End...Begin...End...Begin

Again, no top of 2006 list for me. But here's something close.

Top from 1981-1986 (otherwise known as the high school years).

But a couple of caveats...I tried to stick with releases that actually came out during that time period. I also avoided the big names, just because those songs are easily found. So the skipped list is long:

Psychedelic Furs - Love My Way
Clash - Straight To Hell
Violent Femmes - Add It Up
Cure - Close to Me
The Smiths - How Soon is Now
Scritti Politti - Absolute
Roxy Music - More Than This
OMD - Crush
Orange Juice - I Can't Help Myself
Tones on Tails - There's Only One
This single represented a lot...I searched for it everywhere, so hard to find and when I finally did it was outrageously priced.
English Beat - Save it For Later
Fishbone - Skankin' To The Beat
Originally a b-side to Party At Ground Zero, a different version later appeared on the soundtrack for Say Anything.
Minor Threat - Out of Step
Bad Brains - I Against I
Felt - Mobile Shack
Untouchables - I Spy (for the F.B.I)

And that's just the tip of the iceberg...The Specials, Madness, Love and Rockets, Bauhaus, Joydivision, Police, SNFU (scarecrow, anyone?), the list is long.

There are some cliches in there...but you gotta remember, when these songs came out no one was listening to them where I lived. In my high school of roughly 1600 kids the 50 of us or so who were into these songs were ridiculed and teased for listening to the music. By the time I graduated in 1986, the majority of kids had appropriated about half of the music, heck, how many people went to a prom during the later 80's where Alphaville's "Forever Young" was the theme 2-3 years after it was released and we were tired of it?



Wolfgang Press - My Life (1986)
A 4AD release, the album was beautifully put together, both physically and musically. A bit challenging at times but one of my favorite albums of all times. I wanted my hair like the singer's for the longest time.


Lloyd Cole and the Commotions - Forest Fire (1985)
Loved his lyrics and his voice. He made my teenage head think.


Tuxedomoon - The Cage (1982)
Although not my favorite song by them, it was this 12" that introduced me to the band. Purchased strictly because the cover and band name intrigued me. Couldn't find a photo with Winston in it...bummer!


Vandals - Urban Struggle (1982) REMOVED
This song is hysterical. Still makes me laugh.
Band page here. Steven "Stevo" Jensen, the lead singer of this era of the Vandals, died in 2005.


A Certain Ratio - Anthem (1986) REMOVED
Again, not necessarily my favorite song, but the album that introduced me to the band and one of the first CD's I bought. It sounded amazing through headphones. I was so amazed to not hear any of the crackles and pops on an LP and to be able to skip directly to any song I wanted.


Spandau Ballet - Chant No. 1 (1982) REMOVED
Diamond was an album that worked so well as an album, listened to from beginning to end. My bass instructor thought I was mad when I brought this CD in and asked him to help me with some of the songs. He had long rocker-styled hair and was about 10 years older than me. That photo is cracking me up.


Fiat Lux - Secrets REMOVED
This song is the epitome of New Wave goodness. Ahhh...Fiat Lux.

So there you go...hope you enjoy them. Hope your new years was great as well. Here's to 2007.


TechTag: Music