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Star Trek pillow set? Make it so
Star Trek pillows? I was under the impression that nobody actually slept on the Enterprise.
If you want to beam up a Command, Engineering and Science pillow, it's gonna cost you. And don't give us that line about how they don't really use money in Star Trek.
The price? $100 for a set.
KHAAAAAAAaaaaaaan!
Dexy's Midnight Runners return with 'One Day I'm going to Soar' after 27 years
Kevin Rowland, welcome back. The frontman of the newly "reactivated" Dexy's Midnight Runners will release its first new album in 27 years, according to Slicingupeyeballs.com.
The new album is titled One Day I'm Going to Soar and will be out June 4. And yes, a tour will follow!
Go to the Slicingupeyeballs site to hear a snippet of the first single off the new album.
Oh, and BTW, the band is now simply called Dexys. (Not sure that's the wisest decision, Kev.)
Whitney Houston: Aug. 9, 1963 to Feb. 11, 2012
Clocks strikes upon the hour,
And the sun begins to fade.
Still enough time to figure out,
How to chase my blues away.
I've done alright up 'til now,
It's the light of day that shows me how,
And when the night falls, loneliness calls.
Must-see show of 2012: Dennis DeYoung with the Florida Orchestra
In some ways, I've been practicing for my interview with Dennis DeYoung since 1984. I caught Styx on their Kilroy Was Here tour at the Bayfront Center in downtown St. Petersburg (I cried like a baby when they tore that venue down a few years ago) and it was an epiphany. The perfect combination of drama and music, I thought. I was left wondering more about the vision behind the spectacle.
I wouldn't see DDY again until just a few years ago, when I caught his solo "Music of Styx" tour in Clearwater. It was a jaw-dropper. So I seriously can't wait another day until Dennis returns to Clearwater's Ruth Eckerd Hall, this time for a show alongside the Florida Orchestra. ... Read more
Location, location, location: Name the '80s movies that take place in these fictional towns
Fast Times at Ridgemont High? It's in Ridgemont, presumably. Batman? Gotham City, obviously. Shermer, Illinois? Better know MORE than one. But how well do you know the fictional (usually fictional) towns that your favorite '80s movies were set in?
Here are 10 towns that provide the setting for some of our favorite movies. See how you do:
1. Beacontown
2. Bomont
3. Angel Beach
4. Hill Valley
5. Castle Rock
6. The City
7. Cloud City
8. The Richmond
9. San Dimas
10. Nockmaar
Love will tear us apart: Most unromantic songs and movie lines of the '80s
Picking the most romantic songs of the 80s is child's play. But picking the most unromantic songs of the 80s? That's heroic. Throw in picking the most hate-filled, anti-love movie lines of the '80s, and prepare for stardom.
Over the last few years, we've featured "Best Kisses of the 80s" and "Best Anti-Valentine Quotes from the 80s." And in 2007, we recorded an entire podcast about "Love Gone Bad." But it always feels like there's so much more to say on the topic. Maybe love is simple. And hate is more complex than a Neal Peart drum solo. ... Read more
Which Wang Chung: 'Dance Hall Days' in '80s vs. '90s
Wang Chung deserves a ton more love than they got over the years. Their 1984 album Points on the Curve is easily one of the most essential discs of the decade, with tunes like Don't Let Go, Wait and Don't Be My Enemy. (Relive their history in our podcast interview with Jack Hues.)
And of course, Dance Hall Days. This humble little tune wasn't a chart-topper, but it broke the top 20 just about everywhere. And the video stands the test of time today. So imagine the shock when I visited the Wang Chung twitter page today and saw their link to a '90s version of Dance Hall Days.
I'm posting them both here, but you tell me: Which Dance Hall Days reigns supreme? ... Read more
Podcast time: Van Halen, Ferris and the absolute last time we ever mention Madonna
Ah, yes. Diamond Dave and the Van Halen boys. So soothing. So controversy free. I want to reach out and give them a big ole hug. And yeah, I'll probably buy their new album, A Different Kind of Truth, even though it's the least Van Halen-esque title in the history of the band. (I hear the music "melts your face," if that's a good thing.)
This week's Stuck in the '80s podcast returns to the familiar, safe territory of our "80s News Now" format. It's about as quick, painless and ultimately as useless as a flu shot. Sadly, we also chose to cover ...
MADONNA!
