Rediscover the 80s

RD80s Podcast Debuts This Thursday May 23!

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Gross) — Mon, 20 May 2013 20:48:00 +0000

Rediscover The 80s Podcast

"Your mixtape of 80s pop culture"

Over the past month or so, I've been working on a secret project that I'm excited to officially share with RD80s followers! I'll be debuting the new Rediscover The 80s Podcast this Thursday May 23! The experience will hopefully be something fresh and new to those of you who listen to podcast about the 80s.

Here's a little back story about the development of the podcast. I caught the podcast bug around the end of 2011, when I started to listening to shows like the UnderScoopFire Podcast, Cold Slither Podcast, and the Retroist Podcast. I have really enjoyed the "Oh, I remember that!" factor that these shows have given me over the past year and a half. As a result of listening to these shows and also being a guest, I thought about starting a podcast for Rediscover The 80s. I had struggled for a long time about what exactly I wanted to do. My first love about the 80s is the music and even produced a couple shows about a year ago that featured Ultimate 80s Playlists.

I wasn't entirely satisfied though and even discussed with my friend and RD80s contributor Wyatt Bloom about producing a show that had a morning drive radio show feel, one that would incorporate discussion and music. Well, a couple months ago it hit me. I still had the notion to do something different or maybe even something that has not been done before on a podcast. No offense to the shows mentioned above and other 80s podcasts I've enjoyed listening to, but I thought maybe there was fresh approach to rediscovering 80s pop culture than just discussing one topic at a time. Well, I stumbled onto a clip from the VH1 show "I Love The 80s" on Youtube and thought that its format would be great for a podcast! I thoroughly enjoyed the show when it debuted about 10 years ago. The format of the show was always ripe with that feeling of remembering something you had long forgotten or had not thought about in years. It's the feeling that made me start RD80s in the first place!

So I sent an email out to many of my podcasting friends to see what they thought of the idea. All of them were on board and wanted to be on the first episode! So over the last several weeks, I came up with the topics and recorded a session with all eleven of them. I decided to put my own twist on the topics as well and not just speak in general terms. I created several topics that would make the panel choose between items and also be creative. I also decided that I wouldn't give the specific topics ahead of time and just gave them the topic category like Movies, TV, Fads, Food, Music, etc. I wanted spontaneity from each person to maybe have a chance of conjuring up some long lost memories or experiences.

The task I knew would be daunting as I had over 11 hours of audio just from the panel to use as my base for the show. Plus, I wanted to include audio clips from the topics discussed to make it entertaining for the listeners. It was definitely a learning curve, but I felt like my radio broadcasting degree has finally been put to use and hopefully the outcome will show it.

The panel for the first episode will include these eleven panelists:

Howie, Tank, Corey, and Joe of The UnderScoopFire! Podcast & The Mad Cast
Classick Material & Eclectik of the Cold Slither Podcast
Jamie Hood and Shawn Robare of The Cult Film Club Podcast
Dan "Fogs" Fogarty of The Title Pending Movie Podcast
Brian "Hail Mary" Morin of The Walking Dads Podcast
Wyatt Bloom of MASKast.

I'm planning to release the first episode this Thursday May 23rd! Get ready for 10 topics including Movies, TV, Music, Cartoons, Fads, Food, and original topics Drive, Wapner's Revenge, Trapped and Do You Remember?. The podcast will also include a panel trivia challenge which listeners can play along with and a Backwards Song Challenge at the midpoint of the show. And then stay after the credits for an outtake reel from the actual recording of the show in which you'll hear some great memories and stories from the panel that didn't make it into the main portion of the show.

Here is where you can pre-subscribe to the Rediscover the 80s Podcast, so you'll be the one of the first to listen:

Subscribe on iTunes
Subscribe to the RSS Feed
Bookmark the RD80s Buzzsprout Webpage
Stitcher Radio coming soon

'80s Post-Punk/New Wave Artists As Superheroes

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Gross) — Thu, 16 May 2013 19:01:00 +0000

'80s Post-Punk/New Wave Artists As Superheroes

I discovered some really cool fan art today thanks to Flavorwire.Com website and simply had to share! Brazillian artist known as Butcher Billy has posted many pop culture mashup projects on his website and his latest is the epitome of fan art. He has taken classic DC superhero characters and combined them with the faces of '80s post-punk and new wave music in a series of comic book covers. They include Morrissey as Superman, Ian Curtis as Batman, Siouxsie (and the Banshees) as Wonder Woman, Johnny Rotten as Firestorm, Mark Mothersbaugh as The Flash, Billy Idol as Aquaman, and Robert Smith as Plasticman.

Butcher Billy says his inspiration for creating the comic books was:

As a child of the 80's I was heavily influenced by everything from Saturday morning cartoons on TV to the music coming from the radio. Ian Curtis or Johnny Rotten are as iconic to me as Superman or Batman. Real people or imaginary characters, the incorruptible ideals of perfect superheroes or the human flaws and desires sometimes so desperately depicted in song lyrics - all of those influences affect us to the point of defining our character and personality, career paths and life choices.

For larger pics of the comic book cover, visit Butcher Billy's site on Benhance. While your there, check out his other work including "Dead Rockers Modern Times," "The Smith's 8-bit Makeover Project," and my favorite "Time Travel Rock Supergroups."

Huey Lewis "Sports" Album Turns 30, Gets Re-Release

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Gross) — Tue, 14 May 2013 15:45:00 +0000

Huey Lewis "Sports" Album Turns 30

Deluxe Re-Release on May 14, 2013

What a day to re-release an album! Not only is today my dad's birthday (Happy 70th!) but two great 80s albums are celebrating their anniversaries with re-releases! Today, R.E.M.'s celebrates the 25th anniversary of their album Green with a deluxe edition featuring a full set of live tracks from a 1989 concert. (Check out my previous blog post on the re-release.) ALSO, one of my favorite bands of the 80s Huey Lewis & The News is also celebrating today with the 30th anniversary re-release of their Sports album!

Once I was able to save up and buy my own music in the mid-late 80s, I remember acquiring Sports on cassette. I loved it. I also remember it still being one I listened to in the car when I first learned how to drive in the early 90s. It's one of those albums that I never used the fast forward button on (maybe rewind.) The only time I've seen Huey Lewis & The News live was in 1994 and still hold their performance of "I Want A New Drug" as one of my personal favorites. (Each member of the band exited one-by-one until only the saxophonist was all that was left.)

So why is Sports such an important album to the band and the '80s in general?
Try these stats:

Four top 10 hits ("Heart and Soul," "I Want a New Drug," "The Heart of Rock and Roll," and "If This Is It")
One top 20 hit ("Walking On A Thin Line")
7x platinum certified by the RIAA (7 million total US copies sold)
#2 best selling album of 1984 behind only Michael Jackson's Thriller
Grammy Award for Best Long Form Music Video ("Heart of Rock and Roll")

The success of the Sports album launched Huey Lewis & the News to new heights. They would follow up by producing their first #1 single, "Power of Love" from the Back To The Future soundtrack. And then their pinnacle music success would come with their Fore! album in 1986, which produced two #1 singles and a total of five more top 10 singles.

Today, the landmark album gets a re-release with new live tracks for the 30th anniversary. According to the official announcement on their website::

Lewis has personally overseen an expanded commemorative edition to be released May 14th by Capitol/UMe. Digitally remastered for CD and standard and high definition digital audio, ‘Sports (30th Anniversary Edition)’ pairs each of the original album’s nine songs with choice live versions on a second disc, many of which have never before been released. The special edition includes an expanded booklet with photos and memorabilia from the band’s archive and new liner notes by music journalist and author Gary Graff. Says Huey, “We’ve always been very proud of the record and it’s going to be a blast to play it all live!”

And you'll get to hear the entire album live this summer as the band embarks on the Sports 30th Anniversary Tour across North America. Check the official website for tour dates and also catch them on TV this week including appearances today on ABC Live With Kelly and Michael and tonight on Jimmy Kimmel Live. The new 30th anniversary deluxe album is available to download now!

UPDATE: Check out "I Want A New Drug" from Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Check Out VH1's I Love The 80s Trivia App

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Gross) — Mon, 13 May 2013 16:41:00 +0000

VH1's I Love The 80s Trivia

Can't tell you how much I LOVED watching the "I Love The '80s" show on VH1. Debuting in 2002, the TV series covered a wide array of topics from a specific year in the '80s and featured commentary from celebrities popular then and now. I enjoyed it so much, that I decided to use the same format for the upcoming Rediscover The 80s Podcast.

So naturally, when I discovered that VH1 released an I Love The 80s Trivia app I was really excited! My expectations have been met so far and have enjoyed challenging my own knowledge of the 80s with this app.

The Android app features 650 questions among 6 different quiz packs. The first three packs are named after the three different TV series released: I Love The '80s, I Love The '80s Strikes Back, and I Love the '80s in 3D. The three other packs are named "Rewind," "Revenge," and "I Totally." The app uses more than just the standard multiple choice questions by throwing in time line questions, where you must rearrange events to their correct chronological order. There are also matching questions where you must draw a line from the three images on the left to the three correct matching images on the right.

