FLASHBACK

A 400k AT THE RE.

STUDENT

NEWSPAPER cf I982

1981 Revisited :

If nothing else, 1981 was evidence of an ever-widening gap between the British and American music scenes. It seems that if you want to hear a new band-that shows any sign of life or orginality, you-will have to look to Britain. ta ee Wad radio is the culprit. In compar ing the yearly charts.of the two countries, it, is clear, that Britons are willing to take | risks in what thev listen to. At the same time, U.S. radio “hits” are barely distinguishable from the stuff that is diffused through the nati6n's shopping malls. -

There were, however, some very good. albums released by North American artists in '81. The - reason that A.M. radio ignored them is because they didn't conform to the formula of 3 minute homogenized hits (you know, those things vou hear | between commercials). The albums that sold well did so because of this same forma - Pat Benetar, (a balding ) Christopher Cross, and Speedwagon's

High ae The latter was the vear's tseller. Okay, so it sold over 6 million copies - it still isn't very good.

1981 was:a year in which several major groups decided to call it quits, among them: The Eagles, Steely Dan, Wings, the Joe Jackson Band, Steeleye Span, and Rockpile. Meanwhile, Robert Plant and Jinmy Page joined ex-Yes members Alan White and Chris Squire, sparking rumours of a new Super-group. :

What follows is a list of what I believe were the best and worst albums of '81. Since ranking is impossible, the lists are in alphabetical order by performer. é

THE BES®- CATHOLIC “BOY THE JIM CARROLL BAND HUMANS BRUCE COCKBURN

TRUST ELVIS COSTELLO

MAKING MOVIES DIRE STRAITS

TWANGIN' DAVE EDMUNDS DANGEROUS ACQUAINTANCES MARIANNE FAITHFUL FREEZE FRAME THE J. GEILS BAND ‘PIRATES. : ‘RICKIE LEE JONES

LONG DISTANCE VOYAGER THE MOODY BLUES HARD PROMISES TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBRZAKERS PRETENDERS 11 THE PRETENDERS SECONDS OF PLEASURE ROCKPILE

TATTOO YOU TES ROLLING SYONES

BOY U2

SUPERPICOPER (SUPERSTUPOR?) ABBA THE ONE THAT YOU LOVE

- RISING

AUDIO VISIONS

THE OFFICIAL SECRETS ACT DEAD RINGER 'TELEKON

NEW HOPE FOR THE WRETCHED I'M NO HERO

WIRED FOR SOUND

PURITY OF ESSENCE

BAD FOR GOOD

PARADISE THEATER

PARIS

FAIR WARNING

Song_ -

SONG OF THE YEAR: "Too Drunk to F---" — the Dead Kennedys.

"Seriously, my only ambition in the world is to go to Egypt, stand on top to the central pyramid, and piss all over it." |

Ozzy Osbourne, Blizzard of Oz

"My real name is Preliminary age

-Sketch

"The reason I haven't given intereiees in recent years is simply because I've become very private. Also, to be honest, I really don't think I've got that much to say."

-David Bowie

"I haven't the first idea who this is, and

the only reason I'd want to is so I could avoid.

- future encounters.”

-Elvis Costello, after hearing the new Styx single.

"English fans don't wait for a computer to tell them what to buy. In America, it's all stastics. If Americans like something, it's probably crap." : ~-Stewart Copeland, the Police "There isn't much difference between rock

“'n' roll and teaching... you're entertaining »

delinouets." -Sting, the Police "Most people are too busy constructing stuff which is suitable for radio - and that's why there are sO many dull groups, dull disc jockeys, dull pares dull everything." - . Nick Lowe - m not- a thick turd." - -Bob Geldof, the Boomtown Rats

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—— Thursday, November 10, 1988===

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