Blame it on the Go-Go's

I was born in the early 1960s, which means I did most of my growing up in the 1970s. And what that means is that my key college years were in the early-mid 1980s. Like most of those of my generation, music has been an integral part of my life - I can't remember a single day when I haven't listened to an album (CD or MP3 now, I guess) or the radio. And I can't remember a day when I haven't listened to at least 1 Beatles (or solo Beatle) song. My musical tastes are varied, ranging from 1940s big band to John Mayer, classic rock to classical, jazz to country.

And yet I have almost no use for anything recorded in the 1980s. I came to realize that the other day when I finally replaced all of my stolen Sirius radio accessories and returned the radio to the car. 200 channels of stuff and I ended up, for five minutes, on Channel 8 - Eighties on 8. And it was then that I thought my ears were going to fall off.

The song that set me off - "We Got the Beat" by the Go-Gos - was when I came to the realization that the Go-Go's are living proof of everything that was bad about the 80s. To say that they were mediocre is putting it mildly. The truth is that they were just awful. And yes, I will acknowledge that there were some really awful bands in the 1960s and 1970s. But these were mostly one-hit wonders that came and went and now, when you hear their song, you say "Oh Wow - I remember this song. It sucked back then, too!" and then you move on.

But the Go-Gos were a bad band that SHOULD have been a one-hit wonder but somehow weren't. The kept releasing bad record after bad record - and America kept buying them!! And so, as a result, they are a staple on 80s on 8. And a constant reminder of the lost decade of music. Their effects were far reaching, taking so many others down to their mediocre levels.

Don't believe me? Look at all the great acts that went to hell in a handbasket during the 1980s. Hall and Oates - great blue eyed soul in the 70's, pop crap in the 80s. Chicago - cutting edge jazz-fusion in the 70s, the same old David Foster sounding pop in the 80's, Cher - oh, who am I kidding, she just sucked all the time.

Even the legends weren't immune. Name one great Rolling Stones record in the 80s - "Dancing in the Street", Mick Jagger's nightmare with David Bowie? Or how about Bruce Springsteen - musical genius in the 1970s who was reduced to recording the song with the single worst lyrics ever written by a rock and roll hall-of-famer - "Glory Days." Just what the hell is a "speed ball" anyway, Bruce?? And just to show that I'm not ignoring my own musical favorites - did we really need McCartney II? I mean, really??

All of this music sucked - the shitty soundtrack to what should have been my own glory days - graduating high school, college, and the start of my first career. Instead of fond memories, I have A Flock of Seagulls, Softcell and Kaja Goo Goo to look back on.

But no matter how hard I try to twist and turn this - I still blame the Go-Go's for making mediocrity acceptable and setting the cause of all-girl bands back 20 years.

Thanks girls.