29 Apr 2026

April 2026 – CRAVE Island Castaway Part II: Music Playlist

by CRAVEGuitars | posted in: History, Introduction, Observations, Opinion | 0

Prelude

HEY UP PEEPS. HOW DO? SUP? WHAT’S COOKIN’? HOWDY PARTNERS. Super salutations! I come in peace. It seems unbelievable but we are already one third of the way through 2026 already. I trust you enjoyed the Easter celebration early in April as a harbinger of spring with lighter evenings and warmer days. Despite all the media‑fuelled doom and gloom, there is still plenty to look forward to in 2026. Let’s make this year better than its predecessors. There is no better time than the present. If one thinks about it, the present is all we have. The future we can hope for. As Nike say, ‘Just Do It’ (NB. From the company’s advertising campaign 1988‑1998).

“My childhood did not prepare me for the fact that the world is full of cruel and bitter things” – Julius Robert Oppenheimer (1904‑1967)

Regular readers will know my unwavering calls for comprehensive concord. I cannot emphasise enough that peace should be a profound ambition for everyone on this one and only planet of ours. Peace is not optional. Without it, humanity will ultimately be doomed. With it, we may just stand a chance. Personally, I hope we stand a chance but that requires significant change. We have to change. Peace matters, probably more than anything else for civilisation’s survival and advancement. This is not political, religious or even humanitarian, it is just plain old common sense.

“When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace” – Jimi Hendrix (1942‑1970)

This Month at CRAVE Guitars…

Back to more prosaic matters. I haven’t written much on musicology recently, so I thought I’d return to the subject this month. As this isn’t my first rodeo, I thought a quick recap on what has gone before might be in order. I compiled a, ‘Personal Top 20 Most Influential Guitar Albums’ way back in 2016 and ‘50 Albums of the Last Half‑Century(‑ish)’ in 2017. I also covered ‘The Story of Modern Music…’ in 14 parts from March 2019 to May 2020 (bar December 2019). In addition, there have been four major CRAVE Guitars genre articles (‘Dub Reggae Revelation’, ‘Adventures in Ambient’, ‘Heavy Metal’ and ‘Get Up and Dance to the Music!’) in 2023 and 2024. Last but not least, there was the article, ‘Musical Machinations’ in 2023 about access to music, so there is already a great deal of foundation to work from for this particular article. Time to take an alternative perspective.

“If music be the food of love, play on, give me excess of it; that surfeiting, the appetite may sicken, and so die” – William Shakespeare (1564‑1616)

This month’s piece is definitely another one for the list‑o‑philes out there. I must re‑stress as usual that this is entirely for entertainment purposes only and has no intrinsic value beyond mild amusement for both author and reader. As usual, no AI has been used in researching and writing this article, just hard brain work. The CRAVEman images, however, are AI generated out of necessity. This month’s quotes are a relevant mix of islandic observations and musical wisdom.

“We live on an island surrounded by a sea of ignorance. As our island of knowledge grows, so does the shore of our ignorance” – John Archibald Wheeler (1911‑2008)

The Rationale for the Article

Last month, in Part I of this two‑parter, I looked at what 10 pieces of vintage guitar gear that I might like to take with me to CRAVE Island. This month, I contemplate as to what playlist of music tracks one might like to listen to, when not playing vintage guitars, on the very same secluded idyll of CRAVE Island. As last month, The CRAVEman has been used to introduce and present this month’s line‑up. If you want serious vintage guitar topics, why not head off to the web site proper or watch this space for the next non‑fiction article.

IF you want to (re‑)visit Part I of this CRAVE Island extravaganza, follow the link below (opens a new browser tab)…

March 2026 – CRAVE Island Castaway Part I: Vintage Gear

For readers who may not be familiar with the concept, the format used here is loosely based on the long‑running BBC Radio 4 programme, ‘Desert Island Discs’. Guests on the show select eight audio recordings (usually music), one book and one luxury item that they would have with them if they were to become a castaway, stranded on the metaphorical desert island. The BBC radio programme was first broadcast in January 1942 (that is 84 years ago in 2026!) and there have subsequently been nearly 3,500 episodes and counting. I depart from the archetype but retain the spirit of the original programme.

“After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music” – Aldous Huxley (1894‑1963)

Now, here’s a thing… I started off this idea thinking about what might constitute a ‘perfect’ pop song, in the knowledge that there is no such thing. The two exemplars that immediately sprang to mind and started this whole shebang were, ‘Blur – Song 2’ and ‘Blondie – Hanging on the Telephone’. Then it sort of ran away from me at that point, and here we are now.

How far does one go? Top 10, top 20, top 30, top 50, top 100 and so forth. What to include, what to leave out? Does one go by merit or popularity? Does one go with sales or star status? Does one go by genre or gender? Does one go with vocals or instrumentals, groups or solo artists? Does one go with guitar‑‑centric or electronic? Does one go pure pop or not? Does one go with singles or album tracks? Does one go with personal preference or industry reputation? Does one go with British/American or global? My‑oh‑my, I had started something that was just gonna blow my brain or at least make it hurt a bit. What a conundrum. What a dilemma. How on Earth does one go about manoeuvring safely through this massive musical minefield?

Selecting such a small sample of just eight tracks of music to play on a desert island simply wouldn’t be enough for The CRAVEman. Even 100 would be cutting it thin but a ceiling has to be set somewhere. Despite the immense volume of available music (running into hundreds of millions on streaming platforms!), I’m always searching for ‘new’ music to listen to, so this was a challenging task. One presumes, at least for this exercise, that The CRAVEman doesn’t have access to Apple Music (or an alternative) while on CRAVE Island.

“I’ve been asked over the years to compile a list of desert–‑island discs. I couldn’t do that. If I was trapped on a desert island, I don’t think I’d want 10 songs to bring with me” – John Lydon (1956‑)

Defining the Selection Process

So, initially, one has to determine scale and scope. First – put an absolute limit on the list. Easily sorted, 100 it is. Second – come up with a set of ten sensible criteria through which one can select/eliminate a whole bunch of stuff (see below). Third – work on my own fallible subjectivity – it is my wish list after all. I abhor the idea of people including things just because they are ‘worthy’, rather than pleasurable (Oscar, take note!). Fourth – present it in a way that makes sense without being too arbitrary or confusing. That, on the surface, seems a sensible approach. Let’s see what the process came up with.

I decided from the start not to utilise any sort of ranking; selecting is one thing, ranking is a nightmare. I am 100% certain that readers will disagree with both the process and the outcome. However, it’s my article, so you can make up your own rules/lists to compensate for my perceived shortcomings and omissions.

