Thursday, January 25, 2007
Bitchin' 80s
Thanks to everyone who left birthday greetings. I hadn't meant to make a big deal out of it but Mrs. Mentok spilled the beans over on her site. I have to admit it was nice to get b'day greetings from the blogger crowd.
During my various birthday celebrations, I noticed several things that started to bug me:
- At a bar/night club Mrs. M and I frequent on our 'date nights', the 20-yr-old kids were relatively lethargic when new music was played but started grooving out when Toni Basil's Hey Mickey or anything by The Cure was played.
Toni Basil - Hey Mickey
- At another trendy bar we went to after the movies, the background music did not feature a single song recorded after 1993. Bar patrons and staff alike were observed to get especially excited when the Violent Femme's Blister in the Sun started playing.
Violent Femmes - Blister in the Sun
- The biggest recent concert gig in our area was The Rolling Stones.
Rolling Stones - Satisfaction
- The big touring musical production currently in our area is Jesus Christ Superstar, starring whazizname, buddy who played Jesus in the 1973 movie.
Ted Neeley, Jesus Christ Superstar - Poor Jerusalem
- The movie theatres are full of remakes, sequels and adaptations of classic TV shows.
I could go on at great length, but you get the point. My question is:
When are these fucking kids going to get their own shit?
I mean, really, do today's 20-somethings have no imagination of their own?
The problem with the youth of today is that they have no gumption.
Why, in my day, we had disrespect for our elders.
Ever heard the expression "hippy shit"? How about the expression "disco sucks"? That was my generation that came up with those. We couldn't stand any sort of music or fashion from even slightly previous eras. We invented a whole new look and style for ourselves that owed very little to the past. And we were thankful!
But today's young people? Bah! It's all mohawk haircuts, 70s long scarves and T-shirts branded with "classic" TV shows and rock bands from the 70s and 80s. Even that drippy Sufjan Stevens, whom I can't stand, is nothing more than Donovan on sedatives.
Donovan - Atlantis
So, get off your asses, young people. Start inventing some interesting new stuff. We don't need to go through the 80s all over again. Believe me, I had ten years worth of the 80s and that was enough, I don't need anymore.
This is supposed to be the dawn of a new century. Isn't it time we started acting like it and quit regurgitating the 20th Century?
posted by Mentok @ 9:38 a.m.,
15 Comments:
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At 4:31 p.m.,
said...
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i just recently heard there was an old dude around here..
looks like i'm right..:)
too lazy to sign in so i'll do the anymoose thing..
schaumi -
At 9:22 p.m.,
X said...
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Hey Mentok,
Forget about your inhaler, try this:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070125.wsmoking0125/BNStory/specialScienceandHealth/home -
At 12:21 a.m.,
Suzan Abrams, email: suzanabrams@live.co.uk said...
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You're so right, Mentok.
Which brings to mind that loads of pop hits these days are actually remixes from the older years.
And they're still cool!
But you do strike a sharp chord that indeed, originality is lacking. :-) -
At 8:14 a.m.,
said...
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ha ha, sufjan is donovan on sedatives.
is that you in that photo? ;-) -
At 11:12 a.m.,
Grumps said...
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Naw - can't be. I knew Mentok in the 80s and he was already balding then.
Just kidding Mentok!
And getting back at you for complaining about today's kids. That's my turf!
My problem with the stuff that they're mimicking these days is it was crap back then. Dukes of Hazzard, The A-Team, Dallas? They all sucked and should be left in their electronic graves.
Don't even get me started on 80s music. That was like a lost decade for me. All that techo-spew: blechhh! Rock got good again when they rediscovered the acoustic guitar and put away the synths! -
At 11:28 a.m.,
Mentok said...
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No, that isn't me in the photo, just some guy on the internet. But now that you ask, check out his hilarious page documenting his whacky haircuts through the years. This guy needs to get a life, and a girlfriend (although the latter might be asking a bit much).
Grumps - you are so full of shit about 80s music, you hippy lover ;-)
Elvis Costello, the Violent Femmes, the Cure, Eurhythmics, the Dead Kennedys, Joe Jackson. There was a lot more to that decade than "techno-spew"...
But there was a lot of that, for sure. Thomas Dolby, anyone? I notice he hasn't made the comeback rounds although so many of his one-hit wonder peers have.
