Bookended by Cats: 2025

Friday, November 21, 2025

Friday 80s Flashback for November 21, 2025

[Psycho Radio Astra Prevention] -- Forty years ago, the week of November 18-22 was packed with good music releases. I could have chosen one for each day of the week. Instead, I limited myself to just four albums, each from a different genre. We have post-punk, hip-hop, prog, and experimental in this week's double two-fer of 80s music selections for your enjoyment.

Psychocandy – The Scottish rock band the Jesus and Mary Chain released their debut album, Psychocandy, on November 18, 1985. This gem of post-punk and shoegaze proved fairly popular in the UK. It peaked at #31 on the UK Albums Chart and all three of its singles –"Never Understand", "You Trip Me Up", and "Just Like Honey" – charted. AllMusic called the album "Beach Boys melodies meet Velvet Underground feedback and beats." In other words, it pummels you, but in a reassuring way, especially "Just Like Honey", at least in my estimation. The album received favorable reviews and sold well, earning Gold certification in the UK. Regarding the album's legacy, Q Magazine, Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, Paste and others have all listed Psychocandy, on various best-of lists (best debut, best of the 80s, greatest British albums, etc.). So, it's not just me telling you this is a must-listen from the 1980s.

Radio – Another debut album released on November 18, 1985, was Radio by LL Cool J. This hip-hop classic was a critical and commercial success, reaching Gold status within its first five months on its way to reaching Platinum status in 1989. It peaked at #71 on the UK Albums Chart, #46 on the US Billboard 200, and #6 on the US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. The first single, "I Can't Live Without My Radio", a love song to the boombox, was a top ten hit on the Billboard R&B singles chart. The last of four singles, "Rock the Bells", peaked at #17 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Check either of those singles to hear why LL was praised for his lyrics and rhymes back in the day.

Astra – British supergroup Asia released their third studio album, Astra, on November 20, 1985. This was the band's first album without original guitarist Steve Howe; he was replaced by Mandy Meyer, formerly of Krokus. Meanwhile, founding member John Wetton was back on bass and lead vocals. The first single, "Go", peaked at #46 and #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the Mainstream Rock charts respectively. "Wishing", an Asia ballad that I love unironically, was the second single and it didn't chart at all. "Too Late" was a promo only release, but it managed to reach #30 on the Mainstream Rock chart. While the singles had fair success, Astra performed poorly, especially in comparison with their self-titled debut of 1982. It peaked at #67 on the Billboard 200 and #68 in their native UK. The band blamed their record label's lack of support for this drop in success, and their canceled tour, though it's not impossible that the updated lineup pushed the band into a musical direction their fans were not ready to embrace. In retrospect, it's a solid prog-rock album with great production and some killer guitar licks. Check out "Hard On Me" and "Countdown to Zero" to hear what this lineup can do. Definitely under-appreciated in its time.

Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention – Released on November 21, 1985, this album's title was a nod to the PMRC (Parents Music Resource Center), a lobby group that campaigned on forcing record companies to put warning labels on "offensive" albums. The title was also a nod to Zappa's former band, the Mothers of Invention. Frank Zappa Meets Mothers of Prevention was interesting in two regards. First, it was largely composed on, though not necessarily recorded with, Synclavier. Second, there are only two songs directly dealing with the so-called Mothers of Prevention, and each one appears on a different release. The US album had "Porn Wars", a collage of instrumental music mixed with soundbites from the PMRC Congressional hearings. The UK release had "H.R. 2911", a watered down version of "Porn Wars" with all soundbites and dialog cut. Oh, and this latter tune was named after a copyright bill that was passed in 1985. The best cut on the US release might have been "We're Turning Again", a weird jazz composition featuring synthesizers and xylophone. The UK release's best track, in my opinion, was "I Don't Even Care", a groovy little rocker featuring Johnny "Guitar" Watson. But don't sleep on "What's New In Baltimore?" or "One Man, One Vote". Frank Zappa Meets Mothers of Prevention barely charted on the Billboard 200, peaking at #153. But Zappa was never concerned with such trifling matters as popularity. So, considering the album's merits as a mix of (computer) instrumental and classical Zappa ethos, I feel he succeeded in what he wanted to accomplish: Compose boldly, and call out the powers that be while doing so.

