Tag Archive for: 1983

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Billy Idol- Don’t Stop 45th Anniversary

It's the all-important 1981 "Don't Stop"  EP by Billy Idol. In the last spasms of the London Punk Rock scene circa 1980, Generation X and their front man Billy Broad had the career arc of a bottle rocket, briefly filling English dance floors with the celebratory single "Dancing with Myself"and a cover of "Mony Mony". But Punk Rock's purpose of being a disruptive force to reset all the tumblers of popular music was practically fulfilled by then, and had no second act, so Billy Idol needed a new start. Billy Idol is my guest In the Studio.

John Mellencamp- Pink Houses- Dallas 10-91

Here is John Mellencamp's live acoustic performance of  "Pink Houses" on my Dallas/ Ft.Worth Q102 radio show 10-1-91. Don't miss the fortieth anniversary interview about "Uh Huh" with John Mellempcamp here In the Studio next week starting 11/13.
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YES- 90125- Jon Anderson,Trevor Rabin,Tony Kaye, the late Chris Squire & Alan White

The musical moonshot “90125” by YES resulted in more than eight million copies selling (three million just in the U.S.) from a musical entity thought to be extinct, but with the songs "It Can Happen","Hold On","Leave It","Changes", and the #1 hit "Owner of a Lonely Heart", YES could rise like a musical phoenix from the ashes of the progressive rock Seventies with the comeback album of the Eighties in "90125".
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Jimi Hendrix Experience- Electric Ladyland pt2- Mitch Mitchell, author John McDermott

Jimi Hendrix and his British trio the Experience created a landmark double album in 1968 called "Electric Ladyland",  but this deep into the 21st century it may be difficult for many to fully understand the context in which it was made and the world into which it was subsequently released. Experience drummer the late Mitch Mitchell & Hendrix biographer/film director John McDermott tell the story from the inside.
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Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble- Texas Flood

Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble's first,"Texas Flood". Included here in these classic rock interviews is my second interview with Stevie in late Spring 1984; legendary bluesman Buddy Guy; Chris Layton, Tommy Shannon, singer/songwriter Doyls Bramhall, and biographer Joe Nick Patoski; and the songs "Pride and Joy","Cold Shot", the spectacular Hendrix cover"Voodoo Child", "Look at Little Sister","Life Without You", and two "Big" Doyle Bramhall songs, "Change It" and "Life By the Drop".

Dave Edmunds- I Hear You Knockin’- NYC 5-18-83

Dave Edmunds "I Hear You Knockin' " this superb live performance at New York City's Roseland Ballroom in May 1983.

The Fixx- Reach the Beach- Cy Curnin, Adam Woods

Cy Curnin and Adam Woods In the Studio for The Fixx 1983 two million-seller "Reach the Beach"!

R.E.M.- Murmur/Reckoning- Michael Stipe, Peter Buck

R.E.M. "Murmur" quietly emerged April 12, 1983 and has never left my essential music list, along with its follow-up "Reckoning" forty years ago. Michael Stipe & Peter Buck are here In the Studio for "Reckoning" 40th anniversary. Songs include "Radio Free Europe","South Central Rain","Can't Get There from Here","Driver 8",  and an ultra-rare live acoustic performance of "Maps and Legends" from McCabe's Guitar Shop in Santa Monica.
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David Bowie- Let’s Dance

"Let's Dance"  was nominated for the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1983, and if David could have moonwalked like Michael Jackson, Bowie probably would have won. it was no surprise that multi-media maven David Bowie, who seemed tailor-made then for the dawn of the MTV era in America when "Let's Dance"  was released, would later be among the first to embrace computer-generated gaming and virtual reality, which David discussed at length here, reprised on the album's fortieth anniversary.
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ZZ TOP- Eliminator- Billy Gibbons, the late Frank Beard & Dusty Hill

And yes, the series of clever, campy videos on the upstart MTV video channel in America undoubtedly had much to do with that staggering (15 million just in US) level of popularity for "Eliminator" (truly ironic, since manager Bill Ham had steadfastly kept ZZ Top off of U.S. television until then). But the songwriting, musicianship, modern arranging, and state-of-the-art recording on "Eliminator" which I heard that day was truly extraordinary. Billy Gibbons, Frank Bread, & the late Dusty Hill are my guests In the Studio.