I’m sorry, where were we? Oh, that’s right, we were talking about xylophones. The Romantics were a power pop group that had a brief flirtation with the Top 50 in…
John C. Hughes
402 Articles
John C. Hughes began his Lost in the ’80s blog in 2005 and is now proud to be a member of the Popdose family, where he’s introduced LIT80s’s companions, the obviously named Lost in the ’70s and Lost in the ’90s, alongside the slightly more originally named Why You Should Like…
John C. Hughes
1 Min Read
“Somebody just told me a story the other day about David Byrne. Some girl was going out with him in the ’80s, and she woke up in the middle of…
John C. Hughes
3 Min Read
Continuing the Cleveland recollectionsÁ¢€¦ One of the more (only?) popular New Wave acts from the Home of Rock & Roll in the early 80s (I’m excluding Akron) was Exotic Birds,…
John C. Hughes
1 Min Read
In case I haven’t mentioned it lately, I still love VH1 Classic’s The Vault. Out of the blue, they slap on a video banned by MTV back in 1982 not…
John C. Hughes
1 Min Read
Lots of Lost YouTube goodness on some past posts – let’s jump right in: Kissing the Pink, “Maybe This Day” Pete Shelley, “On Your Own” Mari Wilson, “Just What I’ve…
John C. Hughes
5 Min Read
I can pinpoint three things in particular that formed my musical identity during my impressionable teen years, circa 1981-89: 1. MTV (like it or not),2. WOBC 91.5-FM, the tiny radio…
John C. Hughes
1 Min Read
I shouldn’t have to tell you Pete Shelley was in one of the most important punk bands ever, The Buzzcocks, should I? Of course not, you knew that. You also…
John C. Hughes
2 Min Read
While it was INXSÁ¢€â„¢s third album, Á¢€Å“Shabooh ShoobahÁ¢€ was the first to be released in the States, and their worldwide breakthrough, thanks to the single Á¢€Å“The One ThingÁ¢€. But it…
John C. Hughes
1 Min Read
Why? Because I can. Besides, how can you hate on J.J. Fad (Just Jammin’ Fresh And Def)? They’re aDORable. The first female rap group to be nominated for a Grammy,…
John C. Hughes
4 Min Read
Bowie hearts Iggy. This we already know. David BowieÁ¢€â„¢s musical life was changed when he first heard the Stooges perform in the early Á¢€Ëœ70s and entered into a long friendship…
John C. Hughes
2 Min Read
Now, I realize it may seem that way, but I donÁ¢€â„¢t mean to be hating on Blancmange. In fact, IÁ¢€â„¢m pretty much a fan. Just not of that remake. How…
John C. Hughes
3 Min Read
The 80s were a weird period for Alice Cooper, and thatÁ¢€™s saying something. In the 70s, AliceÁ¢€™s musical journey had wound through catchy, extremely underrated Á¢€Å“shock rockÁ¢€ like Á¢€Å“SchoolÁ¢€™s OutÁ¢€…
John C. Hughes
1 Min Read
A quickie today: The Go-Betweens were one of those college-rock-y bands you used to see here and there on MTVÁ¢€â„¢s Á¢€Å“120 MinutesÁ¢€ ten minutes before 2 a.m. The Australian band…
John C. Hughes
5 Min Read
It was tough growing up in the late 70s/early 80s as an ABBA fan in America. YÁ¢€â„¢see, while the Swede popsters were next to the Beatles and Elvis in pop…
John C. Hughes
2 Min Read
NOTE: Well, where the hell have I been? Check out my other blog later this week for details if you care, but hey, I’m back. Sorta. Fresh, new posts this…
John C. Hughes
1 Min Read
Remember my totally serious and without irony campaign to be named host of VH1 Classic’s “The Vault”? Well now, someone’s heard the news: I realize it would be totally crass…
John C. Hughes
4 Min Read
My junior year in high school, a few friends and I decided to form a New Wave band. Our inspiration? R.E.M.? The Smiths? The Replacements? Not exactlyÁ¢€¦ Try Animotion. We…
John C. Hughes
5 Min Read
SITE NOTE:Thanks everyone for pitching in with the clicks to help defray server costs. I won’t give you the hard sell, promise – just remember, if you download a track,…
John C. Hughes
4 Min Read
SITE NOTE: Whew, those Stars on 45 did a number on my bandwith! Help a brother out Á¢€” hereÁ¢€â„¢s the deal Á¢€” if you download a track, click on a…
John C. Hughes
1 Min Read
While weÁ¢€â„¢re tackling the question of who Á¢€Å“inventedÁ¢€ New Wave, letÁ¢€â„¢s ponder another query: Who pioneered Turntablism? Possible answer: One of the most bootlegged early turntablism records Á¢€” a three-part…
John C. Hughes
1 Min Read
Here’s a question that may not have an answer: What should be considered the first New Wave song? First, we have to decide on a concrete definition of “New Wave”,…
John C. Hughes
4 Min Read
Sometimes I wonder why certain songs, even if they hit Number One on the charts, are never heard from again. The Stars on 45 Medley is one of those songs….
John C. Hughes
1 Min Read
Hey, remember when I was pining for old episodes of “Just Say Julie”? Well, guess what I just ordered?
John C. Hughes
2 Min Read
Note: Okay, IÁ¢€â„¢m stretching it a bit on this one. When I conceived Á¢€Å“Depeche Clones WeekÁ¢€, I had three bands in particular in mind and set about writing all three…
John C. Hughes
2 Min Read
I have a special place in my heart for Red Flag Á¢€” you see, they were the first Á¢€Å“realÁ¢€ rock band I ever interviewed, back when I was a Broadcast…
John C. Hughes
1 Min Read
Via The Onion’s AV Club review of the new Archie collections:
John C. Hughes
1 Min Read
ThatÁ¢€â„¢s right — all this week, Lost in the 80s will focus on artists who, in leiu of marching to the beat of a different drummer, chose rather to program…
John C. Hughes
1 Min Read
Well, over here mostly. Don’t worry, I’ve got something for you here later today.
John C. Hughes
1 Min Read
Recently-discussed Sparks will be on the Gilmore Girls season finale tonight on the WB. This is not a joke. Oh, and I’m back from vacation in beautiful downtown Cleveland, Ohio,…
John C. Hughes
2 Min Read
I’ve had a stormy relationship with VH1 Classic since we first met about five years ago. I’d see him now and then over at a friend’s house and became sort…