Clearing 40 points in each timed 10 question round will unlock the next round on your way to conquering the quiz pack. The app also allows you to brag on Facebook with your high scores and also play a two player Bluetooth game. I have not tested it out but apparently a nearby friend with a Bluetooth device who also has the app can challenge you to a head-to-head trivia competition.

The app is free in both the Google Play and iTunes stores. The Android app seems to offer all 6 quiz packs for free while the iOS app offers just the 1st pack for free with the option of adding the other 5 packs for $.99 each. The color scheme and background images give the game a nice '80s ambiance. I'd recommend checking it out if your on Android and love trivia, but if your on iOS, you can probably get an equal experience on some of the other free 80s trivia apps. Please leave a comment with your thoughts on VH1's I Love The 80s Trivia app or if you have a different trivia app you'd recommend.

80s First: Lifetime Ban From MTV

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Gross) — Fri, 10 May 2013 15:49:00 +0000

80s First: Lifetime Ban From MTV

At the pinnacle of his comedic career, Andrew Dice Clay became the first person ever to be banned from MTV. He was invited to the 1989 MTV Music Awards to introduce Cher's musical performance. Back stage, he was given some copy to use for his intro but quickly veered into his adult nursery rhyme stand-up act. The only portion of the copy he reportedly used was introducing Cher as ''a personal friend of mine'' and ''the last puritan.''

22 years later though in 2011, MTV lifted the ban and invited him back to the VMAs. Longtime MTV production executive Salli Frattini commented on the reinstatement that "a lot of people were [saying] he'll never work on this show again, he'll never do anything with the channel again. But we've all moved on, we don't begrudge anybody. I don't even know where Andrew Dice Clay is now. Where IS Andrew Dice Clay?''

If you dare to rediscover the unedited, three minute performance that got him banned for life, click play on the video below. (Warning: Adult Language & Content.)

Some content courtesy EW.Com

Bosco And The Blue Lagoon

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Gross) — Thu, 09 May 2013 15:54:00 +0000

Bosco And The Blue Lagoon

This week's assignment for the League: You are stranded for 10 years on a deserted island. You can take with you the following: One food item (in a never-ending supply), one movie, one game, and one pop culture character.

Being stranded on an island for 10 years and with some of my favorite things, I'm gonna make the assumption that this island is a tropical paradise like in The Blue Lagoon and not one facilitated by Jeff Probst or inhabited by a smoke monster. This island will have some amenities, but the real question is what from the outside world would be a nice bonus to have at my disposal.

FOOD ITEM (Pepsi Throwback W/ Vending Machine)
I'm gonna assume that they'll be some fruit on the island and plenty of fish that I'll be able to eat and maintain some sort of diet. So the question is, what am I drinking? Does the island have fresh water or will I be filling up coconut shells when it rains? No way I'm dealing with that for 10 years! Besides, you know it'll be hot and having an endless supply of liquid refreshment will be a must. So should I pull a Captain Jack Sparrow and have an endless supply of rum? Eh, I want to enjoy myself on the island and not have a hangover every other day. Maybe Corona? Although I do love those commercials of the people lounging on the beach with an ice cold Corona bottle in their hands. Every had warm beer, though? Ugh, can't stand it. So I'll be requesting a vending machine full of Pepsi Throwback soda while on the island. It'll be cold and the caffeine will keep me going as I'm building my palm tree mansion. It's gotta be Pepsi Throwback too, so I can have a taste of sugar like it was back in the 80s. And the machine will be solar powered, so I can get around that whole electricity thing. Now about that endless supply of freon...

MOVIE (Ghostbusters)
...so apparently there is electricity on this island (and a DVD player.) Look, there are many great movies I could insert here. For me, it really has to be one I grew up with or have watched many times already. Can't really see myself watching anything newer that the mid 90s. Star Wars? Maybe. How 'bout one that would give you some sort of recollection of US civilization and culture like maybe Back To The Future or Karate Kid. Or maybe one that is always makes me laugh like Spaceballs or Dumb and Dumber. It's gotta be one though that has it all. Action. Humor. Romance. Horror. Drama. A skyscraper sized marshmallow man. Ghostbusters has it all, right? So many quotable lines. It's just a fun movie that I could see myself watching over and over again over ten years and really not tire of it.

GAME (Fireball Island)

Okay, so there is electricity and some sort of television on this island. Should I go for the whole package and request an NES with Super Mario Brothers and Duck Hunt? I guess that would be pretty sweet. No way, I could take an Atari 2600...I'd last about 15 minutes before I'd be sick of whatever game I chose. (I was more of an outside kid.) I did always enjoy a good board game so what better one to play on an island than Fireball Island! And it would be complete with all pieces and not cost me $300 on eBay. I remember a friend got it for a birthday or Christmas when it first came out. Man, the party was at his house permanently when he had that AND Double Dribble on NES. I guess since Fireball island costs so much nowadays and hard to find complete, I'd want to have something kind of rare to make me want to stay on the island.

POP CULTURE CHARACTER (B.A. Baracus)
Okay, so who is gonna be my companion all these 10 years to play my Fireball Island game, watch Ghostbusters, and drink cold Pepsi with? Well, since my wife might read this someday I better choose a buddy rather than like Sloan Peterson or Jessica Rabbit. I need a buddy that can help me build stuff (maybe even come with his own set of tools) and is strong enough to lift like trees and rocks. I also need someone that could protect me in case there is natives on the island or we're surrounded by shark-infested waters. I'm taking B.A. Baracus from The A Team. That's right, me and Bosco would be living the high life. We'd build a car out of Pepsi cans and bamboo to get where we needed to go on the island. Hey, maybe he'd even come with an endless supply of Mr. T cereal! But I guess the only thing I'd need to make sure of is that when our 10 years is up on the island, our rescuers would come by boat and not by plane.

Now go check out what other League members are taking on their island:

RetroToySafari brings Star Wars and an endless stomach ache.
VikkiVerka has an endless breakfast with twins.
ThirtyishYearOldBoy brings pizza and a handyman with a utility belt.
NerdRageAgainstTheMachine pretends he's beached near Normandy with a French sandwich.

R.E.M. Green Album Turns 25, Gets Deluxe Re-Release

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Gross) — Mon, 06 May 2013 19:28:00 +0000

R.E.M. Green Album Turns 25, Gets Deluxe Re-Release

In November of 1988, R.E.M. released their 6th album Green which would launch their recording career into new heights. After fulfilling their recording contract with I.R.S. records, R.E.M. signed with Warner Bros. Records in early 1988 after assurances to have full creative freedom (oh, and also a reported $6-$12 million other reasons.) Despite lead singer Michael Stipe asking his bandmates to avoid writing typical R.E.M. songs and fans accusing them of "selling out" over their label choice, the Green album was highly successful and would be the first stepping stone to their worldwide commercial success in the 90s.

SINGLES

One of my personal favorite tracks by R.E.M. was the first single released off the Green album. "Orange Crush" crushed the competition on the Billboard Modern Rock & Mainstream Rock charts by reaching the #1 spot. In fact at the time its release, it beat the record on the newly formed Modern Rock chart (later renamed Alternative) by holding the top spot for 8 consecutive weeks.

"Stand" was the next single released and would become their 2nd top ten hit after they reached #9 with "The One I Love" in 1987. It would reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart and also peak at #1 on the two rock charts. Personally, this song was too pop for more me to enjoy along with their other more electric rock songs. Plus, I remember the local radio station playing it for what seemed like every hour to the point that I begin fast-forwarding past it on the album.

The most memorable thing about the 3rd single released "Pop Song 89" was probably the music video. MTV urged Michael Stipe (who directed the video) to censor the three topless women in the video. He obliged and also censored himself who was also topless using black bars across the chests of the people claiming "a nipple is a nipple." What was unmemorable about the track was that it peaked at #86 on the pop chart and in the U.K., "Stand" was instead re-released. It did crack the top 20 on the rock charts and was featured during the band's performance on MTV Unplugged.

"Get Up" was 4th single released only in the U.S., but it failed to chart. Stipe introduces the song as his favorite in Tourfilm, the 1989 documentary from their North American tour. The music video was produced by Eric Darnell who at the time was a recent film school graduate. He would go on to co-direct the animated feature film Antz and the Madagascar franchise of films.

