Some of you were still burbling sperm and eggs in waiting, but there are others of us who were full into careers, having families or just slogging through life. Between 1980 and '84, I was the property of the US Air Force and then began my career in Law Enforcement.... 20 freakin' years now, ya'll.

Anyway, this was a transitional period for many. Prog rock was changing, I heard the first Asia album as I was slipping into bed one night, I thought UK was the last hurrah. Hmmm, Wetton and Howe on a real "single"... oh my! Billy Idol brought punk to the top forty, Michael Jackson had his first plastic surgery, Disco was dying, but not fast enough.... Hairy times.

Question is.... What were you listening to that actual meant something? I had the Call, The Cure, The Stranglers and David Bowie on continuous rotation. Later that decade, Concrete Blonde and Nirvana.... But I hung onto Yes, and discovered Allan Holdsworth had a solo career. Marillion was in there somewhere, but I never really jumped on that ship... Genesis became a pop band, ELP morphed into a dinosaur without a sense of humor. Jazz became so smooth it could relieve constipation and speed metal reared it's ugly head (IMO). I got into blues, Robert Johnson, Buddy Guy... Then Stevie Ray exploded. Eric Johnson's Tones made it's debut, quite a relief to me.

The 80's were a quagmire and a gold mine, depending on your perspective, of course. I found diamonds in the rough and needles in haystacks. Many memeories and many influences. What are yours?

I got into Tangerine Dream, Goblin, Synergy, Emerald Web, John Carpenter/Alan Howarth and other electronic/soundtrack artists in the '80s. Rush and Van Halen both kicked ass in the '80s, and Tull's Crest Of A Knave wasn't bad. I also seriously liked about 2/3 of 90125 for what it was (still do).

danbo wrote: '...and then began my career in Law Enforcement.... '

I ain't saying nuffing, copper!  

Seriously, say 'the eighties' to me and i think big hair, shoulderpads and puffskirts - and vaccuus music to fill the vaccuus heads of the disco trendies, made for the most part by synthplayers who were more interested in the electronics than the music they were playing. I was still discovering what I'd missed in the late sixties/early seventies - really early (barely post-Syd) Floyd, Syd's own solo recordings, there were even Beatles albums I hadn't heard till I was twenty! I turned twenty-one in 1982 and couldn't bear what was being played on the radio; I thought Bowie had 'gone off' a bit when he couldn't reach the high notes anymore without sounding like Anthony Newley - And that's when I really got into the old Genesis/Yes/Crimson thing - and what a treasure trove that was!!!

The eighties was a dire decade for Prog overall BUT there were some good albums:

IQ - The Wake/Tales From The Lush Attic

Rush - Power Windows

Marillion - Misplaced Childhood

Eloy - Time To Turn/Planets

After that I'm struggling to think of others.

I didn't like what Genesis,ELP and Yes were doing at the time so I started listening to electronic music and discovered Tangerine Dream,Vangelis and Jarre etc.I also got interested in Mike Oldfield's music and became a bit of a fan.

Twelfth Night and Marillion were the reviving force in prog in the 1980s - and then there was the NWOBHM and the transatlantic response it generated;

Motorhead kicked off the decade with the seminal "Ace of Spades" - what a killer album! AC/DC released "Back in Black", their tribute to Bon Scott - another slab of dynamite. The follow-up, "For Those About to Rock..." was more bombastic, and cemented AC/DCs place at the very pinnacle of Hard Rock achievement (a place that many other bands probably had more claim to, but the DC are so much fun and so great live that you can't begrudge them their monster status!). Aerosmith brought themselves deservedly back to life, although they also had a hand in popularising rap, so maybe they should have remained historic...

Diamond Head brought Progressive Metal to life - everything after that was imitation and/or follow-on, but there were many metal bands actively being progressive; Iron Maiden brought us "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" - and Samson (Bruce Dickinson's former band) released an incredible album called "Head On", which is pure prog metal - even though the songs are of normal song  length, the territory explored is quite radical. The ex-members of Deep Purple produced some great MOR metal with the 3 great bands Rainbow, Whitesnake and Gillan. Ronnie James Dio summoned up the dragons and rainbows after leaving Rainbow with a short stint in Black Sabbath, and his own self-titled band, whose first two albums are classic NWOBHM. Talking of Sabbath, Ozzy claimed his own cult following with a little help from the impossibly gifted Randy Rhodes.

In the mid 1980's we were blown away by thrash; Venom unleashed "Black Metal", Metallica produced "Kill 'Em All", Slayer released "Hell Awaits", and Napalm Death received much ridicule for the genius that was "Scum".

Metallica went on to produce the mind-blowing "Master of Puppets" and the indisputably prog "...And Justice For All", and Slayer blew the world of metal apart with the incredible noise that is "Reign in Blood". They then proved that they could do the same again with "South of Heaven".