You've read my words. Now listen to the music. 🎶

Flashback #1: Psychocandy (November 18, 1985)

Flashback #2: Radio (November 18, 1985)

Flashback #3: Astra (November 20, 1985)

Flashback #4: Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention (November 21, 1985) -- As mentioned above, the US and UK releases differed. This playlist includes all 10 potential tracks, making it a trans-Atlantic endeavor similar to the 1995 CD re-release. But this track numbering follows the original US release and then slaps the extra UK songs at the end.

And that's all till next week. Dedicated 80s-philes can find more flashbacks in the Prophet or Madman archives or via Bookended's 80s Flashback tag. As always, your comments are welcome on today's, or any other, flashback post. And if you like what I'm doing here, please share the link with your friends. If, however, you don't like the flashback, feel free to share it with your enemies.

See you in seven!

Friday, November 14, 2025

Friday 80s Flashback for November 14, 2025

[40 Years Deep] -- Forty years ago this week, The Outfield released their hugely successful debut album, Play Deep. The debut single, "Say It Isn't So," reached #18 on the Mainstream Rock chart. The second single, "Your Love," was a huge hit for them, peaking at #6 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Mainstream Rock charts. Single number three, "All the Love," peaked at #19 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and #14 on US Mainstream Rock charts. That's two of three singles peaking in Billboard's Top 20 list. And all three songs also charted in the UK and several other countries.

Buoyed by these hits, Play Deep went double platinum. And because this album was so well crafted in terms of songwriting and recording, I think these songs have hardly aged. In particular, "Your Love" is a perfect tune for blaring on the stereo while driving down the road. It's even better if the weather is warm enough that you can roll down the windows and have your left hand on the car door tapping along.

The Outfield was active as a band from 1984 through 2014. They officially disbanded in 2014 after the death of John Spinks, the band's songwriter, lead guitarist, and backing vocalist. Six years later, Tony Lewis passed; he had been The Outfield's lead singer and bassist.

But their music lives on.

Flashback #1: "Play Deep (November 12, 1985)

See you in seven!

Friday, November 7, 2025

Friday 80s Flashback for November 7, 2025

[40 Year Addiction] -- Forty years ago this week, Robert Palmer (1949 – 2003) released his eighth solo studio album, Riptide. While not exactly critically acclaimed back in the day, Riptide is now considered a perfect packaging of 80s commercial sensibilities with Palmer's persuasive R&B stylings. And that's not to say it wasn't a successful release. The album peaked at #5 in the UK and at #8 on the US Billboard 200. It also achieved double Platinum sales in the US.

This album launched five singles. Of those five, "Addicted to Love" and "I Didn't Mean to Turn You On" were quite successful. "Addicted to Love" reached the #1 position on the US Billboard Hot 100, the US Billboard Top Rock Tracks, and the US Cash Box charts while also climbing charts globally. The song's distinctive music video was part of the driving force behind that chart success. That music video's style also pretty much became his trademark. "I Didn't Mean to Turn You On" reached merely #79 on the Billboard Hot 100, but it did climb much higher on some other charts and was in steady rotation on the radio and MTV (remember those music outlets, folks?).

All told, Riptide mainly hews to the terrain traveled by The Power Station, the supergroup with whom Palmer released an album earlier in 1985, but there are worse roads to follow.

Flashback: Riptide (November 4, 1985)

See you in seven!

Friday, October 31, 2025

Friday 80s Flashback for October 31, 2025

[Halloween!] -- Though not as rare as a full moon on Halloween, this year the spooky holiday falls on a Friday. That means it's time for a very special Halloween edition of the Friday 80s Flashback. Now, I'm sure you've all been good little ghouls and ghosts and goblins and whatever. So, to ensure you get the most 80s goodness possible, and that you receive it in a timely manner, I'm revisiting the mega-Flashback I originally posted for Halloween 2011. All embedded videos and text links have been thoroughly checked, and updated if necessary. And, just like in 2011 (and a few other years), you can check out all the tunes featured in this week's flashback as a single video playlist! And it's six tracks, twice the content of my previous standard of three themed weekly offerings! Of course, you can still check out the songs one at a time, the option which includes my comments and recollections. But either way, you're getting great 80s music for the Halloween weekend!

