Oh man, I so remember when Phil Collins "sold out" and performed on Solid Gold! I also remember being pissed that my sisters got to see him perform in a small venue with only 200 people back when his first album came out. Sometimes I think celebrities that die at the height of their popularity have it better than those that go on. But then I think of Sting and Bowie and Bono and all those others who just seem to get better with age, or at least whose changes I can respect. It's so weird to think that concert was 20 years ago. Damn, we're old ;-)

Beautiful! I don't have kids, but I can only imagine having similar conversations in the future.

I think I waited until college in 1988 to grow my mullet....

I live in one of the towns where some of the scenes in Stand by Me was shot (one of my favorites by the way) Animal House was partially shot here also, along with a few others, kinda exciting for such a small town. And Adam Ant is an Icon in our home. My sister wore out all of his CD's and has had to replace most of them so you aren't alone, only her kids openly think she is a huge dweeb. But that could be because of the dancing, who knows. And the reason they poke fun at their dad? Well that would be his Phil Collins obsession!

You're a great Dad, Wil. The boys are very lucky to have you.

Dang, I feel old now too. :( You can't really experience the concert fully until you turn the amp to 11.

Yes, it's fun raising children to be U2 fans. My two-year old loves to watch the "hello, hello" song (Vertigo) on the TIVO over and over, and the five year old knows the words to the entire song. I eagerly await the coming tour to see them for the third time.

I, too, grew up in the 80's (class of '86) and remember cranking Phil Collins and Huey Lewis. What was I thinking? But mostly I listened to 60's/70's music such as the Doobie Brothers, Beatles, Boston, etc. as I recognized even then that the current music scene was crap.

Of course, it wasn't just the mullets, but the makeup and spandex as well. God, what possesed those heavy metal bands to look like that?

What a great scene, I can truely picture it both because of the great writing and because I know EXACTLY what you mean, having been a teenager then.

I will now tell you about my live aid sorrow, because, I didn't go. I could have. I lived just an hour from Philly and knew people who were going. The ticket price would have meant only a few weeks of staying home to save gas money, and perhaps some targeted borrowing from friends and family. I managed to videotape the entire event, which I watched several times. At the time, I didn't realize what a huge cultural phenomenon the concert would be. I didn't realize that my gen-x nostalgia would be so strong for this one concert, but at the time, I didn't feel it was important enough to justify changing my priorities. I am pained to write these next few words because they are perhaps the most pathetic thing I have ever said: I didn't go because I HAD TO WORK. Yes, at 18 years old, not a year out of high school, I was told to work the day of live aid and i showed up. I regret that day now, standing in that electronics store making barely above minimum wage selling resistors and LEDs and wire-by-the-foot, becuase I really doubt they would have fired me if I had called in sick. They should have closed the store that day anyway. Even if they did fire me, I got a job at a new a/v store that opened a month later anyway, so I would have been out a month's salary. BUT I WOULD HAVE GONE TO LIVE AID!

Pity me.

On second thought, no, don't do that.

I'm pathetic enough already.

What I remember about Live Aid is how excited I was that the original lineup of Black Sabbath was reuniting. This was six years after Ozzy left and there was still bad blood. No one thought it would ever happen, but they did it for Live Aid. If you'd told me at the time that by 2004 Black Sabbath reunions would be annual affairs I wouldn't have believed you. Of course, at the time I refused to believe that Judas Priest's Rob Halford was gay.

Oh, and tell the kids that thier kids will make fun of fashion trends in music that they thought made perfect sense. Maybe it will be hooded sweatshirts, or perhaps those square "thoughtful" glasses. But it will continue. Just like the cool longhair rockers of the late 70's/early 80's were considered "losers" by the late 80's, and soon the goatee'd, ballcap-wearing fred durst type with the baggy jeans and white t-shirt will be the next stereotype to become comical. Personally, I can't wait for that one.

Hey, Nice Write up in the LA Times today. Wasn't expecting it, but there it was. BTW, it was in the Calandar Section, so you have to get a free temporary membership in order to read it online at LATIMES.com Look in the Calandar section on the right side of the screen and look under BOOKS...
.
.
HA BOOKS!

Let's dance in style, lets dance for a while
Heaven can wait we're only watching the skies
Hoping for the best but expecting the worst
Are you going to drop the bomb or not?

Let us die young or let us live forever
We don't have the power but we never say never
Sitting in a sandpit, life is a short trip
The music's for the sad men

Can you imagine when this race is won
Turn our golden faces into the sun
Praising our leaders we're getting in tune
The music's played by the mad men

Forever young, I want to be forever young
do you really want to live forever, forever and ever
Forever young, I want to be forever young
do you really want to live forever? Forever young

hee. hee hee.

Ah, the 80s. That's pretty fantastic!!