Then the guitar virtousi crawled out of the woodwork; Yngwie J Malmsteen produced a string of albums that possibly should find a place in the archives if only for the outright pretentiousness! Other guitarists such as Tony McAlpine and Vinnie Moore released more of the same but different, while Joe Satriani wowed us with "Surfing with the Alien". Steve Vai produced some great work as well, with "FlexAble" and "Passion and Warfare", as well as guest appearances with Frank Zappa on "Ship Arriving Too Late to Save a Drowning Witch", with Whitesnake on "1984" and Dave Lee Roth on "Eat 'En and Smile" and "Skyscraper". He also made an appearance in a film called "Crossroads" (no, not the Britney Spears saccharine-filled trash!!), in which he played the Devil's guitarist with some blistering solos that blew away the good guy (whose part Vai also played the notes for...).

I tried to blot out the rubbish that was around in the 1980s, but to be fair, Duran Duran produced some great stuff, and the electronic scene was exciting, even if it didn't really achieve its full potential. The post-punk bands were great; the Stranglers, the Damned, the Cure, Siouxsie, et al - but it was the underground scene that really produced some mind-blowing music (quite literally!);

Up to 1985 and the Battle of the Beanfield (in which men, women and children were shamefully abused by officers of Thatcher's law), Stonehenge attracted the cream of progressive music; The Enid, Solstice, Pendragon, Hawkwind, Ozric Tentacles, Here & Now, the Magic Mushroom Band, Blue Aeroplanes... and on the whole, the underground free festivals were the place to go to hear great rock music. I heard Culture Shock for the first time at Stonehenge in 1986, and saw the later incarnation Citizen Fish a year or two later at Bristol's Ashton Court free festival - such was the variety of music that made it onto the underground circuit.

But for me, the focus of the 1980s was on Metal - not the transient forms that were popping into and winking out of existence all around it.

...Except for the Smiths, whose music is timeless

Beginning of 80's, I discovered Pat Metheny and Allan Holdsworth but as the solo artist. Bt the end of the 80's I discovered  the ever-expanding, rich recording catalogue of Jonas Hellberg. Most other jazz rock fusion was pretty tired especially coming out of N America (yes I agree,  collapsed into smooth jazz). Therefore spent more time making some great discoveries in European jazz/jazz rock: Norwegians Terj Rypdal, Jan Garbarek for instance - so I'm now a massive fan of Scandanavian rock and nu.jazz

Quickly found metal rock had become very tedious - it was  especially trying to hear any variety on record, as played by British radio. However, discovered Steve Vai on that outrageous album "Passion & Warfare" - and too did some catching up on the Zappa back catalogue. Discovered Gary Lucas and also discovered great musicians like Gary Lucas will actually correspond !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BTW The Stranglers appeared in the mid 70's in the UK as a punk band (my favourite  too), and it wasn't until they changed labels (Liberty to Epic) was there a major musical change as well.

And in the late 80's I stopped buying vinyl (so much was pressed up badly and sounded bad on the turntable - and anything longer than 15 minutes a side, was likely to be aurally compressed, so lacking top and bottom end; so too often cymbals sounded wrong). At that time I compiled a personal list of albums I wanted to get as CD versions. Eventually the list numbered about a 100 records, so with my rather odd and demanding tastes I expected that it would be unlikely I would find CD versions. But to my amazement only one record is outstanding:  Jan Hammer Group: Oh Yeah! *with everything else gathered in over 5 years ago. However, I would dearly love to hear Soft Machine's first album remastered properly.

*Please let me know if it ever gets issued!!!

However, in summary I think the 80's was the low point in a century of popular music, with relatively few major albums to come and sytand the test of time from that period. Even with the Spice Girls and other manufactured boys and girls groups (and what the f*** does Simon Cowell really know), at least we have seen a resurgence of music in the 90's. On the rock side, grunge and Jeff Buckley were personal highlights at the start of the decade, along with an explosion of largely non-Brit prog bands and the nu.jazz/nu.fusion movement in Europe.

My son was born in 78.. so the 80s are much a blur to me outside nursury, afterschool programs, kung fu lessons, guitar lessons, softball in Central Park... I was still listening to 70s prog.. except ELP... I know that doesn't sound like me at all... but listening to Greg sing.. just made me cry to much.. so I didn't listen at all.  I did get Greg & Keith's solo stuff and ELPowell, and all the Asia albums. Even Three... the glutton for punishment that I am.

The bands I did listen to somewhat... AC/DC... heck I traveled with them some before and after my son was born.  Cliff Williams said that I probably have the only kid alive that could sleep thru AC/DC.. while being on the side of the stage...

Other than Pink Floyd, I liked those bands that usually came and went... like The Adventures, Strange Advance, The Korgies, Ice House (their first album before they came back too poppy) Ultravox, etc.  I also liked Depeche Mode, Tears for Fears, Bruce Hornsby.  I liked a couple of things by Flock of Seagulls and the B-52s.  I also seriously dated a guitar tech for Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe.. but I had a problem listening to them.

