1980s Archives - PopDaze

The Police: “Outlandos d’Amour”

For a band that almost didn’t happen, the Police were truly outlaws, instead of “Outlaws of Love” by the end of their somewhat rocky road. Formed in London in 1977,the line-up consisted of primary songwriter Sting (lead vocals, bass guitar), Andy Summers (guitar), and Stewart Copeland (drums). Initially considered a “new wave band,” their style …

Music

Bernie Taupin: The Other Half of Elton John

Elton John (“EJ”) is an artist that almost everyone recognizes. But there’s another side to the singer’s success, and that’s his long-time lyricist partner, Bernie Taupin, or the other half of Elton John. Taupin has been writing the lyrics for one of music’s greatest showmen for over half a century. Yet, to many, he is …

Music

Neil Peart: The Drummer’s Drummer

Ask any drummer for their top 5 favorite drummers, and Neil Peart’s name will pop up on a larger percentage of those lists for a variety of reasons. Peart was a “drummer’s drummer,” so technically spectacular that he was nicknamed “The Professor” for his pure mastery of the craft. Peart elevated expectations for proficiency of …

Music

REM: The Unheralded Instigator of Grunge

REM: The Unheralded Instigator of Grunge In the Beginning As we moved past the middle-80’s, we saw a shift from the artistic creativity of earlier in the decade, to a what many felt was a blander and formulistic approach to pop, rock, New Wave and dance music. Many bands continued to pursue their music ambitions …

Music

How Madonna Became “the Queen of Pop.”

Madonna, the artist often referred to as the “Queen of Pop,” was born Madonna Louise Ciccone (see she came by her stage name legitimately!) on August 16, 1958, in Bay City, Michigan. From relatively humble beginnings, Madonna approached the music industry on her own terms and ended up, well… “The Queen of Pop!” To a …

Television

Breaking the Law: Police Procedurals in the 80s

When we think about the 80s, one of our entertainment favorites are the police procedural shows of that era. Today we fondly remember things like European styling, “teenage” cops, male and female detective pairs, and a crime-solving mystery writer. These were the shows that bring the 80s back to life for us. Remington Steele Remington …

Pop Culture

Somewhere Over the Rainbow: The Rainbow Bar & Grill Retrospective

If only the building at 9015 Sunset Blvd on the Hollywood Strip could talk … oh, the stories it could tell. The Rainbow Bar & Grill, owned at that time by Elmer Valentine, Lou Adler, and Mario Maglieri, opened in April 1972 with a party for Elton John. The location was the former Villa Nova …

Television

How Some of the Iconic 80s Sitcom Families Got it Right

Many a Gen Xer grew up on a steady diet of heavily laugh-tracked sitcoms. Flashback to 1987, I am in my room surrounded by pinups torn from sundry teen magazines featuring the likes of Michael J. Fox and Kirk Cameron. How could you not fall for the devilish and still kind-hearted Mike Seaver. The Seavers, …

Film and Documentary

The Lost Boys: A Retro Review

As The Lost Boys begins, the Emerson family has just moved to fictional Santa Carla, California (really Santa Cruz, CA), the self-titled “murder capital of the world” after a bitter divorce. Mom Lucy, and sons Michael and Sam move in with Grandpa, hoping for a new start, and it doesn’t take long to see just …

Music

The Carpenters: For All We Know

Karen and Richard Carpenter, also known as The Carpenters, were the soundtrack of most of our lives throughout the ‘70s. They produced a distinctive, soft musical style, combining Karen’s beautiful alto vocals with Richard’s harmonizing, arranging and composition skills. During their 14-year career, the Carpenters recorded ten albums, along with numerous singles and several television …

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1980s Archives - PopDaze

The Police: “Outlandos d’Amour”

Bernie Taupin: The Other Half of Elton John

Neil Peart: The Drummer’s Drummer

REM: The Unheralded Instigator of Grunge

How Madonna Became “the Queen of Pop.”

Breaking the Law: Police Procedurals in the 80s

Somewhere Over the Rainbow: The Rainbow Bar & Grill Retrospective

How Some of the Iconic 80s Sitcom Families Got it Right

The Lost Boys: A Retro Review

The Carpenters: For All We Know

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