The Afterword

Musings on the byways of popular culture

Menu

Giddy Carousel of Pop podcast

by 14 Comments

Hi poopkids, as fans of the collective works of messrs Ellen and Hepworth, I thought you might enjoy the Giddy Carousel of Pop podcast (@GiddyPopPod on twitter). available on all your usual podcast platforms. Each episode sees myself and Simon G take the staples out of an old issue of Smash Hits from the Eighties and go through it with the finest of tooth combs. Each time we have a special guest to help us and episode one stars Dr Volume of this parish. Episode 2 coming soon!

Eighties Elton

by 12 Comments

As part of my research on an eighties music podcast I am doing I have been enjoying this time period in the career of Sir Reginald of Dwight.

It is an admittedly mixed bag with a few surprising gems mixed in. What is the consensus on this forgotten decade (by no less than the man himself – he barely does any numbers live from this time)?

There is a case to be made that this period is underrated in the same way his heyday seventies are a smidgen maybe overrated? Thoughts?

Here is a gem to start with (lyrics by no less than Tom Robinson)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s90gjvDSJhY

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/elton-john-part-1-1980-1982/id1486104117?i=1000455833451

Modern Music for 80s Nerd

by 67 Comments

Very much an eighties child who also very much finds 98% of modern music leaves me cold with its pro-tooled, digital-sheened, auto-tuned, millennial-whoopy cynical generic blandness.

Can anyone recommend any millennial acts/songs that would please a lover of eighties music? I tried Hot Chip (after reading they would fit the remit) and they left me cold. Any suggestions? Cheers!

Happy Birthday, Your Madge

by 35 Comments

Yes, Madonna celebrates a big birthday today. Dunno what the general opinion of her music is on here, but I’ve always liked her (she was the first pop star I had on my wall at the age of 7 or so; I think I thought she was “pretty” which I guess when you’re 7 is as far as it goes) and you can’t deny she’s had some excellent records.

Over on the Twitts there is a top 5 thing going on; I’m not suggesting we do that here (it’s an interesting read, mind), but it’s certainly worth some celebration.

Here’s probably my favourite (from around the time I put the poster up). A fantastic record, with some fantastically unsubtle innuendo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52iW3lcpK5M

The Next Bowie Box Set….

by 22 Comments

With the announcement of Bowie’s “Berlin” box set, A New Career In A New Town, I’m wondering what the next one will be called? Given they are named after songs, i’d hazard a guess at Dancing With The Big Boys? Which would contain:

Let’s Dance Tonight Never Let Me Down Black Tie White Noise Serious Moonlight live Glass Spider live Re:Call 4

Any other suggestions?

A somewhat different music list – TV Cream 100 Greatest Singles

by 13 Comments

I’ve been dipping into the TV Cream website for many years now – they style themselves as a 70s & 80s pop culture repository and though they can veer into the “Spangles & Chopper bikes” nostalgia zone, I mostly find them pleasingly irreverent…

Years ago they published a top 100 singles list, and have recently updated it… they’re not clear on how it was arrived at, though the comments clearly indicate some kind of voting system, but it’s a pleasingly bonkers celebration of 70s/80s pop & rock, and probably more diverse than many “cooler” charts out there… I’d also wager there’ll be a few “blimey, I’d forgotten about that” moments to be had too, especially in the YT clips they provide…

It might just be a bit too-uncool-for-school for us Afterworders, but I’d like to think it might also be a bit of an antidote to the angst-y handwringing we can sometimes be guilty of in analysing our listening likes & dislikes…

Top 10 in the comments (the number 1 might raise a few eyebrows), and the whole list is at the link, enjoy and have at it (and remember, don’t have nightmares…)

http://www.tvcream.co.uk/category/pop/100-greatest-singles-ever/

None Eightiesier?

by 48 Comments

The checklist:

The sounds:

A full orchestra of multiple Yammy DX7s multiply plinking dee-ex-sevenily.

A whackjob snaredrum that makes you wince on every backbeat.

Faux bakerstreety alto sax break in the middle because the verses and choruses have got a bit boring.

The images:

Big hair

Big shirts

Extreme chest exposure

Big trousers hoisted up to navel level

Rolled-up sleeves

Pale pink and powder blue colourways

Pointless set design featuring weirdass geometric black and white shapes

Lame-o jerky animation inserts whenever Rod’s lame-o jerky dancing begins to pall

It’s got the lot! Can you do better, reader?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sY2WIFGQttE