

-- Try subscribing to the podcast via iTunes. To do that, either click on the button to the right on this page, or go to iTunes and search the podcast directory for "Stuck in the 80s".
-- If you're not a big iTunes fan, then click on this URL and paste it into your RSS program.

We've done a podcast nearly every week since we began (only missing two weeks for vacations and holidays), and we plan to do one weekly straight through the winter holidays. Our latest episode is #20, for those who keep track that way. Our last few episodes: Boy George (going online tomorrow); Billy Idol; Ferris Bueller; U2. We're working on building a new webpage for the podcast too. Should be - dare I say - classic.

If you're still having problems, e-mail me at spears22@yahoo.com and I'll make sure things get fixed.

Early bird special

As has become tradition, a little pre-dawn blogification for the masses. ... U2's Bono continues to make his fan base shake their collective head, choosing to dine with former N.C. conservative Sen. Jesse Helms before the band's show in Charlotte this week. Though they're "close allies" in the fight against AIDS in Africa, Helms didn't stick around for the show. (He's more of an INXS kinda guy).

... The marketing gurus at TBT are cooking up a great contest for you 80s addicts for early next year. Winners will receive our brand-new "Stuck in the 80s" t-shirts, the design of which is secret and remain hung up waiting for clearance by the House Un-American Activities Committee. (At least it's not the Hillsborough County Commission). Tip: Commit some 80s tunes to memory.

... Some people say I lean too much on celebrity birthdays to fill the space here. Poppycock. ... In unrelated news, happy 502nd birthday today to Nostradamus, the French poet/soothsayer who despite dying centuries ago continues to stir the debate that Falco's song "Amadeus" would have been a bigger hit had it been written about him instead.

Ah... Thailand

One week after our quickie reference to the movie during our podcast, the Mayan gods (still angry over the Survivors eating their sacrificed chicken) have blessed the early morning cable TV crowd today with "Volunteers." Yes, yes. That Tom Hanks/John Candy masterpiece about the Peace Corps, that also co-stars his future wife Rita Wilson.

The movie is 20 years old and it still has share of funny quotes:
-- "It's not that I can't help these people. It's just I don't want to."
-- "Dear Dad. Have made terrible mistake and joined the Peace Corps."
-- "Do I look like I'm associated with this hootenanny? And when you come back, bring me something with alcohol in it."
-- "Germs make you sick. That is why we give medicine to help kill you."

The Purple reigns again

Ya mention Prince once, and suddenly the boy is all over the news again. Seems Prince is inking a deal with a major label -- after years of releasing his music on his own label. Universal Records will release his new album next year.

AND, actress Salma Hayek is going to direct his new video. Score!

It's at this point that I usually disclose some related embarrassing story. But I think I'm fresh out of Prince stories. We'll just sit here and wait for the Apollonia fans to find the post and sound off. Which brings up an interesting question: Who was the most worthy (and unworthy) protege of Prince? And by that, you can pick anyone who performed a song written for them by Prince. That should give us a wide choice.

OH, BOY! EX-CULTURE CLUB SINGER CAUGHT WITH COKE

Silly Boy George! Doesn't he know you're supposed to hide your illicit drugs before you invite the cops into your apartment? The former Culture Club singer, now a reknowned club DJ, recently got into trouble with the law again - remember that 1986 heroin bust? - for calling police to report a "robbery" at his Manhattan apartment.

The Boy, whose real name is George O' Dowd, 44, apparently called the police after a male prostitute tried to rob him. The boy let in the law, who then searched his luxury home and found cocaine on his computer table. A woman in the Boy's apartment told police where to find more cocaine on the premises. (Nice friend!)

"Those are not my drugs," Boy George told the police. (Hell, that's what I would say, too!) The singer faces 15 years in jail, if convicted, for drug possession and filing a false police report.

Of course, the worst part about all of this was the very unfortunate pictures that ran with the story, shots of our barely recognizable Boy - bald, pudgy, unshaven and slovenly. (We can't run the photos here -- no online rights -- but click here to see him arriving back in London shortly afterward.)

Talk about your Karma Chameleon.

Sheila E's Glamorous Life

The favorite percussionist of the 80s turns 48 today. Born Sheila Escovedo, Sheila E. had three big hits in the 80s (The Glamorous Life, The Belle Of St. Mark, and A Love Bizarre). but she's probably best known as a Prince protege during his Purple Rain days.

