shinypixel.co.uk » Born in the 80s

My Favourite Band

Rik — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 12:29:49 +0000

“What’s your favourite band?” asked someone the other day. A surprisingly easy question – it’s The Art of Noise. “Who?” or perhaps “Why?” you quiz keenly. Because they made stuff like this. 25 years ago.

The Art of Noise – Back Beat

Let’s All Chant

Rik — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 12:55:54 +0000

This rather shocking piece of history is mainly notable for Pat Sharp’s quite stellar hair. I bought a cassette tape compilation from a Northants car boot sale around 20 years ago, the highlight of which this charidee cover of the Michael Zager band which rose to Number 5 in the charts. (Well, it was the 80s.) Didn’t realise it was actually a PWL production until I looked it up just now, but even so I still maintain that the synthy ‘Everybody move your body’ refrain is still pretty damn memorable even today.

Pat & Mick – Let’s All Chant

Everybody Have Fun Tonight

Rik — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 12:12:41 +0000

Psychemagik have a habit of tracking down my fave 80s tracks and making face-boggling re-edits of them. This makes me simultaneously pleased, jealous and worried that they’re stalking my questionable taste. Lo! Mere (lengthy) moments before a recent AOR Disco-themed cheese & wine party at Chez Rik, up turned the digital news that they’d released a re-rub of another of my most-played neon classics.

Having ticked off perennial fave Everywhere by Fleetwood Mac last year, the mysterious editors-at-large have now scored number two with Wang Chung’s fret-tastic Dance Hall Days. Taking the 7″ and 12″ versions, plus some reverb and a hammer, with some sound effects that I can only assume come from one of the mixes I don’t have, they produce a jiggly edit that orbits the central riff just far enough away to make you re-hum it uncontrollably every time it thwangs back in with a vengeance.

The only minor downside comes when a rent-a-rap temporarily, yet inadvisedly barges in at about 5 minutes, but that’s nothing that couldn’t be sorted with a re-edited edit, if you were so inclined.

Overall though, top stuff. (The cheese & wine party approved.)

Wang Chung – Dance Hall Days [Psychemagik's Leg Warmer Edit]

No Regrets

Rik — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 14:24:16 +0000

I occasionally go through spates of listening to The Walker Brothers, usually after they pop up on the Radio 2 playlist and are quickly promoted to my stereo on rotation.

However, one thing I didn’t know until moments ago was that Midge Ure covered No Regrets. It sounds exactly how you’d expect it to:

Midge Ure – No Regrets

The Walker Brothers – No Regrets

Just For Money

Rik — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 13:35:43 +0000

If I said to you “Paul Hardcastle”, then you’d probably reply “Who?” or “N-n-n-n-nineteen” and look quite pleased with yourself. If you were to be feeling particularly smug, you might mention the shocking cricket-based cover version of 19 by Rory Bremner.

It’s a bit of a shame that that’s all people seem to remember of Paul Hardcastle. Many years ago I possessed a second-hand Smash Hits tape which had been half taped-over by its previous owner, obliterating Big Fun in favour of various mixes of Hardcastle’s latest singles. Alongside 19 was Just For Money, this excellent synth track which my naive mind assumed contained samples of Del Boy & Rodney. After IDing and tracking it down on 12″ many years later, I was surprised to find that the actual samples are (in order of incredulity) Hardcastle himself, Bob Hoskins, and Laurence Olivier.

Worth a listen.

Paul Hardcastle (feat. Bob Hoskins & Laurence Olivier) – Just For Money

Born In The 80s Part III : Around The World in 80s Plays

Rik — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:05:22 +0000

So then, here’s the reveal – here’s what I’ve been working on over the past months and now has been officially launched by none other than Richard Branson himself in New York.

VTravelled – Dreamt up by Virgin Atlantic

In true style, it’s time to commemorate the launch in the only way Shinypixel knows how… You guessed it; a bumper holiday pack of 80s toss!

Appropriately, our theme is travelling the globe…

Red Box – For America

You could also have had Kim Wilde, or Bruce Springsteen, of course. Lots more 80s after the jump!

Murray Head – One Night in Bangkok

People always seem to stare at me for putting this on jukeboxes. Best use of Panpipe in a pop song I can think of.

Aneka – Japanese Boy

(It’s cuter than Alphaville.)

T’Pau feat. Carol Decker – China In Your Hand

I absolutely couldn’t stand this in 1986 when it came out. I still can’t. It’s just terrible.

Toto – Africa

I got the words wrong to this for years.

Men At Work – Land Down Under

I’d never seen the video for this before. Now those men in vests are going to give me nightmares.

Lisa Stansfield – All Around The World

I’m only putting this in because it’s so appropriate, not because I think it’s any good.

Ultravox – Vienna

A personal favourite of mine from way back when. Not sure about the dodgy moustache in the video, though.

The Other Ones – Holiday

We round off with some hilarious badly-dubbed mental German-Australian(!) power pop with a video produced by someone who had just found their computer effects button and had overdosed on Baltimora. Absurdly good, it’s one of the feel-good tunes of the decade. Shame no-one’s ever heard of it.

I think I’ve run out now. Hopefully that brought back a few memories – perhaps even pleasant ones! More 80s soon as I continue to dredge the depths of Synthesizer Canal down Youtube Lane…

Born in the 80s, Pt. 2 : Here Comes The Sun…

Rik — Wed, 27 May 2009 20:40:07 +0000

After my first Born In The 80s list, Neil sent over a Balearic video which inspired me to kick back and remember a few summery tunes from the 80s. (Well, ish. I’ve lost his original link, y’see, so you’ll have to put up with my poptastic selections until he reminds me.)

Close your eyes and imagine yourself back in the world of Black Lace, giant sombreros, pina coladas and Duty Free…

Sueno Latino – Sueno Latino

The Blow Monkeys, Amazulu and a glut of 80s holiday party tunes in order of descending quality after the jump…

La Passionara – The Blow Monkeys

Montego Bay – Amazulu

Agadoo – Black Lace

Tarzan Boy – Baltimora

(I’m so sorry… please forgive me…)

…and then of course there’s the one that got away. If anyone can find a video for Zambesi by The Piranhas, please let me know. The world needs to see it. Maybe.

Born in the 80s, Pt. 1

Rik — Thu, 14 May 2009 13:36:25 +0000

After spending more time than is healthy listening to .977 and Radio Nigel, I thought I’d share some of my intimate knowledge of the 80s best/worst pop productions. So whack on those rose-tinted spectacles and neon pop-socks and head back with me to the land time should have forgot…

Martika – Toy Soldiers

(Peter Schilling, Hazell Dean and more after the jump!)

Karel Fialka – Hey Matthew

When In Rome – The Promise

Peter Schilling – Major Tom’s Coming Home [Extended Version]

Hazell Dean – Who’s Leaving Who?