Our 1980 top 10s in & out of PA (share & comment)

richardh wrote: ^ I am often very negative about the 80's for mostly the obvious reasons that it was a time that rock music threw away the gains of the late sixties and the seventies and decided that U2 were a band that was worth taking seriously..... ultimately the terrible production aesthetic of so many albums as we get further into the decade just hurts my ears and goes against any innovation that might be happening

I could have written those sentiments myself, but I rather clung to Marillion and early 80's Rush, Yes & Genesis like a limpet as well as Queensryche, Maiden and heavier stuff... didn't discover proper Floyd and TD until 6th form..

^ The only one of those I have heard in full is Civilian, not a fan TBH, but I have listened to music from that Eddy Marron before because of you as I recall, and liked it. Checking it out now, and enjoying what I am hearing. Thanks, Doug.

Incidentally... I know that Pedro seems against such things, and I don't want a lecture on that here (no one approach need fit everyone, and I appreciate a diversity of thinking and approaches commonly), but there should be various ways to make and get good recommendations (that would work for many) based on an individuals' interests (those stepping stone releases can be especially valuable in opening up new vistas). Of course there are many algorithms for such things, and those can work well, but I like the personal touch. I expect there would be many 1980 albums you would like if you got to know them. What often helps is finding those people who share many of the most interests with you, of course. Like for me with Saperlipopette! whom I last responded to, I know he could suggest lots of releases from any year that I would like. Just a thought that likely won't lead to me having any new practical and implementable (or to be implemented) ideas. It's something I've always been interested in and wanted to work towards.

These interactive lists where we share our own and discuss others choices hopefully can help somewhat in that regard. I know they do for me, at least as I see lots of touchstones (confluences of interests with contributors).

I have been quite passionate when it comes to defending the 80s against claims of poor quality, by the way. Often it just depends on how widely and deeply you cast your net and how diverse ones tastes can be. But I digress.

Edited by Logan - 16 hours 48 minutes ago at 09:29

Saperlipopette! wrote: 1980-1981 are just so unique imo. Everything was changing while the progressive and experimental approach of the 1970's sort of made a comeback. I could easily have listed 30 more favorites: Art Zoyd - Génération Sans Futur (Avant-Prog, Chamber Music, Modern Classical, RIO) The Residents - Commercial Album (Art Pop, Avant Prog) The John Renbourn Group - The Enchanted Garden (British Folk, Early Music) Abus Dangereux - Le Quatrieme Mouvement (Jazz-Rock, Zeuhl, Canterbury Scene) Barre Phillips - Journal Violone II (ECM Style Jazz, Vocal Jazz, Free Jazz) Kartik Trivedi - Basanti: Indian Raga Music on Piano (Hindustani Classical Music) Rahmann - Rahmann (Oriental Jazz, Zeuhl, Jazz Rock-Fusion) New Life Trio - Visions of the Third Eye (Free Jazz, Spiritual Jazz, Jazz Fusion) Yello - Solid Pleasure (Synth Pop, Experimental) McCoy Tyner - Horizon (Spiritual Jazz, Modal Jazz, Jazz Fusion) --------------------------------------------------------------------- Bobb Trimble - Iron Curtain Innocence (Psychedelic Folk) Roxy Music - Flesh + Blood (Art Rock, New Wave) Bobby Beausoleil - Lucifer Rising (Psychedelic Rock, Film Score) Klaus Schulze - Dig It (Progressive Electronic) Kate Bush - Never for Ever (Art Pop) Joy Division - Closer (Post-Punk, Gothic Rock, Coldwave) Noa - Noa (Avant Prog, Zeuhl)     Blue Öyster Cult - Cultösaurus Erectus (Hard Rock, Heavy Prog) Siouxsie and The Banshees - Kaleidoscope (Post-Punk, Gothic Rock) Between - Stille über der Zeit: Silence Beyond Time (Oriental Jazz, Progressive Folk, New Age)

So much I love there and various ones that I don't know. I'm going to colour code your posts with green fro ones I know and really like, orange for one I just don't know well but love the artist, if you can dig it? And the other releases I am seriously, majorly lacking in familiarity with that I recall (my memory is fallible, like I I might have heard that Between many years ago. I will check it out again). Rahmann would be on my list, used to be, but I have it listed for 1979. And Noa should have been on my list, added to it.

1980-1981 are just so unique imo. Everything was changing while the progressive and experimental approach of the 1970's sort of made a comeback. I could easily have listed 30 more favorites:

Art Zoyd - Génération Sans Futur (Avant-Prog, Chamber Music, Modern Classical, RIO)
The Residents - Commercial Album (Art Pop, Avant Prog)
The John Renbourn Group - The Enchanted Garden (British Folk, Early Music)
Abus Dangereux - Le Quatrieme Mouvement (Jazz-Rock, Zeuhl, Canterbury Scene)
Barre Phillips - Journal Violone II (ECM Style Jazz, Vocal Jazz, Free Jazz)
Kartik Trivedi - Basanti: Indian Raga Music on Piano (Hindustani Classical Music)
Rahmann - Rahmann (Oriental Jazz, Zeuhl, Jazz Rock-Fusion)
New Life Trio - Visions of the Third Eye (Free Jazz, Spiritual Jazz, Jazz Fusion)
Yello - Solid Pleasure (Synth Pop, Experimental)
McCoy Tyner - Horizon (Spiritual Jazz, Modal Jazz, Jazz Fusion)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Bobb Trimble - Iron Curtain Innocence (Psychedelic Folk)
Roxy Music - Flesh + Blood (Art Rock, New Wave)
Bobby Beausoleil - Lucifer Rising (Psychedelic Rock, Film Score)
Klaus Schulze - Dig It (Progressive Electronic)
Kate Bush - Never for Ever (Art Pop)
Joy Division - Closer (Post-Punk, Gothic Rock, Coldwave)
Noa - Noa (Avant Prog, Zeuhl)    
Blue Öyster Cult - Cultösaurus Erectus (Hard Rock, Heavy Prog)
Siouxsie and The Banshees - Kaleidoscope (Post-Punk, Gothic Rock)
Between - Stille über der Zeit: Silence Beyond Time (Oriental Jazz, Progressive Folk, New Age)   