Thanks alot Wil, the title of your post has me yearning to dig through several layers of boxes to find my old Alphaville album. Now I'll be up til 4am listening to LPs that haven't seem the light of day for 15 years...

Dude, I still have my VHS tapes of the Live Aid broadcast! I should buy the DVD, now that it's out.

I recently caught myself saying to my 22 year old coworker "When I was your age..." and I thought I'd turned into my mother! I guess it happens to everyone sooner or later. Although it's pretty funny to discuss what we wore in high school with someone else who is the same age. The conversation always ends with a huge "WHAT THE HELL WERE WE THINKING?" and loads of laughter. Haaa mullets! Those were the days! :D

I am *NOT* old.

Okay, I'll beg here:

Wil, will you pleeease post the LA Times article on your website??

I wasn't even listening to rock in 1985, that's how completely uncool I was! I remember getting my first ever CD in 1986 or '87, and it was the soundtrack to the London Les Miserables...yes, musical theater....

Have you heard the Temperance cover of "Forever Young"? It's killer.

That was a really wonderful story; thank you.

Well... We're really growing old. My first U2 concert when I was 15, just after Live Aid. There were also Pretenders, Big Audio Dynamite and Lone Justice... And yes, this was almost 20 years ago.
No children to remember these everyday to me...

This is the first time I've been on your site, and being introduced to you by running into the Live Aid blog really made me smile. I just turned 20 this month, and came home from school to spend christmas with my parents and two younger siblings. my dad and I have argued a bit over the last few years but we've always shared a love for music, so going to see shows together usually keeps the bloodshed at a minimum. anyway, he bought me the Live Aid dvd for christmas... i had never heard of the Live Aid, so he told me the story of how it got started, the guys who showed, etc... very much the way it sounds you explained it to your stepsons. he always played those guys' music around the house, but to see them in their prime (except for roger and pete... my dad and i were awaiting townshend to pop his shoulder out)... i think i may have had as much joy watching what it meant to my father as listening to my earliest musical influences. and it was a distinctive mullet... but my dad said you could still be an male sex icon and wear 5 inch heels... Live-Aid brings us together, eh?

1985...when Live Aid was performed I -think- I was still in Germany. That was a rough year. Moving back to the US after living in Germany for almost five years was a HUGE culture shock, especially the new school in Middle-of-Nowhere, TX where they still paddled kids for discipline issues (the principal found out he COULDN'T paddle me, heh). The only good thing about that year was that I went to Disney.

Remember, Wil: Ridicule is nothing to be scared of.

Mullets....yeah...

Business in the front, party in the back.

God those were (are) awful.

I got this set for Christmas too, I can't WAIT to listen to it.
I have been saying for years that Live Aid shoul dbe released on DVD. Finally!!!11oneone.

Those were the days weren't they? Dang it, I feel old. Anyway I really thought the 80's was a really cool time and the early 90's also. I remember LIVE AID. The styles, the music was one of the best times of my life. Now that the Tsunami happened I hope we can help as much as we can like LIVE AID back in the 80's. Wil you really are a great father to the two boys and I can just see the whole thing in my mind. Those boys are lucky to have a great guy like you in their life. Oh by the way it was stand by me that I became a fan of yours and it is still today as one of my favorites still. my favorite line? "suck my fat one you cheap dime store hood." LOL

Morgan

This past weekend I saw a guy in the supermarket with the perfect mullet. I couldn't help staring. I think I was actually following him around and staring - early 40s, 60 pounds overweight and a 'mullet'!
Thanks for the memories

Member of the Ant Army,
Deb

Okay, let me get this straight Wil. 1985... Live-Aid... Bono... mullet.

1985 was 5 years after I graduated from college. Bono and U2 were in their second decade of making music. Easily their second - about their 14th year I believe. I never had a mullet - because only kids thought they were cool, and I wasn't a kid.

Now put yourself in Bono's shoes, er, boots. Second decade of making music.

And that was 20 years ago.

What's he doing today? Selling iPods and touring yet again, striking poses onstage like he did 35 years ago. Almost makes you start spelling out M-i-c-k J-a-g-g-e-r.

Again, put yourself in Bono's shoes Wil.

And you feel old? :-)

I "torture" my boys with 80s music all of the time (I don't think they mind).

Sure, Phil Collins was cool, but not likely in that context. :-p

For evidence, see: albums from Genesis that contain Peter Gabriel; albums from Brand X. The drum work on songs like Nuclear Burn is not to be believed. :)

I usually just lurk, but this post made me actually crack up out loud, causing my children to stare at their bizarre mother. Nicely done - this entry deserves a book of its own.

I had to be in a wedding the day of Live Aid. fortunately, it was a really great wedding, and yes, they are still happily married...

I taped as much of the event as I could, but, hmm a DVD you say...