DELUXE EDITION RE-RELEASE

Rhino Records is set to re-release the Green album on May 14th, 2013 with a 2-disc deluxe edition similar to the 25th anniversary re-release of the Document album. According to the Amazon description, the Green box set will feature:

the remastered original album accompanied by a disc of live performances taken from the penultimate show of R.E.M.'s 130-date Green World Tour. All 21 songs were recorded in Greensboro, North Carolina on November 10, 1989, just miles from where Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Bill Berry had their very first recording session at Mitch Easter s Drive-In Studio in Winston-Salem. The concert captures a fiery set from R.E.M., which had been forged in the crucible of nearly one year of shows. R.E.M. performed most of Green ("Get Up, " "World Leader Pretend" and "You Are The Everything"), while mixing in early favorites like "Fall On Me, " "Finest Worksong, " "The One I Love" and "Perfect Circle" from the band s 1983 debut Murmur. The show also finds the band testing out new songs ("Low" and "Belong") that would appear two years later on Green s follow-up, Out Of Time. The anniversary set is packaged in a hard clamshell box (similar to previous R.E.M. reissues) and comes with four postcards and a foldout poster, plus insightful liner notes by Uncut editor, Allan Jones. Green: 25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition will be available as a 2-disc set and digitally. The remastered album with original art and packaging will also be available on 180-gram vinyl.

Check out the band's official press release and preorder now on Amazon.

Watch "I Was An MTV VJ" From MTV's Ultrasound Series

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Gross) — Wed, 01 May 2013 12:41:00 +0000

Watch "I Was An MTV VJ"
From MTV's Ultrasound Series

While I've been on the subject of the original MTV VJs and their new book VJ: The Unplugged Adventures of MTV's First Wave, I figured it would be a good time to post this short documentary film. In 1998, MTV produced "I Was An MTV VJ" for their Ultrasound series. It follows the "VJ Voltron" (as I call them) and early footage of MTV at it's infancy. We also get to hear interviews and reaction to various topics from all five members, as this short film was produced before the death of J.J. Jackson in 2004. At 21 minutes, its a great history lesson and accompanies nicely with reading the new book. Don't forget to enter the RD80s VJ book giveaway from now until May 6, 2013 and enjoy the video!

photo courtesy 80svjs.com

Book Review: VJ: The Unplugged Adventures of MTV's First Wave

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Gross) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 02:02:00 +0000

Book Review:

VJ: The Unplugged Adventures of MTV's First Wave

Thanks to Atria Books/Simon & Schuster, I was able to get my hands on the new book about the early years of MTV before its official release! The new book titled VJ: The Unplugged Adventures of MTV's First Wave is an oral history of the music television revolution directly from the mouths of the people who experienced first hand...the original VJs. Together with Gavin Edwards, contributing editor at Rolling Stone, the VJs give first hand accounts of "the hijinks of music stars like John Cougar inviting Nina to a late-night 'party' that proved to be a seduction attempt, Mark partying with David Lee Roth who offered him cocaine and groupies, Aretha Franklin making chili for Alan, and Bob Dylan whisking Martha off to Ireland in his private jet."

Before I give you my review of the book, check out what these other more famous people had to say:

“This is an essential read for anyone who was there or for those who missed it when MTV really meant Music TeleVision. These 5 VJ's were thrown into a completely new format and made it work beyond anyone’s wildest dreams. Mine included.” — Rick Springfield

“Crazy days and nights in a different time--Nina, Mark, Alan and Martha will bring it all to life for you. This book is a joyride!” — Jane Wiedlen, The Go-Go's

“VJ is a near textbook on ingenuity, luck, perseverance, fame, and the adjustment to life post-fame. There are also at least fifteen paragraphs that made me think, "I can't believe they're actually revealing this!" — Richard Marx

“MTV hit the airwaves during the golden age of album rock radio and massive rock touring, and took it all to another level. VJ is a fun and informative ride, told through the eyes of the five people who experienced the MTV phenomenon from the most intimate perspective possible.” — Kevin Cronin, REO Speedwagon

“For latchkey kids of my generation, the original MTV VJs were the best babysitters we ever had. When our parents weren't looking, they gave us secret glimpses into a better, sexier world. They were the coolest people, on the coolest TV station, with the coolest jobs on the planet. This is their story.” — Michael Ian Black, New York Times bestselling author of You’re Not Doing it Right

“In this wry, engaging oral history, the original veejays recount with bemusement—and occasional horror—their meteoric rise during MTV's heady first years. The first chapter commences with a big-haired, big-mouthed David Lee Roth— and from there the rollicking pace never lets up.” — Jancee Dunn, co-author of New York Times bestseller Cyndi Lauper: A Memoir

RD80s Review: The book starts on wild note with the VJs giving their experiences with the immortal gigolo David Lee Roth during the peak of his popularity (all except Nina that is, who is the Sammy Hagar fan of the group.) The VJs then begin the journey with a life-story roundtable of sorts (including excerpts from interviews with the late J.J. Jackson) on how they were musically groomed for the job of their lives. Then, the MTV Voltron comes together in New York City. We get hear how they were hired, first met, and truly bonded during the blastoff and moon landing of Music Television. The story of the early years continues with the VJs abusing the car service, dealing with Nina's Playboy picture surfacing, and gaining access to clubs and restaurants around New York City (sometimes thanks to J.J.'s many connections.) More topics include wild holiday parties on Christmas and New Year's, celebrity encounters, and fashion trends through the years. And then, the struggle with change. The party of five comes to a halt in 1986 with the departure of J.J. and Nina. Then one by one, the other originals part ways with MTV. We also get to hear in a very personal way how the death of J.J. in 2004 impacted each of their lives.

The book reads almost like a documentary film with the VJs going back and forth on each topic. Frequent backdrops of current events and actual correspondence keeps the timeline running seamlessly throughout the book. But it also reads as five mini-biographies by following each of the five before and after their employment at MTV.

If you are a person who is nostalgic for the early days of MTV like me, this book is published for you. There isn't a better way to get all the stories from the very beginning of the cable channel than from the people who lived it. The book also includes so much of the early '80s New York City lifestyle that it encompasses the whole essence of the era being explained. It was very easy for me to get lost in this book and imagine myself as one of the five. I highly recommend it! Also just as a warning, the VJs are very frank with their language and sometimes their drug use during this time period so be prepared for a thrill ride.

The VJs have planned a small tour together to promote the book. Check the listings below to find them on TV, radio, and in the New York City area:

Monday, May 6, 2013
The Today Show, NBC

Tuesday, May 7, 2013
The Howard Stern Show, SiriusXM
The View, ABC
Access Hollywood, NBC
Powerhouse Arena, 37 Main St. Brooklyn, NY 11201

Wednesday, May 8, 2013
AM Canada
SiriusXM Town Hall with MTV’s original VJs, moderated by Paul Shaffer of the David Letterman Show
Barnes & Noble, 6PM, 97 Warren St. New York, NY 1007 [more information]

Thursday, May 9, 2013
Rachael Ray Show
OMG! Yahoo Insider
SpreeCast (details to be released)
Apple Store 6PM – 7PM, 103 Prince St. New York, NY

Friday, May 10, 2013
Morning Drive Radio Tour, ABC Radio
MTV Radio Tour
WNBC-TV
CNN Newsroom w/Brooke Baldwin, CNN
Barnes and Noble, 7PM, 765 Route 17 South, Paramus, NJ 07652 [more information]

Saturday, May 11, 2013
Weekend Today Show, NBC

Saturday, May 18, 2013
Gaithersburg Book Festival – 31 S Summit Avenue, Gaithersburg, MD 20878 [more information]
Hard copies or digital editions are now available for preorder on Amazon. Order the Kindle edition now and it will be delivered on the release date of May 7, 2013.

Also check out the Original MTV VJs website for news, pictures, and how to connect with your favorites (or all of them!) All pictures courtesy the website.

Atria Books/Simon & Schuster has also been gracious enough to giveaway a hard copy of the book to a lucky RD80s follower. Visit the Giveaways page now and enter through May 6, 2013. Earn extra entries by tweeting and connecting with RD80s on social media!

Madballs Has Its Own Website!

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Gross) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 21:57:00 +0000

Madballs Has Its Own Website!

I'm always fascinated to find stuff from my childhood that is still alive and kicking. Madballs were very much a part of this little leaguer's playtime back in the '80s. If you remember, Madballs were the small rubber balls that had the gross-out faces on the front.

If you played baseball like me or just loved a good bouncy ball from time to time, they were great. I also remember having small plastics versions of Madballs that were fun with a wiffle ball bat. Anyway, as I was net surfing recently I somehow came across the Madballs.Com website! First of all, I was stunned that an official site existed and then my second thought was "Wow! They are still being produced!" The home page features the 12 redesigned characters from the classic series that were released in 2007-08 (which are awesome.) Each one is clickable and features a close up pic and fun description of of their origin and habits. If your desktop needs a new look, check out the downloads page which features five different wallpapers. And then, the best part of the website...flash games! The Madballs site offers 9 different flash games that feature the classic characters in action! Here is a list and quick description of each game:

Freakshow Football: Pass, kick, and catch Madballs with three mini football games featuring Freaky Fullback.
Gross Off: An old-fashion backyard slime fest. Try to cover the entire yard in your color slime before your rival does.
Madlaps: A Pole Position-esque racing game featuring racecars based on four characters.
Pirate Blunder: Use a cannon to fire Madballs at pirates and other objects to earn treasure.
Putrid Pile-Up: Stack as many Madballs as you can on the skateboard before they go splat.
Rotten Roll: The most disgusting game of skee-ball you'll ever play.
Slingin' Slime Ball: Fire Madballs at as many cute and fuzzy targets as you can!
Strike Zone Zombies: Use the Screamin' Meanie Madball to pitch to throw as many strike as you can to the zombie batter and various targets.
Sumo Slam: A sumo style showdown between two Madballs.

