MotiDave Posted January 21, 2018 Share Posted January 21, 2018 One thing I learned playing in an 80s tribute for a couple decades after being a child of the 80s is that songs that were popular in the 80s and songs that were good 80s songs don't necessarily make good modern day 80s tribute songs for the clubs. Also, many of the songs posted in here are 70s. I confess. I had some songs that were actually late 70s. they remind me of 80s new wave rock but true - they precede the demarcation. e.g. Cars is very 80s but I recommended their biggest hit from their first album which was pre-80s. Could easily replace with something off Heartbeat City which was '84. Might even pick a HBC song that doesn't require guitar. All their early work needs guitar. I was in an 80s new wave band in the 80s, we played them and these were songs that worked best at that time. you'd know better about transference to 2017 crowd. we didnt' like the genre transition to synth-pop so we didn't play the ones i think OP is really looking for. The baiting I do is purely for entertainment value. Please feel free to ignore it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Havu Posted January 21, 2018 Author Share Posted January 21, 2018 We got together yesterday to try a bunch of stuff. Some of the tunes we've added so far... Karma Chameleon I'm Feeling Fascination Walking On Sunshine She Drives Me Crazy Power of Love (Not worried about playing guitar parts on keys, the Motif-XS has some very passable overdriven guitar patches. Apologies in advance. ) Will your bass player double on synth? We talked about that yesterday and she's open to that idea. She's also a great keyboardist. Hardware Yamaha MODX7, DX7, PSR-530, MX61/Korg TR-Rack, 01/W Pro X, Trinity Pro X, Karma/Ensoniq ESQ-1 Behringer DeepMind12, Model D, Odyssey, 2600/Arturia Keylab MKII 61 Software Studio One/V Collection 9/Korg Collection 4/Cherry Audio/UVI SonicPass/EW Composer Cloud/Omnisphere, Stylus RMX, Trilian/IK Total Studio 3.5 MAX/Roland Cloud Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barryjam Posted January 21, 2018 Share Posted January 21, 2018 Synthaholic's list reminds me of some other keyboard guilty pleasures: The Jets: Crush on You Curiosity Barry Home: Steinway L, Montage 8 Gigs: Yamaha CP88, Crumar Mojo 61, A&H SQ5 mixer, ME1 IEM, MiPro 909 IEMs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synthaholic Posted January 21, 2018 Share Posted January 21, 2018 Id also suggest putting together medleys of a bunch of popular songs that you would rather not play in their entireties. Does anyone really want to play all of Everybody Wang Chung Tonight? For example. The fact there's a Highway To Hell and only a Stairway To Heaven says a lot about anticipated traffic numbers People only say "It's a free country" when they're doing something shitty-Demetri Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Dan Posted January 21, 2018 Share Posted January 21, 2018 That song doesn't work anyway, so if you're doing a medley, don't include that one. Dan Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Havu Posted January 21, 2018 Author Share Posted January 21, 2018 We won't be including that anyway. I was never a fan of that tune. Hardware Yamaha MODX7, DX7, PSR-530, MX61/Korg TR-Rack, 01/W Pro X, Trinity Pro X, Karma/Ensoniq ESQ-1 Behringer DeepMind12, Model D, Odyssey, 2600/Arturia Keylab MKII 61 Software Studio One/V Collection 9/Korg Collection 4/Cherry Audio/UVI SonicPass/EW Composer Cloud/Omnisphere, Stylus RMX, Trilian/IK Total Studio 3.5 MAX/Roland Cloud Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Real MC Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 Id also suggest putting together medleys of a bunch of popular songs that you would rather not play in their entireties. One of my strengths is segueing songs together. I started building a medley a couple of weeks ago of overplayed songs that bore musicians to death yet fills the dance floor. Basically a line from a verse or chorus of each song over a similar rhythm, everything from Mony Mony to Louie Louie to Old Time RnR to Gimme 3 steps to Money for Nothing. Nothing is sacred. And Wang Chung is not in there for a REASON. