1981: A New TV Station is Born

Not long ago, when I made the "1981 Triumphs and Tragedies" post, I mentioned something that was considered a triumph back then but nowadays, it's a tragedy. This is the post where I reveal what that is and that is the music television station we all know as MTV.

When MTV first hit the television airwaves in 1981, all and sundry were very excited about a television station that played nothing but music videos. Like the advert said before its launch, music videos twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. What wasn't there to love? My household wouldn't get MTV for another two years and I extremely envied those who were able to watch the station before then and from what people told me, MTV was every bit as good as what I thought it was.

Originally, there were five full time VJ's who kept all that great music back then playing on the air. They were virtually unknown, although I did see Nina Blackwood's two minute slot in the film "Vice Squad." But that's what made it good. There was no pompous musical know it all talking down to us and the music videos they played all seemed to be of good rock quality most of the time, at least. That was why when MTV hit our screens, it was hailed as such a triumph and it stayed that way for the first couple of years.

[caption id="attachment_2260" align="aligncenter" width="259"] Original 5 MTV VJ's. Left to right: Nina Blackwood, Alan Hunter, Mark Goodman, Martha Quinn , JJ Jackson[/caption]

It would not be until 1983 when I finally got MTV into my home and it was a big thing for both my sister and me. MTV introduced me to the likes of Motley Crue, Rock Goddess, HSAS and quite a few other acts I can't think of off the top of my head. When there was a new album or song out, it was this station that gave me the opportunity to see and hear it for myself. The best thing about it was if there was nothing else worth watching on television, MTV was always there to fill the void.

So what happened to it? I will attempt to answer this question as I travel down the road of 80's metal. For me, the station started going downhill in late 1984 when the too much metal on MTV won out over those of us who felt there wasn't enough of it. Today, it is nothing like I remember all those glorious years ago and that's a damn shame. My heart goes out for those who were too young to remember the days to quote Bowling For Soup, "There was music still on MTV." So, here's a salute to what was at the time considered state of the art in music entertainment. I will always remember how great it was and not what it has become now. One last thing, I secretly had a crush on Nina Blackwood.

Next post: The Cars- Shake It Up

To buy Rock And Roll Children, go to
www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London.

Great Rock Albums of 1981: Stevie Nicks- Bella Donna

Stevie Nicks has one thing in common with George Harrison in a sense. I have already mentioned that George's solo material his my favourite among The Beatles. Likewise, of the solo productions from the members of Fleetwood Mac, it is Stevie Nicks's material that comes out number one for me. I have heard all of the comments about her having a voice like a sheep. In fact, I enjoyed South Park's little parody about that. The thing is that I don't care whether or not she sounds like a sheep, I like her voice and the music that accompanies it. The album "Bella Donna" being one of them.

Thinking back to when the songs of this album were played on commercial radio, I am reminded why I don't like it very much. Back in 1981, the two songs that seemed to get all of the air play were the two duets that appear on the album. One was done with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, okay not really a duet, but "Stop Dragging My Heart Around is a decent song. So is the other duet she performs with former Eagles drummer Don Henley, the mellower "Leather and Lace." I heard this song played on radio several months back and at its conclusion, the deejay only attributed the song to Stevie Nicks. It made me quite cross the Henley didn't get a mention in the credits, especially as it was a classic rock station and have played Eagles songs in the past. Okay, rant over.

The point I was wanting to make pre-rant was that while the two mentioned songs are decent and so are the other tracks on the album, one song stands head and shoulders above the rest. It is "Edge of Seventeen" that has me banging my head every time I hear it and that is quite often as it's on one of my MP3s. For Stevie, this is a great rock tune and shows that she can sing rock with the best of them. It is also a song that I would love to hear covered by a metal band.

Track Listing:

1. Bella Donna

2. Kind of Woman

3. Stop Dragging My Heart Around

4. Think About It

5. After the Glitter Fades

6. Edge of Seventeen

7. How Still My Love

8. Leather and Lace

9. Outside the Rain

10. The Highway Man

[caption id="attachment_2252" align="aligncenter" width="203"] Stevie Nicks[/caption]

Stevie Nicks- lead vocals

Lori Perry- backing vocals

Sharon Celani- backing vocals

Tom Petty- guitar, accompanying vocals (Track 3)

Michael Campbell- guitar

Don Felder- guitar

Benmont Trench- piano, organ, backing vocals

Stan Lynch- drums

Don Henley- drums, accompanying vocals (Track 8)

Fleetwood Mac may have been on a hiatus in 1981 but Stevie Nicks was tearing up the rock world with this great album. She showed that she was perfectly capable of making it on her own. Even if some people think she sounds like a sheep.

