There are lots of basses and outfits that scream 80’s to me but in different genres. The one thing all the looks have in common though is a lot of high performance hair products!!
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Quintessential 80's bass player requirements?
- Thread starter Cadillac_Mike
- Start date
Rave 3 for everybody!!! 
If they were out of that, AquaNet worked too, but the Rave spray pattern was a lot finer. AquaNet was gloppy as [bleep].
If they were out of that, AquaNet worked too, but the Rave spray pattern was a lot finer. AquaNet was gloppy as [bleep].
Formal gig:
- Suit jacket, broad-shouldered, possibly made of shiny material, sleeves pushed up to elbows
- Pleated slacks, linen
- Thin necktie, or shirt with banded collar
Casual gig:
- Members Only jacket
- Acid-washed denim jeans (possibly jacket as well)
- "FRANKIE SAY RELAX" T-shirt (also acceptable: "PARTY NAKED")
- Deck shoes, no socks
Standard equipment / accessories:
- Ray-Ban Wayfarer sunglasses (all hours, day or night)
- Swatch watch (two or three on one arm is acceptable)
- Hair scrunchie, if your ponytail is long enough; Small hair tie, if you're doing the "rat tail" thing
- Steinberger XL2 with chorus and flange pedals. (Ask @Richland123 if you can borrow his.)
- Cocaine is optional, but if on hand, should be carried in a brushed silver Halliburton briefcase
- Little Black Book, because pocket computers and Palm Pilots are still few years away in the future
Rock on.
Yikes. It's scary how accurately that captures what I was sporting circa 1985. (Not the "casual gig" part, but the "formal gig" and "standard equipment/accessories" are 90% dead-on.)
Haha! It's scary because it's all true! I was "there" too. That list is basically a rundown of my life in the '80s.
(Minus the Swatches and cocaine. I wasn't that well off.)
A short lived band I was in 1986 called Wreckless. Bandanas and headbands abound. I am in the back on the right. Notice I do not have a bandana or headband.
There also were long cloaks.
I've already posted this photo in some other topic. My band in 1988. Some male makeup also included.
I've already posted this photo in some other topic. My band in 1988. Some male makeup also included.
A topic appropriate picture brought to me by waves of a deep Internet sea:
Its as true now as it was then. Aldo known as "The Full Chad". Ill add another:
Leather Driving Gloves with knuckle holes for......knuckle ventilation. Anybody who doesnt think this is a rock-solid A-Hole detector needs to watch Sylvester Stallone in "Cobra", wherein he perpetually wears such gloves with an unlit match sticking out of his mouth like a pacifier.
Leather Driving Gloves with knuckle holes for......knuckle ventilation. Anybody who doesnt think this is a rock-solid A-Hole detector needs to watch Sylvester Stallone in "Cobra", wherein he perpetually wears such gloves with an unlit match sticking out of his mouth like a pacifier.
Me in the 1980s on right.
Played a Aria Pro-II Cardinal Bass, a Moog synth and used lots of flangers.
My sister said, your makeup looks better than mine!
Played a Aria Pro-II Cardinal Bass, a Moog synth and used lots of flangers.
My sister said, your makeup looks better than mine!
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The 80s weren't all the same, you know that right? The sportos, the motorheads, geeks, sluts, bloods, waistoids, dweebies, d*ckheads - they all adore him. They think he's a righteous dude. -Grace "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"
Do you mean 80s punk? 80s new wave? 80s disco? 80s metal? 80s R&B? 80s pop? 80s rap? 80s rock?
Lol, Aquanet. Guilty.
Don't forget too much Drakkar Noir, and the permanent 5:00 shadow; the skunk fauxhawk and ripped denim jacket with diy mural on the back. Blue dot docs and spiky or bullets belt with tapered jeans? Clean up for holidays at the grandparent's with an Ocean Pacific sweat shirt and grey corduroy with Eastland loafers.
Velcro/ nylon wallet anyone?
And yes, huge Peavey rig, bi-amped, with a Kramer Stryker...replaced in early 90s with an Ibanez Soundgear and beat to h3ll 400rb into Crate 215.
Don't forget too much Drakkar Noir, and the permanent 5:00 shadow; the skunk fauxhawk and ripped denim jacket with diy mural on the back. Blue dot docs and spiky or bullets belt with tapered jeans? Clean up for holidays at the grandparent's with an Ocean Pacific sweat shirt and grey corduroy with Eastland loafers.
Velcro/ nylon wallet anyone?
And yes, huge Peavey rig, bi-amped, with a Kramer Stryker...replaced in early 90s with an Ibanez Soundgear and beat to h3ll 400rb into Crate 215.
That reminds me.... a local radio station once held a contest to see who could explain the difference between Cinderella and Poison. The winning answer was the mousse/gel ratio!
I made a life journey in the 80's and went through my share of cliches.
Started with long hair, tight jeans, leopard spandex top and playing rock with a pick.
Went to mullet, leather jacket with broad shoulders and slapping to pop music.
All in three years
But always with my beloved Vantage
Started with long hair, tight jeans, leopard spandex top and playing rock with a pick.
Went to mullet, leather jacket with broad shoulders and slapping to pop music.
All in three years
But always with my beloved Vantage
Those were much more a 1970's thing than 1980's. I used to play in a band with a guitar player in the 1970's who had a Dan Armstrong.
I believe Geezer Butler is playing one on the cover for "Volume Four", so yeah Dan Armstrong bass = 1970's.
Analogeezer
I can't believe there are five pages to this thread and nobody has brought up the essential 80's metal god ingredient; CHEST HAIR.
If you had it you flaunted it with your outfit, if you didn't have it you covered up your chest LOL
Analogeezer
If you had it you flaunted it with your outfit, if you didn't have it you covered up your chest LOL
Analogeezer
Indeed, tons of great players in the 1980's. I never liked Duran Duran much at all but when their songs would come on the radio I would leave them on just to hear the bass lines. That guy WAS GOOD.
Analogeezer
