My Top 20 Lists that I compiled as a kid 1973-1990

[Catfish]

October 1980 List
-------------------
1. Styx (No change)
2. Journey (+1)
3. Neil Young (-1)
4. Cars (No change)
5. Boston (No change)
6. Toto (+1)
7. Led Zeppelin (-1)
8. Tom Petty (+1)
9. Fleetwood Mac (+2)
10. Eagles (-2)
11. Off Broadway (+1)
12. Pat Benetar (+1)
13. Eddie Money (-4)
14. Kinks (New)
15. Rush (-1)
16. Bob Seger (-1)
17. Foreigner (No change)
18. Queen (-2)
19. Moody Blues (No change)
20. Rolling Stones (-2)

Kinks- Since the '60's were about a couple of decade digits in the past now, guess I was getting some trendy nostaliga tastes at the time. The Kinks were a big element of the original British invasion, and surely deserve their place in history. I think at the time, I bought the "One for the Road" live album which gave a pretty decent rundown of their fine history of hits. Any '60's-phile has got to have some Kinks in their collection.

Concert-- ZZ Top October 30, 1980 Price on Stub- $8.50-. Another great show, that easily went 3-4 hours Gibbons took a buch of his classics and went into long expressive blues licks. that shredded them like all get out. I know Dusty is gone, but I recommend anyone who can to attend a show. It will be worth your while. If you are a Texan, and haven't seen them...... turn your Texas Card in ASAP.

 

[Catfish]

November 1980 List
---------------------------
1. Styx (No change)
2. Journey (No change)
3. Neil Young (No change)
4. Cars (No change)
5. Boston (No change)
6. Tom Petty (+2)
7. Led Zeppelin (No change)
8. Toto ((-2)
9. Pat Benetar (+3)
10. Fleetwood Mac (-1)
11. Eagles (-1)
12. Kinks (+2)
13. Queen (+5)
14. Rush (+1)
15. Off Broadway (-4)
16. Bob Seger (No change)
17. Eddie Money (-4)
18. Foreigner (-1)
19. Moody Blues (No change)
20. Rolling Stones (No change)

 

[Catfish]

December 1980 List
----------------------------
1. Styx- (No change)
2. Neil Young (+1)
3. Journey (-1)
4. Cars (No change)
5. Boston (No change)
6. Led Zeppelin (+1)
7. Toto (+1)
8. Pat Benetar (+1)
9. Tom Petty (-3)
10. Fleetwood Mac (No change)
11. Queen (+2)
12. Eagles (+1)
13. The Who (New)
14. Kinks (-2)
15. Rush (-1)
16. Off Broadway (-1)
17. Emerson Lake and Palmer (New)
18. Foreigner (No change)
19. Kansas (New)
20. Bob Seger (-4)

In honor of my half-hillbilly heritage....... Get on board.....

 

[Catfish]

January 1981 List
--------------------------
1. Styx (No change)
2. Journey (No change)
3. Neil Young (No change)
4. Pat Benetar (+4)
5. Cars (-1)
6. Boston (-1)
7. Led Zeppelin (-1)
8. The Dictators (New)
9. Toto (-2)
10. Tom Petty (-1)
11. Fleetwood Mac (-1)
12. Eagles (No change)
13. The Who (No change)
14. Off Broadway (+2)
15. Kinks (-1)
16. Rush (-1)
17. Kansas (+2)
18. Emerson Lake and Palmer (-1)
19. Queen (-8)
20. Foreigner (-2)

The Dictators-. How about some more obscurity? This is a hard rocking punk band, kind of in the vein of the Ramones. According to their wiki page, only one of their albums charted, and charted at #193. Surprised they didn't have more success, considering how big raw punk become with the almost instantaneous infusion of the Ramones and Sex Pistols. Here is 3 that I remember that got air play back in the day.

 

[Catfish]

February 1981 list
---------------------------
1. Styx (No change)
2. Journey (No change)
3. Neil Young (No change)
4. Pat Benetar (No change)
5. Cars (No change)
6. Boston (No change)
7. Led Zeppelin (No change)
8. Toto (+1)
9. Fleetwood Mac (+2)
10. Tom Petty (No change)
11. Eagles (+1)
12. Dictators (-4)
13. The Who (No change)
14. Off Broadway (No change)
15. Rush (+2)
16. Kinks (-1)
17. Kansas (No Change)
18. Emerson Lake and Palmer (No change)
19. Foreigner (+1)
20. Queen (-1)

Concert- Christopher Cross - February 12, 1981- Part III of making a girl friend happy. But I will have to admit, it was a pretty good concert to take a date to. Pretty talented soft rock crooner , if you are really into that. Career was a pretty much the proverbial flash in the pan. Chart buster out the gate, and then fell off a cliff.

