➢ Stalker updates: trailer, interview with the producers
INDEX OF ALL 700+ POSTS
MORE INTERESTING THAN MOST PEOPLE’S FANTASIES — THE SWINGING EIGHTIES 1978-1984
They didn’t call themselves New Romantics, or the Blitz Kids – but other people did.
“I’d find people at the Blitz who were possible only in my imagination. But they were real” — Stephen Jones, hatmaker, 1983. (Illustration courtesy Iain R Webb, 1983)
“The truth about those Blitz club people was more interesting than most people’s fantasies” — Steve Dagger, pop group manager, 1983
An “invaluable website” — historian Dominic Sandbrook, 2012A UNIQUE HISTORY
➢ WELCOME to the Swinging 80s
➢ THE BLOG POSTS on this front page report topical updates
➢ ROLL OVER THE MENU AT TOP to go deeper into the past
➢ FOR NEWS & MONTH BY MONTH SEARCH, see the sidebar below
❏ Header artwork by Kat Starchild shows Blitz Kids Darla Jane Gilroy, Elise Brazier, Judi Frankland and Steve Strange, with David Bowie at centre in his 1980 video for Ashes to Ashes-
RECENT ADDITIONS
- ➤ Nutty scientist finds himself out of his depth in the shallows of pop
- 2018 ➤ Judy Blame dies: cherry-picker of cultural detritus
- ➤ Modern pop: godlike Quincy Jones tells it like it is
- ➤ A big red hand please for this tiny rare fish!
- 2018 ➤ Peel on Smith and The Fall: the band by which all others must be judged
- 2018 ➤ Bayeux Tapestry to be displayed in UK for the first time
- ➤ Maxine and Marr: heard the deeply serious tale about the actress and the rock star?
- 2017 ➤ “It may be false, It may be true” – The life and times of Christine Keeler
- 1983 ➤ When The Face led the cultural agenda
- 2017 ➤ His name is Prince and his London tribute is downright spunky
- ➤ Double drama of the 60s pop dream by Ray Connolly
- ➤ Celebs turn out for ‘Scoop’ Simper’s pop pantry party
LANDMARK FAREWELLS. . . HIT THE INDEX TAB UP TOP FOR EVERYTHING ELSE
➢ Search for all on Bowie here
at Shapers of the 80s✱ “I’m not a rock star” Bowie often said – No, David, you were a messiah – Obituaries and key videos on the godlike one
✱ Prince Rogers Nelson RIP: ‘A funny cat’ and ‘sole authentic genius’ of the 1980s
✱ Get up close and personal with Prince’s life and work at the limited 21-day retrospective My Name Is Prince at the O2 Arena in London from 27 October to 7 January.
✱ 2015 – Original Blitz Kids say farewell to Steve Strange – read exclusive tributes to the King of the PosersSEARCH our 700 posts or ZOOM DOWN TO THE ARCHIVE INDEX
NEWS — OLD FACES, NEW MIXES FOR THE 20-TEENS
✱ One Nation Under the Groove – Wag club legend Chris Sullivan now resident at Mau Mau, 265 Portobello Road “which looks like a New York rhythm ’n’ blues soul bar.” Playing rare funk and disco from the likes of Mantus, Father Time,The Kinsman Band plus familiar tunes by Parliament, Bohannon and Larry Young – sample him at Mixcloud. . . Sullivan’s book Rebel Rebel, “a riotous history of people and things that broke the mould”, is due from Unbound in April. Get your name in the first edition by subscribing from £10………………………………………………………………
✱ Haircut’s singer Nick Heyward is touring the UK from 24 May at Concorde in Brighton, for 13 dates including 02 Academy Islington in London
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✱ Roxy Music’s groundbreaking self-titled debut album was released in February as a 4-disc Super Deluxe box set of rare and unreleased music plus 136-page book. DVD includes TV appearances and 5.1 Surround Mix. Order from the Official Roxy Store
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✱ Morrissey’s ten-date tour of UK and Dublin runs from 16 Feb 2018 in Aberdeen ending with three London dates 7 & 9 March plus the Palladium on the 10th. . . His album Low in High School is on Amazon Music
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✱ Tonight Belongs To Us is ex-Spandau singer Tony Hadley’s European Tour from February 2018, tickets on sale via his website. See complete Hadley events list at Facebook, up to 6 July Chilfest at Tring, Hertfordshire, for An Evening with Tony Hadley and his Orchestra
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✱ Three new dates booking for next year: Steve Norman Live & Personal will be an intimate encounter including an acoustic performance at PizzaExpress Live in London 25–27 May 2018………………………………………………………………
✱ FINALLY! What has proved to be the definitive appreciation of the style bible that shaped the 1980s. . . Cultural guru Paul Gorman tells The Story of The Face from the magazine’s launch with £3,500 of Nick Logan’s savings in 1980 to its sale to Emap in 1999, in between “paving the way for the digital delivery of visual culture in the 21st century”. – From Thames & Hudson £35, 352 pages, 379 illustrations!………………………………………………………………
✱ Pop Stars in My Pantry is showbiz hack Paul Simper’s memoir of the early days of one of pop’s most successful eras: the 1980s. It’s an account of how a wide-eyed lad landed in London just as the capital’s club scene went into orbit. Available from Amazon… Read an extract here at Shapers of the 80s – Sade’s first foray to New York City
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✱ The original Blitz Club deejay Rusty Egan still plugging his excellent first solo album capturing the spirit of 80s electronica, Welcome to the Dancefloor – read a full review of its 14 tracks here at Shapers of the 80s. . . Hear WTTDF via the Mixcloud player. New live dates for an Audience With Rusty include 7 Mar London, 17 May Birmingham, 21 April Maidstone
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✱ Now in its 12th year, Soul Survivors Magazine issue 73 features William “Bootsy” Collins, Mike Vitti, The Floacist aka Natalie Stewart, Jean Paul Maunick (aka Bluey) and part 2 of an interview with Shirley Jones. Under Fitzroy Facey, the mag created an interactive website and a weekly events email while Facey plays all things jazz funky and soulful old and new 9pm every Monday on Soul Train Radio and then on Mixcloud
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✱ Quids In Mons, FCK Thurs, #FRI251, Big Weekender Sats at the legendary Factory Manchester – clubnights, cocktail masterclasses and live bands – chart, dance, EDM, RNB, house, garage, hiphop and indie over three floors designed by Ben Kelly on Princess St, Manchester M1 7EN – @factorymanchester………………………………………………………………
✱ Manchester’s Remake Remodel claims to be “The Nation’s Saving Grace of Alternative, Rock’n’Roll” — Mondays at Soup Kitchen M1 1DF & every 1st Saturday at The Ruby Lounge M4 1QB – @RemakeRemodel1
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Archive — Many publication dates are arbitrary, so click and take pot luck!
RANDOM!