Flashback #1: "I don't want to live my life again."

In 1989, we were presented with yet another film adaptation of a Stephen King novel. This time around, it was the bestselling Pet Semetary (Side note #1: it is redundant to include "bestselling" when introducing a Stephen King novel? I mean, aren't they all bestsellers? I'll Google that later). (Side note #2: Pet Semetary received another film adaptation in 2019). Pet Semetary won the 1984 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel. The movie adaptation, however, fared less well as it has about a 50% rating on Rotten Tomatoes (and the reboot's rating currently hovers around 58%). Dale Midkiff, who plays the head of the tragic Creed family in the film, later went on to do many forgettable TV movies. But I'll always remember him for Elvis and Me (1988) and Time Trax (1993-1994). Anyway, back to Pet Semetary, there were two truly great treasures to come out of that movie. (1) Herman Munster -- er, Fred Gwynne -- as the homespun neighbor who knows way too much about the local burial grounds, and (2) The Ramones performing the movie's theme song.

Flashback #2: "Freaks come in all shapes, sizes and colors."

I never heard of our second flashback artist until my college roommate played their 1984 album, Escape, in our dorm room. I guess he was familiar with hip-hop and rap because he grew up outside of Philadelphia, whereas I grew up ... well, I grew up in the middle of nowhere. Pittsburgh was the closest city to my hometown, and it was still several hours away. And it was not exactly a hot bed for hip hop (as far as I can recall). Anyway, our second flashback isn't technically a Halloween song, but with its chorus of "The freaks come out at night," it certainly fits with the general theme. And 30+ years ago, Whodini's Escape was considered a groundbreaking hip-hop album, with each song telling a specific story from a decidedly urban perspective. It was certified platinum, and it sold over one million copies on its release. So, get dressed up in your best leather jacket, chains and spikes, and get ready to party after midnight with Whodini and "The Freaks Come Out at Night."

Flashback #3: "I'm your DJ now, Princey!"

In 1996, Kevin Williamson turned the horror genre on its ear with the slasher film, Scream. About eight years before that, DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince turned their rap skills on the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, delighting the ears and funny bones of the music-buying public. Showcasing the charm and savvy that would later serve him well on his own TV series, the Fresh Prince (whom we now all know as mega-movie star Will Smith) tells the story of "A Nightmare on My Street" in which he has a terrifying encounter with Fred. Fred is obviously Freddy Kruger from the Nightmare films, but the song is not an official part of the series' soundtracks. It was considered for inclusion in A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master, but was (ahem) slashed from the playlist. Subsequently, some original pressings of of He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper (1988) included a disclaimer sticker stating that the song had zero affiliation with the films. But, even without the licensing or approval of Freddy and the gang, "A Nightmare on My Street" reached #15 on Billboard Charts and He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper was eventually certified triple platinum.

Flashback #4: "I'm gonna get you, get you after midnight."

The 80s are riddled with horror films with brilliant soundtracks. But not all of them can be considered rock horror films. Trick or Treat (1986) is a classic example of a rock horror movie ... at least a hard rock/heavy metal horror movie. With a dead rock star as the villain, cameos by Gene Simmons (as local radio DJ "Nuke") and Ozzy Osbourne (as a televangelist!), and Skippy from Family Ties as the main protagonist, Trick or Treat had all the ingredients ... for cult movie fandom! That's a shame, really, but if you look back on it as a product of the times, you can appreciate its stand against the assertion that rock music had backwards Satanic messages hidden in them. But this flashback is about music, and the Trick or Treat soundtrack, completely written and performed by glam metal band Fastway, was probably more successful than the movie. And if you're a fan of 80s metal, the soundtrack has aged much better than the movie, too. Check out "After Midnight" from the soundtrack. And remember, 80s rocker is always an acceptable Halloween costume.