“And those who were seen dancing, were thought to be insane, by those who could not hear the music” – Friedrich Nietzsche (1844‑1900)

In order to generate a diverse playlist, the main criteria used were:

Only one track per artist
A wide spread of genres
A wide spread of decades/years
A mix of singles and album tracks
No dependence on commercial sales numbers
No reliance on industry structure, record labels or marketing
Not just the BIG names or celebrity status
Ignore others’ opinions of ‘best’, ‘essential’ or ‘quality’
No geographical restrictions
No ‘novelty’ songs

“Let’s hope I never end up on a deserted island, because I could never make a decision on which three CDs to take with me” – Willem Dafoe (1955‑)

As it worked out, the date range covered the 1960s to the 2010s inclusive. Six decades seems a helpful bracket for evaluating contemporary music and one that has been used before. The most frequent decades were the 1970s to the 1990s inclusive. This is perhaps because I was too young to appreciate fully the rock & roll (and earlier) era(s) and because I am too old (!?) to appreciate the most recent musical trends… or perhaps these were the peak decades for creative modern music.

“Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything” – Plato (c.428‑348BCE)

Now… 100 songs seems almost too easy and not in the real spirit of a ‘Desert Island Disc’ playlist, especially as last month the ‘Desert Island Vintage Guitar Gear’ was limited to just 10 items. In order to placate and pre‑empt that easy criticism, I have emboldened a ‘top 10’. If I was forced to choose, those are the ones I could most easily live with in the spirit of the article. It isn’t enough, of course, but this is just a hypothetical exercise after all. I also assume that the music is available on physical media, as Internet connection may prove particularly problematic on CRAVE Island.

Alternatively, if I could take anything with me to CRAVE Island, it would be my entire collection of reggae music but that now comprises at least a couple of thousand albums, so I don’t think it will be allowed to make the trip. Why reggae? The genre is so rich and diverse that there is always something different to appreciate, depending on mood. There, that is my underlying bias declared for your scrutiny. Oh, and reggae suits the hypothetical location well.

“A bird, music and food – desert island items” – Michael Johnson (1967‑)

To avoid the debatable value of ranking, I’ve gone for a chronological approach. Where there is more than one song from a year, they are presented in alphabetic order. Time for the waffle to end, let’s dive straight in and take a retrospective musical swim…

The CRAVEman’s ‘Top 100/10’ CRAVE Island Playlist

The 1960s (7):

Ben E. King	Stand by Me	1961
Del Shannon	Runaway	1961
Louis Armstrong	What a Wonderful World	1967
Velvet Underground	Venus in Furs	1967
Captain Beefheart And His Magic Band	Dropout Boogie	1967
Jimi Hendrix	All Along the Watchtower	1968
Fleetwood Mac	Albatross	1969

The 1970s (30):

Black Sabbath	Paranoid	1970
James Brown	Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine	1970
Neil Young	After the Gold Rush	1970
The Doors	Riders on the Storm	1971
Pink Floyd	Echoes	1971
Johnny Nash	I Can See Clearly Now	1972
T.Rex	20^th Century Boy	1973
The Isley Brothers	Summer Breeze	1974
Rolling Stones	It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll (But I Like It)	1974
Bob Dylan	Hurricane	1974
Bob Marley & the Wailers	No Woman, No Cry (full live version)	1975
Roberta Flack	The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face	1975
Max Romeo	War Ina Babylon	1976
David Bowie	Heroes	1977
John Martyn	Small Hours	1977
Patti Smith	Because the Night	1977
Sex Pistols	Pretty Vacant	1977
The Stranglers	Peaches	1977
The Undertones	Teenage Kicks	1977
Blondie	Hanging on the Telephone	1978
Buzzcocks	Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve)	1978
Dire Straits	Sultans of Swing	1978
Funkadelic	One Nation Under a Groove	1978
Kraftwerk	The Model	1978
Lee “Scratch” Perry	Roast Fish & Cornbread	1978
Steel Pulse	Klu Klux Klan	1978
Bauhaus	Bela Lugosi’s Dead	1979
The Clash	London Calling	1979
Joy Division	She’s Lost Control	1979
The Ruts	Babylon’s Burning	1979

The 1980s (22):

The Brothers Johnson	Stomp!	1980
Motörhead	Ace of Spades	1980
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD)	Enola Gay	1980
Talking Heads	Listening Wind	1980
The Specials	Too Much Too Young	1980
Siouxsie And The Banshees	Spellbound	1981
The Teardrop Explodes	Reward	1981
George Thorogood	Bad to the Bone	1982
Gregory Isaacs	Night Nurse	1982
Robert Wyatt	Shipbuilding	1982
Rockers Revenge	Walking on Sunshine	1982
New Order	Blue Monday	1983
Public Image Ltd	This Is Not a Love Song	1983
ZZ Top	Bad Girl	1983
Pet Shop Boys	West End Girls	1984
Echo & The Bunnymen	People Are Strange	1988
Happy Mondays	W.F.L. (Wrote For Luck)	1988
Cowboy Junkies	Blue Moon Revisited (Song for Elvis)	1988
Transvision Vamp	I Want Your Love	1988
The Beloved	The Sun Rising	1989
The Cure	Love Song	1989
Stone Roses	Fool’s Gold	1989

The 1990s (26):

Depeche Mode	Enjoy the Silence	1990
Orbital	Satan	1990
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince	Summertime	1991
Nirvana	Smells Like Teen Spirit	1991
U2	Until the End of the World	1991
Radiohead	Creep	1992
Rage Against The Machine	Killing in the Name	1992
Stereo MC’s	Connected	1992
Cypress Hill	Insane in the Brain	1993
Portishead	Wandering Star	1994
Edwin Collins	A Girl Like You	1995
Everything But The Girl	Missing	1995
Garbage	Only Happy When It Rains	1995
Massive Attack	Karmacoma	1995
Pavement	Range Life	1995
The Prodigy	Breathe	1996
Blur	Song 2	1997
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds	Into My Arms	1997
PJ Harvey	The Wind	1998
Placebo	Pure Morning	1998
Stardust	Music Sounds Better With You	1998
Chemical Brothers	Hey Boy Hey Girl	1999
Eminem	My Name Is	1999
Moby	Natural Blues	1999
Moloko	Sing it Back	1999
Suede	Electricity	1999

The 2000s (12):

Spiller	Groovejet (If This Ain’t Love)	2000
Afroman	Because I Got High	2001
Four Tet	No More Mosquitoes	2001
Kylie Minogue	Can’t Get You Out of My Head	2001
Roger Sanchez	Another Chance	2001
Beck	Lost Cause	2002
X‑‑Press 2	Lazy	2002
Kasabian	Club Foot	2004
LCD Soundsystem	Daft Punk is Playing at My House	2005
Hot Chip	Ready for the Floor	2008
The Low Anthem	Charlie Darwin	2008
The xx	VCR	2009

The 2010s (3):

Warpaint	Undertow	2010
The Kills	Satellite	2011
Kurt Vile	Baby’s Arms	2011

“The only truth is music” – Jack Kerouac (1922‑1969)

That, my friends, is one heck of a varied mixtape, whether you agree with it or not. No doubt there are many obvious inclusions but also a few surprises. Everyone will have a different upbringing and, therefore, a different soundtrack to their lives. That is just as it should be. I don’t have any music heroes, so there is no artist veneration going on here. This is not purely a nostalgic exercise, it is also about the timelessness of great music that can still evoke emotions regardless of when it was created, who created it or when/where it is experienced. Music is inextricably linked with social change and is an integral part of human progress over the years. This article is but one miniscule attempt to document modern western culture through a selection of musical signposts.

