80s Arena  ::

+ 6 - 10 | § ¶80s Empire Arena Has Moved!

From now on we'll be blogging on Blogger - so be sure to update your bookmarks to: http://80sempire.blogspot.com

+ 10 - 11 | § ¶Jackie - the Annual 2010

Jackie - the Annual 2010 [CD Box set] (£11.69)

In the early ‘80s I used to write for ‘Jackie’ and its sister publication ‘Jackie Pop Special’. Throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s, Jackie was a phenomenon - quite simply the most popular magazine for girls. The magazine finally closed in the early ‘90s but while it’s gone it certainly isn’t forgotten. Riding high on a wave of nostalgia you can now buy Jackie-related books and CDs in time for Christmas.

I’ve been listening to the latest 3-CD set ‘Jackie The Annual 2010’ which lets you relive Jackie’s ‘70s heyday with a great collection of some of the best hits of the decade. As with all such collections the mix of musical styles is sometimes a bit odd - I mean, how many people who are happy to rock along with Slade’s ‘Coz I Luv You’ and Alice Cooper’s ‘School’s Out’ are going to be equally keen on Gilbert O’Sullivan’s ‘Claire’ or Donny Osmond’s The Twelfth Of Never’, I wonder?

The choice of music is pretty wide ranging in fact: everything from Barry White to David Bowie. While there are certainly plenty of songs that are likely to appeal to men, the ‘Jackie’ angle will no doubt make this a set that is mainly bought by (or for) women - and just to hammer that home, the disk set even features the ultimate ‘70s heartthrob, David Cassidy, on its cover.

Mind you, there were some boys who had a soft spot for David too! Swoon...

Track listing and samples available on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jackie-Annual-2010-Various-Artists/dp/B002QXNN30/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1257695335&sr=1-1

+ 12 - 10 | § ¶80s Radio Launch

"Absolute Radio is to launch an 80s station catering for "reluctant adults" who want to reconnect with the tunes of their youth.

"The new station, Absolute 80s, will be broadcast from early December on the internet and the London DAB – digital audio broadcasting – slot currently occupied by Absolute Xtreme.

"Absolute 80s aims to be a "nostalgia trip" for 30- to 54-year-olds, playing 80s pop from the likes of the Human League, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Duran Duran, Prince, ABC, Depeche Mode, Blondie and Bon Jovi."

Read more on The Guardian

+ 10 - 12 | § ¶Michael Jackson Special on All 80s Radio

All 80s Radio, the free internet radio station, is broadcasting a Michael Jackson Special all next week. This will feature comments from Janet and other Jackson family members, comments from lots of other stars and (of course!) lots and lots of Michael’s greatest hits. If you are a Michael Jackson fan, be sure to tune in to All 80s Radio.

+ 18 - 28 | § ¶The 80s Empire Goes Interactive

We now have a new 'social networking' site. Join us and you can create your own web page, write your own blog, upload pictures, movies and songs and chat in the forum. All 80s fanatics are welcome. It is, of course, free. The place to go is:

http://80sempire.ning.com/

+ 18 - 13 | § ¶Pyrenean Mountain Dog Puppies

What's this got to do with the '80s? Nothing! But just in case you were wondering why this Blog has been quiet recently, this is the answer:

My dog, Bethan, had pups!

Yes, it was planned - she is a Pyrenean Mountain Dog and she had nine beautiful puppies. It was a remarkable experience both for her and for me. I've never delivered a dog before (or anything else apart from a letter) and watching them grow up over the past few weeks has been remarkable. Oh, but how I will miss them when they go. I have decided to keep two of them, but I will be incredibly sad when the other seven go. They are just so lovely!

Anyway, I won't bother you with any more stories about my pups. If you are interested, you can see more pictures of them at my oter site: http://pyr.darkneon.com

+ 9 - 16 | § ¶Get 80s The Cop-show Look

Thanks to The Times, you too can look at glamorous as Keeley Hawes in the BBC’s fab 1980s time-travel cop show, Ashes To Ashes...

Follow their guide HERE.