Flashback #5: "Lock your doors and windows tight | Soon you'll all believe I'm right."

One of my favorite horror flicks from the 80s was Fright Night (1985). You might recognize the name because it recently got the full remake treatment (Colin Farrell! Toni Collette! David Tennant! Vampires in 3D!). While we have yet to see if the remake will reach the same merchandising heights as the original (comics, video games, etc.), but it did receive three stars from Roger Ebert. Still, at the time the 2011 reboot was coming out, we already know its soundtrack suffered from a severe lack of of 80s panache. For example, the title track for the original film is performed by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees, the J. Geils Band. Now, you might not recognize them from this song because it was recorded after long time lead vocalist Peter Wolf left the band. But it is a solid tune and its lyrics actually provide a synopsis of the movie's plot from the protagonist's point of view! It was also the band's swan song as they broke up shortly after contributing to the Fright Night soundtrack. The music video combines movie scenes and band performances in that montage format that was popular in that decade. (Our more sensitive 80s-philes might have a difficult time watching this music video).

Flashback #6: "It's close to midnight and something's evil lurking in the dark."

In 2010, I thought this song was too obvious a choice for the Halloween flashback. Plus, it was only a year after King Michael's death. And after another year passed, the Jackson estate was embroiled in a trial over the cause of his death. So, in 2011 and now, I think Halloween is indeed time to break out "Michael Jackson's Thriller." This 14-minute music video for "Thriller," the title track of Michael Jackson's masterpiece 1982 album, has won a host of awards and it was the first music video to be selected for the National Film Registry. It is considered a watershed moment for the music industry due to its groundbreaking use of filmmaking techniques and music. It continues to be highly influential (just do a search on "Michael Jackson Thriller Flashmob" to see what I mean). But the true secret to the enduring legacy of "Thriller" has nothing to do with MJ or the video: I'm convinced all the success is due to Vincent Price reciting the closing lyrics, punctuating the song with his trademark laugh.

Remember, you can enjoy this week's flashback as a single video playlist.

That's all till next week. Dedicated 80s-philes can find more flashbacks in the Prophet or Madman archives or via Bookended's 80s Flashback tag. As always, your comments are welcome on today's, or any other, flashback post. And if you like what I'm doing here, please share the link with your friends. If, however, you don't like the flashback, feel free to share it with your enemies.

I'll see you in seven!

Friday, October 24, 2025

Friday 80s Flashback for October 24, 2025

[Simple Time] -- Forty years ago this week, Simple Minds released their seventh studio album, Once Upon a Time. The band was riding a high due to the huge success of "Don't You (Forget about Me)", featured in the closing credits of The Breakfast Club (February 1985). That song does not appear on Once Upon a Time, but its impact on the band's popularity cannot be ignored, and later rereleases do include it.

"Alive and Kicking" was the first single off this album, and it was another monster success for the band. It peaked at #3 and #2 in the US, on the US Billboard Hot 100 and US Mainstream Rock charts respectively; it also peaked at #7 in the UK and was a top 40 hit in multiple other countries. The next two singles – "Sanctify Yourself" and "All the Things She Said" – charted well in both the US and around the globe.

Ultimately, Once Upon a Time landed at #1 on the UK Albums Chart and #10 on the US Billboard 200. In addition to chart success, the album was also reviewed favorably. In Spin magazine, Armond White wrote: "Every cut is neat and punchy pomp... The album sucks up love, politics, and religion into a swirling vacuum of show-off musicianship" [Spin. No. 9. p. 28.]. Well said. Songwriting, musicianship, and production all combined to make for a solid 1980s album.

Flashback: Once Upon a Time (October 21, 1985)

See you in seven!

Friday, October 17, 2025

Friday 80s Flashback for October 17, 2025

[Jetting Like Thieves in Love with Falco] -- I'm doing something I haven't done since the middle of last month: Four albums in one Flashback. I'm still keeping with this year's overall theme, so all of them are, of course, from 1985, and they are all 40 years old by now. So, sit back, check that your volume it set to an appropriate level, and enjoy this double two-fer.