Still and all, good or bad, "techno-spew" or not, all of that music has gotten seriously over-played and over-imitated. Time to give it a rest. -
At 2:35 p.m.,
FiL said...
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Mentok, you lovable, old curmudgeon, you! I recall during the 80s there was a good deal of sixties-worshipping going on. Lots of Doors t-shirts etcetera. And the 70s saw all that 50s nostalgia - Happy Days, anyone?? So I'd argue that this is part of the same cycle. Besides, what's wrong with appreciating music from bygone eras?
While from time to time you do get seismic shifts in music, let's face it - nothing really develops spontaneously. Everything is the result of one form of music shagging another. Punk? Groupsex between MC5, Stooges, the NY Dolls, and the Kingsmen. New Wave? A dalliance between punk, funk, disco, and reggae. It's all just strands unravelling and recombining. Sometimes the weave looks similar to what has gone before, sometimes not...
And apologies for the ribald references - I must have the upcoming Contrast Podcast on my mind! Speaking of which, word verification = vmfoowks. Rather rude, eh? -
At 5:35 p.m.,
Mentok said...
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Fil - yes, curmudgeon is what I was going for with this bit. In the immortal words of the pinata horse "that was ACTING, children!"
Yes, OK, there was a big Doors thing going on in the 80s, but I wouldn't say there was all that much 60s worship back them. The greed culture of the time was mostly focused on exposing hippies as a bunch of hypocrites, you'll recall.
But, of course, you're right, all music - all culture, really - evolves from the past. It just seems to me that this generation is unusual in the degree of its sentimentality about the past.
Also, it seems odd to me that we've spent most of the first decade of a new century looking backwards rather than forwards. That can't be a good thing. For one thing, it's going to be at least another 40 years now before the memory of all those crappy, knock-off Hanna Barbera cartoons is eliminated from the culture ;-) -
At 5:36 p.m.,
Mentok said...
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On another matter, my loving wife informs that the person in the hilarious haircut link above is actually a woman, not a man.
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At 6:16 p.m.,
FiL said...
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Ah, but to draw a parallel, the 20th century didn't really start until 1914. Those first 14 years were really the dying off of the 19th century. But that's just me being pedantic...
Let's not forget there might have been cultural differences in our respective 80s experiences. After all, I spent that decade in the US, and Canada is not quite the 51st state... ;-)
Oh, and did I mention that in just over a week we're having an 80s party chez nous? It's true. ASs the Police sang, "you will find synchronicity." Ooops, too much backwards looking... ;-)
Have a lovely weekend! -
At 6:17 p.m.,
FiL said...
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"ASs??" Dang, that Contrast Podcast is fooling with my head...
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At 11:03 a.m.,
Mentok said...
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Good point about the first 14 years of the 20th century. WW I defined the start of the 20th. I wonder what will define the 21st? Perhaps 9/11 was already our "Shot Heard Round the World". Perhaps it will be a future event like the death of big oil or something.
I doubt that our cultural differences were that big in the 80s. Canadian culture tends to come and go in waves, and in the 80s I think Canada and the US were more alike than now.
An 80s party hosted by people who actually knew the decade would be a lot of fun. You simply must post some pictures afterwards. But, yes, there's that whacky synchronicity again. How's the lamp working?
As for the X-rated podcast...say no more, say no more, wink's as good as a nod to a blind bat. ;-) -
At 11:21 a.m.,
Grumps said...
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Mentok, Costello and the Femmes aren't bad examples but for each of these you can list dozens of others that sucked. I have two words for you: Platinum Blonde.
And no, I'm not an old dude stuck in the 60s and 70s. I like the direction music is taking these days. I like the fact that the Roots genre now has its own listing on download sites.
I LOVE the indy scene and how the Internet can be used by these artists to promote themselves because commercial radio is so bad at doing it.
I also think what's happening here in the province is amazing. There are some great bands from right here in Grumpsland - The Straight Faced Liars and The Deep Dark Woods are just two of many.
The Juno awards take place here in April and the plan I hear it to give exposure to at least 50 Saskatchewan artists. I think the country will be floored at the depth of talent we have here. -
At 8:47 p.m.,
Bathroom Hippo said...
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A special birthday boy's blog makes a certain appearance in somebody's movie... -
At 11:47 a.m.,
Dino said...
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i miss the 80s and early 90s I was a teen and had no responsibiliteis but partying so much fun