My eleven year old son, with his wild unruly hair past his shoulders, watches Full House reruns. They aired the pilot episode last night...holy moley, you should see the mullets John Stamos and Dave Coulier were sporting. Very impressive indeed. The eighties surely were a distinctive fashion decade...

By the way, the same eleven year old has recently discovered Queen and U2. He got Queen's Greatest Hits I & II for Christmas. We rock out every day to Bohemian Rhapsody. My coolness factor went up considerably when he discovered I could sing along and had Queen albums.

Wil,
It's posts like this that bring us all together, with respect to our music choices growing up. It shows you how diverse your audience is when it comes to age and musical tastes. I think it's grand that we all even know what a mullet is and can associate it with U2 from the 80's and fat old guys in the supermarket today. What a country. Nice post.

In 1985, MTV had only been around for a few years. Music wasn't as "visual" as it is today. People liked Phil Collins because he was a great musician, not because he looked cool.

One of the great things about American Idol was it showed the Music Industry that the people of the US were willing to choose the fat, geeky, strange looking performer over the one that looked cool because they sang better.

Don't worry Wil, you do realize that you'll have your revenge when they grow up and have to explain to their kids that wearing your pants halfway down your pelvic area was...well it was 2001 and um....

You need to show the kids the Music Video 1985 by Bowling for Soup (http://launch.yahoo.com/ar-299909---Bowling-For-Soup). It does a good job of showing us all those "cool" things from 1985.

By the way does an "ariel" shot have something to do with mermaids? Or did you mean aerial shot?

Keep up the good work it's stories of everyday life like this that keep me coming back.

I remember being 14 in 1984 (the most awesome year of the 80's as far as I'm concerned) and trying really hard to make my very straight blonde hair look as much like Pat Benatar's dark brown curly fem-mullet as I could. Boy oh boy, those were the good days! (Music that you can dance to, that and that alone is enough for me!!)
LK

Wil,
That was such a great blurb. Bono went from mullet to being Jesus Christ with Rattle and hum. Our family had purchased our first VCR and of course had to record everything under the sun. One of the first thing I recorded was Bono being interviewed with his long Straight hair from Rattle and Hum preaching to us even then.
I also used to be awakened to the sounds of Phil Collins singing Sussidio. I remember thinking how cool he was. Now he is just the Tarzan weeney. How far we have come since 1984/5.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you www.mulletsgalore.com. I no longer sport the mullet, but I can still appreciate a good one. This site shows that there are still many people who value the mullet, even today.

Wil, excellent site. I read it regularly but this is my first posting. Don't worry about explaining what rock icons used to look like, I am still waiting for someone to explain the one pant leg rolled up to the knee to me.

Wil, were you speaking of this here mullet?

http://www.atu2.com/view.html?/events/85/liveaid/bad3.jpg

This post totally made my day. I never actually saw Live Aid; I was only a year old at the time. I have, however, since seen U2's part of the show on the Internet in various places. Absolutely amazing. I totally need to see them live on their next tour. Hopefully, they'll come to New York and play elsewhere in addition to the city. :)

It's nice to wake up and read ~40 comments from people who relate to this story. What a great way to start the day!

Yearous: thanks for pointing out my egregious spelling error. I've fixed it. :)

Dave: That is, in fact, the mullet in question. Sweet.

I was 15 on 7/13/85.

Unfortunately, my wife has horrible memories of that day because her dad's diabetes acted up and his leg shut down and they had to amputate. She didn't get to see most of the concert until the DVD came out last month.

Oh man, I remember watching Live Aid that day on MTV, with their unending "Is Springsteen gonna be here" ramblings, and watching them showing Martha "the clueless" Quinn sing along to Led Zeppelin (instead of the stage!) and messing up the words.

And yes, I wanted Bono's hair. And those boots. That was COOL in 1985. Seeing him jump 15 feet down to the audience and pull that girl out of the stands for a 30 second hug, seen by two *biillion* people, still gives me goosebumps on the DVD.

I just wish the DVD was a lot more complete. (Uh, guys, Sting played "Message in a Bottle." I *know* he did.)

<gumpy old guy>
Top 40 was just so much better back then.
</gumpy old guy>

Thanks for making me laugh on a Friday morning - it's been a veeeerrrry long week.

I graduated from high school in 1984, so I remember Live Aid being a pretty big deal when I was at college. The big thing was that Phil Collins was going to perform concerts on two continents in the same day! Wow! ;)

Aaaahhh....the good ol' days. Yes, mullets were awful, but at least U2 was still releasing good music. I've been underwhelmed with everything after Joshua Tree. Oh well.

Happy weekend!

Was that a secret Napoleon Dynamite reference?

