I was mostly just following my favorite 70's acts who had managed to survive in the 80's. Even throughout the 80's, I mostly despised the typical 80's radio fare. I was a huge metal head & did a metal show on the radio through the entire decade, so I was a big supporter of all the thrash & crossover bands of the era. There were a select few college radio bands I followed, but they were all mostly obscure indie bands like Uncle Green, I Love You, Grapes of Wrath, EIEIO, etc...
Oddly enough, here I am in 2012 & I'm a long standing member of a regional 80's band in the southeast. Irony?