In Defense of The 80's

I'm about to say something that will probably make me very unpopular.

I'm sick of the '60s and '70s.

I know Who's Next, the Doors are closed, there are no more bullets in my Revolver, the Rolling Stones have clearly been gathering moss, and dispensing with wit for a moment, if I hear one more person start squealing over how great Zeppelin was I think I may throw something.

I will not deny for a picosecond that some incredible music came out of those decades. Music that made indelible impressions on instruments, genres, and people.

And it's time to move on folks.

I would like to ask about the '80s. The poor, misunderstood, kitcsh-saturated '80s. Where is the advocate for the '80s? And I don't mean in the sense of nostalgia or camp, but the same critical lens that we use to look at Dylan. I mean, let's face it, look at the lyrics from "Yellow Submarine". Does that really have any more artistic merit than "Sledgehammer"? Honestly?

I don't really have a clever way to wrap this up, but I would like top encourage people to dig out an old Def Leppard album or something similar, look past the hair and the overly tight pants and see if perhaps there isn't something there really worth listening to.

-CB

-CB