1985. I was 4 years old. I just realized that the age diference between myself and Wil is 9 years... the same difference between myself and my youngest sister. Pretty cool.

But Wil, It was sunny yesterday for the last time in a week for us in Southern Cali... please tell me you went running or at least outside sometime during the day. If I weren't stuck in this damn office, I would have been outside riding my bike :)

***"WHAT THE BLEEP DO WE KNOW?"***

Hey WIL!

This is a touch off subject, I know, and I'm sorry, BUT, you GOTTA see this film:

www whatthebleep dot com

Changed my life, kid you not. I thought of you, and I KNOW you will appreciate this movie, and I'm positive you will write about afterwards!!

Spread the word!

OMG, Wil. I had a similar sort of experience with my daughters (who are younger than your stepsons). "The 80s." I was a college radio DJ in the 80s. And all my daughters want to know is: "Hey Mom, did you wear legwarmers and listen to weird music?" Well....yeah. Then they want to know why everyone was so WEIRD back then. And I try to explain...it was the 80s...it was one of the coolest decades in music....mullets were THE THING. Almost every guy I knew had a mullet! Jesus, I even had a female mullet for a while. A femullet. I had an 80s Femullet, I admit it!

But it was THE 80s, fercrissake! We didn't know, I swear we didn't! We shamlessly went from our Skinny Tie/Black-n-White Sneakers phase to our Boy George/New Romantic Puffy Shirt phase. We used lots of hair gel and we were very pastey looking. Sigh. I miss those days....

BTW, if anyone's interested in 80s music, check out the Live365 re-broadcast of my college radio show from the early 80s. You can get to it from my website: www.lynnzee.com. I haven't changed the show rotation in a while, but I plan to soon. The shows now playing there have some pretty good music....

(I hope it's OK to post this, Wil. I meant to add it to my last comment but I forgot).

I don't remember that, especially since that was around the time I was born :P

I was in college then, but I admit it, I don't remember a darn thing about LiveAid, except that it happened.

But here's my Adam Ant story: In the mid-90's, Adam Ant came around to Seattle on a tour, and a bunch of us folks at Wizards of the Coast decided that we just had to go see him, even at that washed-up stage of his career. I was able to overlook the slight paunch, and the lack of all his 80s coolness. What I couldn't get over though, was the loss of tempo. All those songs I used to Pogo to had slowed down to a point of complete non-hoppable-ness. I should probably drag out my old "Kings of the Wild Frontier Album", and see whether I can reclaim some happier memories. . .

When it comes to Adam Ant, we must all rock out.

Hi Love the website.

I spent the 80's lost in Bluegrass, so Bono is only a dim memory.

I do like to see a good mullet with lots of hairspray. They rank up there with Elvis dressed in Pink and Black.

(And to explain about the rolled up pantleg.
It is a sign of gang affiliation or sympathy. "Left coast" gangs - left pantleg, and "right coast" gangs etc. Folk and People, Crips and Bloods. Blue and Red.)

Great post!

Bono often wears heels.

Bono: "I would certainly consider myself to be one of the inventors of the mullet.
I think it comes down to Patrick Swayze or me."

"Well, I'd start with the mullet." -Bono on what he would change about U2's 25-year career

'Well, Bono is a Jesuit priest. With a mullet hairdo.'
~Bob Geldof

The mullet wasn't cool. Adam's 'fro on the other hand
*********
Oh and I have to comment on this:

1985 was 5 years after I graduated from college. Bono and U2 were in their second decade of making music. Easily their second - about their 14th year I believe. I never had a mullet - because only kids thought they were cool, and I wasn't a kid.

Now put yourself in Bono's shoes, er, boots. Second decade of making music.

And that was 20 years ago.

What's he doing today? Selling iPods and touring yet again, striking poses onstage like he did 35 years ago. Almost makes you start spelling out M-i-c-k J-a-g-g-e-r.

It was not their 14th year in '85. They came together in '76 and their first album was out in '80. Bono is 44 right now and he could never be as bad as Jagger.

I *love* Onkyo. The great big volume wheel is awesome.

Also love the Beatles. One of my daughters (age 8) was just enjoying "And I Love Her" on my iPod, albeit the Beatles Go Baroque version.

I'd better scroll her over to the originals...

Wil, I'm a year younger than you (roughly) and I SO know how you feel. I have a friend who just turned 23 and we were talking about something 80's-TV-related and she said "I always thought Uncle Jesse was so hot."

I stopped. Uncle Jesse? From the Dukes of Hazzard? I know my friends are weird, but I didn't think she was THAT weird.

She continued, "You know, from Full House?"

I cried. In fact, I'm tearing up a bit now just remembering it.

The 80s hair bands should really entertain them. Heck, even then I knew they were kind of goofy. What is really wierd is 1985 is when I graduated from high school. 20 years since I graduated from high school! Oh no! I'm OLD!

