When I first heard about the new show, Hit Me Baby, One More Time, I was sure I'd love it. As a fan of all things '80s, I was excited to see some of my favorite acts vie for another shot at fame. Well, so far I haven't seen anyone whose comeback would really be all that welcome (Wang Chung? Loverboy? The Knack?). And I don't know...the whole show just leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I haven't been able to sit through more than 5 minutes at a time, and Wang Chung's version of "Hot in Herre" was enough to decide that 5 minutes was far too long.
Most bands that were flashes in the pan were so for a reason. They really had nothing more to offer, as this show is perfectly illustrating. (Although I do still think Howard Jones is a pretty talented guy.) The ones that do have more than one leg to stand on have survived, and therefore don't need shows like this. (See Duran Duran, U2 and Bon Jovi as examples.) And as unfair as it may be, a lot of people want to remember our '80s bands as they were. If they had a certain schtick, that may have worked well for them at the time but it's going to be a disadvantage now. For instance, no one wants to see Flock of Seagulls doing quasi-pop rock songs while wearing jeans and baseball hats. Everyone wants to see guys in makeup with weird-ass hairstyles singing "I Ran", maybe "Wishing", and that's it. It may not seem fair, but take a listen to their last album, Light at the End of the World and you'll understand why they're better off sticking to their old hits. The same can be said for a lot of the popular bands who peaked in the '80s.
Most bands that were flashes in the pan were so for a reason. They really had nothing more to offer, as this show is perfectly illustrating. (Although I do still think Howard Jones is a pretty talented guy.) The ones that do have more than one leg to stand on have survived, and therefore don't need shows like this. (See Duran Duran, U2 and Bon Jovi as examples.) And as unfair as it may be, a lot of people want to remember our '80s bands as they were. If they had a certain schtick, that may have worked well for them at the time but it's going to be a disadvantage now. For instance, no one wants to see Flock of Seagulls doing quasi-pop rock songs while wearing jeans and baseball hats. Everyone wants to see guys in makeup with weird-ass hairstyles singing "I Ran", maybe "Wishing", and that's it. It may not seem fair, but take a listen to their last album, Light at the End of the World and you'll understand why they're better off sticking to their old hits. The same can be said for a lot of the popular bands who peaked in the '80s.
Comments
My favorite 1980's movie is The Goonies, followed closely by The Breakfast Club. God bless the Brat Pack.
Fun blog ya got!
Blake