I grew up in the 1980s. By “grew up”, I mean from 1980 until 1989, I was between the ages of ten to 19.
Do you remember the ’80s? What do you remember that decade for the most?
Ronald Reagan was the U.S. President for just about the entire decade, it was also the decade of Pac-Man, the Rubik’s Cube, and the (cassette) Walk-man.
The microwave, VHS VCRs, and CD players were invented in the ’80s.
Movies such as E.T., Indiana Jones, Die Hard, Crocodile Dundee, and Back To The Future were released.
And, regarding popular music of the ’80s, there was pop music that I personally never liked…such as Duran Duran, Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Wham! and Michael Jackson.
And then there was the type of music which I’ve always liked—heavy metal. In the ’80s, some popular metal bands were Whitesnake, Ratt, Bon Jovi, Motley Crue, The Scorpions, Twisted Sister, Quiet Riot and Def Leppard.
Well, there’s a new, young rock band from Australia called “De La Cruz“. They are too young to remember the heyday of these bands…but De La Cruz are obviously fans of ’80s heavy metal.
They sound just like the ’80s bands that inspired them.
I have their self-titled debut EP…and I like their music a lot!
De La Cruz has a video for their song “Back To The ’80s“. In the video, the band members are wearing black concert shirts from the bands RATT, Bon Jovi and Judas Priest. That’s how I used to dress in the ’80s!
Here’s their video for “Back To The ’80s“:
Tokyo Five 
Hey Tokyo, last year I wrote a book about the 80s as seen through the eyes of metalheads, which has been published. The book is called Rock And Roll Children. I can provide a link and more information, with your permission. It’s just I don’t want to hijack your blog to plug my book. However, I do think it fits in well with the theme of the post.
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>I wrote a book about the 80s as seen through the eyes of metalheads…called Rock And Roll Children.
Sounds great!
>I can provide a link and more information…I do think it fits in well with the theme of the post.
Of course. Please do. 🙂
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Thanks, here’s the link
http://www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html
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Looks great. I hope many people click the link and buy a copy.
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Excellent post! A colorful decade it was, from the fashions to MTV (when it was a real music video channel). I saw U2 twice then, before they became billionaires. David Lee Roth live was insane!!
Wrestling was even more fun then… Hulk Hogan vs. Andre The Giant and Wrestlemania began back then. Cool recommendation on De La Cruz… 1st time I ever heard of them! I’ll seek out this EP.
Um… I… dig… Duran Duran. I can’t help it, any Duran Duran song just reminds me of “good times” at the arcade! (My arcade back then played Duran Duran like there was no tomorrow). Plus, I was/still am a big fan of that Power Station album. RIP Robert Palmer. \m/
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>Excellent post!
Thanks. I was waiting for your comment on this post! 😉
>David Lee Roth live was insane!!
Yeah, he was one of the few lead vocalists of a band to go solo and be successful.
What tour did you see of his? I saw his “Skyscraper” tour in Florida. Faster Pussycat was the opening act.
>Hulk Hogan
“Hulk” Hogan lives in my hometown of Clearwater, Florida. (“Evel” Knievel did too (before he died a few years ago)).
>Cool recommendation on De La Cruz… 1st time I ever heard of them! I’ll seek out this EP.
I can’t believe that I forgot to mention it in this post:
I learned about this band from Hardrock Hideout.
And De La Cruz is giving their album as a free download!
>I… dig… Duran Duran.
Well, everyone has their own tastes. And probably most everyone has an album or two that is “out of character” for them…for example, I like Hank Williams Jr..
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The 80s were a golden age of heavy metal. Great acts like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Twisted Sister and Dio, plus many more ruled. I have great memories of cool albums and kick ass concerts although I have not so good memories of discrimination against metalheads and Jesus freaks at concerts. Still the music was sublime.
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>The 80s were a golden age of heavy metal.
Yes. But it will never die!
>discrimination against metalheads
Did you experience discrimination? Personally I never felt discriminated against…I’ve always known that the majority of people don’t like metal, but the fact that it was never really popular (even at it’s peak in the ’80s) and it was feared by many actually added to it’s appeal!
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It was more low level intolerance than mass discrimination. I do know of cases where someone picked a fight with a metal head, but it was he who got blamed for starting it. I also have heard accounts of them being picked on in schools, singled out by teachers and stuff. But yes, it was never popular in the mainstream and always a target for the religious folk. I also know of a case where the cops came down hard at a metal concert searching everyone for drugs but turned a blind eye to 12 year olds getting sickly drunk at Wham concerts, But nonetheless, we had fun in spite of all that. Metal ruled in our own way
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>always a target for the religious folk.
