To kick off February, let’s rewind to 1986, when Stacey Q’s “Two of Hearts” became a top-five hit. How nicely its peppy sound complements this week’s earlier post about cute, shiny ’80s collectibles. But as is the case with many aspects of ’80s culture and style, there’s often more than meets the eye…
Spotlight: ’80s Cute
Shiny plastic, bright ceramics, grids, dots and diagonals… What fun it was to be a kid in the ’80s! I remember perpetually shopping at a store called It’s a Small World, hunting for the most colorful pens, stickers and toys I could find. And no color was spared–from pastels to hot candy hues, ’80s trinkets looked good enough to eat.
Friday Video Pick: “Radio Silence” by Thomas Dolby
Only Thomas Dolby can get away with mixing Greek statues, ’20s gramophones and vintage science motifs. This video is stylistically amazing. Some images seem to be lifted straight from a mad scientist’s lab, while others reference radio-age technology with a bit of whimsy.
The ’80s Scientific Aesthetic
“Science!” It’s not just a declaration from your favorite Thomas Dolby song… And believe it or not, the pictures above are not from your high school science textbook. They come from the movies and music videos of the 1980s, a decade in which science took center stage in the realm of entertainment.
Friday Video Picks: Boy George Then and Now
There’s nothing better than when a favorite singer from your childhood is still going strong 30 years later! Enter Boy George, who has recently garnered praise for his collaboration with standout musician Mark Ronson.
’80s Nightlife: Arcades
Welcome to the first post of our “’80s Nightlife” series, which will spotlight depictions of 1980s pop culture and design during the post-sunset hours. Movies and television shows of this era displayed a penchant for big-city skylines with neon lights, nightclubs featuring the best in new wave music and excess-ive evening wear, and plenty of synth and saxophone accompaniments to glam it up.
Friday Video Pick: “Give” by Missing Persons
Enjoy this 1984 track by Missing Persons. Rarely do so many factors combine to make ’80s video perfection!
Moon Deluxe by Frederick Barthelme
Frederick Barthelme’s Moon Deluxe is a short story collection filled with vivid descriptions of contemporary American life–suburban apartment complexes, beach-side tourist traps, shops selling bright distractions… Quirky characters stumble through everyday life with understated brilliance. It’s the little things that make this book so big.
Friday Video Pick: “All the Things She Said” by Simple Minds
We all love that song from The Breakfast Club, but for today let’s hear one of Simple Minds’ OTHER hits…
Spotlight: Destroy All Movies!!! The Complete Guide to Punks on Film
If you’ve ever identified with punk culture or been amused by Hollywood’s countless stereotypes of leather-clad rebellious youth, this book is for you. Edited by Zack Carlson and Bryan Connolly, who painstakingly combed VHS tape after VHS tape for traces of punk-dom, Destroy All Movies!!! The Complete Guide to Punks on Film is the most comprehensive catalog of media-depicted punk culture in print. Seriously.