Jared wrote: Logan wrote: Commonly people get more conservative and status quo, same-old, same-old, as they get older. I think I'm in this category.... I seem to have receded into a Mike Oldfield / TD / Froese / Vangelis vortex of late, re-appearing for occasional doses of Camel or Floyd. I'm getting quite concerned as I've been stuck here for a little while now.

That's a vortex I'd happily be in. I so want to make a Zardoz reference... I'm at the nostalgia point of reliving childhood memories by turning on my streaming services and just wanting to watch TV shows or movies that I enjoyed as a child commonly (sci-fi stuff). I have to force myself out of it. At sometimes my poor brain has difficulty with new-to-me things, be it music, TV shows, films or concepts.

^ Thanks, I should give U2's Bot another spin at some time. I've seen it getting positive comments in PA from a few people over the past few years (like in a topic by Paul). The only U2 album I have heard in full more than couple of times that I can recall is The Joshua Tree

Jared wrote: Logan wrote: As for Jared's, I like the Tangerine Dream's and have liked the Eloy's, and should check out the Sky again. tbh, my problem is that I like to take part in your threads, because you help keep the forum alive with all the hard work you put in to it... yet, you almost know what it is that I'm going to post, before I get around to it... very predictable with few surprises. I like what I like...

No worries, I think that most forum regulars who have been around for quite a while would be quite predictable to those who pay attention, and not just when it comes to music tastes. Many of us repeat the same names, the same style, attitudes, and the same kinds of points again and again.

I like a sense of predictability, would make trading stocks and much in life easier. Life has more than enough uncertainty. :) I think the most value I add to this forum is minusing things, like spam, which I do daily, by the way.

I've been told that my choices have got too same-y and tend to just appeal to the same select group of people again and again. And some have expressed dissatisfaction in my not adding more, to them, obvious or mainstream prog choices throughout my years here. I like to see diversity from the community, and my tastes have often been more on the fringes of Prog (progressive but not so Prog genre as some, and not as much of a rocker as many).

That said, my primary interests (both acts and genres) are more mutable as I get into different things which ignite new passions. But I have not seen what I might think of as particularly significant changes in my interests for a few years. And I anyway, I always commonly favoured atmospheric types of music, just got into some other atmospheric and cinematic music. I think Jerry Goldsmith and John Barry set the tone to quite an extent when I was a child for my future interests. Commonly people get more conservative and status quo, same-old, same-old, as they get older.

Edited by Logan - May 21 2025 at 11:44

Having better time now, I've added genres on my list.

Thanks for the lists. Richard has a number I like very much like Siouxsie and The Banshees' Kaleidoscope, Kate Bush's Never for Ever, and Peter Gabriel's Melt especially, and I like the Tangerine Dreams (those need more spin-time with me).

I used to really like that Police album (it's on my longer list), but I just have not listened to it in quite a number of years. I have enjoyed the Rush (also on my longer list). As I had mentioned in the Cristi topic that Cristi linked to, I had a major Rushhead housemate. That Rushhead did end up giving me something of a Rush headache (not my favourite headache to have, to reference something Geddy Lee). And that's the person who introduced me to Yes in the 80s. I have not listened to Permanent Waves for many years in full. And I have liked that The Enid album, by not heard in about 20 years. While the album never really connected with me on the whole, Duke has some music I really like.

As for Cristi's list, oh I used to love Icehouse's Flowers, I need to listen again and Ultravox's Vienna is a stone cold classic. I need to listen to that again too. In high school I was quite into WhiteSnake, I had heard the Vent D'Est album before, listening now, yep, nice album.

As for Jared's, I like the Tangerine Dream's and have liked the Eloy's, and should check out the Sky again. As for Civilian, I might quote Douglas Adams and call it mostly harmless if one is into rather uninspired and AORish pop rock. While I wanted to be positive, and I am not bashing it, twenty years ago especially I was huge on Gentle Giant and I bought all of the studio albums. I really liked the first eight. The other three, not, so not so safe for me. It was my least appreciated, even below Giant for a Day, on which I did quite like Spooky Boogie.

And from David's list, Joy Division's Closer is a particular favourite album of mine, and I like the Bauhaus very much. That same friend who I mentioned being a major Rushhead who I shared a townhouse with (at a ski resort called Whistler) offered me good money to destroy my Bauhaus CD (it was the compilation album Volume One 1979-1983). I refused, and was tempted to throw him a yin and yang lumber punch (go taste a tart, then eat my lunch). I put on the Gunesh Ensemble (youtube streaming), enjoying it now. :)

Jared wrote: ^^ that's fine... I've nothing particularly against any of them, except I would describe them as 'safe'.

Kinda safe. All three of them tried something new, but in a more accessible way.

Jared wrote: Cristi wrote: Jared wrote: 14) GG: Civilian 15) Nektar: Man In The Moon These two are not bad at all. no, they are both quite listenable but they are the symptom of the age, like MMEB's Chance, which I could have also included. They just aren't prog, or a patch on what either band had produced during the '70's..

I've always enjoyed MMEB's Chance