The return of new wave?
I’m the last person you’ll catch voluntarily listening to MTV-esque top 40 radio, but anyone who works in a warehouse setting will tell you a lack of background music will drive you insane pretty quickly. Bad thing is I live in an area full of rednecks and ghetto gangsta wannabes so naturally most of the local stations play country or rap. At work we’ve settled on one that’s more akin to VH1; no rap/hip-hop/r&b and no country so at least it’s tollerable. I’ve been noticing recently that a lot of bands that are getting air have a real 80’s sound to them. The lyrical and musical stylings in most Killers songs to the liberal use of synthesizers in recent songs by The Bravery and Beck. With the corporate rock scene churning out a seemingly endless stream of shit these days (and record sales going up, go figure) it’s nice to see people going a bit retro.
I didn’t get into ska and punk until around ‘89/’90 so the 80’s was when I got my first taste of music. Being in grade school I couldn’t exactly buy albums so the radio was all I had. Until we get an 80’s station back around here (fuck you and your new classic rock format KRPM) this retro trend will have to do.
Anyone looking to unload any 80’s pop or new wave vinyl, let me know…