Remembering the Sony Walkman
By Thomas Zizzo I still remember that birthday in the summer of 1982, getting this new device that was all the rage at the time, and how excited my parents were to give it to me. It was a portable stereo cassette player—the infamous Sony Walkman. My Dad was very excited and impressed about the fact that it was stereo sound, and that no one else could hear it thanks to the headphones. I remember too that my parents almost didn’t buy me...
Gold Chains in the 80s
The 80s were all about glitter and shine; and what’s shinier than gold? It makes perfect sense, then, that gold chains would be all the rage in the mid-80s. Perhaps Spandau Ballet said it best in their 1983 hit, Gold: Gold Always believe in your soul You’ve got the power to know You’re indestructible Always believe in, because you are Gold This particular fashion trend transcended gender, and guys were just as likely to...
Not-So-Deep Thoughts as I Approach 40: Perspective and Robert Palmer
I am within a scant two weeks of the big 4-0, and it has me in a reflective mood. I will warn you in advance that these reflections are not particularly profound, just the musings that come out of the holy-moly-how-can-I-be-40 thought train. The first has to do with perspective and Robert Palmer. I recently re-watched some of his music videos from the 80s. I remember clearly when I first saw him; I was in the 8th grade, and it was the...
Be Kind Rewind: Back to the Future Double Feature
By Michael Nazarewycz Polish Up That Stainless Steel! Very few people dominated both the big and small screens in the 1980s the way Michael J. Fox did. After small parts and just-misses, the Canadian actor landed the role of young Republican Alex P. Keaton on TV’s Family Ties in 1982. By 1985, the show was the #2 rated comedy in the in US (Behind only The Cosby Show), thanks mostly to Fox’s likeability. That likeability translated...
Note Passing in the Eighties
In the 80s, we didn’t have texts or emails to send to our friends during school. Puh-leeze. When our history teachers were droning away about the Battle of Hastings and our minds were focused on anything BUT William the Conqueror, we had just ONE way to let get our message across that expanse of linoleum flooring. We passed notes in class. Here’s the J. Geils Band with their 1981 megahit, “Centerfold,” to help you remember the drill:...
