Publication date:
15 November 2018Length of book:
232 pagesPublisher
Rowman & Littlefield PublishersISBN-13: 9781538116395
The music of the 1980s left an indelible mark on pop culture. Thanks to the dawn of MTV and the increasing affordability of synthesizers, a generation of innovative artists took the world by storm to create one of the last great glory eras of pop music.
To get to the heart of what made this decade so special, music journalist Jim Beviglia weaves a narrative of the stories behind the pop music phenomenon. Playing Back the 80s: A Decade of Unstoppable Hits features original interviews with more than sixty artists, producers, session players, writers, and others who were directly involved with the most memorable songs of the decade. Among those who appear in Playing Back the 80s are iconic artists like Huey Lewis, Rick Springfield, Kim Carnes, Vernon Reid, Dennis DeYoung, Colin Hay, and Eddie Money telling the stories of how they created, often against imposing odds and in the midst of bizarre circumstances, the unstoppable hits and unheralded gems that still enchant so many fans today.
Playing Back the 80s will have music fans pulling their old cassettes out of storage and remembering when and where they heard the songs first. For those who didn’t grow up in the 80s, this endlessly fun book will show them what the fuss was all about and maybe reveal a few surprises along the way.
To get to the heart of what made this decade so special, music journalist Jim Beviglia weaves a narrative of the stories behind the pop music phenomenon. Playing Back the 80s: A Decade of Unstoppable Hits features original interviews with more than sixty artists, producers, session players, writers, and others who were directly involved with the most memorable songs of the decade. Among those who appear in Playing Back the 80s are iconic artists like Huey Lewis, Rick Springfield, Kim Carnes, Vernon Reid, Dennis DeYoung, Colin Hay, and Eddie Money telling the stories of how they created, often against imposing odds and in the midst of bizarre circumstances, the unstoppable hits and unheralded gems that still enchant so many fans today.
Playing Back the 80s will have music fans pulling their old cassettes out of storage and remembering when and where they heard the songs first. For those who didn’t grow up in the 80s, this endlessly fun book will show them what the fuss was all about and maybe reveal a few surprises along the way.
Beviglia brings a critic and fan’s perspective to his examination of 65 of the “finest songs” of the 1980s in this impressive selection. He includes classics such as the Police’s “Every Breath You Take,” one-hit wonders such as Falco’s “Rock Me Amadeus,” and psychedelic new wave sounds such as the Church’s “Under the Milky Way.” Beviglia interviewed the songwriter or producer for each song, and their input is fun and insightful. About “Sunglasses at Night,” Corey Hart says, “Lyrically, I was trying to capture the cool rebellious spirit à la James Dean.” Modern English singer Robbie Grey admits to writing “I Melt With You” “in about three minutes sitting on the floor stoned in my house in Shepard’s Bush, London.” Andy McCluskey of Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark recalled the inspiration for their song “If You Leave”: Pretty in Pink filmmaker John Hughes said to them, “So can you write a song that is... 120 beats per minute?” With only three only pages on each song, the coverage can feel light, but for those looking for a glimpse into what made the music of the ’80s a genre that still resonates today, Beviglia has created an excellent time capsule.