Check out Madballs.Com for some great nostalgic gross-out fun!

Images courtesy Madballs.Com

I'd Love To Spend A Night In The 'Burbs

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Gross) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 20:08:00 +0000

I'd Love To Spend A Night In The 'Burbs

This week's assignment for the League: You have the opportunity to spend the night at any residence in pop culture. Where do you go?

Wow. These are the kind of topics I love to blog about. There are so many homes in 80s film and television that I'd love to walk through or even spend the night. There are a few that immediately came to mind like Pee-Wee's Playhouse. How cool would it be to interact with all the characters and meet all the neighbors just like on the show? Although if I spent the night, I would probably be creeped out beyond belief of something coming to life in my room or watching me sleep. Now if it was over a Christmas holiday, how about Ralphie's house from A Christmas Story or the Griswold's house in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation? Unwrapping gifts on Christmas morning at Ralphie's house would be so much fun (and making sure to check behind the piano.) The illumination factor of the Griswold home would be joyous or even just sippin' egg nog out of moose mugs in front of the tree would be a great experience (although I doubt I'd want to stay there overnight with all the squirrel chases and electrical hazards.) But the first place that for some reason came to mind was Ray Peterson's house in the 1989 film The 'Burbs.

So why Ray's house and not the Klopek house? I guess there would be some nice amenities at the Klopek house. You wouldn't have to do any yard work. I mean, there pretty much is no yard to work besides removing some dead tree limbs, tumbleweeds, or the occasional femur bone. And during the winter months you know you've got a furnace that could practically heat up the whole neighborhood! But I think staying at Ray's house next door for a full day would be the experience I'd want. Arrive during the late afternoon hours so I could meet all the neighbors...

Ricky Butler would probably invite me over to help paint his house in exchange for an invitation to his loud pizza party that night. Then head over to the Rumsfields for the lowering of the flag ceremony and perhaps share a few war stories over brownies and coffee. From there, it's over the Art Weingarter's house for a late night cigar smoke with guys and then the warning that I'll be spending the night next door to the neighbors from hell. I'd hear all the spook stories and then decide whether I'd actually try to sleep that night or figure out what all the hub-bub is about.

The Peterson house had some nice amenities of its own that could assist me during my stay. There is that nice deck area above the garage that I could easily spectate the neighbors taking out the trash or digging in the backyard. I might worry that I'd get one of those realistic nightmares during the night, but I would have the comfort of a television in my bedroom when I wake up in the morning (and I know it gets PBS.) Plus, I'd get to watch chaos of Walter's dog taking a dump on Runsfield's lawn and the ensuing chase down Mayfield Place as I sip my morning coffee. But, I'd probably keep my bags packed in case I smell smoke in the middle of the night..

Check out where other League members are sleeping over this week:

VikkiVerka gets frisky in the McMansion.
AchievementsInGaming wants a night in the Dog house.
NerdRageAgainstTheMachine chooses Tracy Island.
ThirtyishYearOldBoy wants to hang out with Chuck.
VoodooManDan chose 1313 Mockingbird Lane.
DiaraOfADorkette only has one place to visit.
RetroToySafari wants a creepy and kooky sleepover.
ColdSlitherPodcast wants a night in the lap of 80s luxury.
3BsToyHive needs to boldly go where no sleepover has gone before.

Free 80's TV Quiz Book On Amazon Through April 25

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Gross) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 19:44:00 +0000

Free 80's TV Quiz Book On Amazon Through April 25

Test your '80s knowledge with The Ultimate US TV Quiz Book: The '80s available now through April 25, 2013 for free on Amazon. The book includes 350 questions on over 160 shows and includes quiz rounds on theme songs, sitcoms, Glen A Larson shows and sci-fi. There are also whole rounds dedicated to Cheers, Moonlighting, The A-Team, The Wonder Years and Knight Rider.

This is a great book if you need a trivia game at your next '80s party or if you just want to test your pop culture skills. If you are looking for more than just a fun Q & A, then this book is not for you. Click the link below to download your free copy now through April 25, 2013 only or search for in the Kindle store!

80s Levi Jeans Ads That Revived 60s Music

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Gross) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:42:00 +0000

80's Levi Jeans Ads That Revived 60's Music

We see many television commercials nowadays that use our beloved 80's music to sell a product. I get irritated at the ads when the song really doesn't mesh with what they are trying to sell me like the Swiffer ad that uses "What About Love?" by Heart. However, some companies do a better job of using the music to at least get me to laugh like Liberty Mutual Insurance that uses Human League or Cape Cod potato chips that uses Flock of Seagulls. As much as I do get irritated sometimes to see some of my favorite songs in advertising, it's really not new by any means. In fact, children of the 80's could have very well seen their parents cursing at their television sets throughout the decade for butchering the music they grew up with in TV commercials. Looking back now, we can truly see the impact of the advertising partnership between brand and song had during the 80's. Not only did classic tunes help to sell a product but sometimes even resurrected the music to the charts once again.

A perfect example is the Levi's 501 ads in the 80's that used popular 60's music. Before Brad Pitt famously pranced around in his boxers to "20th Century Boy" and Flat Eric head-banged to Mr Oizo, the iconic jean brand first established their name as the "inventors of the blue jean" with a collection of creative advertising campaigns in the 70s. The evolution of Levi's brand would then continue in the 80s with the famous and sometimes controversial 501 television commercials. They seamlessly meshed the soulful 60's R&B sound with the visual association of male models in their underwear, slipping on Levi's 501 jeans. The ads became so popular that record labels even re-released the singles to incredible success on the music charts, mainly in the UK. Here are four of those memorable 501 TV commercials and their impact in music history.

"Parting" (1987)

featuring "When a Man Loves a Woman" by Percy Sledge

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, Percy Sledge hit the jackpot with his #1 smash hit "When a Man Loves a Woman" in 1966. A well-known song today for popular movie soundtracks and TV shows, this golden oldie is arguably one of the best songs from its era. In 1987, Levi’s used the song in an advertisement depicting a solider leaving for war and saying goodbye to his girl. Instead of just handing her his goodbye letter, he instead gives her his 501s with the letter in the back pocket. The popular advert grabbed the attention of the British public so much so that the song was re-released and climbed to #2 on the singles chart, two spaces higher than its initial release 21 years earlier.

"Entrance" (1987)

featuring "Stand by Me" by Ben E. King

Benjamin Earl Nelson aka Ben E. King is the genius performer and co-composer of the hit "Stand By Me." The song reached #4 in the US in 1961 but wouldn't impact the UK charts until Levi's used it in the 1987 "Entrance" ad. It featured a club with a strict "no blue jeans" dress code. After witnessing a man being denied entry into the club, another man dressed in black jeans parades past the bouncer and into the club. Combined with the top ten re-release of the song in the US a year prior for the Stand By Me movie soundtrack and the exposure in the Levi’s ad, it would reach the #1 spot in the UK and the top ten in 5 other European countries. Interestingly, at this time the #2 spot in the UK was taken by the aforementioned "When a Man Loves a Woman" proving that Levi’s influence on the music charts was truly magnificent by manipulating both the #1 and #2 spot at the same time.

"Bath" (1986)

featuring “Wonderful World” by Sam Cooke

Originally performed by Sam Cooke, this ballad was written for his high school sweetheart Barbara Campbell and released in 1960. It would be his 2nd best charting song up to that point in his career, reaching #12 in the US and #27 in the UK. Other artists like Johnny Nash, Art Garfunkel and Herman’s Hermits would cover the song in the '60s and '70s and would also be used in the famous lunchroom scene in the 1978 film Animal House. Then in 1985, Greg Chapman's version would be featured prominently in the film Witness, catching the eye of the Levi's marketing team. The following year it would be used in the "Bath" ad which featured a guy taking a bath in his jeans after a workout. It would propel the original single up the charts to the #2 spot in the UK and would later be claimed as the 19th greatest song ever featured in a TV commercial by UK’s Channel Four in 2005.

"Launderette" (1985)

featuring "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" by Marvin Gaye

"I Heard It Through The Grapevine" was shuffled around Motown in its early origins, being recorded by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles and also by Gladys Knight & The Pips. However, its greatest success didn't come until Motown released Marvin Gaye's version toward the end of 1968 and the single spent 7 weeks atop the US charts. In the 80s, the song was first brought back to pop culture during the opening credits of the 1983 film The Big Chill. Then in 1985, Levi's got in the act by using it for their "Laundrette" ad featuring model Nick Kamen where he famously strips down to his boxers at the laundromat. Thanks to the popularity of the ad, Gaye's single would again rise on the UK charts to the #8 position. A year later, the song would again be used in advertising thanks to Buddy Miles and the California Raisins.