You may well ask, “What, no Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Who, Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince, Fleetwood Mac, Queen or R.E.M.?” or, “What, no Tom Petty, Oasis, Coldplay, Taylor Swift, Adele or Ed Sheeran?” Heresy! I hear you shriek indignantly! Nope. Not for this exercise. I am unrepentant. I will acknowledge that I’m in a minority and that the omissions mentioned are very highly renowned popular and commercial artists. They just didn’t make my final cut. Apologies for your irate infuriation but I’m afraid that’s your issue, not mine.

So, so many fantastic tracks didn’t make the final 100. Great tracks from artists like, Led Zeppelin, Genesis, Marvin Gaye, Beastie Boys, Killers, and many, many more came in and out again, right up to the last minute before publication. It was almost an impossible task to represent a selection that I could live with in total isolation on an unidentified tropical island for an unknown period of time.

“Without music, life would be a mistake” – Friedrich Nietzsche (1844‑1900)

To be totally honest, even 100 tracks wouldn’t satisfy a prolonged period of personal reflection on CRAVE Island. My passion for music isn’t just about repeating the past; it is also about discovering great new music from whatever period and looking to the future. Maybe a lot of that music won’t stand the test of time but it is great for ephemeral escapism. If that’s the case, how many tracks would be enough? Who knows? I don’t.

Even restricting the selection to a ‘top 10’ doesn’t bring the 21^st Century into much of a focus. No tracks from the last 15 years in fact. Sorry millennial musicians, you can’t quite make the grade. It doesn’t mean that there isn’t great music being made in the 2000s‑‑2020s, just that there is such strong competition from the last half of the 20^th Century.

“How I wish that somewhere there existed an island for those who are wise and of good will” – Albert Einstein (1879‑1955)

Final Thoughts on the ‘Top 100/10 CRAVE Island Playlist’

As mentioned up front, this particular ‘Top 100’ and its ‘Top 10’ subset is entirely my own creation and constantly changing in the real world, so best regarded as a ‘moment in time’ snapshot. I don’t expect anyone to approve it and I’m not trying to influence anyone based on it. It is just a bit of harmless fun to bring some cathartic levity to a dangerously scary world.

One interesting observation is the proportion of songs that are guitar‑centric. Now that may not be surprising given my predilection for vintage guitars. However, it isn’t quite that simple. Much of the 1980s synth pop boom, the 1990s sampled hip‑hop explosion and the 1990s‑2000s EDM tsunami featured large in my own personal musical evolution but had little contribution from the humble guitar. Another observation is the low proportion of Jamaican reggae on the list, given my overt preference for the genre more generally. The aim here was for variety.

“One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain” – Bob Marley (1945‑1981)

The 2010s and 2020s are woefully unrepresented in this list. Perhaps this is my age or perhaps it is just a reflection on the banal sterility of much modern music in the 21^st Century. Probably a bit of both. Time, as ‘they’ say, will tell.

Going back to the spirit of ‘Desert Island Discs’, it only seems fair to contemplate what book and what luxury item one would also take. I guess I have to exclude anything to do with CRAVE Guitars and ‘The Distortion Diaries’, as that would be too easy and too contrived. So, what are the two things that one might pack for that hypothetical trip to CRAVE Island?

The CRAVE Island Book – The CRAVEman doesn’t have written language, so I’ll have to substitute. No pretention here. In a senseless, cruel world, I will return to the pure innocence and naiveté of childhood when adult failures had not yet corrupted one’s life experience. I am neither embarrassed nor ashamed to suggest a children’s book. There were several children’s books about which I can reminisce fondly, including the Moomin novels by Tove Jansson. On this occasion, I’m going with, ‘Gobbolino the Witch’s Cat’ (1942) by Ursula Moray Williams – the original version with illustrations by the author, not modern adaptations that have diluted the impact of the story. It is a simple tale of a witch’s cat that longs to be an ordinary kitchen cat. There is a lot that adults can learn from the moral lessons within this story, if we open our minds to accept them. I am a voracious reader of fiction and there are many examples of pretentious ‘worthy’ literature as well as entertaining popular novels that could be chosen. However, we all had to start that halcyon passage to open the doors of adult imagination somewhere. Simplicity epitomised.

“There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats” – Albert Schweitzer (1875‑1965)

The CRAVE Island Luxury Item – Seeing as The CRAVEman already has his vintage guitar gear with him, he needs something on which to listen to his selected playlist. Music is useless unless there is something on which to store, replay and listen to it. Remember the venerable Apple iPod (2001‑2022)? The iPod was the spiritual successor to the iconic Sony Walkman. Seeing as there must be an electrical supply for vintage guitar gear, I am assuming that it is possible to recharge said portable music listening device. I was tempted to use the same principle to justify a fully–loaded laptop that would provide music replay, as well as all the other things that a laptop can be used for, such as write my own books, record my own music, etc. The fundamental notion here is about going back‑‑to‑‑basics so, if I can’t have the multi‑purpose computing device, a humble iPod (with earbuds of course!) would be invaluable. I wish Apple would reissue the iPod for a new generation with a decent amount of storage.

“Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent” – Victor Hugo (1802‑1885)

A quick reflection on the idea of a solitary existence while contemplating being castaway on a deserted island. Some people cannot exist without other people and some cannot function without the external validation by others. Some people manipulate others or are manipulated by them. For some, other people are the means to establish and impose their status and material wealth. Some seek control and power over others. Some seek an audience, some are just desperate for attention and emotional attachment. I cannot abide competition or conflict (I am profoundly non‑confrontational). I abhor political mind games and trivial time wasters. In which case, I (and The CRAVEman) are the antithesis of all these things. I don’t care for social structures, I don’t seek tangible wealth or human companionship. To me, the desert island castaway way of life would be blissful seclusion, away from the wants, needs, demands, responsibilities and obligations of others. Whilst not quite exhibiting the severity of hikikomori, I am very content in the absence of other humans, in fact, I would prefer it. I believe in something bigger than myself, expressed by the infinity of the universe. Who needs people? Besides, I don’t like people very much. Seriously, I would sincerely be satisfied in serene solitude on my own isolated island. Bring it on.

Time for The CRAVEman to pack up his vintage gear as well as his CRAVE Island playlist gear and get back on the CRAVE Airlines plane back to ‘civilisation’ and CRAVE Town.