 

[Catfish]

March 1981 List
---------------------------
1. Styx (No change)
2. Journey (No change)
3. Neil Young (No change)
4. Pat Benetar (No change)
5. Boston (+1)
6. Cars (-1)
7. Led Zeppelin (No change)
8. Fleetwood Mac (+1)
9. Toto (-1)
10. Eagles (+1)
11. Dictators (+1)
12. Tom Petty (-2)
13. Kansas (+4)
14. Off Broadway (No change)
15. Rush (No change)
16. Emerson Lake and Palmer (+2)
17. The Who (-4)
18. Kinks (-2)
19. REO Speedwagon (New)
20. Queen (No change)

REO Speedwagon- If you are a classic rock fan, I'd bet there is a pretty good probability that you have the 1980 Hi-Infidelity. Album incredibly charted 3 Top 25 and one No. 1. But to facts, REO actually went back to the early '70's. Pretty much almost their 1st decade of existence, they were infamously the 2nd or 3rd act in concerts throughout the country. They basically ran their career on one really good tune "Riding the Storm Out", along with a couple of middle rocking bluesey tunes. But their epitah is lined with the "Journey Effect". Get drunk on some short term pop-rock success. After their moment in the sun in the early to mid '80's they rightfully fell out of view.

In spite my own disliking of giving overplayed hyped samples..... Here is their signature tune that did hit No.1. Leave it to these guys to over cheese it. (sorry)

 

[Catfish]

April 1981 List-
------------------------
1. Styx (No change)
2. Journey (No change)
3. Neil Young (No change)
4. Pat Benetar (No change)
5. Boston (No change)
6. Billy Joel (New)
7. Led Zeppelin (No change)
8. Fleetwood Mac (No change)
9. Cars (-3)
10. Toto (-1)
11. The Police (New)
12. Eagles (-2)
13. Kansas (No change)
14. Tom Petty (-2)
15. Dictators (-4)
16. Rush (-1)
17. Off Broadway (-1)
18. REO Speedwagon (+1)
19. Emerson Lake and Palmer (-3)
20. The Who (-3)

The Police- The Police and The Cars basically held the spots of titans in this era for New Wave. The Police had a different sound, with less electronics, more reggae influence. They differed in one way, in that their work seemed to generally get progressively better with each album while the Cars seemed at their zenith with their 1st 2 LP's. Style wise, the Cars seemed more straight forward and cheery, while Sting et. al prefered a more dark, foreboding lyricaly l and musically. IF I had to pick a preferable Police LP, I'd probably go with Ghost in the Machine. As far as between the bands, to me it is almost a tie. If I did have to choose, I'd guess I'd go with the Cars, as their best songs, are better than the Police's best. Plus the Police only had 5 studio albums

Still, they area great listen,and you can't picture life in the early '80's without an occasional Police song blaring in the background. There were pretty much ubiquity on radio at that time. Think i will offer the good tracks tht got airplay (I hate f'n Roxanne- sorry). Great songs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZlRX03BzeA&list=PLBnJv6rImVe9ReRWEytmSuTL67PT4zu-r&index=8

Billy Joel-. Highly sucesssful pop sensation. Another puzzler, why I thought this at that time could be a top 5 band at the time. I guess I got caught up in the Glass Houses thing, wore narrow ties, Ray Bans, and thought I was I was cool. Shit I must have looked trendily stupid at the time. I guess I bought off on this crappy New Wave Fakery. I sure hope no one got pictures.

And no offense to the folks who are into piano man's crooning. Might be your thing... Not mine.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTWSXhMKX4I&list=PLraUXdMOSKKEpSFg4k6EEuXKBfPAQhNex&index=2

 

[Catfish]

May 1981 List
--------------------
1. Styx (No change)
2. Journey (No change)
3. Neil Young (No change)
4. Pat Benetar (No change)
5. Billy Joel (+1)
6. Boston (-1)
7. Led Zeppelin (No change)
8. Police (+3)
9. Fleetwood Mac (-1)
10. Toto (-1)
11. Cars (-2)
12. REO Speedwagon (+6)
13. Kansas (No change)
14. Tom Petty (No change)
15. Eagles (-3)
16. Romantics (New)
17. Rush (-1)
18. Devo (New)
19. Dictators (-4)
20. Off Broadway (-3)

Devo- . This is the first time, I have ever gone back through these list, and in some cases I am pretty shocked what I listed as good, or believe that I bought into some of these "fads". I am more proud of my muscial tastes in the early '70's versus the early '80's. Having Devo is just one of several examples, Billy Joel, another. Proliferation of music videos and MTV didn't help. Devo, as everyone knows employed a simple schtick....... Wear matching stupid jump suits and wear flower pots on their heads. When a musical genre really starts getting traction (New Wave), for every Cars and Police, you get 20 DEVO's.