Two other Levi 501 ads used 60s music during the 80s, but did not spawn a re-release of the original single. In 1987, an ad featuring a war veteran returning home to be reunited with his girl used the 1965 #1 hit "My Girl" by the Temptations. The girl gives him a present of Levi's 501 jeans to which the veteran immediately puts on and re-wraps his uniform to mail back via "return to sender." Then in 1989, Levi's "Pickup" ad used the 1963 Ronettes hit "Be My Baby." featuring a nerdy-looking guy and pretty girl broken down on the side of the road with car trouble. A handsome man in a pickup stops to give assistance and ends up towing the broken down car with his jeans, demonstrating the durability of 501s. With the girl now as his passenger, he pops the clutch on the truck which causes the back bumper to fall off and leaving the nerdy guy behind. View both of these ads below and then leave a comment with your memories of these chart-impacting advertisements of the 80s.

Rediscovered Movies: Blue Thunder

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Gross) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 21:22:00 +0000

Rediscovered Movies: Blue Thunder

There are many movies, TV shows, albums, and music videos from the 80s that I've retained a little knowledge about but really need to revisit and refresh the old brain cells. The "Rediscovered" series of posts are meant to give a quick history, document what I personally remember, and then give a brief review of my recent interaction. I'll also give you my opinion on whether you should either pass or rediscover the featured item for yourself.

Blue Thunder (1983)

The Skies Will Never Be the Same!

Short History Lesson

Plot: A cop test pilot for an experimental police helicopter learns the sinister implications of the new vehicle.

Stars: Roy Scheider, Malcom McDowell, Daniel Stern, Candy Clark

MPAA Rating: R

Budget: N/A

Box Office Earnings: $42.3 Million

IMDB Rating: 6.1 / 10

Spawnings: 1984 TV series starring James Farentino, Dana Carvey, Bubba Smith, and Dick Butkus (11 episodes)

My Personal Recollection

I didn't remember much going into revisiting the movie. I remembered the blue helicopter with the weird looking cockpit of window panels and the gun that stuck out in the front. My only memory as a kid was a large model that my cousin put together and had forbidden me to touch when I visited.

Reaction To Recent Viewing
My main inclination to watch Blue Thunder was to compare to the Airwolf series, which I've recently been watching on Netflix. I remember watching Airwolf more as a kid and because of the R rating, I probably didn't watch Blue Thunder until I was much older than the 8 year old that I was in 1984. I had hopes that the movie would be something I would enjoy rediscovering with Jaws and Seaquest DSV alum Roy Scheider at the helm. I gotta tell ya, I wasn't really impressed. I fully expected that this police assault helicopter would be the star of the movie (ala Airwolf,) but it felt more like a prop. It didn't have the awe factor. Maybe I've been tainted with my knowledge of Airwolf, but the struggle of Scheider's rouge cop character and his personal war with Malcom McDowell dominated the movie over the helicopter's gadgetry. There were some decent action scenes and aerial shots of course. Scheider's interaction with a young Daniel Stern was pretty good as well. There is also a scene where they are spying on the actress and let me tell you, it was EYEOPENING to say the least (definitely didn't remember that) and quite frankly will probably be the only thing I remember from the movie moving forward. VERDICT: Pass on it and watch the Airwolf pilot episode.

Where To Find

Stream for free now on Crackle
Purchase Blue Thunder [Blu-ray] on Amazon
Purchase Blue Thunder: The Complete Series DVD on Amazon

Short History Lesson courtesy IMDB & Box Office Mojo

Watch the Original Ecto-1 Come Back To Life

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Gross) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 18:46:00 +0000

Watch the Original Ecto-1 Come Back To Life

About 5 years ago, Sony decided to restore one of my favorite Hollywood vehicles, the original Ecto-1 from Ghostbusters. Their motives were two-fold in that they wanted to promote their full line of mobile audio Xplod® gear and also celebrate the 25th anniversary of the original movie release. Sony hired Cinema Vehicle Services, a company who has provided screen used vehicles for over 30 years, to restore the car to its original Hollywood glory and also add hidden new features.

CVS accepted the challenge to restore the 1959 Cadillac and even had it inspected for accuracy and detail when completed by Dan Akroyd. After a recent visit to Youtube, I stumbled onto a 15 minute featurette titled "Ecto-1: Resurrecting the Classic Car" that appeared on the 2009 Blu-ray release of Ghostbusters. It documents the journey from start to finish and even features insight from Harold Ramis and Dan Akroyd. I hadn't seen it before and really enjoyed watching the "fifth star" of the film come back to life. Check it out below...

Image courtesy CinameVehicles.com

Set Your DVRs and Check Out NatGeo's '80s Infographic

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Gross) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 19:59:00 +0000

Set Your DVRs and Check Out NatGeo's '80s Infographic

NatGeo's new mini-series The '80s: The Decade That Made Us is finally here! This Sunday April 14, you can watch (or set your DVRs) beginning at 8pm EST. There will be two new episodes shown each night through Tuesday April 16. I'm looking forward to watching and hearing your reaction to the mini-series next week. Check out this new promo using a Rubik's Cube...

NatGeo has also released a fun infographic on recent polls it conducted on '80s politics and pop culture. Click the image for a larger version.

Check out my previous posts on the new The 80s: The Decade That Made Us mini-series:

Announcement and Overview

How To Survive The '80s Posters

Original Visuals and Episode Clips

Chase Your Dreams With This Perfect Strangers Game

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Gross) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 15:04:00 +0000

Chase Your Dreams With This Perfect Strangers Game

If there is one thing we learned from the 1986 sitcom Perfect Strangers, it was to chase your dreams. For 8 seasons, we watched Balki Bartokomous' transformation from a Mediterranean shepherd to life in the United States. Now, two decades after the show's finale, Brooklyn-based video game designer Jason Oda has made it possible to chase your own dreams with help from a Perfect Strangers viral video game.

Before you begin the game, you must first tell Balki what you dreams are. And then, the race is on! With the Perfect Strangers theme "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" as your soundtrack, you take control of Balki and run through a world of Chicago streets and Mary Anne heartbeats. Run, jump, and fly while collecting as many stars as you can in order to obtain your dream.

When you've finished your quest, you'll receive a ranking (my first attempt was a Harriette Winslow) and then compare your score on the leader board or share it on your social media. You can also see the last 24 dreamer's scores and what the aspire to be.

Jason Oda's concept was done out of pure love for the show with him quoted as saying in the L.A. Times "It's a personal project built to help people be inspired to chase their dreams." This is easily the coolest thing I've discovered in quite awhile. Go to NothingsGonnaStopMeNow.Com and play for yourself. The game was actually introduced in May 2012 so some of you might have already played it, but it's new to me so maybe it will be new to some of you!

All images courtesy JasonOda.Com

My Most Hated '80s Top 40 Singles By Popular Artists

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Gross) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 22:06:00 +0000

My Most Hated '80s Top 40 Singles By Popular Artists

This week's assignment for the League: What piece of pop culture did you HATE as a kid?

You can probably guess my most hated things as a boy growing up in the 80s. Cabbage Patch Dolls, Care Bears, Rainbow Brite and Strawberry Shortcake were all on my hit list. But instead of bashing one of those franchises mainly cherished by girls, I thought I'd take a different approach. One of my favorite topics to discuss is 80s music. No decade gave us more variety in popular music than the 80s, with the 90s a close 2nd. When I first thought about this week's topic, my mind immediately rushed to my most hated 80s songs as a kid. I imagine that most people who are "tuned in" to 80s music would agree with some of my choices like Bobby McFerrin's "Don't Worry Be Happy" or Tony Basil's "Mickey." Those songs I can honestly say I loathe and would rather listen to the Ricola yodelers sing "I Want A New Drug."

But instead of taking the easy way out, I figured I'd give myself a challenge. So I thought I'd take popular artists and some of my personal favorites from the 80s and try to choose their worst top 40 singles. I've chosen Michael Jackson, Madonna, George Michael/Wham, and Prince as the four popular (and most successful) artists. For my personal favorites I'm choosing Phil Collins/Genesis, Huey Lewis, Sting/Police, and U2. This is not gonna be easy.

Michael Jackson "Farewell My Summer Love"

There isn't really a single released from Thriller or Bad that I would say I hate. I had to go the easy way out and choose this song. I really can't say I hate it but would definitely put it near the bottom on my list of MJ favorites. The title track of the "Farewell My Summer Love" album was released by Motown in 1984 and barely cracked the top 40. The song was grouped with other tracks from a lost 1974 recording session, but didn't seem to feed off the Thriller album's success.

Madonna "Cherish"

A toss up between this song and "Papa Don't Preach," I can genuinely say I dislike both of these songs. The "Cherish" video...now that's a different story. It definitely did everything to reinforce Madonna as a sex symbol but the song itself was as ugly as Sean Penn's bank account in 1989. Some argue that it was a nice break from Madonna's stronger religious and sexual themes from the first two singles on Like A Prayer. To me, the doo-wop style didn't fit well.

