[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)
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!