Listen Like Thieves – On October 14, 1985, INXS released their fifth studio album, Listen Like Thieves. This one was the band's international breakthrough. Driven by singles like "What You Need", "This Time", and the title track, Listen Like Thieves peaked at #11 on the US Billboard 200, #48 in the UK, and #24 on the Canadian Albums chart. In addition to being commercially successful, the album was largely a hit with critics as well, both in 1985 and retroactively. AllMusic, for example, stated that this album helped INXS complete "its transition into an excellent rock & roll singles band."

The Jets – The Jets released their self-titled debut on October 14, 1985. This Tongan-American family band of eight siblings from Minnesota started performing together in 1977, and they have performed together as recently as 2015. Thanks to MTV playing their videos in 1985 and 1986, "Curiosity" reached #8 on the Billboard R&B singles chart while "Crush on You" peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Falco 3 – The Austrian singer and rapper, Falco, had his biggest hit record in the United States with the release of his third album. Falco 3 hit stores worldwide on October 15, 1985. It peaked at #3 on the Billboard 200 and at #18 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. The album's success was largely propelled by the singles "Rock Me Amadeus" (with the music video channeling looks from the 1984 movie) and "Vienna Calling". The former was a top ten hit globally, including a stint at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and in the UK. The latter was also successful, reaching the top 20 in many countries including peaking at #18 on the Billboard Hot 100. He also covered Bob Dylan by recording the 1965 song, "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue", and he used the Cars's "Looking For Love" as the basis for "Munich Girls".

Love – The Cult released their second album, Love, on October 18, 1985. No sophomore slump here. This record was the band's breakthrough, fusing psychedelic rock and new wave goth with a shimmer of hard rock guitar. One would be forgiven for regarding two of the singles – "She Sells Sanctuary" and "Rain" – as the best tracks. And few songs have as great an opening as "She Sells Sanctuary." But I truly fell that "Brother Wolf, Sister Moon" and "Hollow Man" deserve some of your love, too. Love came in at #87 on the Billboard 200, and the singles did so-so in the US. But college radio really embraced The Cult with this release ... and their next two.

That's enough words. Let's get to the music. 🎶

Flashback #1: Listen Like Thieves (October 14, 1985)

Flashback #2: The Jets (October 14, 1985)

Flashback #3: Falco 3 (October 15, 1985)

Flashback #4: Love (October 18, 1985)

See you in seven!

Friday, October 10, 2025

Friday 80s Flashback for October 10, 2025

[7th Dream, 40 Years] -- Forty years ago this week – on October 11, 1985 – the trio called Love And Rockets burst onto the scene with their debut album, Seventh Dream of Teenage Heaven. This trio took their name from a popular comic series, and while they were a new entity debuting in 1985, they did have previous experience performing and even recording together. You see, these three musicians had been the guitarist (Daniel Ash), drummer (Kevin Haskins), and bassist (David J) for gloomy gothic rockers, Bauhaus (1978-1983). For simplicity's sake, I'm overlooking both Ash's and Haskins' pre-Love And Rockets involvement in another Bauhaus side project, Tones On Tail. Anyway, as the new trio gelled, Ash took on lead vocals with support from David J. And, while this new band carried on some of the darkness of their former outfit, they did so with more of a pop sensibility.

Now, if you remember Love And Rockets, but not their debut, you are forgiven. Neither this album nor its lone single, "If There's a Heaven Above", charted in any appreciable manner, though college radio did its level best to help. Still, along with a cover of "Ball of Confusion", released earlier in 1985 as a non-album single, the band could boast a pair of singles that served as their strong introduction to the record-buying public. At the very least, Seventh Dream of Teenage Heaven piqued interest among the nascent 80s-psychedelic fans. And even without a long resume of hit singles, this record is far from filler. In particular, "The Dog-End of a Day Gone By", "Haunted When the Minutes Drag", and the title track all shine.

Was this record your first experience of Love And Rockets?

Flashback: Seventh Dream of Teenage Heaven (October 11, 1985)

See you in seven!