Wham! "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go"

Probably the easiest choice on this list. Hated the song. Hated the pretty boy look. Hated those goofy-looking hat mullets like Ridgeley wears in the 2nd half of the song. Now don't get me wrong...I LOVE "Everything She Wants" and "Careless Whisper" is one of the best saxophone songs of all time so I'm not bashing here. Just saying that this song sits atop my Limburger cheese list.

Prince "Alphabet Street"

I don't recall Sesame Street approving this video and I know I didn't either. Was really surprised to see this song made it to #8 on the charts, but hey, when your Prince it's truly difficult not to make a hit. Maybe I disliked this song because I was well past my Sesame Street years when this came out in '88. But he definitely redeemed himself to anything I hated when he released my favorite track the next year..."Batdance."

(Deep Breath) I'm actually turning physically ill with the thought of having to announce these next songs. These are some of my favorite and most collected artists of the decade and was hard pressed to find songs that I would consider telling people "I hate." So, the approach I took was from a greatest hits collection standpoint...what song would I likely hit skip on my MP3 player if I were listening to their most successful songs today.

Phil Collins "You Can't Hurry Love"

Call me a doo-wop hater if you like, but this was definitely Phil's weakest offering of the twelve top 40 hits he had as a solo artist in the 80s. The song's success the first time around with the Supremes (#1 in 1966) I believe helped it reach #10 for Collins in 1983. I wouldn't say I hate the song but can definitely see myself skipping this one on my MP3 player. Just for the record, I LOVE his other doo-wop hit "Two Hearts" and it would never come close to this list. The bridge where Collins belts "Yeah, she knows.." really display his vocal range.

Huey Lewis & The News "I Know What I Like"

Sorry, Huey, I know what I don't like...listening to you babble on about what YOU like. This song just seems to smell of a late night at the recording studio with some alcohol. "Hey Huey, we need one more track to complete this album." (Drink) "Okay, well I'm fresh out of ideas." (Drink) "How bout you just tell me the stuff you like and that will be the song?" (Drink) "Okay." All kidding aside, the song made it #9 so I'm sure I'm in the minority on this one. Just too many more songs I'd put ahead of it if I was putting together a playlist.

Sting "Russians"

I can appreciate this song now which featured Mr. Summoner's warning about the Cold War, but growing up in that era, I'm surprised it was successful as it was. But hey, it's Sting. Even Rocky IV couldn't knock this song off the charts, which was released the same month. But for as up-beat and vibrant as 80s music is, this song is just too dark and drab for me to do anything but put it at the bottom of my Sting favorites.

U2 "Angel of Harlem"

Easily my least favorite U2 song. This anthem to Billy Holiday that featured a horn section just seemed to drown out their signature sound. It was different or at least what I wasn't used to hearing from U2 so I guess that's what steered me away from it.

There they are, the worst from the best. Let me know what you think of my choices and also check out more "Most Hated" from the League this week:

Toyriffic thinks G.I. Joe blows.
Midnight Monster Spookshow goes off on the cartoon good guys.
Nerd Rage Against The Machine would prefer to lose Footloose.
Geeky Vixen would love to send My Little Pony to the glue factory.
Pop Rewind has something to say to cereal execs.
Fortune & Glory Days would like the Power Rangers to morph themselves.
Shezcrafti wants her money back from her visit to Zoobilee Zoo.

T-shirt Trends of the 80s & Early 90s

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Gross) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:21:00 +0000

T-shirt Trends of the 80s & Early 90s

The 80s saw an explosion of vibrant color and expressionism which was highly expressed through clothing trends. T-shirts weren't a new idea by any means with tie-dyeing and screen printing already with a presence in pop culture. Early t-shirt popularity came in the form of concerts souvenirs in the 60s from bands like the Rolling Stones and the Grateful Dead. In the 70s, popular brands and screen printing produced many memorable shirts like the bright yellow smiley face.

Many t-shirt trends then continued through the 80s and early 90s. As the economy boomed and advertising budgets grew, companies pushed their brands onto the "Me Generation" and forced us to choose our allegiances. Designer brands also got into the t-shirt game and screen printed shirts seen in MTV videos and movies also had a high influence. Let's take a quick look back at some of the styles, trends, and expressions of t-shirts through the 80s and early 90s.

Half-shirts/Crop Tops - Mid-drifts were in full effect in the 80s and half-shirts were very popular for a good part of the decade. Jocks used these shirts mainly for athletic activities but some also wore for leisure or at the beach. Another form of the half-shirt referred to as crop tops were what the girls wore during the decade. The main administrator of this fashion was Madonna as displayed in the "Lucky Star" video. They continued to be fashionable through the early 90s by celebrities like Tiffany Amber Thiessen in Saved By The Bell. Crop tops still find their way into today's fashion as Megan Fox displays in Transformers. But you might look twice if you spotted a guy wearing a half-shirt today like Johnny Depp in A Nightmare on Elm Street (pictured above.)

Message T-shirts - There was no better way to express yourself than by wearing a t-shirt that sported your cause. George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley of Wham famously donned "choose life" shirts in their 1983 "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" video. The shirts were designed by Katherine Hamnett and were have said to target drug abuse and suicide. Frankie Goes To Hollywood would borrow the white-shirt black-letter design a year later and produce "Frankie Say..." t-shirts to promote their music. Then in 1985, the same type of design would show up again in Ferris Bueller's Day Off as students wore "Save Ferris" t-shirts to sympathize with the sick young man.

Designer T-shirts - With marketing at an all-time high in the 80s, designer companies entered the t-shirt business with hopes to brand their name on the chests of American. Ocean Pacific, Panama Jack, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, and American Apparel all began to produce popular t-shirts designs in the late 80s. The early 90s were no different as the trend continued with other brands like Coed Naked and No Fear allowing consumers to inexpensive showcase their taste in fashion.

Airbrushed T-shirts - If you were serious about your relationship in the 80s, nothing said it more than buying an airbrushed t-shirt at the county fair. The personalized and unique style became popular around 1985 with the beginning of magazines like Airbrush Action. As the technique became more widespread over the years, the airbrush style quickly leaped from t-shirts and license plates to anything that could pretty much adhere the paint like cars and human skin for tattoos.

Pastel Color Shirts - Without a doubt, Miami Vice was the dominate force of 80s fashion. How else would you explain a guy being able to get away with essentially wearing just a t-shirt under a sport jacket. Sonny Crockett and Rico Tubbs' look on the show would be emulated by guys across the USA. Even as an 8th grader in 1989, I remember wearing a pastel shirt/white jacket combo to a school sports banquet and my coach referring to me as "Don Johnson." Pastel muscle tees were definitely the quintessential 80s fashion trend.

Hyper Color/Heat Reaction T-Shirts - A novelty primarily in the early 90s, hyper color or heat reaction t-shirts gave fashion another dimension. With the addition of heat, these shirts changed colors giving almost an airbrushed look. The novelty was also having friends display their hand prints on your shirt. The fad seemed to die off quickly with the technology unable to survive a couple trips inside the washing machine, but fast forward 20 years later and heat reaction technology is back! Liquid Screen Design, a custom t-shirts company based in Minneapolis, has spent over a year testing the technology and working out the kinks to produce a new heat reaction shirt. They have developed a small variety of colors and have taken to Kickstarter to further the process of developing new colors. If you want to join in the fun and help Liquid Screen Design bring back a piece of early 90s nostalgia, purchase a shirt through their Kickstater project through May 20, 2013.

So what about Iron-Ons and those oversized t-shirts that girls loved to wear in the 80s? Well, I leave you to tell me about those in the comments. I love t-shirts still to this day and have a small collection of about a dozen or so in my own closet. I proudly wear my love for my favorite iconic 80s brands like Atari, Nintendo and G.I. Joe on my chest every chance I get and can't think of a better way to also pay tribute to the t-shirt fashion of the 80s and early 90s!

10 Best E.T. Sequel Names We Can Think Of...

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Gross) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 12:39:00 +0000

10 Best E.T. Sequel Names We Can Think Of...

E.T. was one of the true blockbuster films of the 80s, raking in $792 million worldwide at the box office. After it's success, Steven Spielberg and Melissa Mathison actually wrote a sequel to the film called E.T. II: Noctural Fears. Take want you want from the 19-page pitch story, but it thankfully never became a reality. It definitely wasn't from lack of interest as author William Kotzwinkle who novelized the movie script, also wrote a sequel entitled E.T.: The Book of the Green Planet. So what was the real reason that an E.T. sequel never happened? Spielberg says "sequels can be very dangerous because they compromise your truth as an artist. I think a sequel to E.T. would do nothing but rob the original of its virginity. People only remember the latest episode, while the pilot tarnishes." I'll agree with his statement. There aren't many sequels that don't take at least something away from the original, but with the film making so much money at the box office, it's still kinda hard for me to believe it didn't happen.