I also liked some new age stuff.. like Andreas Vollenweider, Kitaro, Clannad...

I'm with Cerif1ed on the metal front. I couldn't get enough Motorhead  and I couldn't agree more about The Smiths too!!

I really discovered my musical tastes in the 80's and although metal was my main interest, which led on to prog nicely, I also liked some of the synth bands, Japan, Depeche Mode, and Duran Duran  The 80's was indeed a quagmire and a goldmine, but I think most decades from the 60's onward were. The 80's were better than the first decade on this century IMHO, and I'm not just saying that because I'm quite old

I remember the 80's for my ears ringing, being knee deep in mud at Reading and Donnington rock festivals while dodging flying bottles of hot p!ss, and discovering my two favourite bands of all time: Rush & Genesis!

I moved to the big city of London for the eighties, and discovered the excellent second hand record shops of Notting Hill Gate and Shepherds Bush.

I therefore spent my time buying loads of 70's albums and discovering the many great bands I had missed. I guess I spent the 80's catching up on 70's music!

There still are loads of back street 2nd hand record shops - I especially like the specialist shops that sell tons of drum 'n' bass, as they usually have a few "rock" boxes stuck in a dark corner. I've picked up many a bargain 1st press from these shops - there's a good one in Camden, at the top end of the market. Vinyl still rules!

I started with prog' in 1976 when I was 12, so I got my first job around 1979 - 1980 ans spént all the 80's buying music from the 70's.

Especially because I started University in 1980 and we had a very active group of progheads (something not common at school) that helped me with my interest in prog'.

Iván

in the mid 80's I was a huge prog fan: I was looking for every prog name available. So, I bought:

Pendragon, Pallas, Marillion, Fixx, Asia, Saga, IQ, Twelfth night, It bites, Anthony Phillips, Mike Oldfield, Eloy, Camel, Anyone's daughter.

But my tastes always have been eclectic: I also enjoyed:

Mark Isham, Uzeb, Enya, Vangelis, Yanni, Suzanne Cianni, Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, , Tangerine dream, Sting, Police.

"sunny days, sweeping the clouds away..."

Yeh, I was forced to listen to Sesame St. also... by my 2 year old... Who later on forced me to listen to Madonna and Janet Jackson.... yck!

greenback wrote: But my tastes always have been eclectic: I also enjoyed: Mark Isham,  Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays

Did you discover that great bit of ECM-released, jazz rock from David Torn with Mark Isham and the then Krimson rhythm section, Cloud About Mercury - Bruford acted as host for a return match ~10 years later with BLUE?

 Yeap there was some good stuff:

GENESIS - Abacab.

TOTO - Toto IV.

DIRE STRAITS - Making Movies.

ALAN PARSON PROJECT - Eye in the sky.

PINK FLOYD - The final cut.(their last one with ROGER WATERS on keyboards,you oughta listen to this one).

Some good 80s stuff: the great neoprog albums such as IQ's Lush Attic and The Wake, Fish-era Marillion, Geoff Mann-era Twelfth Night, Pallas's 'Sentinel'.

Also, the birth of metal prog in the last 80s (Fates Warning, Dream Theater's debut album).

On the avantgarde side of prog, Continental bands such as Art Zoyd and Univers Zero, and Scandinavian such as Von Zamla did some amazing, weird stuff, while in the early 80s Tangerine Dream managed to incorporate digital synths into their (still) well accomplished compositions.

Last, but not least, the Japanese prog gave birth to great bands such as the Canteruryesque Ain Soph, the Camelesque Bellaphon, the RtF-esque Kenso, and the Crimsonian Bi Kyo Ran.

Not that bad, actually... Regards. 

I remember when, in 1981 (I was 19 y.o.), Rick Wakeman came to my country. I was in the college, trying to invite any girl to go to the show with me, but all they were in love with Air Supply  . The same thing happened when Yes came. Meanwhile, I visited all record shops looking for any '70s album to discover (knowing only the traditional bands), and always listening to the same music (my Genesis, Yes, ELP, etc LPs). So, during '80s, I kept my love to prog and was impossible to understand why people heard Madonna, Police, etc. Some day I discovered Marillion, and it was a little light in the darkness. But today -many times- I have the same lonelyness feeling when somebody (everybody) tells me "Prog? What is it???".       

The only new band I was interested in was Marillion. Ijust kept collecting and listening to 60`s and 70`s stuff. The second hand record shops were full of cheap prog.

Dick Heath wrote: [QUOTE=greenback] Did you discover that great bit of ECM-released, jazz rock from David Torn with Mark Isham and the then Krimson rhythm section, Cloud About Mercury - Bruford acted as host for a return match ~10 years later with BLUE?

I find cloud about mercury rather ordinary; I prefer david Torn with Mark Isham, Patrick O'hearn on Mark Isham's Castalia, or with David Sylvian on Secret of the beehive: I like when Torn's ethereal guitar merges with Isham's keyboards.