Oh man, what were we thinking? Is there anyway of bringing up Madge without the '80s Nation tearing itself apart? Among the comments we got on our Facebook page: ... Read more
Nick Nolte is 71?!? I'd use a quote of his here but they're all unprintable
Nick Nolte is 71 @$@#% years old. Sorry, but I think it's a law that you can't talk about Nolte without adding profanity. He was the master of the f-bomb (and every other bomb) back in the '80s. And I miss his glory-days work dearly.
So it's going to be a tough call on Oscar Night when Nolte goes up for Best Supporting Actor for Warrior against my all-time favorite '80s supporting actor, Max Von Sydow, in the unbelievably unwatchable flick Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close. ... Read more
Ferris Bueller commercial easter eggs: the full list!
Ferris Bueller continues to enjoy a nice revival, thanks to the Honda Super Bowl commercial starring Matthew Broderick. For die-hard fans of the movie, the commercial is full of "easter eggs," or subtle tributes to the original movie. And now we have the complete list of Ferris Bueller easter eggs, courtesy of the ad firm that created the commercial.
Entertainment Weekly got the full list from RPA, the ad agency that created the actual commercial, so we have to assume this is about as complete as possible. (Unless some subliminal ones made it in there.) ... Read more
About the blogger
Relive the '80s music, movies and culture with Tampa Bay Times entertainment news editor Steve Spears. A teen during the greatest decade ever, Steve is obsessed with everything from Duran Duran to Journey, John Hughes to John Cusack, and parachute pants to Reaganomics.
E-mail Steve Spears:
stuckinthe80s@tampabay.com
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THIS WEEK'S SHOW: What did you think of Madonna at the Super Bowl? Material Girl ... or Out-of-Material Girl? To hear the latest "Stuck in the 80s" episode now, click here.
JOIN THE SHOW: Record an audio greeting or fan message for us by calling (813) 641-4619. Or record one on your computer and e-mail it to stuckinthe80s@tampabay.com.
Upcoming '80s concerts
- Dennis DeYoung (Feb. 24, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater)
- Oak Ridge Boys (March 1, Florida Strawberry Festival, Plant City)
- Air Supply (March 3, Florida Strawberry Festival, Plant City)
- Charlie Daniels Band (March 8, Florida Strawberry Festival, Plant City)
- Elton John (March 10, Amway Center, Orlando)
- Martin Short (March 29, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater)
- Morris Day and the Time (April 6, Funk Fest, St. Petersburg)
- Cyndi Lauper (April 1, Universal Mardi Gras, Orlando)
- Van Halen (April 12, Tampa Bay Times Forum, Tampa)
- Adam Ant (Sept. 27, Seminole Hard Rock, Tampa)
- Adam Ant (Sept. 29, Hard Rock Live, Orlando)
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Totally tubular websites
Band Websites
- A Flock of Seagulls
- ABC
- AC/DC
- Adam Ant
- The Alarm
- Asia
- Rick Astley
- The Bangles
- Bauhaus
- Beastie Boys
- Pat Benatar
- Billy Idol
- Boy George
- Cheap Trick
- Cristopher Cross
- The Cure
- Dead or Alive
- Def Leppard
- Dennis DeYoung
- Thomas Dolby
- Duran Duran
- Foreigner
- Genesis
- Deborah Gibson
- The Go-Go's
- The Clash
- Colin Hay
- Frankie Goes To Hollywood
- Heart
- Heaven 17
- Trevor Horn
- The Human League
- INXS
- Iron Maiden
- Eddie Money
- Michael Jackson
- Journey
- Cyndi Lauper
- Huey Lewis
- Kenny Loggins
- Madonna
- George Michael
- Modern English
- Morrissey
- Naked Eyes
- Night Ranger
- Pet Shop Boys
- The Police
- REO Speedwagon
- Stan Ridgway
- The Scorpions
- Rick Springfield
- Billy Squier
- Styx
- They Might Be Giants
- U2
- Van Halen
- Village People
Actor Websites
- John Cusack
- Molly Ringwald
- Taylor Negron
- Judge Reinhold
- Emilio Estevez
- Ally Sheedy
- Anthony Michael Hall
- Judd Nelson
- Jim Belushi
- John Belushi
- John Candy
- Val Kilmer
Buy Some Gear
List of Podcasts
- Madonna's Super Bowl show
- Conan the Barbarian
- Rock dinosaurs part 4
- Cheap Trick's Robin Zander visits
- Madonna at Super Bowl, under-loved holiday movies
- Steve Perry interview
- Simple Minds' Jim Kerr
- The Lost Boys
- Rock dinosaurs, Part 3
- Duran Duran's Simon Le Bon
- Modern English's Robbie Grey
- Freddie, Eddie and L.A.