Earlier this week, I had a fun conversation with Pop Rewind on Twitter that spawned some E.T. sequels names. I proposed that we jointly come up with our best sequel names, just in case Spielberg's wallet could use some extra dollars. Check out the five sequels I came up with below and then click over to see the final five on Pop Rewind!

E.T. 2: Text Home - E.T. makes his way back to earth 30 years later. With advanced technology now at his lighted fingertips, he finds it easier to text home, but the phone keyboards don't have his alphabet characters. E.T. "macgyvers" a fax machine, a Bop It and roll of quarters to his phone and sends a mayday text to his home planet.

E.T. 2: Rise of the Landfill Monster - After returning to earth several years later, E.T. learns that not only did the Atari 2600 game bearing his name suck more than Mega Maid but that millions of unsold cartridges were buried in a New Mexico landfill. Surprised that the humans would store them so close to Area 51, E.T. uses his telekinesis and the alien technology found at Area 51 to raise the cartridges from their makeshift cemetery and form them into an Atari executive eating monster.

E.T. 2: Attack Of The Pencil-Necked Walker - Upon his return to a post-apocalyptic earth, E.T. is again found dead in a ditch. This time, however, E.T. comes back to live as a flesh-eating zombie and forces Elliott to tote him around on his bike looking for humans who have just eaten a pack of Reese's pieces. (Apparently, the thin candy shell is apocalypse proof.)

E.T.M.X. - After thoroughly enjoying the bike ride flight to escape the police, Elliott inspires to be a professional motocross rider. He realizes he is not very good at the sport and manages to contact E.T. for help. Elliott builds a basket on the front of his motocross bike so E.T. can help him during his next competition.

E.T. 2: The Constant Gardener - E.T. returns to earth in 2013 and is accidentally abandoned again by his alien friends (someone get him one of those GPS skin implants or a shock collar already!) Word had quickly spread in his first visit that E.T. has the power to produce the most vibrant flowers. Upon hearing he is back, HGTV swarms to broadcast his talent for gardening. With Speak N' Spells no longer being easily accessible, E.T. agrees to host the new "Pimp Your Garden" show to raise money for that $20 million collect call back to his home planet.

That's my five E.T. sequels. Now go check out the other five E.T. sequel names on Pop Rewind!!!

Some images courtesy reelguyz.com, planetsave.com, i.imgur.com, 25.media.tumblr.com, teextile.deviantart.com

Every G.I. Joe Figure Of The 80s On One Giant Poster!

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Gross) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 15:42:00 +0000

Every G.I. Joe Figure Of The 80s On One Giant Poster!

G.I. Joe has been back in the limelight lately with the new G.I. Joe: Retaliation movie hitting theaters this past weekend. Today I found another reason for fans and collectors to celebrate thanks to 3DJoes.Com. This fun website proudly displays all of the classic figures and vehicles of the 80's & 90's using a unique 3D turn-style effect. It's one of the top virtual resources for Joe collectors available and I would highly recommend it. Here's a taste of what you'll find...

Well if having one of the best G.I. Joe web experiences wasn't enough, the curator of the site Carson has now produced a poster that displays all of the figures produced from 1982-89! This 24" x 36" monstrosity fits 244 figures and comes with the option of having code names and specialties added below the pictures. Proceeds from poster sales are going right back into the site. Check out the pics below provided from the actual poster and click here to purchase direct from 3DJoes. Also visit the G.I. Joe Museum on Facebook (created by 3DJoes) with behind the scenes snapshots of the poster printing. You'll want to connect with them so you'll be one of the first people to know when the poster for the '90s figures is ready! Yo Joe!

All images courtesy 3DJoes.Com

Ultimate 80s Guitar Riff Intros Playlist

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Gross) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 14:15:00 +0000

Ultimate 80s Guitar Riff Intros Playlist

The 1980s were not just full of synthesized and saxophoned pop music, but the greatest decade for music also featured rock tracks that were destined to be legendary. Sometimes you can tell from the song's introduction that it's something special. Many great speaker-blowing guitar riffs came out of the 80s and this playlist will highlight the ones that hit us from the beginning of the song.

Now, some of these tracks you'll notice might have another instrument that briefly leads in the song, but I created this playlist mainly to rock you from the get-go! I've posted a few videos from these 80s guitar masterpieces below, but to save on load time, click the song title to watch more via Youtube. Rock on!!

Guns N' Roses "Sweet Child of Mine" (1987)
No other place to start this playlist but with Slash's most melodic offspring from 1987's Appetite For Destruction album. Music and guitar magazine's alike have consistently ranked this song as one of the best of the 80s and one of the greatest guitar tracks of all time. His bridge solo in this song is also one that makes my guitar honor roll and would proudly display with a bumper sticker.

Rush "Limelight" (1981)
The newly inducted hall of famers had my vote this year just for this song. By far my favorite track, Alex Lifeson's guitar intro brings to life an intense illumination of talent and proves why Rush's Moving Pictures album has been their most successful to date. I didn't truly dive into their discography until the early 2000s and it was mainly due to hearing this song on the radio. Since then, I've considered Rush one of the greatest power trios of my generation.

The Clash "Should I Stay or Should I Go" (1982)
This guitar intro is one of the most widely recognizable of the 80s and like the previous entry to this playlist, it contributed heavily to their most successful album Combat Rock. The real question is...if you heard this song on the radio now, would you stay or would you go? (I'd definitely stay.)

Joan Jett & The Blackhearts "I Love Rock 'n Roll" (1981)
How many dimes do you think have been spent over the years just to hear the guitar riff at the beginning of this song? A cover of the British band Arrows, Joan Jett's version had jukebox repairmen working overtime across the US spending 7 weeks at #1.

Van Halen "Panama" (1984)
One of my favorite tracks from probably my favorite Van Halen album, there is no "easing the seat back" when this song first hits you. Despite it's Central America title, the lyrics are actually about a car and during the bridge when David Lee Roth talks about "I can barely see the road from the heat comin' off of it," you can hear Eddie Van Halen's Lamborghini revving it's engine. Word has it, he backed it up to the studio and put microphones near the exhaust pipes to record the sound effects. Now that's rock n' roll, ladies and gentlemen.

Scorpions "Rock You Like a Hurricane" (1984)
Remember when having your video in heavy rotation on MTV meant something? This tsunami of sound does as these German rockers enjoyed their greatest success until the whistling power ballad "Winds Of Change" climbed to #4 in 1991 on the US charts. If there was a head-banging aerobics workout, this song would lead off each class.

U2 "Where The Streets Have No Name" (1987)
Taking some liberty with this entry to the playlist because of the extensive keyboard intro that leads into The Edge's signature guitar riff. A prerequisite for all rooftop concerts to this day, U2's anthem sets the tone for their best-selling album "The Joshua Tree" and created a story for retired LAPD cops to tell their grandkids. "Remember that day in '87 when a 1,000 people made a beer run at that corner liquor store?"

AC/DC "You Shook Me All Night Long" (1980)
Seriously, take your pick of AC/DC tunes in the 80s (or 70s & early 90s) and you could make a case for just about all of them having great guitar intros. I choose this one mainly for that wall-shaking first chord...and for duck walking on lighted stages surrounded by leather clad girls on mechanical bulls and stationary bikes which I believe were available for hire by the hour from 1980-89.

Rolling Stones "Start Me Up" (1981)
This song has a killer guitar intro and provided the perfect soundtrack for purple spandex muscle shirt workouts like you've never seen. Known now for starting up football games across US stadiums, it peaked at #2 on the US charts for three weeks leaving these grown men crying over the soft rock sultans of Christopher Cross and Hall & Oates.

George Thorogood & The Destroyers "Bad To The Bone" (1982)
You might think of the film "Problem Child" or the monster truck Gravedigger when you hear the guitar intro to this song. But other than the uses in pop culture, kings and queens would probably also step aside to this blues riff by a stuttering, cigar-smoking, pool hall hustler. The only un-bad thing about the music video...keeping your pool cue in a guitar case. Seems a little excessive if you ask me.

Living Colour "Cult of Personality" (1988)

One of my favorite guitar intros of the decade, it has continued to thrive in pop culture being used as the entrance music for WWE wrestler CM Punk and in the Guitar Hero 3 video game. Easily the band's most successful track, it earned them two MTV music awards including the dreaded Best New Artist "kiss of death" award.

So how'd I do? Tell me what killer guitar intro I left off the playlist that would've been on your list. Leave a comment!

Also check out some of my other Ultimate 80s Playlists:
Male/Female Duets
Superbowl Kickoff
Christmas Advent
"Dream"
Animals & Creatures
Girl Names
Veterans Day
Real Men Don't Cry
New Year's Resolution

More Visuals, Videos & Details Released For NatGeo's New '80s Mini-series

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Gross) — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 16:34:00 +0000

More Visuals, Videos & Details Released
For NatGeo's New '80s Mini-series

NatGeo is really pulling out all the stops to promote their upcoming mini-series on the 1980s. First, it was announced that "Brat Pack" member Rob Lowe is slated to narrate the six-part series. NatGeo then showed up at SXSW and threw an 80s party featuring electronic music guru Girl Talk and a slew of famous 80s vehicles like the A-Team van and the General Lee. (Check out this new video with party highlights.)