Friday, October 3, 2025

Friday 80s Flashback for October 3, 2025

[Basically Chameleons] -- 40 years ago this week, English post-punk rockers The Chameleons released their sophomore studio album, What Does Anything mean? Basically. With only one single, "Singing Rule Britannia (While the Walls Close In)," this album was well liked by many critics. However, its wall of sound – featuring digital delays, pedals, and other studio wizardry – was a bit too much production for some fans and critics. One such critic, Chris Jenkins, called this album "as half-baked as its title" in the 2003 book, The Rough Guide to Rock (page 182). I find What Does Anything mean? Basically to be a great record. It's perfect to have spinning in the background, but it also reveals additional layers (particularly of existentialism and introspection) upon a close track-by-track listen. Definitely a gem.

Neither the album nor its lone single charted, at least not as far as I can tell. The Chameleons didn't release a music video either. So, even with some positive reviews, What Does Anything mean? Basically never gained much traction with the larger record buying public. And I think that's a shame because there's plenty of "Looking Inwardly" that would have lyrically resonated with music fans in the mid-1980s, particularly those of us who were in college at the time. Other excellent tracks on this album include "Intrigue In Tangiers," "Return Of The Roughnecks" (I love the slight guitar growl of the intro, just before the bass and drums kick in), and "Home Is Where The Heart Is."

I don't know the precise date I found my copy of this record, but I do know it was a few years after the actual release. And while the "when" is hazy, the "where" is more solid: I'm pretty sure I found the record in the discount bin at a record shop that used to be on College Avenue in downtown State College, PA (National Record Mart? Maybe). Yes, I bought it on vinyl! And, yes, I still have the LP record (and it's not scratched).

So, to celebrate this album's 40th anniversary, let's spin the whole thing! Use the embedded video below, or click a track's start time to access it directly on YouTube.

Flashback: What Does Anything mean? Basically (October 2, 1985)

01. 00:00 Silence, Sea and Sky 02. 02:01 Perfume Garden 03. 06:41 Intrigue in Tangiers 04. 11:59 Return of the Roughnecks 05. 15:27 Singing Rule Britannia 06. 19:47 On the Beach 07. 24:01 Looking Inwardly 08. 28:35 One Flesh 09. 33:02 Home Is Where the Heart Is 10. 38:57 P.S. Goodbye Bonus Track 11. 42:02 In Shreds 12. 46:14 Nostalgia

I'll see you in seven!

Friday, September 26, 2025

Friday 80s Flashback for September 26, 2025

[Tim is 40] -- It's no secret that The Replacements (or, simply, The 'Mats, short for "The Placemats," to their fans) are probably my favorite in the category of what I refer to as the "sloppy" American rock & roll bands. According to drummer Chris Mars, the band's name reflected their sense of a secondary status: "Like maybe the main act doesn't show, and instead the crowd has to settle for an earful of us dirtbags" [Azerrad, Michael. Our Band Could Be Your Life. 2001. p. 199]. Sporting a combination of the arena blues-rock and post-punk, The 'Mats were never commercially successful, but they did receive critical accolades and have been cited as a major influence for many bands.

And this month, their fourth studio LP, Tim, turns 40 years old.

True to form, Tim received critical acclaim but middling success. So, while the album did chart on the Billboard Top 200, peaking at #183, two singles – "Bastards of Young" and "Kiss Me on the Bus" – made no such inroads. But rather than languish on the dust heap of history, Tim has been included on several best of the 1980s lists [Pitchfork, Slant, Rolling Stone, Pop Matters, and Alternative Press], albeit retrospectively, of course.

My favorite tracks are, in no particular order: "Hold My Life", "Kiss Me on the Bus", "Waitress in the Sky", "Bastards of Young" (their only track to have an official-ish video), "Left of the Dial" (an ode to college radio), and "Little Mascara". Oh, Hel, I love the entire album, really.

In 2023, Rhino reissued the album as Tim: Let It Bleed Edition. This five-disc set (four CDs and an LP) includes a new mix, alternate takes, demos, liner notes, and so much more. And, yes, I ordered a copy right after I read the news of this release (September 23, 2023, between 10 and 11pm Eastern).

Flashback: Tim (September 18, 1985)

See you in seven!