At least the boys may now understand "unfortunate fashion choices" (aka why something may seem like a good idea now but will only provide fodder for the kids in years to come) Did I say years to come? It seems more like a few minutes ago.

We picked up this set the weekend it came out. I watched all umpteen hours of it, and thought it was fantastic! My favorite bit was with Queen. They totally rocked the entire house!

My kids have seen the Adam Ant rockout, and I threaten to use it and other geekouts in my arsenal to humiliate them in front of their friends on a regular basis. It helps keep them in line.

Best post ever, Wil.
Phil Collins. Why? He .... was ... an international superstar.

Omg, Best post ever.

Totally rad.

Last time I saw U2 was at the special olypics cermony in dublin last summer. They played "pride" and "one love" with 93,000 in the stadium, 10,000 special athletes while a massive video screen showed all theyre achievements. He then led out nelson mandela who gave probably one of the best speeches that I've ever heard. When bono sanging "one love", he stopped singing and left 93000 people sing the chorus all swaying together it was like variation of a mexican wave one of those unforgettable moments like live aid. (probably the best event ireland/ europe has ever put on). It was the first time the special olympics was held outside of the USA.

The link is for pics of the event:
http://www.specialolympics.org/Special+Olympics+Public+Website/English/Press_Room/News_Archive/2003+News+Archive/Spectacular+Opening+Ceremonies.htm

P.S. i dont know if this is known in the states or not but they released the song this xmas. Bono and Paul mc Cartney are the only two orignal artists to participate.

Where to start...first I love Rhino records. I have most of the re-releases they've issued of Elvis Costello's stuff. And for x-mas my wife got me Left of the Dial a really great compilation of 80's alternative/college radio stuff.

As for Bono, he and his mullet stopped being cool right around 85 in my opinion. I didn't even like Joshua Tree, I think Unforgettable Fire was the last album I liked. to quote Henry Rollins "The Clash is the band U2 wishes they could be".

I saw Bono on the Christian channel a couple of days ago talking about Jesus.
No joke it was weird because I always thought of him as a somewhat hard rocker.

Wow... I really enjoyed that post!

I have U2's Live Aid performance on video tape. It's powerful stuff... who could forget Bono rushing into the crowd to pick up that woman during the twelve-minute "Bad"?!!

By the way Wil, what do you think of the new album? Can't wait to see them on the next tour by the way!

Signed, a massive U2 fan from Ireland ;)

This was a great post, I laughed out loud. I'm older than most everyone here (I was in my late 20s when Live Aid happened)--what a great memory. Isn't it funny how mullets evolved? They may have started out cool, but eventually they were just casual fashion--you didn't notice them 'cause so many people had them. Now they connote something altogether uncool, of course. I point out to my (teenage) kids that on certain old "Seinfeld" episodes Jerry's hair is dangerously close to mulletish. It wasn't anything at the time, just a hair style.
By the way, this was the FIRST time I recognized one of your titles, Wil. Ah, Alphaville. I still love 80s music.
I saw "Coldplay" a couple of years ago--as a prelude to their ballad "Trouble" Chris Martin told how in the car (bus?) radio on the road, a Phil Collins song (damn, forget which one, some love song) came on and they all laughed at its cheesiness. Then Chris Martin told the audience (of which I was the way oldest) that in 20 years this song ("Trouble") will come on the radio and it will be the cheesy song your kids laugh at. Chris Martin is a wise man.

I would've loved to have been a fly on that living room wall... :-)

1)This blog has made me feel VERY OLD,LOL!!!

2) I miss the days when Phil Collins was cool
*glares at Disney for having him sell out,*gives another glare for taking Elton John too
3) I had no idea that the hair do Bono used to sport was infact a mullet, at the time I just thought it was a kick-butt/sexy rocker hair do.

*sigh...those were the days :)

I forgot to add this
as someone who is a firm believer in REAL MUSIC
you make me very proud that you are raising your boys on UZ, awww yes that makes me very proud. :)
I just got the hugest smile on my face when I read that.

Well, at least Adma Ant has/had a sense of humour... :-D

HA HA HA!!

Glad to have ya back Wil!

Dont let the kids see U2 live at Red Rocks.... Bono has the mullet in full effect!!

I giggled outloud at work and co workers are staring at me like I'm a total GEEK! That rocked! LIVE long and always listen to U2 that's what I say.
I have to get that DVD!
What a great gift.

I giggled out loud at work and co workers are staring at me like I'm a total GEEK! That rocked! LIVE long and always listen to U2 that's what I say.
I have to get that DVD!
What a great gift.

That's an incredible story, Wil, and I'm always touched and inspired by the way you are with the boys, but just a minute here - you were rocking out to Adam Ant??!!!??!!!

