Podcast preview: Good songs, bad movies
Ready for something to cheer you up on an unusually cold Saturday afternoon in March? Then download the sneak preview of our latest Stuck in the 80s podcast.
It's all about the great tunes we've uncovered from bad 80s movies, including 1984's Electric Dreams. Special thanks to everyone who helped compile that list for the blog a couple weeks ago.
Click here to download the show. It's not available on iTunes until next week.
I'll check back during the day to read comments, feedback and chat.
Relive the music, movies and culture of the greatest decade ever with Times online editor Steve Spears. A teen during the decade, Steve is obsessed with everything from Duran Duran to Journey, John Hughes to John Cusack, and parachute pants to Reaganomics.
E-mail Steve Spears:
BTW, that's really Sean and I eating Funyuns and Mountain Dew in the background during the intro.
Posted by: Spears | March 08, 2008 at 01:40 PM
I'm here! I'm listening! I would have choked on the intro had I not swallowed first. That was AWESOME!
ps. love Rick Springfield and his biceps. mmmmmm He's MY celebrity crush.
Justin Timberlake? Jill! you can't be serious lol
Posted by: Marissa | March 08, 2008 at 01:42 PM
Her list went on longer, but to keep her dignity intact, I edited out the other names.
Posted by: Spears | March 08, 2008 at 01:43 PM
A Little More Love is from ONJs Totally Hot album, I believe.
Posted by: Marissa | March 08, 2008 at 01:44 PM
ACK! Stop talking about Cruella. It pains me deeply.
Posted by: Marissa | March 08, 2008 at 01:49 PM
Jill. ::sigh:: Asia is not obscure. Dramatic perhaps, but never obscure to the 80s nation.
Posted by: Marissa | March 08, 2008 at 01:52 PM
Cruella?
Posted by: Spears | March 08, 2008 at 01:52 PM
Amanda = Cruella
Posted by: Marissa | March 08, 2008 at 01:54 PM
I ask this: who the hell would mock your love of the 80s? Hmmm? That's just wrong. I will fight the chick who does such a thing.
Posted by: Marissa | March 08, 2008 at 01:55 PM
Scatman Crothers = awesome. He'll always be Hong Kong Phooey to me.
Posted by: jane | March 08, 2008 at 02:00 PM
I'm basically talking to myself here. But ya know what, that's okay. The other 5 personalities are here to keep me company and give me things to type.
Posted by: Marissa | March 08, 2008 at 02:01 PM
I saw the Bangles. One of the few concerts I've been to.
At my wedding reception, we had a marathon "walk like an egyptian" moment as a replacement for the hokey pokey.
Posted by: Marissa | March 08, 2008 at 02:02 PM
Hey! HEY! I know a Frito Lay distributor person guy. Well, I'm best friends with his brother in law. I'll have him check into the Wasabi Flavored Funyun.
Posted by: Marissa | March 08, 2008 at 02:08 PM
Taylor Hackford. Awesome. I love his wife and want to be her when I grow up.
Posted by: jane | March 08, 2008 at 02:11 PM
We need Funyuns as a sponsor. At least our commercial would be funny.
Posted by: Gut-bomb | March 08, 2008 at 02:12 PM
Less than Zero. MUCH better book than movie. Although "Hazy Shade of Winter" is totally my favorite Bangles song.
Posted by: jane | March 08, 2008 at 02:12 PM
That last comment was actually mine. I'm not sure how someone changed the nickname on my computer. No comedy intended.
Posted by: Spears | March 08, 2008 at 02:13 PM
Ha! Good nickname, Steve. There is a Frito Lay snack locator, and it reports that Wasabi flavored Funyuns are not available within 50 mile radius of Tampa Bay ... nor Kankakee.
I'll get my people on it asap.
Posted by: Marissa | March 08, 2008 at 02:20 PM
Nice. You put Jill into anaphylactic shock with the Funyuns.
Posted by: jane | March 08, 2008 at 02:26 PM
Oh, Sean. I love your chatter and voiced inner battles with Angel Sean and Devil Sean.
Posted by: Marissa | March 08, 2008 at 02:27 PM
Well done, my darlings. Bravo! Excellent reparte.
Posted by: Marissa | March 08, 2008 at 02:28 PM
A grand afternoon's entertainment, gentlemen.
I laughed, I cried. It was better than Cats.
