Mailbag: Stuck in the 80s answers back

We get a ton of e-mail here at Stuck in the 80s -- and not all of it is from creditors! Here are some interesting questions we've received lately, along with our somewhat serious answers.

 

What was the name of the artist who did the album covers for Journey. The ones with the scarab beetles? -- Sean via e-mail.

That'd be Stanley Mouse, also known for his artwork on Grateful Dead posters.

My kids found "The Karate Kid" on TV today, and I forgot how much I love that movie!  Have you done a podcast on this yet? -- Becky from Windsor, Canada.

Actually, no, we haven't. Bizarre, right? I'm torn on Karate Kid. Parts of it are fantastic. The whole Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita stuff. But the love story between Macchio and Elizabeth Shue? Totally unfathomable. Still, worthy of a podcast for sure.

You've discussed Air Supply, Psuedo Echo and others.  You've met with Rick Springfield.  How about an 80's "Down Under" show? -- Burty from Gippsland, Australia.

We did a similar show about Canada in the 80s, and we've talked about doing the same for Australia (possibly combined with New Zealand). It just takes a TON of research. I say it's a done deal -- just don't expect me to say many nice things about Midnight Oil. Yeech!

Got a question? E-mail me at stuckinthe80s@tampabay.com.

Comments

[Jeff in Cuba]

I'd love an Aussie/NZ podcast!

However, I think Men at Work rates a 'cast of it's own, and I could say the same thing for INXS. My personal opinion is that the Finn brothers (Split Enz/Crowded House) could carry a whole show, but that may be more of a stretch.

I think you're looking at a two-parter. Even without those three, there'd be a lot to talk about:

Rick Springfield
Midnight Oil
Icehouse
Kylie Minogue
The Church
AC/DC
Jimmy Barnes
Divinyls
Hoodoo Gurus
Australian Crawl
Air Supply
Little River Band

And the 80's song with the longest run at #1 on the Billboard charts was also from an Aussie artist:

Olivia Newton-John's "Physical" spent 10 weeks in the top spot in late 1981 and early 1982.

[Greg Jones]

Hoodoo Gurus. Wow. Mars Needs Guitars.
There's a sound that's not typical 80s. More late 70s garage.

Plus, if you do DiVinyls, you'll give Sean the opportunity to make laviscious comments about the "I Touch Myself" video.

[Bassnote]

I'd disqualify the song "I Touch Myself" because it came out in 1991, but the DiVinyls had some other good songs in the 80s: Pleasure and Pain, Boys In Town, and Ring Me Up.

[Dennis]

If we talk about Australia, let's not forget REAL LIFE (Send Me An Angel + Catch Me I'm Falling...). And one could add a bit on PSEUDO ECHO

[lauri]

Great idea - especially Rick Springfield, Little River Band, Olivia Newton John, the Church, Zoot (fun), Easybeats

[PAul]

Say one more bad word about Midnight Oil and you and I are gonna fight.

[Ian from Down Under]

Bassnote, you can't count out "I Touch Myself" for the simple reason that just like Sean, Chrissie was touching herself in the 80's.

A few more bands and singers to add:

Boom Crash Opera
Noiseworks
Cold Chisel (Jimmy Barnes on lead vocals)
The Dugites
The Go-Betweens
Spy v Spy
Richard Clapton
The Saints
Uncanny X-men
The Sunnyboys
The Triffids
Paul Kelly & the Coloured Girls
Hunters & Collectors
TISM (This Is Serious Mum)
Mondo Rock
Billy Field
Moving Pictures
The Party Boys
John Farnham
Rose Tattoo
The Radiators
GANGgajang
and although not overly possessed with great talent, I would like to add one just for Sean.
Collette - Ring my Bell
- singing was ordinary
- eye candy rating 10 (bring back fluorescent lycra)

And so on and so forth. Has anyone mentioned MEN AT WORK yet??????????

[El Mike]

Don't forget Crocodile Dundee -- "G'day, Mate!" and "That's a knife!".

Thanks to Paul Hogan, Olivia Newton-John, and Greg "The Shark" Norman, Americans thought Australians were very cool in the 80's. Probably need 2 podcasts to adequately cover the land of the koala's contribution to the Big Eighties.

ONJ's "Physical" was a breakthrough song, ushering in the dance-synth-pop genre that Madonna would soon ride to stardom.

My favorite: Men at Work. Glad to see Colin Hay still doing well in the 2000's -- awesome salsa and acoustic versions of Down Under on iTunes, plus he guest starred on one of the best ever episodes of Scrubs, as a balladeer who breaks into song as a stiff in the morgue, a nice satire on sitcom background music.

[Ian from Down Under]

Colin Hay is a very much underrated performer. And I'm sure that Steven XYZ Spears will see it in his heart one day to do that much cherished podcast on Men at Work.
Another Australian band I forgot was Mi-Sex.
Also, if you delve into the deep dark past of The Wiggles you will come up with an 80's Sydney band called The Cockroaches.
And I agree with Steve on Midnight Oil. Although they were prolific hit makers and I have seen them more than 10 times, I have had enough of them.

[Spears]

Moving Pictures? For some reason, I had it in my head they were Canadian.

[Ian from Down Under]

Nope Stevie Boy, Moving Pictures are definitely Australian. A Sydney band to be precise. And if you do do an Aussie podcast, please don't play ONJ's Physical. It is possibly the worst Australian song ever. Also, perhaps you could do a podcast on bands that came from New Zealand but we call Australian. Split Enz and Crowded House obviously top the list. But we only adopt the good ones. There are absolutely no Red Headed New Zealand Step Children in the Australian family.

[Clyde]

Karate Kid podcast? YES!!!!

[Azza]

PSEUDO ECHO forever :D