I made the mistake of mentioning to one of my work
colleagues the other day that I was planning to see John Mellencamp when he comes
to town in November. Nothing sinister in that, except I mentioned I also saw
him when he came to Perth
in 1987.
“1987?” said my incredulous colleague. “I was born in 1987.”
Talk about a reality check. In my defence, I was 16 when I saw Mellencamp strut
his stuff, so it’s not like I’m ready for the scrap heap just yet.
But it got me thinking about an era that many say is best forgotten,
however those of us who lived in this time still cling onto it with fond (some
say disturbing) memories.
Ah, the 80s. What’s not to love? Here’s my list of what I
miss from a decade of big hair, breakdancing and Bon Jovi.
Flannelette shirts.
Arguably the most versatile piece of clothing ever made. You could wear it to
the pub, wear it fishing, even sleep in it. And it was a shirt for all seasons
- just roll the sleeves up and unbutton it if it was hot, or do it all up when
the chill set in. And most importantly they had a big pocket to keep the Winnie
Blues in. I even hear they are making something of a comeback.
The mullet. Admit
it guys, we all had one, or at least tried to grow one. Some succeeded but most
failed. If your hair reached the collar of your flannelette shirt then you were
on the right track. Don’t ever knock the mullet (unless you are talking about
Billy Ray Cyrus or Michael Bolton, who looked just plain).
Headbanging. If
you were at a party where AC/DC was tearing up the stereo and you woke up the
next morning without your neck feeling like it had been belted with a cricket
bat, then hide your face in shame. Headbanging was a true art and if you could
get into the rhythm you could go for hours. A chiropractors’ dream.
Hypercolor t-shirts.
Remember these wonders that changed colour depending on the temperature? And
remember how you could place your hands in a strategic place on a girl and you
could see exactly where your hands had been?
Beer. It was
simple back in the 80s - Emu Export or Emu Bitter. The odd mate might have
nicked a few cans of Foster’s from his old man’s fridge but they were generally
shunned.
Thin black leather
ties. The ultimate style statement for your school ball.
Lollies. You
could buy 10 lollies for 10c, but we were horrified that as the decade wore on
we only got five for the same amount. How times have changed.
Commodore 64. I
don’t know about you but my whole world changed when I got my Commodore 64. The
ultimate in 80s technology.
Stonewash. We all
owned a pair of stonewash jeans at some stage. Some of us were lucky enough to
have a stonewash denim jacket as well. Sadly, I’ve still got mine. I refuse to
throw it away in case I get invited to an 80s-themed party.
The music.
Although I was a big Accadacca and Angels fan, I secretly listened to and sang
along with all the glam bands of the time - Spandau Ballet, Howard Jones, Thompson
Twins, Duran Duran … there will never be anything like it again.