- Live from the Hollywood Bowl
- Streets of Fire
- Our glorious return
- Footloose, Night Ranger, Superman II
- Tommy Lee interview
- Psychedelic Furs interview
- Michael J. Fox turns 50
- John Cafferty interview
- A primer on the '80s for today's kids
- Rock dinosaurs, part 2
- New Cars, Star Wars Day and L.A.
- Greg Kihn interview
- Debbie vs. Tiffany, Weird Al and more
- Rock dinosaurs, part 1
- Top Gun, the Commodore 64 and more
- 50 years of Eddie Murphy
- Review of Duran Duran's new album
- College basketball in the '80s
- Sammy, Duran Duran and Roadtrip 2011
- Charlie Sheen in the '80s
- Topher, Phil and Blade Runner
- We try a new format...
- Best movie busts of 1980
- Journey's Escape
- Rock of Ages and Constantine Maroulis
- Tron and Tron: Legacy
- Queen's "The Game"
- Lou Gramm interview
- Rick Springfield interview
- Buddy movies of the '80s
- Surprise announcement!
- Howard Jones interview
- Bret Michaels interview
- Ohio in the '80s
- Fictional high schools of the '80s
- Las Vegas 2010 wrapup show
- Live from Las Vegas Weekend
- Horrible hits of 1989
- Cyndi Lauper interview
- 25th anniversary of Live Aid
- Weird Al Yankovic interview
- Captain EO is back!
- Horrible hits of 1988
- 25th anniversary of Cocoon
- Our 200th episode!
- N.W.A., featuring an interview with Ice Cube
- Hollywood moms of the '80s
- Horrible hits of 1987
- Chicago, featuring Robert Lamm interview
- Top 10 makeout songs
- Corey Haim tribute
- Top 10 movie scores
- Richard Marx interview
- The Miracle on Ice's 30th anniversary
- Peter Gabriel's album "So"
- Top 10 girls-next-door of the '80s
- Horrible hits of 1986
- New Year's Eve 1989
- 12 Songs of Christmas
- Foreigner's Mick Jones
- Carl Weathers interview
- Top John Cusack movies of all time
- Guilty pleasures of the '80s
- Stewart Copeland interview
- We honor Patrick Swayze
- Horrible hits of 1985
- Snack food of the '80s
- John Hughes tribute
- Air Supply's Russell Hitchcock
- Def Leppard's Joe Elliott
- Musicians turned actors of the '80s
- The Last Starfighter
- Horrible hits of 1984
- Breaking up in the '80s and beyond, featuring Valley Girl's Deborah Foreman
- The music and movies of Chicago
- Wang Chung, featuring singer Jack Hues
- Greatest American Hero, featuring William Katt
- Horrible hits of 1983
- Star Trek in the '80s
- Spinal Tap's Michael McKean
- John Oates interview
- Interview with Colin Hay
- Hair metal anthems
- Horrible hits of 1982
- Olivia Newton-John interview
- The Awesome '80s Prom
- The Smiths
- Top 10 chick flicks of the 80s
- Top 20 holiday movies
- Songs by actors turned musicians
- Horrible Hits of 1981
- James Bond in the '80s
- New Kids on the Block bash fest
- Top 10 movie songs of the '80s
- Audio commentary to 1978's Halloween (Warning: 2 hours long)
- '80s remakes and sequels
- Former Duran Duran guitarist Andy Taylor
- Football movies of the '80s
- Weird Science
- Horrible hits of 1980
- Pete Byrne and Naked Eyes
- Red Scare movies of the 80s
- Interview with Journey's Ross Valory
- Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
- Top 10 Phil Collins songs
- 80s Night at Tropicana Field
- Interview with The Human League's Philip Oakey
- Interview with ABC's Martin Fry
- New albums from 80s bands
- Summer movies and songs
- One-hit wonders of 1989
- The Indiana Jones trilogy
- Top 10 TV theme songs
- Bon Jovi concert review
- Reader mailbag special
- Deborah Gibson visits!