Friday, September 19, 2025

Friday 80s Flashback for September 19, 2025

[The Back 40] -- The first-ever Farm Aid concert made history on Sunday, September 22, 1985. That was 40 years ago. Since then, the nonprofit organization has put in Nearly 40 Years of Action for Family Farmers. And there will be a new concert, Farm Aid 40, on September 20, 2025, to continue the work and celebrate the past 40 years. In fact, you can watch a livestream of the anniversary concert on YouTube starting at 3:15pm CST here.

Amazing that it is still rolling, 40 years on.

Back in September of 1985, Willie Nelson and friends took inspiration from Live Aid and organized Farm Aid as a music festival to raise money specifically for American farmers. According to the website, the organization's mission "is to build a vibrant, family farm-centered system of agriculture in America." It's likely they thought that one concert – held at Memorial Stadium, University of Illinois, in Champaign, Illinois – would suffice. It did not. And, so, Farm Aid continues its efforts and holds an annual festival (don't forget to check out the Farm Aid 40 Livestream).

But what about that first concert, huh?

Well, that one featured just over 60 artists, according to the Concert Archives website. There are plenty of playlists and separate videos of the various Farm Aid sets. The embedded video below is supposed to be the full concert, and it is over 4 hours long. And cross-referencing the performances against set lists of available DVDs (like this one), seem to match up. So, if you want to revisit a huge concert featuring acts like Bon Jovi, X, Bob Dylan, Alabama, Brian Setzer, Joni Mitchell, John Mellencamp, Bonnie Raitt, and more, click the play link on the following video.

And support your local farmers!

Flashback: Farm Aid - September 22, 1985

See you in seven!

Friday, September 12, 2025

Friday 80s Flashback for September 12, 2025

[Flip Your Alibi Knee Deep in Arrest] -- I'm featuring a total of four albums on this second Friday of September, 2025. That's a two-fer of a two-fer, right? Or maybe a double two-fer? Anyway, all four of these albums are from 1985, so they turned 40 years old this year.

Flip Your Wig – On September 1, 1985, Hüsker Dü released their fourth studio album, Flip Your Wig. I did not purchase my vinyl copy of Flip Your Wig until 1986, but I did experience the record's one and only single, "Makes No Sense At All", back in 1985 as my introduction to this band. The B-side for this single was a cover of "Love Is All Around", the theme song to The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Music videos were made for both songs, and I caught the one for "Makes No Sense At All" one late night while watching MTV. I never saw the second video until years later, though I do have a mini-CD of the single and B-side. You can now see the videos for "Makes No Sense At All" / "Love Is All Around" back to back. "Makes No Sense At All" reached #2 on the UK Indie Chart, while the album Flip Your Wig peaked at #1 on the UK Indie Album Chart. This wasn't stellar success, but it showed that higher quality production and an emphasis on more melodic songs could broaden the band's audience for their music. It remains one of my fave records from this year.

Alibi – In the 80s, Vandenberg was a Dutch band striving for international success. Named for founder and guitarist Ad "Adje" van den Berg (a.k.a. Adrian Vandenberg), Vandenberg was active from 1981 to 1987. Depending on the source, this band released their third studio album, Alibi, on September 6, 1985, or before the end of August 1985. So, it is 40 years old by now! Alibi was Vandenberg's final studio album until the band reunited in 2020. And it peaked at #18 ... on the Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) chart. The album's two singles – "Once in a Lifetime" and "How Long" – were both ballads, and they may have done well in the band's home country, but they did not chart here in the states. If I recall correctly, I only have their first three albums because I did much of my habit to search for albums in cut-out bins. Oh, and the title track from this record definitely made an appearance on my old mix tapes.