Speaking of Purple Rain, that flick is on heavy rotation again on the cable channels these last few weeks. Hey, I'm not complaining. But everyone else is. My wife hates it; my 80s podcast co-host thinks it's trash (download our Purple Rain podcast); and my best friend John still threatens to strangle me every time I mention it. He's one of the unfortunate friends who was dragged along to see the movie just because I wanted to score points with a girl I liked back in 1984. (And it worked, thank you very much.) Sorry, John. Even Prince and Sheila E. would agree: I had my priorities straight all along.

Time for some 80s comfort films

What is it about early Sunday mornings on cable TV? They show all the 80s flicks. I'm not complaining -- just curious about the timing. Today's pre-dawn fare: The Goonies.

And now that the weather here in Florida has finally turned ugly, it's time to consider 80s movies appropriate for days better spent indoors. My list if I had time to hit the video store today? The Last Starfighter, The Sure Thing, and About Last Night (and any other movie with just three words in the title). Not saying those are my favorite flicks -- but on a rainy, cold day, they fit the bill.

Speaking of fitting the bill, time to unveil our topic for next week's podcast: It's Boy George time. Yes, nothing like trampling a celebrity when he's down.

The appeal of Bon Jovi?

Someone please explain the enduring popularity of Bon Jovi. The band's Feb. 17 show in Tampa sold out and a SECOND show has been added for the next night. Tickets go on sale this morning. All this for Bon Jovi and his "Have a Nice Day Tour"? (I'm not making up the name of the tour. If I had, it'd be the "Shorter Hair, But Teeth and Jeans Still Bleached Tour"). Of all the bands that needed to book a second show in Tampa Bay, why this one? Why not U2?

True story: I quit the first band I was ever in when they decided to cover Bon Jovi's Runaway. No regrets.

CHiP off the old block

It's official: Hollywood has run out of ideas. Warner Bros. announced this week that they've signed Wilmer Valderrama (the exchange student from "That 70's Show") to star in a big-screen version of the TV show "CHiPs." Valderrama will take on Erik Estrada's role as "Ponch." Yes, the resemblance is spooky, but so is the idea that some Tinsel Town studio moron green-lighted this idea. The TV show, centered on the motorcycle officers of the California Highway Patrol, was B-A-D, surviving primarily because of Estrada's hunky looks. (I can't believe I was forced to use the word "hunky." Somebody shoot me.) But it did manage to survive from 1977 to 1983.

Another 80s stocking stuffer

So I'm browsing through the concert DVDs at Best Buy the other day when I strike true gold: Journey Live in Houston 1981 Escape Tour! Did I buy it? Are you kidding me? I grabbed it like an Elmo doll, hugged it and wept like I was watching the end of "Field of Dreams." It was recorded two weeks after the band's gig in Lakeland, which I attended (First concert ever). And get this: Everyone at the DVD show is wearing the same concert shirt I bought at the show (and recently re-acquired). Kharma or what?

The show was taped by MTV, which I guess was some cable network back in the 80s that used to show a lot of music videos. Produced this year by former lead singer Steve Perry (with full cooperation from the band, I've read), the original recording took place during the network's first few months of existence.

And it features all their hits from the early 80s and late 70s: Stone in Love, Where Were You, Anyway You Want It. The DVD includes several special features and the package also includes an audio disc of the show. Bonus.

I'm just waiting for Sean Daly to break into my house to steal the disc.

He crossed generations

Talking 'bout John Lennon, of course. Is there a figure of the 20th century who accomplished that feat better -- crossing generations? I don't think so. It's funny, because when I started college back at University of Florida in 1985, I bought a poster for Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band for my dorm room. The guy who sold it to me, easily 20 years older, stopped me to tell me the story of the first time he heard that album. He spoke of the event nearly in a whisper, like telling the story of your first beer or first girlfriend. So I told him about the first time I heard it -- which was on a cruise after high school graduation, only a few months earlier. A bunch of recently graduated high school students, sitting around a little tape recorder on a cruise ship, listening to this unbelievable album, recorded decades earlier. A weird visual surely. But you can imagine it, right?

And of course, everyone remembers where they were when they heard the news of his death. Like JFK, I suppose, for the next generation. I remember the radio playing his Double Fantasy songs non-stop after the news broke. I hated those songs back then. Love them now. That's the power of Lennon.

"And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make."

So my good friends....