Having grown up in the deep south, I know about this well. I remember there being “record burnings” and picketing and protesting of concerts.
Churches claimed that heavy metal was from “the devil”! As I’m not “a believer”, that didn’t faze me much.
>Metal ruled in our own way
And it still does! 😉
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I grew up in the 80s too, well started listening to the music prolly in 1982 thanks to my eldest sister playing it loudly from her bedroom, as I type this, my husband’s currently playing one of my favorite 80s band ‘The Cure’ Whenever I hear any 80s music that I recognise, I cant help remembering those days. Nothing can beat the 80s music and I would say the same for 70s let alone 60s. I was very much into pop music, again ‘thanks’ to my eldest sister influencing us into it. Heavy metal was introduced to us in mid 80s by my eldest brother who was screeching his blasted guitar every afternoon and at night he’d be playing his music full blast much to my father’s annoyance. I remember watching TV series apart from Dallas, Dynasty, Knots Landing ..there’s also Six Million Dollar Man, Bionic Woman even Incredible Hulk oooh there was also Man from Atlantis..Macgyver, Air Wolf so much more …there were also those scary movies like Poltergeist, Exorcist (still cares me alot) Evil Dead oooh lets not forget dear ol’ Freddie …ahhhh i can go on and on about the 80s but i’ll stop here.
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>my favorite 80s band ‘The Cure’
I was never of fan of that band…but I know they were popular back then.
>there were also those scary movies like Poltergeist, Exorcist (still cares me alot) Evil Dead oooh lets not forget dear ol’ Freddie …
Oh yeah. The ’80s style horror movies! It became a whole genre. “Nightmare On Elm Street”, “Halloween”, “Friday The 13th” with “Freddie”, “Michael” and “Jason”, respectively.
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You and I are the same age.
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>You and I are the same age.
Then you must know what these refer to:
“Where the beef?”
“Who shot J.R.?”
“That’s not a knife. This is a knife!”
“Hello!! McFly!!”
“Don’t worry. Be happy!”
Any of those “ring a bell”?
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Haha, they all ring a bell.
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>they all ring a bell.
I thought so.
In the ’70s, did you watch “The Incredible Hulk“, Evel Knievel, “Welcome Back, Kotter“, “Happy Days“, etc. on TV as much as I did?
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I only watched Welcome Back Kotter a little, didn’t like it too much. I have probably seen most of the Happy Days shows and I watch Incredible Hulk too. My favorite was Emergency, the show about the LA County Paramedics. Also MASH and the Six Million Dollar Man.
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>I only watched Welcome Back Kotter a little
Really? I liked that show when I was in elementary school…I’ll never forget “Vinnie Barbarino” and “Horseshack”
>the Six Million Dollar Man
Oh yeah! I liked that show a lot too when I was a young kid.
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The 1980s? Not good, not in South Africa (where I grew up): border war, racial tension, international sanctions. My music? Then, as now, classical. Mendelssohn rocks! 🙂
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>in South Africa (where I grew up): border war, racial tension, international sanctions.
Yeah, I guess living in Africa back then must have been difficult. I’m lucky to have grown up in America…the ’80s was considered to be a decade without war (to American people)—but I understand that plenty of people weren’t as fortunate.
>My music? Then, as now, classical.
I’ve tried to “get into” other types of music such as pop, country and even classical. But, at least to me, heavy metal is the only type of music that is enjoyable to listen to. I know that it’s just “noise” to most people, though.
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The 1980s constituted the first 10 years of my married life and the raising of 2 very young daughters. I had many problems during that decade that I wish never happened. I think 2012 will be a better year for me. I certainly hope so!
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>I think 2012 will be a better year for me.
I enjoyed the ’80s and I look back with nostalgia…but I don’t “pine for” the ’80s or anything.
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RATT’s Round and Round is possibly one of my favorite music videos. Rock on.
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Not only a great video…it’s a great song! I have RATT’s “Out Of The Cellar” album (which includes the song “Round And Round”) on my i-pod.
A few of RATT’s ’80s videos (including “Round And Round”) feature the comedian Milton Berle in them because Milton Berle’s nephew used to be RATT’s manager
Here’s the video (in the band, of course, was the late, great rhythm-guitarist Robbin Crosby):
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