Posted by: jane | March 08, 2008 at 03:11 PM
Marissa, Jane & Gut-bomb...errr Steve! So sorry to have missed the mini live chat. I know I'm suppose to be working... but I was sleeping! Ahhh, let's hear it for naps!
Anyway... Love the opening! Off to listen to the show!
Posted by: Carla | March 08, 2008 at 03:11 PM
Well, maybe I haven't missed it... I see Jane posted at the same time as me!
Posted by: Carla | March 08, 2008 at 03:12 PM
I'm trying to keep this thing afloat. Sadly, I think my water wings are deflating, but I'm treading with my feet.
Posted by: Marissa | March 08, 2008 at 03:14 PM
Keep treading Riss....I'm here, I'm here!
Posted by: Carla | March 08, 2008 at 03:16 PM
I'm listening to the podcast again. Steve to Sean in the intro: "What? silence is golden all of a sudden."
Posted by: Marissa | March 08, 2008 at 03:21 PM
Yeah, caught that! I'm up to Twist of Fate! Not a great movie... loved the songs. But I do confess ...I can still watch Xanadu from time to time. I don't think it's that crappy of a movie.... guilty pleasure??
Posted by: Carla | March 08, 2008 at 03:24 PM
I have watched it once. lol
Posted by: Marissa | March 08, 2008 at 03:29 PM
It was hard for me to watch Swan (Michael Beck) from THE WARRIORS turn into a roller skating goob in XANADU.
Posted by: Marissa | March 08, 2008 at 03:31 PM
Really?? Well I was 11 in 1980... and I was truly into ONJ. So she could do NO wrong. Hence, I watched and listened to everything she did over and over!
Posted by: Carla | March 08, 2008 at 03:34 PM
The mere mention of Rick Springfield has had me dropping everything to listen to this sneak peak of the podcast.
FYI to Sean, the song Souls is NOT in the movie Hard to Hold.
Posted by: 80sfan | March 08, 2008 at 03:35 PM
I didn't even know who Michael Beck was before Xanadu. I have listened to him in recent years. He narrates a few audio books that I've listened to.
Posted by: Carla | March 08, 2008 at 03:36 PM
Yay! another person. Jill disses Asia. UGH. How DARE she!
Posted by: Marissa | March 08, 2008 at 03:37 PM
80's fan... wasn't "Don't Walk Away" on that soundtrack?? Loved that song! Not more than "Love Somebody"... but it was a great song!
Posted by: Carla | March 08, 2008 at 03:37 PM
I remember watching "The Warriors" with my older brother. I want to say we saw it at the drive-in, but I tend to think that about a lot of movies lol I attach more nostalgia that way.
Posted by: Marissa | March 08, 2008 at 03:38 PM
Yep Don't Walk Away was the second track on the soundtrack. Another great song is Taxi Dancing. There is a previously unreleased version of that song on the remastered release of Working Class Dog.
Posted by: 80sfan | March 08, 2008 at 03:40 PM
Two of a Kind is an awesome soundtrack. I stumbled upon a remix of Living in Desperate Time just this morning.
Posted by: 80sfan | March 08, 2008 at 03:41 PM
OKAY, HOW is it possible that Steve and Jill have not eaten a Funyun before?
Posted by: Carla | March 08, 2008 at 03:42 PM
This is a sad story, ladies. So, get a tissue. I was playing my Best of Rick Springfield CD at work and a co-worker cried out "WHAT! Are we listening to?" as if it pained her.
Of course, I had to walk up to her and give her a strong backhand to the head.
Posted by: Marissa | March 08, 2008 at 03:43 PM
I think they were faking it, Carla.
Posted by: Marissa | March 08, 2008 at 03:44 PM
Marissa I take it you work with people with no taste in music.
Posted by: 80sfan | March 08, 2008 at 03:46 PM
Yeah Marissa... I've had 2 situations like that. Once, when I was going to the last Prince concert... I was talking to my sister, and my niece was like "WHO" ?? (She was dropped on her head as a child!!)
And the moment my heart dropped in my chest...."I'm sorry... Steve Perry???" A youngster at work. I had to take her to school!
Posted by: Carla | March 08, 2008 at 03:47 PM
I figured they were probably faking it.. at least I hope so!