NatGeo has also provided some new original art to promote the TV series. I've already posted the fun "How To Survive the 80s" posters including instructions to moonwalk, fix your video games, tease your hair, and peg your jeans. NatGeo has also commissioned artist Adhemas Batista to provide visuals for the NatGeo website and other promotional material. Check them out below (and the header image above) and then continue reading more recently released information on the mini-series.

New video clips from the mini-series have been released on the NatGeo website. Check out this clip from "The Revolutionaries" episode that features Patrick Bossert who became the world's foremost Rubik's cube expert and a New York Times best selling author at the age of 12.

The complete episode guide has also been posted to the NatGeo website which reveals the names and descriptions of all six episodes:

Lift Off - "The first episode explores the revolution in personal entertainment brought on by Pac-Man, Sony Walkmans and Jane Fonda’s ground-breaking workout video. Apple’s Steve Wozniak helps explain how Bill Gates saw the future by selling IBM the rights to use MS-DOS software for a relatively small one-time fee, only to clean up when IBM competitors entered the market and all wanted the same software. The assassination of John Lennon heralded the end of one music era, while a bratty new kid on the block defined a new one — spelled “MTV.” Follow the musical reverberations of the birth of MTV and the music video’s role in taking hip-hop mainstream, and hear how the television series “Dallas” reinvigorated the notion that money and greed were good. Sharing their firsthand stories are Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, Steven Tyler, Jane Fonda, Steve Wozniak and “Dallas” star Larry Hagman, in one of his last televised interviews."
The Revolutionaires - "In 1981, Ronald Reagan is propelled into the U.S. presidency, but his much-scrutinized administration is shaken to its core a mere 70 days in when an assassin’s bullet pierces his lung. Vivid accounts from newsman Sam Donaldson, on the ground that day, and Dr. David Adelberg, the medical intern who cradled Reagan’s heart in his hands during surgery, describe a country in panic. After a full recovery, and an ensuing upswing in popularity, Reagan’s business mandate leads to a new breed of entrepreneurs, including Steve Jobs, whose “1984” commercial helped launch the Super Bowl commercial phenomenon; Ted Turner, who reinvented the news business with the creation of 24-hour news; and Ben & Jerry, who successfully combined the hippie vibe of the 1960s with the entrepreneurial spirit of the 1980s."
Shop 'Til You Drop - "Nonstop glamour and excess find a new poster girl in the 1980s, when a hot young singer sees her chance to create her own brand. Catapulted to superstardom with a shocking performance of “Like a Virgin” at the first MTV Music Video Awards, Madonna inspires countless girls across the globe to hit the nearest shopping mall to match her distinctive style. But, it’s not just teen girls who are putting their credit cards to work; successful young men with money to burn are buying into the young professional (or “yuppie”) lifestyle and scooping up the latest expensive gadget: the cell phone. For $4,000, U.S. consumers can pick up their own portable phone, weighing more than one kilogram. Television execs are eager to cash in on this new spending trend, and iconic ’80s soap “Dynasty” becomes the first show to license products for adults. And, marketers learn an important lesson about the power of these new consumers in 1985 when Coca Cola’s disastrous launch of New Coke threatens its position against Pepsi."
Masters of the Universe - "With the motto “greed... is good,” Gordon Gekko encapsulates the 1980s drive for excess and ruthless ambition in Oliver Stone’s “Wall Street,” while big traders mirror his notoriously bad behavior with insider trading and drug use in real life. Cocaine has become the drug of choice for those celebrating success; Miami’s status as a drug-dealing haven inspires the launch of one of the decade’s most famous television series: “Miami Vice.” In the ’80s, CEOs see their salaries skyrocket while women struggle to overcome office boys’ clubs. Hollywood superstar Jane Fonda shatters the glass ceiling in the movie “9 to 5,” exposing sexism in the workplace. Offices may be changing slowly but pulpits are transforming fast — and turning faith into fortunes. In the ’80s, televangelists like Jim and Tammy Bakker are masters of the cable universe. But the Bakkers go bust in 1987 amid accusations of adultery, hush money and using donations to fill their own pockets. And the quest to climb higher also leads to one of the ’80s biggest tragedies, as NASA’s Space Shuttle Challenger explodes during lift-off, claiming the lives of all on board."
Tear Down These Walls - "Though the 1980s were known for its greed is good mantra, the decade also saw its fair share of literal and cultural walls brought down, as Americans united on political, racial and health issues."
Super Power - "At the end of the 1980s American pop culture goes global and helps bring down the Iron Curtain, leaving America as the world's sole superpower."

NatGeo has also revealed a partial list of experts and celebrities that will appear during the mini-series which includes everyone from Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak to Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler. And if that wasn't enough, check out the NatGeo powered interactive site at ExploreThe80s.Com!

Lost G.I. Joe Team-Ups With 80s Characters

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Gross) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 15:26:00 +0000

Lost G.I. Joe Team-Ups With 80s Characters

Call me crazy, (YOU'RE CRAZY!) but I like mashups when it comes to 80s fan art. Some I've posted about before include 80s movie characters as Garbage Pail Kids and what 80s movie/TV cars would look like in a Disney Pixar film. Now, I wasn't a huge G.I. Joe collector when I was a kid, but I do remember one of my friends having the William "The Refrigerator" Perry figure who was on the famous 1985 Chicago Bears championship football team. Another notable G.I. Joe team-up character in the 80s was WWF wrestler Sgt. Slaughter who crossed over from the wrestling ring into the G.I. Joe: Real American Hero animated series in 1985.

More recently, the 25th anniversary G.I. Joe figures from 2008 featured a team-up figure know as Specialist Trakker, which some may recognize as Matt Trakker from the M.A.S.K. animated series. ( I had to snag this one for my personal collection for obvious reasons.) Yesterday, I stumbled onto a great article via Moviefone.Com which I simply had to share. Moviefone has teamed up with artist Dennis Culver to display seven "Forgotten Joes of the 80s" which are famous 80s characters as if they joined G.I. Joe or Cobra. Culver uses the traditional figure card background to showcase Alf, Pee-Wee Herman, Care Bears, Sloth & Chunk from Goonies, Billy Idol, Rainbow Brite & Strawberry Shortcake, and Mr. T as Clubber Lang like never before!

CODENAME: A.L.F.A.
Alien Life Form Assassin

CODENAME: Scare Bear
Cobra Morale Officer

CODENAME: Pee-Wee Herman
Rebel Loner

CODENAME: Chunk & Sloth
Truffle Shuffler & Freebooter

CODENAME: Rainbow Brite & Rawberry Shortcake
Black Ops & Wetworks

CODENAME: Billy Idol
Dreadnok

CODENAME: Clubber Lang
Cobra Trainer

Images courtesy Moviefone.Com and Dennis Culver

Official Namco Pac-man App Chomps Android

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Gross) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 13:56:00 +0000

Official Namco Pac-man App Chomps Android

It's no secret by now that my Google Nexus has surgically replaced one of my hands. (Eat that, Robocop!) And as I cruise the Play store and sites like CNet.com, I like finding my favorite 80s arcade games and franchises as mobile apps. It's like scanning your digital TV guide and finding that Antenna TV is playing your favorite A-Team episode (Boy George singing in the cowboy bar.)

I recently found the official Namco Pac-man app for Android and thought I'd give "Pac-Man + Tournaments" a whirl. I was mainly interested in how you would control Pac-man and how well this free version would match up to my memories of playing it at the arcade.

The game sets up with the board in the top 2/3 of your screen and the joystick in the bottom 1/3. A swipe of your finger controls the joystick and ultimately pac-man. It was a little awkward, but I managed to make it through 4 boards and rack up 21,960 on my first quarter...err...game. If you want to hook up with other Pac-players, registering for a free Bandai Namco ID is the way to go. Play in one free tournament daily or for a little extra cash, buy tokens to play in more tournaments. You can even post or tweet your scores and progress to your friends. I tweeted my first score last night to see what reaction I'd get.

I just scored 21960 and earned 5 Achievements in @pac-MAN! bit.ly/X8RcqL

— Jason Gross (@SockOfFleagulls) March 26, 2013

Here's what my tweeps had to say...

@sockoffleagulls It's not really pac-man if it doesn't involve quarters

— Engineernerd (@Engineernerd) March 26, 2013

@sockoffleagulls You PAC-braggin?

— eclectik relaxation (@eclectik) March 26, 2013

I've gotta side with Engineernerd on this one. There are some games that just have too much arcade nostalgia that no matter how you play, it just doesn't measure up. My plug-n-play Pac-man game gives me a better experience than the Atari 2600 game but still doesn't fill the arcade void. Overall, this is a decent version of Pac-man for the free price. All the sounds and traditional gameplay are there. The swiping motions to move the joystick does take some getting used to (call my experience "beginner's luck" I guess,) but I will be keeping it on my tablet to mainly to show off to my boys and let them play.