I'm just about your age, or maybe a little older, and back in the day NO ONE rocked out to Adam Ant!

(Then again, I did go to a college where the graffiti said "Black Flag kills Ants on contact"...)

that is so funny.. and all the while i'm reading this i'm hearing in my brain that new song about stuck in 1985 , or what ever it is

hey wil, pretty all those bands you mentioned in your post were from the UK (apart from U2 who i know are from Ireland, but it's just next door!!!!) being from England, i think its sooo cool that bands from our country made such a difference to the way people think. it makes me proud!

you are a gread dad wil, the boys are lucky to have you, just as you are lucky to have them.

"long days and pleasant nights."

love rach
xxx

hey wil, pretty all those bands you mentioned in your post were from the UK (apart from U2 who i know are from Ireland, but it's just next door!!!!) being from England, i think its sooo cool that bands from our country made such a difference to the way people think. it makes me proud!

you are a gread dad wil, the boys are lucky to have you, just as you are lucky to have them.

"long days and pleasant nights."

love rach
xxx

...whose Adam Ant?

My son (yes, the eleven year old again) and I were looking at Live Aid stuff online and we came across this little tidbit...

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1188518,00050003.htm

I'll be watching to see who hops onboard and if it actually comes to fruition.

By the way... Mary, I was in my mid-twenties for Live Aid, so I'm right there with ya. I feel just a tad creaky...

My tween is lamenting all he lost out on with the eighties bands. He has now added the Live Aid DVD to his birthday list...

Wil,

Please pardon my ignorance, but here in south Louisiana a mullet is a fish that jumps out of the water several times in succession. I have often had mullet jump into my boat.

Would you please post a link with a picture of a mullet hair cut. I am really curious.

Freeman :)

"As long as they don't have mullets, I think we'll be fine," Ryan said.

Best. Line. Ever.

those kids rock the casbah

-MKF

Ahhh, Live Aid. July 1985. I was 14 and remember being in a dilemma about which concert I should watch. They showed the Wembley concert on BBC1 from midday till 10pm but at 5pm BBC2 kicked off with the Philly concert(!) so I was remote control jockeying for the best part of 5 hours so I wouldnt miss anything (but I invariably did!!!)

Brill show what with Queen blowing everyone away with their set and seeing Phil Collins board Concorde so that he could make both shows. (Hmmm, I wonder what happened to Concorde...BRING IT BACK DAGNAMMIT!) I stayed up til 3 to watch the end and remember thinking how odd it was hearing everyone singing "Do They Know Its Christmas" in the height of summer!!!

It has been announced that as primarily being in aid of the Asian Tsunami Disaster and as a partial tribute to it being 20 years since Live Aid a concert is being planned for Jan 22 at Cardiff's Millenium Stadium.

goto http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/4156085.stm to read all about it. I dont know whether it is going to be televised as yet though, sorry.

Man, I just had, more or less, the same conversation with my wife (she is 7 years younger than me - cradle robber that I am).

I had to explain to her what a moment in time for me that day was.

I was literally parked in front of the TV and stereo making recordings on cassette and VHS for posterity. I still have them!

I am very dissappointed that the DVD does not have the Led Zepplin reunion on it. That was the moment for me of the whole day!

Regards,

Ed

Alphaville and Other Quotes

You know, if this were just a website dedicated to figuring out awsome song quotes, I'd still come here every day!

I wonder if it's hard for Wil to come up with them or do they just come to him from above...

I don't even have kids yet and I hate those moments.

And I'm only 28

Phil Collins: It seems that he is in a place in his life where he is happy and all the pain and angst that drove him creatively is gone. Or he is just old....

"In the Air Tonight" came on the radio the other day and my 6th grade nephew asked, "Who is that?" (My nephew is a budding drummer.) I said, "It is a classic. Learn to play that song and anything else Phil Collins played drums on. Maybe I'll put together a CD of Neal Peart, John Bonham, Phil Collins and Stuart Copeland for him.

The opening sequence to "I Don't Care Anymore" still kills when cranked to 11.

No matter how bad my day was, you've managed to put a smile in my face. Thanks Wil. =D

THANK YOU. Haha, this was such a funny post, because I know with certainty, that when I have children... I'll be saying much of the same.

Incidentally, I'm FINALLY getting Mr. Stitch on tape through Amazon.com -- I used to have a copy I taped from Sci-Fi Channel, but subsequentially lost. It's my favorite 'independent' movie.

I, too, received the LiveAid DVD's this year for Christmas. As soon as 7ofHearts (my wife) heard (re: I told her) that I wanted it, she order it.

Queen by far was the best.

All we hear is Radio GaGa. Radio GooGoo. Radio GaGa.

Video was new.
Radio.
Someone still loves you......

Ayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy-O
Ayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy-Oh
Ay-da-da-day-da-da-do

Di-doh
Di-doh

Dee-doh-de-doh-de-doh.

We miss you, Freddie.

Wil, come on! You - rocking to Adam Ant? I was just a kid when he was wearing a hussar's coat, and I'm old enough to be your . . . . big brother.

Maybe I was older than I remember.

That's funny, I was'nt born in the 80's but I know the people your talking about, what store did your wife find the DVD at?

Aren't kids great? I can't wait until my little man is old enough to pick on me for things I was into in the past.

Wil, I think "Stand by me" had at least as big influence on me as a kid as "Live Aid".. So consider yourself immortalized in the eighties just as much as "live aid", I hope it is not a depressing thought.

There was just something about that movie as a whole for a 13 year old kid.. The music, the "last summer being a kid" feeling etc.. Too bad River Phoenix never made it to thirties, fourties, etc..

Wil,
Wil, that was funny. Is there a such thing as a, non-funny looking, musician look? It seems that we can't always use the 80's or the 60's as an excuse. I would never want to be a musician fashion designer. No matter what look you decide on, somebody, somewhere will always be laughing.

FG

Hey Wil,
I noticed your use of the word egregiously.... must have remembered it from book of days ;)

Ok...for the record...mullets were NEVER EVER attractive....on ANYONE. Not even on Mr. Cool Ass Bono himself. As far as Mr. Collins goes...I guess I'm still living in the past, because I think he's still an incredible talent. I dug my parent's music...so i never gave them a hard time about it...but I still have to comment on their style. I guess there are some things that older and younger generations can not change about themselves.

I freakin' LOVE it! Just heard about your blog today and had to come look (I was a Trek fan back in the day) and almost laughed my orange juice through my nose when I read about your Live Aid experience. Especially the Phil Collins part. Had a ditto experience with my kids a few years ago. So thanks a pantload, WIl, now I have yet another blog I'm gonna need to read every day. ;)

Hey Wil, I remember Live Aid quite well (I kicked my folks out of the house for the weekend so I could watch it uninterrupted & without complaint). I remember how totally cool it was that Phil Collins had a jet on stand-by just so he could play both shows ... I remember getting up at like 4AM local time in order to catch the Australian set ... I remember Bono's mullet, and tell the boys you just kinda had to be there to understand ... I remember the rumors flying about a Beatles reunion (Paul McCartney with special guests, Julian Lennon in attendance) ... I remember getting goose-bumps with the totally awesome feeling that my generation was doing this, putting this together, pulling it off (never done before). It was way cool. Thanks for the memories, Wil.

Wil, I so feel your pain. I teach high school, and the kids are as merciless to me as ever I was to my own parents (who had stuff like "Have a groovy summer" scrawled into their yearbooks). "Rad? People really said 'rad'? And they weren't just joling around?"

In no way, style, decade or context can Phil Collins ever be seen as cool, it's just not going to happen. He has no 'it' or 'wow'...and we do have to try and forgive Bono because it was, as Wil said, the 80's.

I was 21 in 1985 and sat on my sofa with the curtains closed watching every second of LIVE AID. I was in tears for much of it - it meant a lot to me. I reckon Bono can live down his mullet, :-)

By the way, poor Adam Ant hasn't had such a good time of it, he's suffering some major mental health problems: http://www.adam-ant.net/documentary-channel4.html

i've been reading you for a while and i love your writing, i'm so happy for you!

Phil Collins is my #3 favorite artist of all-time, next to Elton John and Billy Joel. And I'm only 18! I feel sad that Nolan and Ryan consider him "wussy". I hope that they soon see how amazing he is. And what's up with your excuse of "it was 1985"? I would've been indignant lol!

Off subject:
Just so you know, you are insanely amazing. I know you hear it from all of you "loving adoring fans, oh Wil, I hated Wesley Crusher, but you're so wonderful, yadda yadda yadda" but it's true, sadly enough. I did hate Wesley Crusher. Ok...I DO hate Wesley Crusher. I'm the biggest Trekkie that I know at my college and guess what? There's a radio personality that goes by Wes Crusher and I really had to convince myself to not call and be like, dude, couldn't you have picked a cooler name? But then a friend sent me a link to your website, and you are now one of the most amazing celebrities that I know of. And I also now have a strong dislike for William Shatner.

So...as random as all of this is, I just thought that it might be reassuring *or frightening* to know that your fans aren't just old people like you *hahaha, SOOO joking*, but young hipsters that use words like "gnarly" and "far out" and "indubitably". And me, who uses words like "Q'apla" and phrases like "Don't try to be a great man, just be a man. Let history be the judge." *Quick, prove your Trekkiness and name the movie*

Anne is one of the luckiest women in the world and I sincerely hope that Nolan and Ryan realize just what they have.