Posted by: Carla | March 08, 2008 at 03:48 PM
You know it, 80sfan. I have 3 co-workers who attempt to kill me with non-stop country. Now, I don't hate all country, but constant, non-stop just about makes me go into a tyraid fitting of Atilla the Hun
Posted by: Marissa | March 08, 2008 at 03:48 PM
Sean, Souls is not on the Hard To Hold soundtrack. I have an original cd release of the soundtrack, and that song ain't there.
Finally getting to listen. I had to run my wife over to Lenscrafters for a broken glasses emergency. I loved the opening.
Posted by: Bassnote | March 08, 2008 at 03:48 PM
ACK! Did you say Lenscrafters, Bassnote? On a Saturday? Good luck seeing her in less than 4 hours.
Posted by: Marissa | March 08, 2008 at 03:55 PM
Great Show! Poor Jill! LOL
Posted by: Carla | March 08, 2008 at 03:57 PM
Actually they fixed her glasses in under 10 minutes, and they didn't charge her, even though she didn't buy the glasses there.
Posted by: Bassnote | March 08, 2008 at 03:57 PM
My 13 yr old just shouted out the answer to LAST week's MMM. Figures! A day late and a dollar short.
Posted by: Marissa | March 08, 2008 at 03:57 PM
Wow! That'd never happen here, Bassnote. I know. I witness it all the time lol
Posted by: Marissa | March 08, 2008 at 03:58 PM
ACK I have been policed by the spam filter.
Posted by: 80sfan | March 08, 2008 at 04:03 PM
Bassnote, I'm giving you a comment SHOUT OUT for bringing ELECTRIC DREAMS to Steve's attention.
Posted by: Marissa | March 08, 2008 at 04:04 PM
Yeah, agreed Riss... that is one of those songs I completely forgot about!
Posted by: Carla | March 08, 2008 at 04:10 PM
Great podcast. Now I have to go an hunt down that Ann Wilson track. How did I not know about this one?
Posted by: 80sfan | March 08, 2008 at 04:14 PM
Thanks Marissa! : )
I'm still patting myself on the back for dropping that song here on the blog.
Posted by: Bassnote | March 08, 2008 at 04:28 PM
It's truly a gem, Bassnote. I actually kind of liked the movie. The guy is cute with dreamy blue eyes and Virginia Madsen goes without saying.
Posted by: Marissa | March 08, 2008 at 04:36 PM
I meant to say that "Souls" is from "Hard to Hold 2: Harder Than Ever." My bad.
Posted by: Sean Daly | March 08, 2008 at 04:45 PM
LOL! Nice save Sean.
Posted by: Bassnote | March 08, 2008 at 04:47 PM
I had major crushes on ONJ and Virginia Madsen in the 80s.
Posted by: Bassnote | March 08, 2008 at 04:49 PM
I'm back. For now. Just read all the messages. And that damn Funyun is still doing loops in my digestive tract.
Posted by: Spears | March 08, 2008 at 05:00 PM
Hey! A type-by from Sean. Woot! I sent you a special little something via email, Sean.
Posted by: Marissa | March 08, 2008 at 05:02 PM
Give Sean full credit for thinking up the idea for the opening to this week's show.
Posted by: Spears | March 08, 2008 at 05:07 PM
It was splendiferous! How many takes did you endure to get it right?
Posted by: Marissa | March 08, 2008 at 05:10 PM
It took us a good 20 minutes of taping, stopping, changing lines, adding jokes, redoing it, etc., etc., for those 30 seconds of footage.
Probably an hour to edit it all together.
Time well spent.
Posted by: Spears | March 08, 2008 at 05:14 PM
Excellent editing, Steve. I gave you a standing ovation, but you couldn't see me.
Posted by: Marissa | March 08, 2008 at 05:27 PM
Oh my I LOVE the opening! I am rolling here!
Posted by: specialkness | March 09, 2008 at 03:43 PM
I just finished the podcast and I absolutely loved this one! Jill and her Asia comments... WOW! The digs just keep on coming from that little lady!
Great song to end with!
Posted by: specialkness | March 09, 2008 at 04:31 PM
I know its a few days late - but I only today got to download and give it a listen.
That was GREAT. You guys were on your A game for sure. Jill, Asia, Funyuns, great tunes and the double S's.
I loved it. Great stuff.
Posted by: David-b | March 10, 2008 at 11:26 PM