OT: Your favorite (old) decade ?

[burningbusch]

I'll try to point out some key differences in Brazil, from the top of my head. I was born in 1972 to give context. As far as culture we had access to everything happening in the U.S. and Europe. Technologically behind, unless you brought things from the US and Europe. Big social inequality, so your mileage will vary depending on where you are.

 

60's

- Birth of Bossanova

- Military coup in 64 - strong censorship in arts and culture.

- Lots of infrastructure development

- Strong growth period

 

70's

- Bossa nova became MPB - broader style

- Military regime on-going. A lot of censorship, but easing up as time went by.

 

80's

- the best time for pop & rock. A lot of the bands are still in demand.

- End of military regime in beginning of decade.

- Huge inflation. I think the peak year was 1800% (not a typo). You had no idea what things cost, since they changed so much.

- Tough economically for most folks - required a lot of attention from my dad, but being in a high position in a multinational company and very knowledgeable in finance we cruised through it mostly.

- Expensive to have a phone line. You had to purchase on, for something like a few thousand dollars. Lot of services were government supplied (like telecom) and were crap.

- Still a lot of restriction towards (market reserves). Crappy copy of electronics and computers sold locally.

 

90s

- Clearing of a lot of import barriers and market protection.

- We finally had access to better electronics good without having to smuggle things in.

- Massive privatization (telecom, utilities)

- I was out of the Brazil this decade, so I can't comment much about living.

- Cable service started.

- Stabilization of inflation in 94.

- Better jobs and more opportunities.

 

00's

- Good for the country, bad for me.

 

Ironically, for me was the 80s. I come from a privileged background and had access to a lot of good things. Went to an excellent private school. Every weekend could take my pick as my friends had weekend/summer houses in all the premium spots near Rio. Had people travelling often enough that I could get stuff from Europe and the US. My first synth and band. Tons of friend and interesting acquaintances. Had vip tickets to a lot of premium events.

 

Thank you Rod. I appreciate the non-USA perspective.

 

Busch.

[Markay]

Hmmm, well mid 60's to mid 70's would be my nomination for music.

 

But by no means my best decade as it also included being in the Vietnam War conscription lottery. The life changing impact of having a winning ticket in that lottery sours my personal view of that decade.

[Al Quinn]

The 70's for me. This is when the music bug grabbed me. I'm sure I saw more great live music during that decade than any other and was affected in a huge way. From big shows like the Dead at Rosevelt Raceway and Giants Stadium to small shows like the up and coming local guy, Billy Joel, playing in the college gym, and everything in between. I used to go to the summer concert series at Central Park almost weekly -- as I recall tickets were $10 -- and saw a ton of great music there (e.g., Gentle Giant, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Starcastle, Shakti, and so much more).

 

Concerts I attended during the 70's that really stand out all these years later were Allman Brothers, Yes, Jethro Tull, Genesis, Billy Joel, Return To Forever, Weather Report, Kansas, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Grateful Dead, Dixie Dregs. I guess it was around '76 or '77 when I first saw/heard Oscar Peterson. He was on a PBS special; I was in disbelief. At that moment I was strongly pulled toward jazz.

 

The 70's were also when I started playing in bands and doing gigs. I was fortunate to often play with older players who were much better than me and learned a lot from them. My parents didn't like that their teenage son was playing with people a few years older (i.e., they were hippie types and a threat as the generational divide was huge at the time) because they thought these people would be a bad influence on me during my formative years. I had to sneak around to go to some of the jam sessions. In some ways my parents were right and in others ways they were not.

[Song80s]

Sexual/societal mores were changing in the US.

 

I point to the movie " A Summer Place"

from 1959

 

The movie was shocking many at that time. Divorce was unacceptable.

Affairs were not heard about.

 

Some decades later, this movie and its theme seem tame.

 

The 1967 Movie " The Graduate " also illustrated a marker on US societal attitudes.

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1968/07/27/the-graduate

 

 

That's not really accurate. In the 1950s, each year 400,000+ Americans got divorced. Now it's 800,000+. Of course the population has more than doubled. People had affairs and premarital sex all the time, though it was probably done with more discretion.

 

Busch.

 

I appreciate you reading my posts. Where we disagree is anecdotal.

 

To better qualify my remark about ' divorce was unacceptable', 2 points:

 

- couples( Catholic) were more inclined to stay together in the 50's vs getting divorced.

- my remark is centered around folks raised as Catholic.

 

As stated before , 2 opposing comments can be equally true.

[Song80s]

Hmmm, well mid 60's to mid 70's would be my nomination for music.

 

But by no means my best decade as it also included being in the Vietnam War conscription lottery. The life changing impact of having a winning ticket in that lottery sours my personal view of that decade.

 

I appreciate you bringing that up.

 

My lottery # was #223.

 

It was close that year. The war machine went up to 150 that year.

[Markay]

Ours was done a little differently. Every 6 months a draw was done with numbered balls between 1 and 31 taken out of a jar. I can't remember how many balls were drawn but if your birthday fell on the same date of the month in that half year as one of the drawn balls you were in.

 

I was in the last draw. 4 weeks later we had an election. The then opposition Labor party went to the election with the promise that if elected they would immediately end conscription and withdraw our troops from Vietnam. They were elected with an overwhelming majority.

[Markay]

On a brighter note following that election we had renaissance period in Australia.

 

Within 2 years of that election we had:

 

Free university education;

Universal health care;

Relaxation of censorship;

Consumer protection legisation;

A shift to equal pay for females;

Government funding for the Arts;

The launch of a national govt funded youth radio network that played everything except the top 40 ( and still does, now with a digital second channel catering to over 40's)

 

and then stagflation from '74 to take a little of the shine off things.