“No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main” – John Donne (1571‑1631)

CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Album of the Month’

As The CRAVEman is still cast away on a tropical desert island this month, it seems apt to stick with a recording that evokes a sense of music that originated on a real tropical island. It also doesn’t feature in the list above. OK, so this example was actually by a UK band recorded in Belgium but it’s the music that really matters. This month’s accolade goes to…

Misty In Roots – Live At The Counter Eurovision 79 (1979): Misty In Roots is a British roots reggae band formed in 1975 in London, England. The live album was the band’s debut release and comprises seven tracks covering 37 minutes. It was recorded during the ’Counter Eurovision’ event, which was intended as a creative alternative to the popular mainstream Eurovision Song Contest (NB. hosted and won by Israel). The Counter Eurovision event took place in Brussels, Belgium on 31 March and 1 April, 1979. The album is widely regarded as one of the best live reggae albums of all time (up there with Bob Marley & The Wailers, ‘Live!’ (1975)). In 2025, a special edition was released to commemorate the album’s 50^th anniversary, followed by the band’s 50^th anniversary tour in 2026.

I have to admit that this particular album was played frequently after it was released and it remains a firm favourite today. I don’t believe that Misty In Roots has made a better album since, sadly. The production of subsequent studio albums couldn’t capture the raw passion of the band giving 100% on stage. It may not be strictly authentic Jamaican roots but it’s a darned fine reggae album nevertheless. Well worth tracking down.

BELIEVE IN MUSIC!

“The wise man makes an island of himself that no flood can overwhelm” – Buddha (Siddhārtha Gautama – c.480‑400BCE)

Tailpiece

Another month, another article. I hope you found something in there to entertain you, just a little bit. We all need something to motivate us, to make us get up every morning, to keep going day after day in this brutal, fractured perverse world. If music has the power to heal, to evoke emotions and help to maintain our mental health, wellbeing and resilience, then it is something we all need right now, more than ever.

Once again, I have absolutely no idea what’s coming up next month. I guess we’ll all have to check in to find out, me included.

“Every island to a child is a treasure island” – P.D. James (1920‑2014)

Truth, peace, love, and guitar music be with you always. The CRAVEman, signing off for now. Until next time…

CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Quote of the Month’: “Hope is based on progress, resulting in a future that will be better than both the past and the present. Faith is that we will do it well”

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31 Oct 2019

October 2019 – The Story of Modern Music in 1,500+ Facts – Part VIII

by CRAVEGuitars | posted in: History, Introduction, Observations | 0

Introduction

Hello and welcome to the 8^th article in this particular magnum opus of modern music history. I hope by now, you know the way this works, so I won’t say much more, other than welcome to the 1980s. If not by the start of the ‘80s, at least by the end of the decade, most readers will likely have some experience of living through the many events documented here, although I cannot assume that to be the case. I hope you have some fond memories of the time – personally, I can’t believe how long ago it was, as it seems like almost yesterday to me.

As always, if you would like to (re)visit any or all of the first seven parts (and well over 375 years) of the story to‑date, you can do so here (each link opens a new browser tab):

Once again, although notably shorter than the last four articles, this month is dedicated to a single decade, if only to ensure that it is given sufficient focus.

The Story of Modern Music Part VIII 1980-1989

While arguably not quite hitting the heady heights of the previous three decades, the 1980s (or simply, ‘the eighties’) still had much to relate both about the human condition and musical variety. The 1980s were notable for many catchy, sing‑along‑able chart choons and the emergence of commercial pop videos, along with accompanying fashion trends. One personal observation is that, perhaps, there were the first real signs of divergence between what was happening culturally and the music being produced. Interdependence between society and its music were still there but, maybe, not quite as strongly intertwined as previously.

Historical Context 1980-1989

The 1980s were sometimes called the ‘greed decade’ or the ‘old school days’. There was a worldwide move away from planned economies and towards laissez‑faire capitalism, allied to a western post-industrial move to supply side economic policies. This shift had a destabilizing effect on international trade that led to many developing countries being faced by crippling debt crises. Following the 1970s’ oil crisis, crude oil was in over supply, resulting in a glut during the 1980s. The start of the 1980s saw widespread economic recession and damaging labour disputes that hit the less well‑off disproportionately hard. Downturn was followed by a period of rapid capitalist growth towards the end of the decade. Increased economic prosperity facilitated the ‘yuppie’ boom, epitomised by hot hatchback/sports cars, wine bars and early ‘brick’ mobile phones, accompanied by an insatiable appetite for designer fashion. Western society’s affluence further polarised the wealth divide between rich and poor. Fervent materialism and a status driven desire for exposure acted as a catalyst for the start of the vapid public fascination with the ‘celebrity’ phenomenon and subsequent emergence of banal reality TV ‘entertainment’. Fundamental industrial restructuring took place in the developed world that migrated many countries away from traditional manufacturing towards economies based on IT, finance, tourism and service sectors. A rapid growth in digital technology and consumerism began that would change how people would live, work and play forever, including the advent of the ‘information superhighway’ that we now call the Internet. During the 1980s, the world’s population grew at the fastest rate yet, causing heightened fears about unsustainable human expansion and its impact on the planet’s fragile ecosystem.