You rock!!!

Excellent post, Wil! I remember those days well.

I loved the music and cartoons of the 80s and early 90s, even if the fashions left much to be wished for.

It's funny, but you'd think with all the toys, cartoons and *shudder* FASHIONS coming back from that era (I work in retail...ever see the LA Gear brand? Yeah, that's coming back, too), the music would regain some popularity.

Though, from what I understand, the next big thing is gonna be pink stuff...for both men and women. '80s gone pink...excuse me while I try beating that image out of my head. Gyaah..

That scene with the kids will play out in my head every time I listen to U2. It is funny, heartbreaking and priceless! It reminded me of the time Billy Crystal told the story of his daughter coming to him all distressed and asking, "Daddy, is the TRUE that Paul McCartney used to belong to a band before Wings?" But the mullet gives it a nice visual twist! Sweet.

Got the DVD for christmas as well - and had very similar experiences with the kids.

The highlight of 'OMG what were they (we all?) wearing at the time' was seeing Madonna's white socks, though!

Err- for what it's worth, Sunday Bloody Sunday was on "War," and Bad was from "The Unforgettable Fire" a year later. I would love to love the newer U2 albums as much, but I'm afraid nothing could match those two albums.

Well, count me among the fans of the "wussy Tarzan guy." I've been a fan of both Phil Collins and Genesis for a long time now. If Ryan heard the drums on, well, any track from Genesis Live, but I'm thinking "Watcher of the Skies" or "The Knife" here, he might have a completely different impression of Phil. (Come to think of it, he may not even know the significance of Peter Gabriel in that lineup...) On the other hand, he may be too young yet to appreciate progressive rock.

And, of course, Phil came up with those cannon-shot drums leading into the final chorus of "In The Air Tonight." You gotta respect that.

I remember watching Live Aid from a hotel room in Solvang, where we'd gone on a part-vacation, part-father's business trip. It seemed to me at the time like a really cool thing. In many respects, it still is.

The sad thing is that they didn't try to get the U.S. for the end of Bad. At least they didn't cut away for a pointless interview about nothing.

The only real downside to the live aid DVD is that they cut out so much. I'm fairly certain that Sting/Collins and Status Quo played more songs. I know Black Sabbath did (but ozzy sounded so awful, the snip is actually a blessing).

It's also a bit annoying that it's not shown in the order things were played. But it's still nice to have decent copies of the material, though I do wonder why the BBC's video is so bad. My 20 year old VHS tapes don't have red bands, so i don't know why the BBC's masters have them.

hi,madonna was also on that plane,and how about when mick ripped off tina's skirt.

Had to post this one to Adam-Ant.net... :)

I have those moments often.. My 5 year old told me that the dinsaurs were still around in the 1970's.... When I told her that I was born in 1978, and that the dinos have been gone for billions of years, she asked me if I was TWO years old then.
And then there's the whole thing where a 16 year old told me she heard of Atari last year.
I feel so OLD!
I remember watching Live Aid when I was little... I was around 7 and I watched the whole thing with my 2 year old brother.
I hate how kids and memories can make you feel so damn old when you are supposed to feel young!!!!!

Man, this article brought back some fond memories. I remember sitting up in my room with a tape recorder against the speaker trying to record Dire Straits with Eric Clapton standing in and Peter Gabriel performing "Biko" with Simple Minds. I'm getting goosebumps just typing that.
Great show. Great memories. Thanks for the stroll down memory lane.
-davep

If memory serves, there is a guitar "duet" with Mark Knopfler and Eric Clapton... if I am right, and your kids said that THAT was uncool... well, then THEY are uncool. :)

Never mind that I also wore the Bono mullet for a substantial number of years.

I bought the DVD for my Dad for his birthday last week, & want to see it. I was 10 & on scout camp that w/e, & listened to whatever we could catch snippets of on the transistor radio that the folks in the next camp site had. No VCR in our house at that point either, so I've never really seen it...

Classic "bit" that I do recall is from (I think) the 1st concert to free Nelson Mandela, when Mark Knopfler annouced that his brother was a new Dad & couldn't play that day, but that the last minute replacement... the best they could do at short notice, was Eric Clapton.

Have to go home again soon & watch my Dad's copy of the DVD.

Forgive my laughing at your expense, Will, but I am glad to know that I am not the only parent out there going through this. My 7 year old stepdaughter was shocked and amazed to know that things called "records" existed before CDs, and that not all movies and TV shows I grew up with were in color. (and this poor child has no idea what a Smurf is! LOL)

Hey, I happen to like Phil Collins! Still!

Yeah, okay, he wasn't what he used to be...but still. I will but any album he comes out with till the day he dies. Phil rocks, man.

u2 s*cks
phil collins s*cks
they always have. this year or any year