Billy Idol is online. Download it here. My advice. Go to iTunes ("Right!") and subscribe to the podcast. Then go pour yourself a nice beverage, queue up the podcast, stick in your little earphones and enjoy the slow mellow flavor of podcasting at its best. And remember to listen for the following -- soon to be classic -- lines:

• "I'm drunk with power!" -- Gina
• "I don't mean to interrupt you guys, but I'm trying to lay down a history here!" - yeah, Gina again. She was surly.
• "How many more podcasts until you guys break up. I'm going to get caught in the middle of this divorce" -- Sean.
• "Steve and I never got along. Right out of the box we hated each other. One of us will adopt you. It will work out for you, Sean." -- mean Gina again.
• "Dancing with Myself by Gen X and Billy Idol sound the same. You could play those songs back to back and drink half a bottle of Wild Turkey and not know the difference ... hypothetically." -- yeah, Steve on that one.

How can you lose with dialogue like that?

Strawberry fields forever

It was 25 years ago that John Lennon was gunned down in New York City at the age of 40. Fans are expected to converge on Central Park's "Strawberry Fields" area, near Lennon's former apartment complex to honor the man and his music. Here are some must-read links about the anniversary of his death:

• Mind Games with John (St. Petersburg Times)
• Ode to Lennon (San Jose Mercury News)
• An enigma, even in death (New York Daily News)
• Judging Lennon: You be the critic (BBC News)
• Recalling the night he held Lennon's heart (New York Times)

Flowers are left in Strawberry Fields in NYC on Wednesday. (AP photo)

Mental flossing in the wee early hours

Here at "Stuck in the 80s" headquarters, it's a 24-hour-a-day operation to bring you the latest news, gossip and opinion of the 80s. So here's your usual 4:41 a.m. update of quickie briefs:

• Our Billy Idol podcast should hit the Web in a few hours. Our longest podcast yet, thanks to Sean Daly's stomach, a conversation about our loss of virginity, how to properly play with a whammy bar, and oh yeah, a little about Billy Idol too.
• Speaking of pop music critic Sean Daly, read his review of Sinead O'Connor in concert last night in Tampa.
• Our podcast got picked up as an "inspired" podcast by the Dawn and Drew Show, easily one of the most popular podcasts around. We're honored. They're just like us, a couple of ex-punk rockers, except they're allowed to use profanity excessively whereas we have to sneak ours in more cleverly.

Stay tuned for links to the new podcast episode and several new 80s links worth spending your afternoon surfing instead of working.

Sinead O'Connor at Four Green Fields. (Times photo: Brian Cassella)

SINEAD'S GONE REGGAE

Sinead O' Connor, the controversial Irish singer whose 1987 debut The Lion And The Cobra, was a staple in every '80s music lover's collection, performs tonight at Four Green Fields in Tampa.

The singer, whose notorious 1992 performance on Saturday Night Live - you remember, she ripped that photograph of Pope John Paul II, calling him "the real enemy' made her public anathema, is now trucking in reggae music.

O' Connor, who turns 39 tomorrow, just released Throw Down Your Arms, a collaboration with legendary reggae producers Sly & Robbie. O' Connor records classics by Burning Spear and Peter Tosh on the record, which is lauding much critical praise.

It was a matter of time before O' Connor added "rastafarian' to her resume. In less than 20 years we've watched the, ahem, versatile artist try her hat as:

*a rock star
* a rock star who would not perform after The Star Spangled Banner was played before her show in New Jersey (1990), prompting Frank Sinatra to say he wanted to "kick her ass."
* a retired rock star (2000)

* an ordained priest in the Tridentine order of Mater Dei, a quasi-Catholic religious sect in Ireland,(1999)

* a singing "nun" named "Marie Bernandette" who recorded an album with Catholic monks
* a psychic medium after two years of training at the College of Psychic Studies in London.
* a mother of three: Jake (with drummer John Reynolds); Roison (with married Irish journalist John Waters); another son, Shane
* a "lesbian" who told Curve in 2000, "I'm a lesbian ... although I haven't been very open about that and throughout most of my life I've gone out with blokes because I haven't necessarily been terribly comfortable about being a lesbian. But I actually am a lesbian."
* A "bisexual" who clarified herself just one month later in The Times magazine:
"I'd given another interview saying I was more attracted to men, and a woman who I had gone out with a while ago took my statement as an insult to her. So I over-compensated and said I'm a full-on lesbian, which I'm actually not. I'm bisexual."

What's next, Sinead?

So this is love?