Next post: A New TV Station is Born

To buy Rock And Roll Children, go to www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and at Foyles Book Shop in London

Great Rock Albums of 1981: The Pretenders II

Maybe they thought that because it worked for Van Halen, it would work for them. That is having their first album self-titled and then calling their second one "II." Whatever the motivation, that is exactly what The Pretenders did. Now my weird imagination has me speculating the result of David Lee Roth and Chrissie Hynde having a child together. Strange yes, but he or she would probably have a great singing voice and know how to work an audience. Anyway, let's put my imagination back in the closet and focus on the album at hand. One thing I can say about this second album from The Pretenders is like Van Halen and even Boston, the second album follows on nicely from the first and like the other two bands, if the first two albums were available as a single pack, I would buy it.

Like I said, Pretenders II follows on very nicely from Pretenders I. That first album breathed a fresh air of new wave music into the scene in 1980 and it seems that since that worked so well for them a year earlier, they would follow suit with this one. I have to say that it works very well. Hynde's vocals are in fine form on each song on the album and the rest of the band gives their full support. There are a few well timed guitar solos from James Honeyman-Scott although I'm not going to add him with some of the greats. What surprised me when I explored the background to the album was although the song I am most familiar with, "Talk of the Town," was released as a single, it doesn't seemed to have charted. The one single that did was "The Adultress," which made it to number 12. Another reason I never paid too much attention to the Top 40 charts, I suppose, although I wouldn't take anything away from "The Adultress" because it is a fine song. Other tracks that really stand out for me are "Day After Day" and "Birds of Paradise." Another amusing point is I, like many other people, thought the final track, "Louie Louie" was going to be a cover of the sixties classic. Now normally when I a song doesn't sound like I expect it to, I dislike it out of sheer disappointment but that closing track doesn't disappoint, it's a decent closer.

Track Listing:

1. The Adultress

2. Bad Boys Get Spanked

3. Message of Love

4. I Go to Sleep

5. Birds of Paradise

6. Talk of the Town

7. Pack It Up

8. Waste Not, Want Not

9. Day After Day

10. Jealous Dogs

11. The English Roses

12. Louie Louie

[caption id="attachment_1760" align="aligncenter" width="127"] The Pretenders[/caption]

Chrissie Hynde- lead vocals, guitar

James Honeyman-Scott- lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals

Pete Farndon- bass, backing vocals

Martin Chambers- drums, backing vocals

In 1980, The Pretenders brought a fresh sound to music and in 1981, followed it up with a good second album. It has been argued back then that part of the success of this album was down to disco finally being laid to rest in 1981. There may be some truth in that but it only proves to me that while some genres come and go, rock and roll will never die. The Pretenders spear headed the influx of new wave that would come to light in the early 80s.

Next post: Stevie Nicks- Belladonna

To buy Rock And Roll Children, go to www.stategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London

Great Rock Albums of 1981: Dire Straits- Making Movies

In spite of the fact that I loved both of Dire Straits' previous two albums, "Making Movies" kind of passed me by in 1981. What is even stranger is that I know the first three tracks on the album very well. Track three, "Skateaway" is my second favourite Dire Straits song of all time. I still haven't forgiven them for not playing it when I saw them live in 1985. They did play the other two songs and my number one favourite, "Sultans of Swing"  but that's little consolation.

Thinking back to that night I saw them live, "Tunnel of Love" was the concert closer and for some reason, I remember it being played slower than what appears on the album. My theory was that they may have been trying to sound more mid 80s. The version on album has all the trademarks of the great music this band was making at the time. Mark Knopfler plays his classic licks throughout and he does the same with the second track, "Romeo and Juliet." Those two songs build up perfectly to the song whose praises I can't sing enough, great song but I know I'm biased here. However, three tracks don't an album make and the great music that is on "Making Movies" continues to go on long after. In fact, it goes on immediately into the next track "Expresso Love." The opening riffs to the song are rocking and I can't take anything away from the final three tracks on the album. The first of those three, "Hand in Hand" might be a little slower than the rest but it doesn't detract from the quality of this album because the last two songs bring it all home very nicely. So, this is yet another album that makes me want to travel back in time and force the me back then to listen to it.

Track Listing:

1. Tunnel of Love

2. Romeo and Juliet

3. Skateaway

4. Expresso Love

5. Hand in Hand

6. Solid Rock

7. Les Boys

[caption id="attachment_1856" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Dire Straits[/caption]

Mark Knopfler- guitar, lead vocals

John Illsley- bass, vocals

Pick Withers- drums, vocals

Additional musicians

Roy Bittan- keyboards

Sid McGuiness- guitar

One historical part in "Making Movies" was that David Knopfler left the band during the recording of the album in 1980. I don't know the reasons behind this but am always open to enlightenment. "Making Movies" is a fantastic album and hearing it makes me slightly sick that I let it go by me for all these years. Still, I'm not yet ready to forgive Dire Straits for not playing "Skateaway." It could be a reason why I don't give an account of the concert on "Rock And Roll Children," just merely a mention.

Next post: The Pretenders II

To buy Rock And Roll Children, go to www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London