- Spring break in the '80s
- Baseball movies of the '80s
- One-hit wonders of 1988
- Great songs from bad movies
- They Might Be Giants
- She's Having a Baby
- Oscars in the 80s
- Romance in the 80s
- Novelty songs of the 80s
- Night Ranger's Jack Blades
- 1987 one-hit wonders
- New Year's Eve playlist and live calls
- A Christmas Story
- Our fans share their sad songs and stories
- Quiet Riot and the late Kevin DuBrow
- Scorpions with guest Klaus Meine
- Invisible Touch by Genesis
- 10 most depressing songs of the 80s
- Wedding Singer, featuring writer Tim Herlihy
- Interview with REO Speedwagon's Kevin Cronin
- "Strange Brew" and beer-drinking in the 80s
- Epic 100th episode
- One-hit wonders of 1986
- Interview with John Waite
- Interview with Martha Quinn
- Farewell to co-host Cathy Wos
- Canadian music of the 80s
- The cult classic Repo Man
- Rush fans -- rapid or surly?
- Movies about the 80s ... not made in the 80s
- Interview with comedian Andrew Dice Clay (Warning: contains adult language and profanity)
- Interview with AC/DC's Brian Johnson
- Sid and Nancy
- Asia reunion, with Carl Palmer interview
- Styx, with Chuck Panozzo interview
- Listeners attack back!
- St. Elmo's Fire
- Interview with Heart's Nancy Wilson
- One-hit wonders of 1985
- Tom Wopat interview
- Kenny Loggins interview
- We're back...
- Anti-Valentine show
- Huey Lewis interview
- Trivia challenge, part 2
- Trivia challenge, part 1
- Some Kind of Wonderful
- One-hit wonders of 1984
- Review of Molly Ringwald in Sweet Charity
- Drinks of the 80s
- Games and toys of the 80s
- Thomas Dolby interview
- Molly Ringwald interview
- Planes, Trains and Automobiles
- Cheap Trick
- The movie Wall Street
- The Police's Synchronicity
- Fan calls and requests
- Halloween in the 80s
- One-hit wonders of 1983
- Patty Smyth interview
- 80s Prom Party at the Tampa Theatre
- We Are the 80s concert, with interviews of Rick Springfield, Loverboy and Patty Smyth
- The Cure
- Back to the Future
- Hits of 1982, Part 2
- Wall of Voodoo's Stan Rigdway visits
- Hits of 1982, Part 1
- MTV god Adam Curry
- The MTV revolution
- Duran Duran
- Michael Keaton
- Thriller
- Pretty in Pink
- The Cars
- Oingo Boingo
- Vision Quest
- Airplane!
- Bad songs from the 80s
- When Harry Met Sally
- 1981's one-hit wonders
- Prom in the 80s
- Van Halen or Van Hagar?
- Miami Vice
- One-hit wonders of 1980
- Better Off Dead
- Coming-of-age movies
- Asia
- 80s soundtracks, part 2
- 80s soundtracks, part 1
- AC/DC vs Guns N Roses
- Guy movies of the 80s
- Break-up songs
- Mix tapes
- Fashion and hair
- Fast Times at Ridgemont High
- 25th gala best-of show
- Pat Benatar
- Risky Business
- Heathers
- 80s Christmas music
- Boy George
- Billy Idol
- Ferris Bueller
- U2
- Politics of the 80s
- Depeche Mode
- Rick Springfield
- Valley Girl
- TV in the 80s
- Spinal Tap
- Technology in the 80s
- Purple Rain
- Most overplayed songs
- Journey
- Say Anything
- The Ramones
- Sean and Madonna
- Footloose
- Anka's 80s tribute
- Breakfast Club
Awards
2007 Winner, Best Media-Affiliated Entertainment Blog
2008 Finalist, Best Media-Affiliated Entertainment Blog
2006 Winner, Best Online Commentary
2007 Finalist, Best Online Commentary
2010 Winner, Innovation in Driving a Digital Audience
2009 Winner, Best Blog/Online Commentary
2008 Winner, Best Blog/Online Commentary
2010 Honorable mention, Excellence in Feature Writing Award for Blogging
2011 Honorable mention, Excellence in Feature Writing Award for Blogging
2011 Second Place, Best Blog
2009 Second Place, Best Blog
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