Year	Global Events
1980	The massively popular maze video game Pac-Man was released by Japanese software company Namco. The bitter war between Middle East neighbours Iran and Iraq began, which would last until 1988. American volcano Mount St. Helens in Washington State erupted violently killing 57 people and causing widespread damage. Former actor and Republican politician Ronald Reagan was elected to become the 40^th President of the U.S.A.
1981	American President Ronald Reagan was shot and wounded by attempted assassin John Hinckley Jr. in Washington D.C. An assassination attempt on the life of Pope John Paul II took place in Vatican City, when he was shot and wounded by Mehmet Ali Ağca. The IBM 5150 Personal Computer, commonly known as the IBM PC was introduced, soon establishing it as an industry standard. American actress Jane Fonda published her hugely successful book, ‘Jane Fonda’s Workout’, which spawned multiple videos and an album. NASA’s Space Shuttle programme began with the first launch of the Earth orbiter Columbia. Heir to the British throne, Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spencer in St. Paul’s Cathedral, London. The retrovirus that causes HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) was identified. The life‑threatening condition spread rapidly, becoming a global public health threat and causing widespread hysteria.
1982	King Henry VIII’s Tudor warship and flagship of the British Navy, the Mary Rose, which sank in 1545 during a battle against the French, was raised from the bed of the Solent off the south coast of England. Britain defeated Argentina to regain control of the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, following an unprompted Argentinian invasion and occupation.
1983	American telecommunications company Motorola introduced the first mobile telephones to North America. The final episode of the Korean War‑set comedy drama ‘MAS*H’ was broadcast, achieving the record for most watched television episode to‑date.
1984	English policewoman Yvonne Fletcher was shot and killed by an unknown gunman in the Libyan Embassy in London, prompting an 11‑day siege of the embassy resulting in Libyan citizens being expelled and diplomatic relations between the UK and Libya being severed. Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two Sikh bodyguards, Satwant Singh and Beant Singh, at her residence in New Delhi. American network TV aired the first episodes of crime drama series Miami Vice, produced by Michael Mann for NBC. It was notable for its ground breaking amalgamation of music and visuals. The show ran until 1989.
1985	Politician Mikhail Gorbachev became Russian Premiere and began leading major political and social reform across the USSR. Technology company, Microsoft released the first version of its PC‑based Windows operating system. Acclaimed American screenwriter, director and producer John Hughes released, ‘The Breakfast Club’, followed up a year later by ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’ and ‘Pretty In Pink’. The shipwreck of the ocean liner RMS Titanic was discovered in the North Atlantic Ocean, 73 years after it sank in 1912 following a collision with an iceberg.
1986	The American Space shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after launch at Cape Canaveral, Florida, killing all seven astronauts aboard. The nuclear power plant at Chernobyl in Ukraine, Russia suffered a catastrophic meltdown, causing global pollution and resulting in devastating radioactive environmental damage. The Soviet Union’s Mir project became the first modular manned space station in low Earth orbit. It was used predominantly as a scientific research laboratory. Mir broke up on re‑entry into the Earth’s atmosphere in 2001.
1987	The animated American family comedy, The Simpsons, first appeared on American television as a series of shorts. The film ‘Wall Street’ was released, typifying the zeitgeist of the 1980s and its ‘greed is good’ power of money mentality, directed by Oliver Stone and starring Michael Douglas and Charlie Sheen. The antidepressant medication Fluoxetine, commonly known as Prozac, was approved for use in the U.S.A.
1988	A Pan-Am 747 airliner exploded as a result of a Libyan terrorist bomb, which caused the plane to crash into the village of Lockerbie in Scotland, killing a total of 270 people.
1989	Republican politician George H.W. Bush became the 41^st President of the U.S.A. The pro‑democracy protest in Tiananmen Square, Beijing was brutally crushed by Communist Chinese authorities, resulting in many deaths and widespread international criticism over the state’s human rights violations. Russian military forces pulled out of Afghanistan 10 years after invading the country. Significant environmental pollution occurred when the Exxon Valdez oil tanker struck a reef in Prince William Sound off the coast of Alaska, spilling nearly 11 million gallons (37,000 metric tonnes) of crude oil into the coastal waters. The Berlin Wall in Germany, built in 1961 to divide the city and prevent movement between east and west, was demolished, marking massive political change in Europe, including in Poland, Hungary, East Germany, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia and Rumania. British computer scientist and engineer, Sir Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web, now known as the Internet, while he was employed at CERN (the European Organization for Nuclear Research) near Geneva, Switzerland.

Musical Genre Development 1980-1989

After the creative revolutions of the 1950s (rock ‘n’ roll), 1960s (rock and pop) and the 1970s (heavy metal, punk, reggae, disco, rap), the 1980s was largely a decade of reflection, consolidation, cross‑fertilisation and diversification. In short, quite a lot happened but, conversely, there was not a lot that was genuinely new in musical genre subversion. Pop was, erm, as popular as ever with artists such as Debbie Gibson, Tiffany, New Kids on the Block, Wham!, New Edition and Kylie Minogue.

Punk rock’s implosion left a vacuum that needed to be filled and the answer came in post‑punk diversity at the beginning of the 1980s. New wave is associated with the birth of MTV and the music video phase and was seen as a more commercial sub‑genre of post‑punk performed by artists such as Blondie, Talking Heads, Devo, The Cars, The Police, Jam, Elvis Costello, The Smiths, Ian Dury, Adam & The Ants, New Model Army, The Fall, Echo & The Bunnymen, and the Pretenders. Also deriving from post‑punk and encompassing a number of different styles was the new romantic sub‑genre heavily influenced by glam rock from the early 1970s, as exemplified by bands like Duran Duran, Culture Club, Visage, Spandau Ballet, Thompson Twins and Eurythmics. Synth pop also came and went in the post‑punk period of the early‑mid 1980s with electronica‑driven artists like Gary Numan, Kraftwerk, Japan, Human League, Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, New Order, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) and Ultravox. These highly produced music fads dominated the charts before beginning to decline by the mid‑1980s, followed by a revival of guitar‑driven music, often harking back to previous decades.

World and new age music became popular during the 1980s after being heavily promoted by record companies, even though neither has its roots in the decade. World music (not to be confused with third world music) isn’t really a genre but rather a broad marketing categorisation for a very wide and diverse range of traditional and contemporary music from around the globe including western music that doesn’t fall easily within more clearly defined genres. It also covers music that fuses ethnic influences from other genres to create something different. The umbrella term may also be used to promote niche music that was potentially under threat from music’s big business. Since 1987, World Music Day has become an annual celebration of the global music scene. Two of the leading artists associated with world music are African bands Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Savuka. Western artists such as Paul Simon and Peter Gabriel have embraced world music, fusing it with their own material. New age music is another loose marketing category for music that aims to promote positive mental wellbeing, spirituality and meditation. It is also used to complement physical activities such as yoga and massage. It has also been used to enhance inspiration and to manage stress. New age music is often acoustic or electronic and predominantly ambient (i.e. not having an obvious beat, rhythm or structure), regularly instrumental and minimalist or comprising recorded sound effects from nature. Popular western new age artists include Tangerine Dream, Vangelis, Jean Michel Jarre, Mike Oldfield, Klaus Schulze, Enya, Enigma and Clannad. Both world and new age music have influenced numerous subsequent musical ventures and projects.

Other established genres experienced revivals during the 1980s. For instance, hip hop’s ‘golden era’ spawned a plethora of artists, including LL Cool J, Run–D.M.C., Public Enemy and the Beastie Boys. Jazz also made a concerted comeback of sorts starting in the ‘70s and continuing into the ‘80s with jazz/rock fusion artists like Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report and Pat Metheny. Partly driven by MTV and ubiquitous pop videos, the 1980s saw the rise of success of mega‑pop stars like Michael Jackson, Madonna, Lionel Ritchie, Billy Joel, Prince and Whitney Houston. Heavy metal saw a 1980s resurgence that lasted well into the 1990s including artists like, Pantera, Queensrÿche, Extreme, Marilyn Manson and Danzig, while Iron Maiden led the charge of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) genre along with Def Leppard and Judas Priest. Nu‑metal pioneers began to appear at the very end of the decade including, Korn, Limp Bizkit, Staind and Linkin Park.

