80's...worst decade for rock?

[baba]

Another thread in basses and the recent high demand for 80s cover bands got me thinking....were the 80's the worst decade for rock? The 80's make me think of MTV, synths, hair metal, new wave, the downfall of western civilization, cats and dogs living together, etc. As a whole I believe it was the worst decade and always assumed that was the general perception of most others. Then again, given the recent 80's craze, perhaps it's my personal musical taste.

Thoughts?

[SuperDuck]

Hey!!!










Synths are cool.

[Benjamin Strange]

Synths are WAY cool. Hmm... cool bands working in the 80's:

King Crimson
Skinny Puppy
Ministry
Metallica (well, they were cool during the 80's at least)
Eurythmics
Eddie Brickell & the new Bohemians
Fine Young Cannibals
Slayer
U2
Michael Jackson (well, he was cool during the 80's at least)
Peter Gabriel

There's lots and lots and lots more, but those are a few that just sprang to mind. People during the 80's thought the 70's were the worst decade, and pretty soon people will start saying that the 90's were the worst. It's just a knee jerk reaction.

[James Hart]

if you heard nothing good for an entire 10 year span.... you really didn't bother listening to much!

IMHO

[baba]

Easy fellas. There is a lot of music I enjoy from the 80s. My question is whether it is the worst decade for rock as a whole.

[baba]

Originally Posted by speddling

if you heard nothing good for an entire 10 year span.... you really didn't bother listening to much!

IMHO

If that's what you read from my post, you really don't bother listening much!

[James Hart]

Originally Posted by baba

If that's what you read from my post, you really don't bother listening much!

Reeds at the coast... yeah we get lots of reed type plants here on the coast... why you ask?





HEY! WHAT WAS THAT...!!!!

*runs off to the other end of the internet*

[ONYX]

I wouldn't say it was the worst--maybe the least desireable so far. There was some cool music that came out in the 80's. As far I'm concerned, the current decade is shaping up real fast as the worst decade for rock--but we won't know for sure for another 6 years!!

[Matthew Bryson]

Originally Posted by basstriaxis

Synths are WAY cool. Hmm... cool bands working in the 80's:

King Crimson
Skinny Puppy
Ministry
Metallica (well, they were cool during the 80's at least)
Eurythmics
Eddie Brickell & the new Bohemians
Fine Young Cannibals
Slayer
U2
Michael Jackson (well, he was cool during the 80's at least)
Peter Gabriel

There's lots and lots and lots more, but those are a few that just sprang to mind. People during the 80's thought the 70's were the worst decade, and pretty soon people will start saying that the 90's were the worst. It's just a knee jerk reaction.

Basstriaxis nailed it. Also - adding to his list, didn't Primus hit in the late 80's? Some good things happened in country music. Van Halen ruled the planet. I am a big Motley Crue fan. For all of the silliness that went with it, the L.A. glam scene produced some good music. Some of the one hit wonders were fun (I'm thinking of Twisted Sister even though they may have had two hits) Iron Maiden. When did Frank Zappa pass? Didn't Frank make some music in the 80's?

Edit - RUSH!!

[Matthew Bryson]

Originally Posted by ONYX

As far I'm concerned, the current decade is shaping up real fast as the worst decade for rock--but we won't know for sure for another 6 years!!

Sadly, I see a lot of truth in this.

[mycranium]

Originally Posted by baba

Easy fellas. There is a lot of music I enjoy from the 80s. My question is whether it is the worst decade for rock as a whole.

The 1590's were pretty bad for rock. I mean, can you name even one good band that came out of the 16th century?

-M

[Against Will]

Originally Posted by mycranium

The 1590's were pretty bad for rock. I mean, can you name even one good band that came out of the 16th century?

-M

Baroque counts a proto-prog rock.

If you mean 80's pop culture, then it was pretty bad. But most pop culture sucked, no matter what the decade.

80's rock?

Minutemen
Black Flag
Fugazi
Undertones
The Jam
Bad Brains
Dinosaur Jr.
My Bloody Valentine
The Jesus and Mary Chain

[baba]

Originally Posted by mycranium

The 1590's were pretty bad for rock. I mean, can you name even one good band that came out of the 16th century?

-M

Point taken.

Some bands I dig that STARTED (as far as I know) in the 80s:

Dead Kennedys
U2
Chili Peppers
Minutemen
Firehose
Agent Orange
Circle Jerks
Black Flag
Husker Du
Thomas Dolby
Residents
Peter Gabriel (did he start his solo career in the 80s?)
Bad Brains
DOA

[MAJOR METAL]

Metallica are a great product of the 1980's.

[MAJOR METAL]

U2 another big band from the 1980's.

[mark beem]

I'd say the 90's we're much worse than the 80's.. I listened to more Jazz in the 90's than in the other 26 years of my life combined.

[Rod Harder]

What about:
Concrete Blonde
Sisters Of Mercy
The Cure
Living Colour
Level 42
Tears For Fears

To name a just a few more.......

[baba]

Originally Posted by HarderMan

What about:
Concrete Blonde
Sisters Of Mercy
The Cure
Living Colour
Level 42
Tears For Fears

To name a just a few more.......

Doh! Forgot Living Colour. Great band, I love Vernon Reid.

[James Hart]

Originally Posted by baba

Point taken.

Some bands I dig that STARTED (as far as I know) in the 80s:

Dead Kennedys
U2
Chili Peppers
Minutemen
Firehose
Agent Orange
Circle Jerks
Black Flag
Husker Du
Thomas Dolby
Residents
Peter Gabriel (did he start his solo career in the 80s?)
Bad Brains
DOA

good stuff! Spin Doctors, Phish, Blues Travelers, DMB all hit near the end of that decade too. Pete Gabriel was 76 or 77 going solo... but "So" was big time 80's!!!

[baba]

Did Aquarium Rescue Unit start up in the 80s? Damn, that band was killer. I saw them at the first Horde Festival/Tour around 90/91 with Spin Doctors, Phish, Widespread Panic, and Blues Traveler.