As I was writing copy for a client the other day, I came across a bunch of websites about the 80's, and a gush of memories came over me. I was totally nostalgic. Thinking back to songs and TV shows and movies.

I was a teen in the 80's, and definitely a product of that era. I was totally enthralled by Lea Thompson and Molly Ringwald. Bon Jovi, A-Ha, and Cheap Trick were my favorite bands, my nickname in high school was <gulp!> "Spike," and I had long, blond hair (yup, you read that right... a blond-streaked mullet!), and a drummer in "garage" bands.
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Oh, boy.

Anyhow, are YOU a product of the 80's? Try this little quiz to find out...

http://www.shults.com/hypermail/jokes/0844.html

I remember the 80's quite fondly, in fact.

Many hours were spent roller skating at the local rink...

Going to $2.50 Tuesdays at the local movie theatre, complaining because they wouldn't let us see R rated movies...

Many many hours spent at the park, hanging out with friends at the playground...

Sneaking cigarettes behind the school...

Having coffee at the mall's food court...(and irritating the security guards)

House parties...

Yep, I'm a definite child of the 80's.

Stop making me feel so old!

I turned 20 in 1980 and that's when I started going to Berklee College of Music (majored in guitar playing, which is why I'm now a copywriter).

Loved Cyndi Lauper, alternative rock, movies like Mystic Pizza and Pretty in Pink (or was that the late 70s?). Was disappointed that I was just a bit too old to dye my hair blue.

Janet

Oh ya... the 80's

Had my first computer back then (might have even been the late 70s)

Apple II

Played hours of role playing games on it with friends while we listened to Rush, Kansas, Boston, Iron Maiden, Yes, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, Genesis... and so many more...

Saw tons of concerts (being in the S.F. Bay Area)

A close friend was handicapped in a wheel-chair, and we always got to enter into concerts 10 minutes before everyone - so we were almost always right on the stage - incredible experiences.

Even saw U2 in 1982 or 1983 in San Francisco (don't remember exactly) before they released the War album (which made them famous) - they opened up for the J. Giles Band (who remembers them? - "Love Stinks") - can you believe it?

I too played in a garage band - and now miss my 3 basses as they gather dust somewhere in California...

I knew most of "Permanent Waves" and "Moving Pictures" bass lines from Rush (plus many others) - Geddy Lee is phenomenal how he can play such complex bass lines and sing at the same time... kind of like walking and chewing gum, but different...

I can play the guitar and sing, but not those bass lines... too fast and complex.

And Neil Peart is a drummer God desended on Earth... my drummer friends revered him (and John Bonham - from Zep)

My nickname in high school was "War" - mostly from the school soccer team - we were good. Several of us went on to semi-pro level play in the late 80's - very fond memories...

Ah, yes, I remember my "my metal days," when I was also into Ozzy, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Kip Winger, Warrant, Whitesnake, and of course, Led Zeppelin (Bonzo is my favorite drummer, and "Fool In The Rain" is still my favorite Led Zep song, after "The Song Remains The Same").

Roll playing games...
remember zork?

Did you ever see the 'return to zork' game?

It was pretty cool. I still have the CD, but can't get it to work right.

I went to my 10 year high school reunion in 1995 (sheesh, 20 years this year!), and we all laughed (some of us cringed) at the 80's music we used to listen to...I'm talking Thomas Dolby, A Flock of Seagulls, that stuff.

Of course, I had my Yes, Rush, Dead, Floyd, Zeppelin, etc. too (in fact, those are the ones I still listen to).

I didn't start playing guitar until after high school (1987 or so), so at that point it was Dead, Floyd, etc.

And I agree about Neil Peart...my brother and I used to have every drum note memorized from 2112 (and played the air drums, of course). Even learned a few guitar tunes off that album.

My first computer was a Timex Sinclair with a membrane keyboard and 2K of RAM!!! It hooked up to your T.V. for a monitor. I was so pumped up when I got my 16K expansion for it. A whole 16K! The sky was the limit.

The Times, They are a Changin'

John

I'm with ya Janet...

Born in '61 so the eighties were my college years at UFlorida. Somewhere I've got pictures of my "Sunglasses at Night" hair. All gone..all gone. (The hair, that is)

I was a philosophy major and remember spending an entire Analytic Logic Class dissecting Pink Floyd's "The Wall".

I still say I would have graduated if the beach had been 20 miles closer, or 200 miles further away. But when the hurricane swells hit in Florida, it's grab your board and hit it, or wait another 3 months.

Timothy you're spot-on about Rush. I saw them twice, once opening with Bob Seger, and once as the headliners. "Crocus" and "Prism" were the opening acts. Both opening bands were up there doing the "serious" metal thing--4-or-5 guys in each band, doing their best "AAARRHGS".

Not bad, but when the three smiling Canadians took the stage all smiles, and fun, we knew who the real pipers were. My ears are still ringing.

I remember exactly where I was when my friend cued up Rush's "Tom Sawyer" for the first time.

Best Concert: The Police, The English Beat, and A Flock of Seagulls in Montreal. Went to a club that night and saw a band called "Vomit and the Zits" Punk, what else?

In honor of this thread, I'm listening to The Violent Femmes Greatest Hits album.

Dang, that sounds familiar... was that an all text game?

If it's what I'm vaguely remembering, that was a trippy game.

Saw The Grateful Dead several times... wasn't a big fan of the music in my spare time, but man they put on a great show - not to mention the cultural experience - they dragged around a 60s bubble with them wherever they went. Very fun.

I also graduated from high school in 1985.

Awesome tune.

I vividly remember going to a halloween party with my drummer friend to some close friends of his that I had never met (in '86) - he told me to bring my bass and an amp.

When we got there, he and I set up and started playing around for fun (lots of "garage" musicians were there), then this guy grabbed a guitar (didn't know him) - and he started jammin' the first power chords of Tom Sawyer perfectly. I knew the bass and just joined in, and my drummer friend started rippin' the drum part (we had never played this tune together - nor even spoke a word before).

It was freakin' awesome - happened so fast, and turned into pure electricity as the tune came to life - somebody even open-air recorded it... people couldn't believe we were playing Tom Sawyer (nor could I)... and you could hear their exclamations of surprise on tape - the guy playing the guitar even did a great job singing.

Some of the people I met at that party became friends for life.

Whoa - wild memories... and 5 minutes I won't ever forget

Here's a clip of the real tune from Amazon (just scroll down):

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/cl...668052-0058204

Yeah, it always began with standing outside a white house and the words-
"there's a mailbox here"

Zork 1, 2, &3 were all text.
Return to Zork was full of awesome graphics...for the time.

I still listen to floyd, zeplin, peter paul and mary, aerosmith, etc.
Never got into the heavy metal...not the death metal anyway. Just rock.