Eddie Van Halen and wife Valerie Bertinelli are calling it quits, confirming their impending divorce this week after four years of separation. (Hey, their separation lasted longer than most star marriages, so that have THAT.) The guitarist wed the former star of "One Day at a Time" 24 years ago.

I couldn't decide which Van Halen song title to use for the headline on this blog item. I settled on "So this is love" from 1981's Fair Warning album. But I could have easily gone with "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" or "Why Can't This Be Love?" Or maybe simply "Unchained" sums it up best.

He is sooooo 80s

Think you had the 80s look all to yourself? No way. And there's a website out there to prove it. Check out iwasso80s.com and rate the photos of the people there. How 80s are they? You'll be scared straight at some of the pics. Special shout-out to Billy-wannabe, our blog fan who pointed out the blog. Check out his Billy Idol lookalike photo at this link. Enjoy.

With a rebel yell, we'll cry more, more, more

Billy Idol turned 50 last week, so we're throwing him a belated birthday party on our "Stuck in the 80s" podcast this week. A great excuse to tear through my CD collection and find all his classic tunes from the 80s. I even stopped by Best Buy over the weekend to see if I could flesh (FLESH, flesh for fantasy) out my collection, but alas, they only sell his greatest hits disc and his latest CD. And the record industry WONDERS why retail sales stink.

Hey, if you want to be on our podcast this week, call our toll-free number -- (866) 371-9605 -- and give us your best Billy Idol imitation. A quick line from a favorite song maybe? Or perhaps a quote from his appearance in The Wedding Singer. We'll put it on our podcast.

Royalty returns: Queen is back

I'm probably the last to know this, but Queen is back and touring the world through next year. With the 1991 death of frontman Freddy Mercury, the band has recruited Paul Rodgers (Bad Company, Free) for lead vocals. The resulting sound? Well, not as seemless as the "Concert for Live" when George Michael took the mike and awed the audience at Wembley Stadium. But still worth seeing.

Queen is scheduled to hit Florida in the spring, with stops in Miami and Jacksonville. No Tampa Bay stop, unfortunately.

More cowbell!

Blue Oyster Cult hits the State Theater tonight (Dec. 3) in St. Petersburg, FL. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Not an 80s band, right? Gimme a break, they had some tunes in the 80s. And did any rock bank from the 70s really do THAT badly in the 80s? The Stones, Journey, Styx. Heck no. Growing up in the decade, I have to go with "Godzilla" as my favorite BOC tune.

But alas, the band might best be remembered these days for the More Cowbell skit on Saturday Night Life with Will Ferrell and Chris Walken. Enjoy.

80s fans' preferred stocking stuffer

What to buy an 80s fan -- a Rubik's Cube? A nice Depeche Mode CD? No, here is this year's no-brainer item: the newly released 2-disc DVD of "Duran Duran Live in London." Sweet. Recorded live at Wembley Stadium, it has 20 songs and comes with a CD of 10 songs (also recorded at the show) and 3-D glasses. And yes, all their greatest hits make it into the show.

Time will tell if this tops my all-time favorite concert film -- Sing Blue Silver, which chronicled the band's "Seven and the Ragged Tiger" tour of the U.S. back in 1983-4. I missed out on their show that year at the Lakeland Civic Center, which was at the time the only big concert venue in Tampa Bay (and no one really considers Lakeland part of Tampa Bay). So I'm constantly knocking on Gina's door and borrowing her DVD of that film.

And yeah, I know, we haven't done a Duran Duran podcast yet. I'm not sure what we're waiting for. That's a hefty topic for a single podcast. Give us suggestions on how to break them down and we'll see what we can do. In the meantime, I'm off to the store to hunt down this DVD.

Another 80s star passes on

Actress Wendie Jo Sperber, who made her mark in 80s classics such as Bosom Buddies, Back to the Future and Bachelor Party, died this week after an eight-year battle with breast cancer. Tom Hanks, who worked with her in several projects, called her "a walking inspiration."

Ferris is online!

Our gushing, no-apologies-just-love podcast tribute to Ferris Bueller is online. Download it now. And leave us a comment below: Is Ferris Bueller the best film by 80s iconic director John Hughes? I say yes!

And to answer a question we brought up in our podcast: Yes, it was Matthew Broderick and then-girlfriend Jennifer Grey who were in a tragic car accident in Northern Ireland back in 1987. According to one source, Broderick's rental car veered into the opposite lane and collided head-on with another car, killing two passengers and crippling another. Broderick tested negative for alcohol in his system and was convicted of only careless driving.