And if you haven’t seen Ashes To Ashes yet, here’s a lovely Spandaulicious trailer for series two:

+ 18 - 15 | § ¶Which 80s band should reform next?

That’s the question being asked by the money experts at The Times newspaper.

With Duran Duran enjoying huge success since their reformation and Spandau Ballet hoping to do equally good business, the Times believes that 80s bands could be big money-spinners.

Their top vote for a comeback is Wham! Ah yes, how wonderful it would be to see Andrew Ridgeley wearing cheap Hawaiian shirts again while George Michael teases us by poking shuttlecocks down his shorts!

Number ten on the list is the one that struck my eye though - Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan. I wonder what odds Ladbrokes would give you on that duo getting back together?

The full list can be found over on The Times.

+ 16 - 17 | § ¶The Very Best Of 10cc

What a great band 10c were - and still are!

10cc are predominantly associated with the ‘70s, when they had a string of hits such as Donna, Rubber Bullets, The Dean and I, The Wall Street Shuffle, Dreadlock Holiday and I’m Not In Love. All those hits and more are on a new collection, ‘The Very Best of 10cc’.

Not only are these really catchy, tuneful pop songs but the production quality of many of them - for example, the magisterial ‘Under Your Thumb’, ‘I’m Not In Love’ and ‘Cry’ set these songs apart from most of the other hits of the ‘70s.

While 10cc did carry on recording into the ‘80s, they never again had the huge success which they enjoyed in the previous decade. 10cc are on the road again this year (in a new lineup which, it has to be said, lacks the pivotal Godley and Creme). And this new collection is a great reminder of the remarkable musical achievements of this highly versatile group.

More at: www.10ccworld.com

+ 16 - 18 | § ¶Agadoo all over again!!!

According to the BBC, "Black Lace hit Agadoo, named the worst song of all time by a panel of music writers, is being re-released 25 years after it hit number two."

The original version of Agadoo charted in the UK in 1984 thus single-handedly giving the lie to the rumour that the ‘80s was a cool and sophisticated decade!

The video for Agadoo (Mambo 2009 remix) was directed by Bruce Jones, who played Coronation Street's Les Battersby. Black Lace singer Dene Michael said: "With all the doom and gloom in the world, this is just what we need."

Just to get you into the mood, why not pop your handbags on the floor, guys and gals, and dance around to the fabulous original...

+ 17 - 18 | § ¶Spotify - Listen to the 80s (and more) online

If you haven’t already tried it you really should give Spotify a whirl. This is the latest thing in online listening. Like some other services, it lets you search for tracks and listen to your own selections for free. Unlike most services it doesn’t all take place inside a web browser. Spotify has its own slick user interface. Best of all, the music selection is phenomenal - everything from the mainstream classics to really obscure artists (how about The Silicon Teens?), and it also covers pop, jazz, classical, country and more...

The music quality is great and it’s really fast. The free version includes some advertising but (so far, anyway) not too much. Certainly a lot less than most commercial radio stations. The free version is currently available in Sweden, Norway, Finland, the UK, France and Spain. In most other countries Spotify Premium (advertising free) is available for purchase (about £10 a month).

Needless to say, I’m far too mean to pay. But then again, I am very happy with the free version:

http://www.spotify.com/

+ 23 - 23 | § ¶Spandau Ballet Tour Dates

Just announced...

October 2009:
13th – The O2 Dublin
14th – Odyssey Arena, Belfast
16th – Sheffield Arena
17th – Glasgow SECC
20th – London O2 Arena
24th – Birmingham
26th – Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle
28th – Manchester MEN Arena

http://www.spandauballet.com/news/reformation-tour-uk-tour-worl/

+ 21 - 17 | § ¶Reformation - the return of Spandau Ballet

Yup! It's official. Spandau Ballet split in 1989 after a feud which ended up in the High Court in 1999 over song royalties. But now, according to singer, Tony Hadley...

"The boys are back in town and we can't wait. It's going to be brilliant, we're very excited. But it will be very different to how we used to be. "Obviously there'll be all the hits, the nostalgia, but there will also be a new take on what Spandau Ballet are about..."