Want to get a laugh?, and this is from their wiki page explaining what DEVO means...."The name DEVO comes from the concept of "de-evolution" and the band's related idea that instead of continuing to evolve, mankind had begun to regress, as evidenced by the dysfunction and herd mentality of American society." While that dystopian vision sure has some truth to it, they became the same band that by the end had 9 studio albums, and 11 compliations. Just how many ways can you repackage crap to DEVO'ed minds?

Me? I am just dreading when I have to admit when I get the point where I have to report that "The Knack" made my list. This is my DEVO period of musical tastes. If I guess I have to add a track, I'll give you their hit...

ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!

Romantics- - Another decent two hit wonder band that had a brief career, based simply on 2 songs (1st video) "What I Like About You", which might be one of the best New Wave songs of the era. And 2nd, the sappy "Talking in Your Sleep" which basically was fed by a video hyped by hot women. (Golly Gee, wonder how many times that was repeated on MTV?)

 

[Catfish]

June 1981 List-
------------------
1. Styx- (No change)
2. Neil Young (+1)
3. Journey (-1)
4. Pat Benetar (No change)
5. Billy Joel (No change)
6. Led Zeppelin (+1)
7. Boston (-1)
8. Police (No change)
9. Fleetwood Mac (No change)
10. Kansas (+3)
11. Toto (-1)
12. Cars (-1)
13. REO Speedwagon (-1)
14. Rush (+3)
15. Eagles (No change)
16. Devo (+2)
17. Dire Straits (New)
18. Tom Petty (-4)
19. Romantics (-3)
20. Off Broadway (No change)

Dire Straits- . Kind of like Eddie Van Halen, there is no mistaking the sound of Mark Knoppler's sound. His smooth guitar runs and eccletric song writing filled many a moment in my drive times. Dire Straits was just good old fashioned rock and roll with just enough twinge of blues to give their sound that oomph that many in that era loved. His laid back vocals like in Sultans of Swing were great, and that great sound went on for over 5 very consistent albums. Amazing this band covered so much ground on those 5 albums. They did make a forgettable 6th album, that almost seemed like an afterthought.

I had previously added the Making Movies video suite, which btw I feel includes their very best work. So for a sample, I am going to give you a tune that though a long listen, does a great job of encapsulating everything great about all the styles and tenors of Dire Straits in one neat, but 14 minute long package.

 

[Catfish]

July 1981 List
----------------------
1. Styx (No change)
2. Neil Young (No change)
3. Journey (No change)
4. Pat Benetar (No change)
5. Led Zeppelin (+1)
6. Boston (+1)
7. Billy Joel (-2)
8. Kansas (+2)
9. Police (-1)
10. Fleetwood Mac (-1)
11. REO Speedwagon (+2)
12. Cars (N change)
13. Rush (+1)
14. Eagles (+1)
15. UFO (New)
16. Devo (No change)
17. Dire Straits (No change)
18. Tom Petty (No change)
19. Heart (New)
20. Eddie Money (New)

UFO- Another really really good band, that never got past back up band status in the arena concert circuit. Surprised after looking it up, they had little or no success in cracking the charts. Honestly, I think competition was so fierce for our vinyl dollars in those day, that they always just came up short. Guys were def. competent, so guess just another mystery of getting the breaks.

Here is an excellent example of what they sounded like in the late '70's and early '80's. Diggin' that Flying V.

Heart- I know what you are saying..... It took all the way to mid 1981 to add Heart to the top 20?.... And folks I will be take that criticism for being late to the game. The Wilson sisters were hit making machines who flat out rocked out. When I later saw them concert, I was really impressed with their ability to play so tight that it gave credence to the studio versions. The only bands I saw who did it better were Blue Oyster Cult, Rush, and Yes.

Heart charted 33 hits. And I bet pretty much everyone is quite familiar with their massive repertoire , so I'll go with an outlier. I am not much into power ballads, but this might be the most powerful ones ever composed in rock.....