You're Under Arrest – This Miles Davis album was released sometime between April and early September of 1985, 40 years ago. Now, Miles has an extensive catalog, particularly as a solo or lead artist, so I'm not certain how to number this album among his releases. I've counted at least 50 albums prior to You're Under Arrest, all released between 1951 and 1984. Anyway, this album is a collection of pop covers (including Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time" and Michael Jackson's "Human Nature"), and original material, with both categories leaning toward the pop end of the jazz spectrum. The covers also include a spirited recording of D-Train's "Something's on Your Mind", and the originals include a John Scofield composition, the title track, "You're Under Arrest" (sandwiched in this July 1985 clip of a Miles Davis Septet performance). Both of those pieces are highlights on this album. So, while this record is not exactly a milestone recording, Miles Davis' playing is still pretty strong.

Knee Deep in the Hoopla – Jefferson Starship had all but crashed and burned in the wake of their 1984 album, Nuclear Furniture. After dealing with a loss of personnel and a lawsuit, singer Grace Slick and manager Bill Thompson took up the new name of Starship. Now a streamlined quintet, the band changed their musical direction and went into the recording studio with Peter Wolf on production duties. On September 12, 1985, they released their debut album, Knee Deep in the Hoopla. Their first single, the inescapable "We Built This City", topped the Billboard Hot 100 as well as charts around the globe. Their second single, the ballad "Sara", was also a huge hit. Knee Deep in the Hoopla peaked at #7 on the Billboard 200, and was an immense commercial success. Some critics lamented the end of the Jefferson Airplane/Starship eras, while others recognized Starship for the pop juggernaut they were, at least through the end of the 1980s.

That's enough words. Let's get to the music. 🎶

Flashback #1: Flip Your Wig (September 1, 1985)

Flashback #2: Alibi (September 6, 1985)

Flashback #3: You're Under Arrest (September, 1985)

Flashback #4: Knee Deep in the Hoopla (September 10, 1985)

See you in seven!

Friday, September 5, 2025

Friday 80s Flashback for September 5, 2025

[Happy 15th Flashbackiversary!] -- I started posting the Friday 80s Flashback on September 3, 2010. So, this week marks my 15 year Flashbackiversary!

To celebrate, let's turn back the clock -- er, calendar -- 15 years and revisit that very first flashback, which appeared on Prophet or Madman. I'm struck by the sparsity and simplicity of my initial foray into weekly pop-culture ruminations. In fact, that very first flashback has no commentary whatsoever! There isn't even a theme! The weekly theme didn't become part and parcel of the flashback until the fourth entry, on September 24, 2010 (a two-fer: Angry Edition and Uplifting Edition). Sample lyrics first appeared in the November 5, 2010, flashback (Politics Schmolotics). On December 10, 2010, we saw my first attempt at incorporating a header image with the Flashback (Winter Holidays: Week 2). Then, on 6/24/2016, I moved the weekly Flashbacks to its current home, right here on Bookended by Cats.

The rest of this post more or less shares the text and videos from my 9/3/2010 Flashback, slightly updated to correct for any missing files or videos.

Facebook has made me a lazy blogger. Case in point: For several months now, I have been posting video links as "Friday 80s Flashbacks" ... but only on my Facebook page. I think it is high time I share those gems here as well, don't you?

Let's get started!

Flashback #1: I'm not walking on sunshine just yet, but you might be after checking out the bouncy "Walking On Sunshine" by Katrina & The Waves.

Flashback #2: I love when 80s bands covered hits from the previous decade. Love & Rockets' take on "Ball of Confusion" was pitch-perfect for its time and it should have been even more of an anthem, reaching out well beyond the college radio crowd.

Flashback #3: Almost every word that Alison Moyet sings is true. And when she sang "We all need a love resurrection" in 1984, it's possible that she sang the greatest truth of her entire career in less than four minutes. (Note: The video I embedded in 2010 was no longer available. So, this post includes a replacement that was uploaded in 2017).

Even when flashing back to a previous flashback, the rule of three applies. It's hard to believe we've been getting together once a week for 15 years now. Hopefully, we can continue for some more years to come. There's plenty of great 80s music to keep us busy, I know that! Dedicated 80s-philes can find more flashbacks in the Prophet or Madman archives or via Bookended's 80s Flashback tag. As always, your comments are welcome on today's, or any other, flashback post. And if you like what I'm doing here, please share the link with your friends. If, however, you don't like the flashback, feel free to share it with your enemies.

I'll see you in seven!