Musical Facts 1980-1989

Day	Month	Year	Music Fact
3	January	1980	American lo-fi indie/rock singer, songwriter, guitarist, former member of indie rock band The War On Drugs and successful solo artist, Kurt Vile was born in Lansdowne, Pennsylvania.
26	January	1980	American guitarist, singer and songwriter Prince made his first U.S. television appearance on the show ‘American Bandstand’.
19	February	1980	Scottish singer with Australian hard rock band AC/DC, Bon Scott died from acute alcohol poisoning in a friend’s car in London at the age of 33.
14	March	1980	Renowned American music producer Quincy Jones received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1500 Vine Street.
14	April	1980	English heavy metal rock band, Iron Maiden released their storming debut studio album, the self-titled ‘Iron Maiden’ in the UK.
22	April	1980	English indie rock icons, The Cure released their 2^nd studio album, ‘Seventeen Seconds’ in the UK.
23	April	1980	English heavy metal band Judas Priest released their classic 6^th studio album, ‘British Steel’.
2	May	1980	English alternative post-punk rock band Joy Division played their final live gig with singer Ian Curtis, two weeks before he committed suicide.
18	May	1980	English singer, songwriter and driving force behind post‑punk rock band Joy Division, Ian Curtis was found hanged at this home in Macclesfield, Cheshire at the age of 23.
7	July	1980	English hard rock band Led Zeppelin played their final live concert with John Bonham as drummer in Berlin, Germany.
10	July	1980	Jamaican reggae giants, Bob Marley & The Wailers released their final studio album before Marley’s untimely death, ‘Uprising’.
18	July	1980	English post-punk rock band Joy Division released their classic sophomore studio album, ‘Closer’.
25	July	1980	Australian heavy rock band, AC/DC, released their career-redefining 7^th studio album, ‘Back In Black’.
12	September	1980	English rock singer and songwriter David Bowie released his standout studio album, ‘Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)’ in the UK.
20	September	1980	English heavy metal singer and ex-member of Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne released his debut solo studio album, ‘Blizzard Of Ozz’ in the UK.
23	September	1980	Jamaican reggae star Bob Marley made his final live concert performance in Pennsylvania, USA, during which he collapsed on stage.
25	September	1980	English drummer with rock band Led Zeppelin, John Bonham, died tragically of alcohol-induced asphyxia in Clewer, Berkshire at the age of 32.
3	October	1980	English post-punk rock band The Police released their 3^rd studio album, ‘Zenyattà Mondatta’ in the UK.
8	October	1980	American alternative rock band Talking Heads released their exceptional career-best studio album produced by Brian Eno, ‘Remain In Light’.
10	October	1980	American singer, songwriter and guitarist Bruce Springsteen released his 5^th studio album, ‘The River’.
20	October	1980	Emerging Irish rock band, U2 released their debut studio album, ‘Boy’, to critical acclaim in the UK.
8	November	1980	English rock band Motörhead, released their massive 5^th studio album, ‘Ace Of Spades’ in the UK.
8	December	1980	English former member of The Beatles, John Lennon was murdered by gunman Mark Chapman outside the Dakota hotel in New York City at the age of 40.
12	December	1980	English punk rock band, The Clash released their follow up to the epic ‘London Calling’ with their even more ambitious 4^th studio triple album, ‘Sandinista!’.
15	December	1980	English guitarist, singer and songwriter with rock band Kasabian, Sergio Pizzorno was born in Newton Abbot, Devon.
16	January	1981	American guitarist, singer, songwriter and founding member of indie/alternative rock band The Strokes, Nick Valensi was born in New York City.
2	February	1981	English heavy metal rock band, Iron Maiden released their sophomore studio album, ‘Killers’ in the UK.
9	February	1981	American Rock ‘n’ Roll pioneer, Bill Haley, having been diagnosed with a brain tumour, died at his home in Harlingen, Texas at the age of 55.
15	February	1981	American blues/rock guitarist Mike Bloomfield died from an accidental drug overdose and was found in his car in San Francisco, California at the age of 37.
4	April	1981	UK pop group Bucks Fizz won the 26^th Eurovision Song Contest with, ‘Making Your Mind Up’.
14	April	1981	Legendary English indie rock band, The Cure released their classic 3^rd studio album, ‘Faith’ in the UK.
11	May	1981	Jamaican reggae singer, songwriter and guitarist, Robert Nesta ‘Bob’ Marley died from cancer in Miami, Florida at the age of 36.
21	May	1981	Rastafarian reggae legend Bob Marley received a state funeral in his home town of Kingston, Jamaica.
6	June	1981	The very first issue of weekly heavy metal music magazine ‘KERRANG!’ was published, featuring AC/DC on the front cover.
1	August	1981	Revolutionary 24 hour music video channel, MTV (Music Television), broadcast for the very first time in the USA at 12:01am Eastern Time, introduced by creator John Lack with, “Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll”
8	October	1981	English post-punk rock band Joy Division released their 3^rd and final studio album, ‘Still’.
7	November	1981	English singer and former member of heavy metal rock band Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne released his sophomore solo studio album, ‘Diary of a Madman’.
30	January	1982	Legendary American country blues guitarist, singer and songwriter Sam ‘Lightnin’’ Hopkins died from cancer in Houston, Texas at the age of 69.
14	March	1982	American thrash metal band, Metallica performed their debut live concert at Radio City, Anaheim, California, taglined, ‘Metalus Maximus’.
19	March	1982	American heavy metal guitarist Randy Rhoads, best known as member of Ozzy Osbourne’s band died tragically in a plane crash in Leesburg, Florida at the age of 25.
22	March	1982	English heavy metal rock band, Iron Maiden released their 3^rd studio album, ‘The Number Of The Beast’ in the UK.
3	May	1982	English indie rock icons, The Cure released their dark and brooding masterpiece 4^th studio album, ‘Pornography’ in the UK.
6	May	1982	American singer and actress, Diana Ross received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6712 Hollywood Boulevard.
14	May	1982	English punk rock legends, The Clash released their 5^th and penultimate studio album, ‘Combat Rock’ in the UK.
16	June	1982	English guitarist, songwriter and founding member of The Pretenders, James Honeyman-Scott died of drug‑related heart failure in London at the age of 25.
14	July	1982	English heavy metal rock band Judas Priest released their classic 8^th studio album, ‘Screaming for Vengeance’.
17	August	1982	Company executives from Philips, Sony and Polygram announced the pressing of the first commercial digital Compact Disc (CD).
20	September	1982	American singer, songwriter and guitarist Bruce Springsteen released his 6^th studio album, the often‑overlooked haunting and elegiac, ‘Nebraska’.
1	October	1982	Technology giant, Sony released the first ever digital Compact Disc (CD) player, the CDP-101, to the eager public in Japan.
27	October	1982	Legendary American singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer, Prince, released his top-selling 5^th studio album, ‘1999’.
5	November	1982	UK TV broadcaster Channel 4 aired its edgy music and lifestyle programme, ‘The Tube’ for the first time. Presenters included Jools Holland and the late Paula Yates. The show ran for 5 series until April 1987.
30	November	1982	American singer, Michael Jackson released his career‑defining mega‑hit 6^th studio album, ‘Thriller’. It is estimated that sales have well‑exceeded 50 million copies worldwide.
11	December	1982	English punk rock and mod revival band, The Jam played their final live concert in Brighton, UK before splitting up for good.
