The Eighties Online

Ahh the Thompson Twins - iconic 80’s music band. Who could forget Hold Me Now and Doctor! Doctor!

In preparation for this article, I did a bit of research on the band and found a few facts that I did not know about them.

The band, named after the bumbling detectives from Herge’s TinTin, first formed in 1977. Although this site is 80’s based, the band didn’t get famous until the 80’s.

Tom Bailey was a part of the original lineup. Arriving in London, The ‘twins’ had very little money and lived as squatters. Allanah Currie, who joined the Thompson Twins later was also a squatter and that was how they first met. Joe Leeway joined the twins in 1981 when the first album was recorded. Even though Currie had sang on the their first album (a product of…..participation), she was not classed as a full member of the group.

The group became famous by hitting the UK Singles chart and US billboard 100 in 1983 with their songs Lies and Love on your side.

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It was August 1, 1981 when the first all-music video cable TV channel was born.

As the popularity of video programs on some cable and network stations was rising, MTV made history while taking advantage of this trend.

They led off with the 1979 hit “Video Killed the Radio Star” by the Trevor Horn-led Buggles (from the album The Age of Plastic).

Among America’s new celebrities were the VJs: Martha Quinn, Nina Blackwood, JJ Jackson, Mark Goodman and Alan Hunter.

More would come in later years, but these were the originals. MTV was a huge boon for New Wave music.

Bands quickly learned how to make the most of all the publicity they were getting from their well-produced videos that those

mini-movies turned many songs that would go otherwise unplayed by mainstream radio into major hits.

In a past interview Stan Ridgway referred to MTV’s role in Wall of Voodoo’s success as people who saw the videos called radio stations requesting artists like them, Missing Persons, The Little Girls, Berlin and others that they were “forced to play them” (When I was doing all-talk radio, I would always say that the market should decide what’s played instead of a bunch of industry suits and their inadequate “market tests”).

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Madonna is as popular today, if not more so, than she was twenty years ago. Not only is there a continuing interest in Madonna, but critics have recently rated her latest album 5 stars.

Well, the critics may love it, but how about you and I. Myself, being a total 80s kid, I miss the pre-90s Madonna.

But the new Madonna is still breaking social barriers for women and giving girls the hope to break through the glass ceiling to realize their full potential in their creative and work lives. In short, Maddona’s still totally cool!

For new and old Madonna fans, here are a few things you may not have known about one of your favorite stars:

1. Madonna was born Madonna Loise Veronica Ciccone.

2. She was the third child and eldest daughter of lower-middle class Italian American parents Silvio and Madonna.

3. The nickname her father gave her as a child was “Little Noni”.

4. Madonna was born on August 16, 1959 - making her a Leo. The Lion is considered to be generous and warmhearted, creative and enthusiastic, broad-minded and expansive, faithful and loving.

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She’s the pop singer seen jogging in Central Park. Madonna captured the style and fashion sense of generation. Especially teenage girls in the 1980s. Madonna is among the most influential people of the 1980s.

Madonna has always had a special relationship with the media. While many stars try desperately to avoid the paparazzi, Madonna has the power to manipulate the media to her advantage.

In 1985 Madonna ruled the airwaves and MTV too. Madonna at her peak was making music, videos and even movies at a fevered pace. Madonna had the media all sewn up by the mid 1980s. Madonna never had too much trouble from the paparazzi. She, in fact, seemed to embrace the photographers throughout her early career.

From her wildly teased and colored hair to the return of lace and fishnet stockings, her accessories were outrageous, and girls around the world wanted to be like Madonna even going so far as to add her trademark mole to their cheeks.

And her impact on fashion makes her a fashion icon of the 80s. “I’ve made no secret of my love for fashion and trends,” Madonna said.

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Neon eighties fashion such as neon green, neon pink and neon yellow

Miami Vice fashion like the Blazers, slacks, and hat

Madonna fashion consists mostly of the wearing the underwear on the outside of the clothes

Preppy looks were Polo or Izod shirts with upturned collars, stonewashed denim or Calvin Klein Jeans, and some penny loafers or Nike Cross-trainers like Mike J Fox in Back to the Future

A down vest would be an 80s fashion statement, as well.

Ocean Pacific clothes for the California surfer style

Punk or New-Wave Fashion

Hip-Hop Adidas Jogging Suits with High tops

FlashDance fashion - LegWarmers and a headband

Or, would that be getting physical with Olivia Newton-John?

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