The start of the eighties was strange because with in one year people were changing from having long hair and playing classic rock type stuff to going out and having their hair cut like Flock of Seagulls. It was 1981 and I went to visit Hollywood and Missing Persons was playing live. There really was a new wave as all at once we had another English Invasion. I still have never in my life seen a time when stuff was in or out. Maybe the only bands which lasted were bands like King Crimson and only because they did a complete 180 with their sound recording the great comeback album Discipline.
The band Oingo Boingo was a long lasting Bay Area band who made it. From Europe we had Duran Durans' Girls On Film, we had ABC, we had Adam and the Ants which first album Derk Wears White Socks used the complete back up band for Bow Wow Wow before Malcome created Bow Wow Wow. The great underground song was the EP from Wall of Voodoo which had a cover of Johnny Cashs' Ring Of Fire.
The only Metal I can even think of being popular was Ozzy with Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman. New wave was a complete sensation. After the Clash recorded Sandinista it really felt like a milestone for the movement. The cure was really not that popular until Lets Go To Bed made them a success in the mid eighties. There early hit was A Forrest which which was never mainstream and remained cool for only the in crowd to enjoy. The real eighties for new wave really only lasted from 81 to 85 and after that you had a newer different wave of stuff like Dead or Alives' You Spin Me Round.
In the early 80s a major influence was Talking Heads, More Songs About Buildings and Food. Gang of Four had a hit with Man in a Uniform. Gary Newman had his early releases and even Brian Eno and David Burn had great success with My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts. So by looking at the music you can tell that all of a sudden there was these influences from world music. The new Yamaha DX7 was in total use all over in mix with this world beat. Many new talents were on the basis of grand vocal talent which still shines through today in albums like Electric Cabaret by Soft Cell. Duran Duran had this new romantic sound down along with Hair Cut One Hundred. Even Adam and the Ants second album has this new romantic style which seemed to be contagious.
Bill Nelson had a great single called Flaming Desire! Again we see an artist from the past changing to conform to this new wave. Nina Hagen sings New York-New York.........Play that U-tube video for your 15 year old and note the reaction. Lena Lovich had the hit New Toy! All this I'm writing was going on before 1984. A great documentary that can be found is called Urgh a music war. Urgh a music war is both a great soundtrack as well as a movie with a lot of the bands listed here playing live. Split Ends were great as well as XTC. A complete list here can not be complete with out a mention of The Go Gos! There first album with We Got The Beat was always played. I'm sure I forgot a couple of bands but that is my list.