29	December	1982	The Jamaican Post Office released a set of postage stamps commemorating the life and music of reggae legend Bob Marley.
18	January	1983	English guitarist, singer and member of indie pop duo The Ting Tings, Katie White was born in Lowton, Greater Mancester.
28	February	1983	Irish mega-rock band U2 released their highly acclaimed chart-topping gold 3^rd studio album, ‘War’.
2	March	1983	The digital Compact Disc (CD) was launched in Europe and America by Philips, Sony and Polygram, 7 months after it had debuted in Japan.
23	March	1983	American Texas blues/rock giants ZZ Top released their massive 7^th studio album, the classic, ‘Eliminator’.
14	April	1983	English rock singer David Bowie released his 15^th and perhaps most commercial studio album, the great Nile Rodgers‑produced, ‘Let’s Dance’.
30	April	1983	Renowned American Chicago blues guitarist, Muddy Waters (McKinley Morganfield) died from a heart attack at his home in Westmont, Illinois at the age of 70.
16	May	1983	Pioneering English heavy metal rock band Iron Maiden released their massively successful 4^th studio album, ‘Piece Of Mind’.
23	May	1983	Jamaican reggae legends Bob Marley & The Wailers released their studio album, ‘Confrontation’ posthumously, after Bob Marley’s death in 1981.
12	June	1983	Influential American blues slide guitarist and singer J.B. Hutto died from cancer in Harvey, Illinois at the age of 57.
13	June	1983	Emerging American blues/rock guitarist and singer, Stevie Ray Vaughan with his band Double Trouble released their debut studio album, ‘Texas Flood’.
25	July	1983	Up-and-coming American thrash metal band Metallica released their standout debut studio album, ‘Kill ‘Em All’.
20	October	1983	American country music guitarist Merle Travis died of a heart attack at his home in Tahlequah, Oklahoma at the age of 65.
10	November	1983	English singer, songwriter and one-time member of punk rock band Generation X, Billy Idol released his highly popular 2^nd studio album, ‘Rebel Yell’.
15	November	1983	English singer and former member of heavy metal rock band Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne released his 3^rd solo studio album, ‘Bark At The Moon’ in the UK.
2	December	1983	Music television channel MTV aired the full 14-minute pop video to Michael Jackson’s massive hit single, ‘Thriller’ for the first time.
1	January	1984	Widely regarded as the founding father of British Blues, guitarist and broadcaster Alexis Korner died of lung cancer in London at the age of 55.
21	January	1984	American rock band Bon Jovi released their debut studio album, the self-titled ‘Bon Jovi’ in the U.S.
1	April	1984	American soul singer Marvin Gaye was shot and killed by his father in Los Angeles, California at the age of 44.
26	April	1984	Eleven years after the famous original Cavern Club in Liverpool, UK was demolished in 1973, it was rebuilt and the new venue opened its doors.
4	May	1984	The classic music rock/mock/documentary film about the experiences of an English rock band, ‘This Is Spinal Tap’, directed by Rob Reiner, was released in the UK.
15	May	1984	American blues rock guitarist, Stevie Ray Vaughan with his band Double Trouble released their 2^nd studio album, ‘Couldn’t Stand the Weather’.
19	May	1984	American southern rock band ZZ Top released their hit single, ‘Legs’ with the B-Side ‘Bad Girl’, both from their career‑defining album, ‘Eliminator’.
21	May	1984	Emerging indie rock band, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds released their impressive debut album, ‘From Her to Eternity’.
4	June	1984	American singer, songwriter and guitarist Bruce Springsteen released his massive 7^th studio album, ‘Born In The U.S.A.’.
14	June	1984	American country singer Dolly Parton received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6712 Hollywood Boulevard.
25	June	1984	Legendary flamboyant American musician Prince released the massive original soundtrack album for the film, ‘Purple Rain’.
30	July	1984	American thrash metal rock band Metallica released their sophomore studio album, ‘Ride The Lightning’.
3	September	1984	English heavy metal rock band Iron Maiden released their classic 5^th studio album, ‘Powerslave’ in the UK.
16	September	1984	Talented Georgian/British singer, songwriter and guitarist Katie Melua was born in Kutaisi, Georgia.
24	September	1984	English electronic/alternative rock band Depeche Mode released their 4^th studio album, ‘Some Great Reward’ in the UK.
27	September	1984	Canadian pop-punk singer, songwriter and guitarist, Avril Lavigne was born in Ontario.
1	October	1984	Irish rock band U2 released their classic 4^th studio album, ‘The Unforgettable Fire’ in the UK.
20	November	1984	American pop singer, Michael Jackson received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6927 Hollywood Boulevard.
3	December	1984	Assembled super group Band Aid released their massive Christmas charity single, ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ in response to the famine in Ethiopia.
15	December	1984	Charity super group, Band Aid entered the UK singles chart at number 1 with their song, ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ in aid of Ethiopian famine victims.
22	January	1985	Australian guitarist, famous for working with Alice Cooper and Michael Jackson, Orianthi Panagaris was born in Adelaide, South Australia.
13	May	1985	English rock band Dire Straits released their massive hit 5^th studio album, ‘Brothers In Arms’.
4	June	1985	American guitarist with heavy rock band Black Stone Cherry, Chris Robertson was born in Kentucky.
29	June	1985	English rock singers David Bowie and Mick Jagger recorded their version of the classic Martha Reeves and the Vandellas’ soul hit, ‘Dancing In The Street’ in support of the Live Aid charity.
13	July	1985	Two Live Aid fundraising concerts took place in London and Philadelphia to benefit the plight of Ethiopian famine victims.
30	September	1985	American blues/rock guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan with his band Double Trouble released their 3^rd studio album, ‘Soul to Soul’.
9	October	1985	Japanese artist Yoko Ono dedicated the Strawberry Fields memorial in New York City’s Central Park to her late husband, John Lennon on what would have been his 45^th birthday.
28	October	1985	American Texas blues/rock trio, ZZ Top released their 9^th studio album, ‘Afterburner’, the follow up to their massive 1983 hit, ‘Eliminator’.
30	October	1985	American thrash metal masters Anthrax released their career classic 2^nd studio album, ‘Spreading The Disease’.
4	January	1986	Irish bass guitarist with rock band Thin Lizzy, Phil Lynott died of complications due to septicaemia in Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK, at the age of 36.
6	January	1986	English singer, songwriter and guitarist of indie/rock bands Arctic Monkeys and The Last Shadow Puppets, Alex Turner was born in Sheffield.
3	March	1986	American heavy metal band Metallica released their 3^rd studio album, the last with Cliff Burton playing bass guitar in the line-up, ‘Master Of Puppets’.
14	March	1986	The classic film inspired by the mythology surrounding blues guitarist Robert Johnson, directed by Walter Hill, ‘Crossroads’ was released in the USA.
17	March	1986	English electronic/alternative rock band Depeche Mode released their 5th studio album, ‘Black Celebration’ in the UK.
19	May	1986	English singer, songwriter and former member of progressive rock band Genesis, Peter Gabriel released his commercially successful 5^th solo studio album, ‘So’.
20	July	1986	The feature film ‘Sid And Nancy’ focusing on the tragic lives of Sex Pistols’ bass guitarist Sid Vicious and his girlfriend Nancy Spungen premiered in London. The film was directed by Alex Cox and starred Gary Oldman.
25	August	1986	American singer and songwriter Paul Simon released his classic 7^th solo studio album, ‘Graceland’.