[Threadslayer]

Hmmm, well mid 60's to mid 70's would be my nomination for music.

 

But by no means my best decade as it also included being in the Vietnam War conscription lottery. The life changing impact of having a winning ticket in that lottery sours my personal view of that decade.

 

I appreciate you bringing that up.

 

My lottery # was #223.

 

It was close that year. The war machine went up to 150 that year.

Mine was 15. It really got your attention didn't it?

[Song80s]

Hmmm, well mid 60's to mid 70's would be my nomination for music.

 

But by no means my best decade as it also included being in the Vietnam War conscription lottery. The life changing impact of having a winning ticket in that lottery sours my personal view of that decade.

 

I appreciate you bringing that up.

 

My lottery # was #223.

 

It was close that year. The war machine went up to 150 that year.

Mine was 15. It really got your attention didn't it?

 

I guess that deserves attention

 

Feel free to elaborate on your #15 experience

[mate stubb]

Mine was 315. I remember listening to the radio as they announced what felt like death sentences and the immense relief that washed over me.

[Song80s]

Mine was 315. I remember listening to the radio as they announced what felt like death sentences and the immense relief that washed over me.

 

I hear you. My 2 older bro's and several cousins got drafted, mostly for 'nam.

The stories are true.

[GRollins]

If I recall correctly, I came of age the year they stopped the draft. Or maybe I was at the tail end of the list the first time around and it was the next year. Either way, big relief. Even Robert MacNamara (later...far, far too late...) admitted that Viet Nam had been a mistake. Brilliant, dude. You couldn't have had that epiphany a little sooner?

 

Sorry. This is probably getting too close to politics. In the area where I live there are people who truly, firmly believe that Viet Nam was a "good war" and they get damned hostile about it.

 

I'll shut up now.

 

Grey

[Legatoboy]

I love the late 1950s/early 1960s. Mad Men era. I love the pop art of that time, the pastel colors. Fallout shelters, Telstar, the cars, the vibe. Kerouac and the music. Blue Note Records, 1959, what a year for jazz. Not Elvis and R&R. Not talking about that at all. I'm a little young for this (born 1954), but for some reason I've always been drawn to that time slot. I'm of the boomer, hippie generation but I NEVER listen to rock from the 60s-70s unless I need to for a project. It doesn't do anything for me any more. In my teenage years it was everything. Now, pretty much nothing. I still like Booker T, Motown and 60s R&B but I've hear one too many distorted guitars--I've had my fill.

 

Busch.

 

I dig this....I'm a '54 baby too! Yep!

[Threadslayer]

Mine was 15. It really got your attention didn't it?

 

I guess that deserves attention

 

Feel free to elaborate on your #15 experience

Nope. No war stories to relate. I was born in 1955, so even though I lost the draft lotto, I won the life lotto by turning 18 in 1973 when they shut down the draft.

The only thing approaching drama was when my 1H (Holding) deferment for college was abruptly changed to 1A (good to go). I ignored it, naively hoping it would go away, but I got a call from the local FBI office suggesting that I get my ass down to the selective service office under my own power unless I'd rather go in handcuffs. Some people!

[Theo Verelst]

I think there was a lot of beauty in the 60s ( I was born in the 60s) and still in other ways in the 80s, but I love the 70s. The life, the grandness even, from the funk to the Californian sunshine in the music, Dirty Harry, gimme it all! The 90s and 00s I think were sad, I like the 50s Rock, but I suppose the times sucked a bit. Not to mention the War: that must have been a real drag on life, obviously.

[Synthaholic]

If we're chopping decades, 1978-1988. In 1978 I discovered Gino Vannelli's music, and fusion, via Larry Carlton, pivoting me away from Elton, Kansas, 70s rock. It was also the beginning of New Wave, which I still love. Remember: 'Tainted Love' is a 70s song! 1980 began a decade of living out of hotel rooms for 10 years, and playing synth-based music. Great decade to be a keyboardist.

[elsongs]

1980s. MTV. Analog polysynths. Drum machines. This awkward scrawny little junior high school kid felt like he ruled the world when he got his Yamaha DX7 on Christmas morning 1985.

[UnderGroundGr]

1980s.

 

[The Real MC]

I'll pick for my decade '65 to '75.

 

End of the British Invasion, combo organs oh my!

Summer of '67 - Doors, Are You Experienced, Disraeli Gears, Vanilla Fudge

Woodstock era - Santana, Sly, The Band, Who, Led Zeppelin, Jethro Tull

Southern rock - Allman Brothers, Wet Willie

Little Feat

Prog! - Genesis, Yes, ELP, Gentle Giant, Atomic Rooster, early Journey, Kansas

 

Gotta agree here. I was a late bloomer to most of these groups the local radio station played lots of Skynyrd and hard rock but very little prog (Roundabout, Lucky Man, Misunderstanding, little else) when I was growing up in the 70s. When I got to college I checked their earlier catalogs and went "Whoa! This stuff is far superior to their recent work."

 

Can't leave Styx and Lynyrd Skynyrd out of that list.

[Desert Rat]

I'll pick for my decade '65 to '75.

 

End of the British Invasion, combo organs oh my!

Summer of '67 - Doors, Are You Experienced, Disraeli Gears, Vanilla Fudge

Woodstock era - Santana, Sly, The Band, Who, Led Zeppelin, Jethro Tull

Southern rock - Allman Brothers, Wet Willie

Little Feat

Prog! - Genesis, Yes, ELP, Gentle Giant, Atomic Rooster, early Journey, Kansas

 

These plus the addition of Star Trek, Black Sabbath and birth of the ARP makes it the decade that most influenced my life and brings back the best memories (at least those I can remember ).