Apparently, in advertising or film, if you want to get straight at someone's heart, you just play songs that your audience was listening to when they turned 18. Radio stations are all over this. That's why oldies radio has slowly followed their demographic by playing 60s and 70s music during the 90s to play 80s and 90s music now.
Why? Well, it's obvious. What were you doing when you were 18? Yes. That's right. Awesome.
Here's what I was into.
I moved to Geelong to go to uni on the week I turned 18. This was the anthem back then. Unfortunately a couple of fellas from Geelong's favorite band died in a crash on the Geelong road weeks before I arrived.
I came up with the idea for this posting last night at The Corner Hotel when I saw Dean Wareham from Galaxie 500 play this Johnathan Richman cover. I remember hearing this for the first time while running back from footy training late one night. I was fit then. But judging from my music tastes, not emotionally fit.
When I wasn't in pubs, girls' houses or lectures, I was on my skateboard. This was my favorite song to ride to. I'd play it again and again.
I spent several monumental moments back then listening to this.
I was in a band. We played art rock. It was amateurish, droney and up itself sludge. I was the flamboyant singer. But hearing 16 Lovers Lane, it became sadly obvious that there was more to art than being original. Simply made songs. And beautiful.
A few of us were obsessed with what was coming out of NZ back then. This is my favorite of all the many great songs that came from the Flying Nun label.
I still have a lot of time for the straight edge (no drink or drugs) punk movement. Feel the energy in this vid. So good. I've never thought you need anything in your bloodstream to get a lot out of great music. I also loved how outwardly political this music was. Especially now when 'political correctness' is scorned by most (I don't mind it at all), Fugazi still sound fresh and important.
What were you into?
Tell us about it in the comments.
7 comments:
The Specials.
NoFX
Lagwagon.
Less than Jake.
Psychedelic trance.
Drum n bass.
the slackers
peter tosh
the ramones
sex pistols
aphex twin
squarepusher
plone
anything from warped records or ninja tunes,
That's a good bunch of stuff, Kieran. I always liked Lagwagon's t-shirts.
This is all I can recall: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZcPbN78Gi0
The year was 1991, and I had turned 18 in the April. I was getting excited about going to a Kylie concert in the May, but I wasn't gay. Shocked was my fave from the album Rhythm of Love, especialy once I had learnt all the rap bit. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwYZMhYHbX8
Also in that year the local Macedonian club put on an underage disco at a local reception centre once a month. Italo House was still the genre that was popular and I recall busting moves to this classic from Black Box, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKgVzWeZ4qw.
Also at these disco there was obligatory slow dance to end the night. Where boys and girls would entwine themselves to the sounds of music. This one from Def Leppard always made hands wander and lots of awkard kissing,http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQSkIFhuli0.
I was often asked why I didn't slow dance with any girls, I would say something along the lines of " I was outside getting fresh air" or "Me and (insert girls name here) were having a conversation in the foyer". But I wasn't gay.
That year being able to go to nightclubs legally, and not hiding from police officers doing patrols, I couldn't wait to get to The Metro to dance to this track from Madonna, you may have heard of it? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQSkIFhuli0.
Another hit from Madonna that I wouldnt dance to until I knew all the moves, but I wasn't gay, was this one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuJQSAiODqI&ob=av2e.
Turning 18 meant getting my license. Driving around in my skyblue Datsun 180B was one of my favorite things to do, Lygon St or Chapel St. This track was often heard blasting through the four the windows that were always down, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sM_9As_2VAg.
The Kenwood tape player purchased from Gary's Car Radio produced a high quality sound.
I was disappointed when I had to get a refund on the tickets from Bass when the KLF concert was canelled due to the ill health of Tammy Wynette, I really was only going to hear this one song, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gzkllCIyww&feature=related.
While I am speaking of concerts, C & C Music Factory toured that year. They played the National Tennis Centre, I was there in a pair of mustard jeans and a green shirt with white polka dots, doing the running man to this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12VUjgYMm1U.
And who didn't walk like model to this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39YUXIKrOFk&feature=related.
I could go on forever but these are just a few of the songs that I recall from the year of turning 18, most of these songs are on my iPod.
I will finish with the song that I finally danced to with someone at the end of the night. It was more like 6am in the morning. It was at the Trade Bar in Collingwood, it is now apartments after being left vacant for 7 years and I even tried to buy it to return it to its former glory. I finally found someone that I could dance with. His name was Daniel and yes I am gay.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-J0E0JsKFZw&feature=related
Great post and especially great comment from Jack. I was 18 in 1997. Everybody was into OK Computer. I never 'got' that album then, and I still don't 'get' it now (much prefer The Bends, or even the intermittently shit Pablo Honey). I thought Primal Scream's Vanishing Point was the best record of that year, closely followed by Ladies and gentleman we are floating in space. All the records I loved at 18 (mostly indie and rap and dance) I still love today. My taste was good back then... but not THAT good. I liked the right stuff, but I also hated the wrong stuff. UK Garage was really blowing up, all the girls I knew loved r'n'b, and Hanson's Mmmmbop was the biggest track of the year.. but I hated all that stuff... dismissed it all as pop nonsense. Now that I'm older, pop nonsense is pretty much all I listen to.
The Cult
A mate asked me to go with him to see that Radiohead band at the Central Club in Richmond. It was just when Creep came out. Didn't Ike the song so I wasn't interested in going. Neither were the rest of Melbourne. There was only 30 at that gig and of course my mate said it was incredible.
The Cult. Yes. The Cult. Awesome.
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