More on the BBC News site

+ 17 - 21 | § ¶Kylie Won't Sing Pet Shop Boys...

So they'll sing it themselves!

According to the BBC...

When the Pet Shop Boys wrote tracks for Kylie Minogue a couple of years ago, they did not get so much as a "thanks but no thanks".

"We never heard anything back," explains Neil Tennant. "I think every songwriter in London wrote songs for Kylie's last album.

"When we were on tour, we had two male backing singers and both had submitted songs for Kylie's album as well. They never heard anything either."

Chris Lowe, Tennant's partner in the durable pop duo, adds flatly: "We won't be doing it again."

They did not know it at the time, but being blanked by Kylie was a blessing in disguise.

The Boys kept one of her songs for themselves, and the process of penning potential hits for Kylie inspired them to write some of their most poptastic material of recent years.

Read more: on the BBC web site

+ 17 - 20 | § ¶Boy George Jailed!

Well, one has to say the Boy has been e very naughty boy.

Full story HERE.

+ 24 - 21 | § ¶Anthony Dini - an '80s Star For the 2000s?

We don’t normally have much to say about contemporary musicians here on The 80s Empire because, well, they aren’t quite, er, ‘80s enough

I’m going to make an exception for Anthony Dini, however. he contacted me recently to let me know about his new EP, ‘Ridiculous’ which ( as he says) has a “reinventive 80s feel”. I logged onto his web site, listened to some of his music and (amazingly for a grouchy 80s fanatic like me!) thoroughly enjoyed it.

Give them a try. Anthony’s MySpace page is at: www.myspace.com/anthonydinimusic

Incidentally, I made him promise to give me an exclusive interview when he has his first hit. I intend to hold him to that promise!

+ 19 - 22 | § ¶Marilyn Back - and bigger than ever!

We've just heard that Marilyn's album Despite Straight Lines is to be re-issued on CD by Cherry Red Records on November 17th.

The track listing is as follows:

1/ Calling Your Name
2/ Mountain To The Ocean
3/ Surrender To Your Love
4/ Third Eye
5/ Baby U Left Me (In The Cold)
6/ You Don't Love Me
7/ Give It Up
8/ Wear It Out
9/ Cry And Be Free
Bonus Tracks
10/ Calling Your Name - Midnight Party Mix
11/ Move Together
12/ Calling Your Name - Extended Version
13/ Running
14/ Cry And Be Free - Gospel
15/ Cry And Be Free - Streisand Style
16/ Raining Again
17/ Baby U Left Me (In The Cold) - Extended Version

More info on Cherry Red: www.cherryred.co.uk

And, just to whet your appetite, here's a tasty vid of Marilyn performing Cry and Be Free...

+ 23 - 21 | § ¶Jason Donovan, Queen Of The Desert

The Times reports...

Jason Donovan has signed up to star in the stage adaptation of Priscilla Queen Of The Desert. The musical is based on the Oscar-winning 1994 film about a performing trio of two drag queens and a transsexual who drive through the Australian outback. Former Neighbours star Donovan, 40, whose stage credits include Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Sweeney Todd, has been cast as Tick, one of the performers travelling in a bus called Priscilla. The West End production will also star Tony Sheldon and Oliver Thornton. Priscilla Queen Of The Desert The Musical will open at the Palace Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, next March.

+ 22 - 18 | § ¶R.I.P. Rick Wright of Pink Floyd

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7617363.stm

I know The Wall was a big hit for Pink Floyd at the end of the ‘70s/early ‘80s but I personally don’t think this or other ‘80s releases were a high point of the Floyd’s long career. Here instead in a classic of ‘early/middle period’ Pink Floyd - Careful With That Axe, Eugene...

+ 25 - 13 | § ¶80s was the Coolest Decade!

Like as though this is news to me!

Anyhow, I learn from a Sky News articles that...

The 1980s has been voted coolest decade of the past 50 years, according to a survey. Some 41% of people questioned in an online survey said the 80s was their favourite decade, followed by the 60s and the 90s. The Noughties polled as the least cool decade since 1960, with only 10% of people saying it was their favourite.

Read More...