I’m pleased to say that I have refreshed and rebooted my Spotify comp The End of the Innocence, the soundtrack to my over-earnest late 80s. You may be be amused to find that this was my idea of what constituted cool rock in the era of sitting in my parents’ caravan for long afternoons listening to the Stereo Sequence, idly doing my art homework waiting for No Limits to come on, or playing pool at my mate Parky’s house, trying to convince him that Jason & the Scorchers were better than the Smiths.
It’s a world away from NME and John Peel’s notions of ‘cool’ at the time, and so precocious you’d swear I went to grammar school, but it also serves as an alternative 80s, and proof that not all heritage acts completely lost it in this period. So fasten your piano tie, fire up the Fairlight, and set drums to ‘gated’: this is the End of the Innocence. Would be nice to hear your thoughts and memories of this period when AOR briefly ruled the Radio 1 airwaves.
Martin Horsfield says
I should mention that for anyone wanting to truly immerse themselves in this period, this website, put together by Roger Scott’s son, is quite fantastic. I’m currently in the middle of reliving the happy two hours when Dion popped into The Nation’s Favourite for a session and a chat.
http://www.rogerscott.net/radio1#/player1?catid=1&trackid=4
Moose the Mooche says
I bloody loved the Stereo Sequence, especially the doccos.
Roger Scott was a sad loss – outstanding broadcaster.
Martin Horsfield says
Indeed. I’d never heard the Sunday night shows, Scott on Sunday, from the same period. His enthusiasm shines through, and at 2am in the morning, it somehow has the breathless excitement of pirate radio. And I learned so much about music in that period, listening to lengthy interviews with Lou Reed, Randy Newman and the like.
Moose the Mooche says
The classic albums series opened a lot of doors for me. Not least actually hearing the albums themselves in full – Beggars Banquet I remember for example. Very nicely coinciding with CD reissues, and the original artists – Stones, Macca, Neil Young, Dylan – emerging from their mid-80s malaises.
MC Escher says
Yes, a real, actual music loving DJ. Of course I was listening to him in the early days on wunnerful Capital Radio (98.4… efff emm) before he sold out.
MC Escher says
Nice list. Didn’t Diesel Park West come from Leicester?
Martin Horsfield says
I think so, yes. Early Food records signings. Total 60s heads. They seemed pretty exciting at the time, although it fair screams; brown leather jacket.
fentonsteve says
Yes, debut album Shakespeare Alabama is a wonderful example of “the whole band recorded playing live in the studio” – in 1989! The band Del Amitri could have been…
Chrisf says
Great list and I think I have most of those tracks. This was very similar to the stuff I was listening to in the late 80s – I was the uncool student at Uni that liked Genesis, Fleetwood Mac et al (although I recall getting some kudos for liking REM…).
However, surely that list needs Don Henleys “End Of The Innocence” which just snuck into the late 80s in 1989 (actually his Boys Of Summer would be a great fit also…..)
Martin Horsfield says
Oh yes, the End of the Innocence is on there, towards the end. Listening to some old Roger Scott shows yesterday, I heard three songs from that record – it’s held up pretty well.
Nick L says
Some really good tracks on there Martin, will listen to it on the way home. As you say, not an NME list by any stretch but some of the bands were featured in Sounds if memory serves. And Diesel Park West are always touted as a “should have been huge” type band.
johnw says
A. Jason & The Scorchers were/are better than The Smiths (the passage of time has confirmed that)
B. Jason Ringenberg’s new album is another scorcher!
NE1 says
I saw Jason and The Scorchers on a three band bill with The Georgia Satellites and The Kentucky Headhunters at the Ritz in Manchester way back in 2019 when the world was different. Warner Hodges is just a ridiculously good guitar player, I think he was onstage with all three acts. Last night if the tour and simply fantastic.
Turtleface says
Yep – Jason and The Scorchers one of the best live bands I’ve seen
NE1 says
Martin, that’s a playlist I could have made myself as I think I have every track. Our ears seem to have spent the 80’s in a similar musical space. Good stuff.
ishmethit says
Woar, some great tracks there, many that I can recall from my own mixtapes. “Battleship Chains”, used to love that one but never owned it or even managed tape it off the radio. Hard agree, there _was_ another, less cool 80s:
http://www.big-bubbles.fluff.org/blogs/bubbles/blog/2014/02/05/entertainment-u-say/
(Apologies for the disparaging Word reference in there.)
Rosie Vela: I remember a bit of fuss for her debut album because it was a bit of a Steely Dan reunion project. She’d lost her partner, who was a musician, and she was going to record his songs but first she had to figure it out by doing her own music…but I don’t think she ever released any more albums.
Martin Horsfield says
I enjoyed that, thanks. It was a funny time; like a last hurrah for white-bread rock in the video age.
ishmethit says
Cheers. Like the UK goth representation in your playlist too (64-66).
Here’s another great overlooked 80s one, love the vocal on this:
Freddy Steady says
@ishmethit
I’ve got this on 7”! Really really big vocals, you are correct!
retropath2 says
Some excellent what became americana there, and good UK nearly weres. But far too many good songs by popular acts for the then me to have turned my nose down to…..
I’m guessing I’m older and snobbier 😉
Rigid Digit says
Reading therough that playlist is like re-living the years 16 to 18 (with a bit of tolerance either side).Some really great stuff there, and some I should fish out again soon.
.. and there’ me thinking “surely I can’t be the only person who’s heard of Diesel Park West”
The Alarm were a great band, and Spirit of 76 one of their finest
Misplaced Childhood – Best album Marillion ever released.
No room for Zodiac Mindwarp?
Saw Georgia Satellites at Reading Rock 87 – one of a few highlights, and then recorded the set from Tommy Vance’s Friday Rock Show (and The Quireboys set).
Bought the album soon after, and I can’t work out if I already owned Rod Stewart’s Every Picture Tells A Story or the Satellites led me to it (I think it was the latter).
Martin Horsfield says
There perhaps should be room for some Quireboys or Dogs D’Amour. Spirit of 76 is just immense. I’m a sucker for over-reaching passion. You’d defy anyone to say Peters didn’t mean it, man. And those songs from Misplaced Childhood really stand up. They’d clearly been listening to the Police and Simple Minds on top of all that Genesis.
Uncle Mick says
You`re missjng The Rainmakers, Let My people Go Go!
Martin Horsfield says
It’s on there! Unless it’s slipped off due to a glitch.
Blue Boy says
That’s a great list Martin. Amongst ones that were big for me in that period were the albums by Robbie Robertson. Lone Justice, Paul Simon, Edie Brickell, Robert Cray Tracey Chapman and Randy Newman. But any playlist I was putting together for this period would also include – off the top of my head – Style Council, Eurythmics, Bruce, and Joe Jackson.
Freddy Steady says
AEF! One hit wonders if ever there was one. Great one hit though.
Another big fan of Shakespeare Alabama too,
bobness says
Some wondrous choons on there. Im going to give that a spin.
I saw the Dogs D’amour a few times, my mate was a huge fan. One time at Hanley, Bam Bam broke my mates nose. In a friendly way, obvs.
And Come Anytime by the Hoodoo Gurus? I never thought I’d see that anywhere again…
Martin Horsfield says
I bloody love Come Anytime. That, and Cheyenne by the Del Lords, are probably my favourite two songs on here.
bobness says
There are about 10 of my all time fave tunes on that playlist, it’s a cracker!