28	August	1986	American pop singer, Tina Turner received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1750 North Vine Street.
27	September	1986	American bass guitarist and songwriter with thrash metal rock band Metallica, Cliff Burton was tragically killed in a tour coach crash in Dörarp, Sweden at the age of 24.
29	September	1986	English heavy metal band Iron Maiden released their 6^th studio album, ‘Somewhere In Time’ in the UK.
7	October	1986	American thrash metal band Slayer released their huge genre classic 3^rd studio album, ‘Reign In Blood’.
15	November	1986	American hip-hop group from NYC, Beastie Boys, released their debut studio album, ‘Licensed To Ill’, including their massive hit single, ‘(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)’.
2	December	1986	Supremely talented Australian bass guitarist and singer, Tal Wilkenfeld was born in Sydney.
21	January	1987	American soul legend Aretha Franklin became the first woman inducted into the American Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
22	February	1987	American pop artist and manager of experimental rock band Velvet Underground, Andy Warhol died following gall bladder surgery in New York at the age of 58.
9	March	1987	Irish rock band U2 released their 5^th studio album, the massive ‘The Joshua Tree’ in the UK.
22	March	1987	American thrash metal masters Anthrax released their career classic 3^rd studio album, ‘Among The Living’.
30	March	1987	Diminutive American singer, songwriter and guitarist Prince released his ambitious, epic change of direction 9^th studio album, ‘Sign ☮ The Times’.
2	April	1987	Highly acclaimed American jazz drummer Buddy Rich died from respiratory and heart failure following treatment for a brain tumour in Los Angeles, California at the age of 69.
5	May	1987	English indie rock icons The Cure released their lip‑smacking 7^th studio double album, ‘Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me’ in the UK.
2	June	1987	Virtuoso Spanish classical guitarist Andrés Segovia died from a heart attack in Madrid at the age of 94.
14	July	1987	American rock group The Steve Miller Band received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1750 Vine Street.
21	July	1987	American hard rock band, Guns N’ Roses released their storming debut studio album, ‘Appetite For Destruction’.
3	August	1987	English heavy metal rock band Def Leppard released their best-selling classic 4^th studio album, ‘Hysteria’.
25	August	1987	American singer and songwriter Michael Jackson released his 7^th solo studio album, ‘Bad’, as a follow up to his massive 1982 LP, ‘Thriller’.
11	September	1987	Jamaican reggae artist Peter Tosh was shot dead along with two others by a gang of three armed robbers at his home in Kingston, Jamaica at the age of 42.
12	September	1987	English alternative rock singer and songwriter Morrissey left his band, The Smiths to pursue a successful solo music career.
21	September	1987	American bass guitarist and member of jazz fusion band Weather Report from 1976-1981, the inimitable Jaco Pastorius died from injuries following an altercation at a club in Wilton Manors, Florida at the age of 35.
28	September	1987	English electronic/alternative rock band Depeche Mode released their 6^th studio album, ‘Music For The Masses’ in the UK.
8	October	1987	Legendary American rock ‘n’ roll guitarist Chuck Berry received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1777 North Vine Street.
15	October	1987	American virtuoso instrumental rock guitarist Joe Satriani released his classic 2^nd studio album, ‘Surfing With The Alien’.
1	December	1987	Puerto Rican guitarist and singer, Jose Feliciano received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6541 Hollywood Boulevard.
31	December	1987	After 17 years and 445 episodes, British TV broadcaster, the BBC aired the final edition of contemporary music show, ‘The Old Grey Whistle Test’.
20	January	1988	Legendary English pop/rock band The Beatles were inducted into the American Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
11	April	1988	English heavy metal band Iron Maiden released their 7^th studio album, ‘Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son’.
5	May	1988	Highly successful English singer and songwriter Adele MBE was born in London.
5	July	1988	American thrash metal rock band, Slayer, released their mega hit 4^th studio album, ‘South Of Heaven’.
14	August	1988	American blues/rock guitarist Roy Buchanan was found hanged (a disputed suicide) in a jail cell after he was arrested for public intoxication in Fairfax, Virginia at the age of 48.
25	August	1988	American heavy metal rock band Metallica released their classic 4^th studio album, ‘… And Justice For All’.
19	September	1988	Alternative rock band Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds released their highly acclaimed 5^th studio album, ‘Tender Prey’.
30	September	1988	English former member of The Beatles, John Lennon received a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1750 Vine Street.
10	October	1988	Irish rock band U2 released their classic 6^th studio album (and complementary ‘rockumentary’ film), ‘Rattle and Hum’ in the UK.
18	October	1988	American alternative rock band Sonic Youth released their landmark 6^th studio album, ‘Daydream Nation’.
19	October	1988	Legendary American delta blues guitarist and singer, Son House died of cancer of the larynx in Detroit, Michigan at the age of 86.
6	December	1988	American singer, songwriter and musician, Roy Orbison died of a heart attack in Hendersonville, Tennessee at the age of 52.
18	January	1989	Music greats, The Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, Otis Redding and others were inducted into the American Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
2	May	1989	English indie rock group The Stone Roses released their eponymous debut studio album, ‘The Stone Roses’.
2	May	1989	English indie rock icons, The Cure released their near‑perfect career-defining 8^th studio album, ‘Disintegration’ in the UK.
29	May	1989	American guitarist, John Cipollina of rock band Quicksilver Messenger Service died of alpha‑1 antitrypsin deficiency in San Francisco at the age of 45.
1	June	1989	Underground American grunge band, Nirvana released their debut studio album, ‘Bleach’ to an unsuspecting public.
6	June	1989	Legendary American blues/rock guitarist and singer, Stevie Ray Vaughan with his band Double Trouble released their 4^th and final studio album before SRV’s tragic death, ‘In Step’.
15	July	1989	English progressive rock band Pink Floyd performed a live concert on a floating stage at Venice, Italy, watched by over 200,000 people.
25	July	1989	American rap rock band, Beastie Boys released their classic sophomore studio album, ‘Paul’s Boutique’.
12	September	1989	English virtuoso instrumental rock guitarist Jeff Beck released his impressive 6^th studio album ‘Jeff Beck’s Guitar Shop’ in the UK.
26	November	1989	British pop/rock band, Squeeze performed in concert for the very first broadcast of ‘MTV Unplugged’ in the US.
13	December	1989	One of the best‑selling artists of all time, American country/pop singer and songwriter Taylor Swift was born in Reading, Pennsylvania.

Tailpiece

Well that’s the eighties for you in a (sizeable) nutshell. We are now getting much closer to the end of the story (at least as far as I am able to document it) and the new millennium beckons tantalisingly out of reach. However, before that, we will fill in the gap with the 1990s next month. Will it be a Brave New World or just more of the same? To discover the facts behind the memories, please return here next month for some more manic music history. Until next time…

CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Quote of the Month’: “Never trust your memories but cherish the good ones regardless”

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