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Dan Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 Following is the complete songlist of my old 80s band (that is still together and successful). It includes some songs that were added after I left, and some songs that were dropped after I left. It's a 5 pc with multiple singers, so includes guitar oriented songs and both male and female vocals. Always in the list Rotated Frequently Rotated occasionally Wasn't on the list when I was in the band (The) Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson 1999 - Prince 867-5309 Jenny - Tommy Tutone 99 Red Balloons - Nena Addicted to Love - Robert Palmer Another One Bites the Dust - Queen Anyway You Want It - Journey Authority Song - John Cougar Mellencamp Billie Jean - Michael Jackson Blister in the Sun - Violent Femmes Call Me - Blondie Centerfold - J Geils Band Come on Eileen - Dexys Midnight Runners Crazy Train - Ozzy Osbourne Dancin with Myself - Billy Idol Dont Stop Believing - Journey Dont You Forget About Me - Simple Minds Dont You Want Me Baby - Human League Down Under - Men At Work Every Rose Has Its Thorn - Guns N Roses Faith - George Michael Fight for Your Right - The Beastie Boys Footloose - Kenny Loggins Freeze Frame - J. Geils Band Funkytown - Pseudo Echo Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper Goodbye to You - Scandal Hands to Yourself - Georgia Satellites Heartbreaker - Pat Benetar Hit Me with Your Best Shot - Pat Benetar Hungry Like the Wolf - Duran Duran Hurt So Good - John Cougar Mellencamp I Hate Myself for Loving You - Joan Jett I Love Rock n Roll - Joan Jett I Ran - Flock of Seagulls I Think Were Alone Now - Tiffany I Wanna Dance w/ Somebody - Whitney Houston Into the Groove - Madonna Jessies Girl - Rick Springfield Jump - Van Halen Just Like Heaven - The Cure Kids in America - Kim Wyld KISS - Prince Lets Go Crazy - Prince Like a Virgin - Madonna Livin on a Prayer - Bon Jovi Love Shack - B-52s Material Girl - Madonna Melt With You - Modern English Mickey - Toni Basil Mony Mony - Billy Idol My Sharona - The Knack New Girl Now - Honeymoon Suite New Sensation - INXS Nothin But A Good Time - Poison Obsession - Annimotion On the Dark Side - Beaver Brown Once Bitten Twice Shy - Great White One Way or Another - Blondie Our Lips Are Sealed - Go Gos Pour Some Sugar on Me - Def Leopard Purple Rain - Prince Rebel Yell - Billie Idol Roam - B-52s ROCK in the USA - John Mellencamp Safety Dance - Men Without Hats Secrets That You Keep - The Romantics Separate Ways - Journey Shake it Up - The Cars Should I Stay or Should I Go - The Clash Summer of 69 - Bryan Adams Sunglasses At Night - Corey Hart Sweet Child of Mine - Guns n Roses Tainted Love - Soft Cell Take Me Home Tonight - Eddie Money Take On Me - A-Ha Talk Dirty to Me - Poison The Warrior - Patty Smyth Vacation - Go Gos Venus - Bananarama Video Killed the Radio Star - The Buggles Walk Like an Egyptian - The Bangles Walking on Sunshine - Katrina & The Waves Wanted: Dead or Alive - Bon Jovi We Got the Beat - Go Gos What I Like About You - The Romantics Who Can it Be Now? - Men At Work Wild West - The Escape Club Workin for the Weekend - Loverboy You Give Love a Bad Name - Bon Jovi You Make My Dreams Come True - Hall & Oates You Might Think - The Cars You Shook Me (All Night Long) - AC/DC Sorted alphabetical order by song. Some songs were in the set list every night, others only got rotated in occasionally. "every night" songs were usually stuff like Let's Go Crazy, Footloose, the Madonna stuff, Jenny, Jessie's Girl, I Love Rock n Roll, Summer of 69, Walk Like an Egyptian, etc. Dan Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill H. Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 Interesting list Dan - especially because it doesn't includes songs from the 80s like Straight Up and I Want Your Sex that work so well for me as a DJ. But then again I'm not dressed in costume up there and most of my home club grew up in the 90s. The stuff that works the best is from the latter part of the decade, and points forward. Pour Some Sugar On Me always works though - a classic for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Dan Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 Interesting list Dan - especially because it doesn't includes songs from the 80s like Straight Up and I Want Your Sex that work so well for me as a DJ. But then again I'm not dressed in costume up there and most of my home club grew up in the 90s. The stuff that works the best is from the latter part of the decade, and points forward. Pour Some Sugar On Me always works though - a classic for sure. I do "I want your sex" with another band currently and it goes over well, not sure why we never added it. I had pitched Paula Abdul at one point and was met with mediocre response from the rest of the band so we never added it. Dan Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill H. Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 Yeah I don't want to recommend anything from my experience because the age group of my room is so young, but what works best is stuff that's vaguely in the tempo range of their music today - which is practically all under 100bpm. Pour Some Sugar is 85, Straight Up is 95, I Want Your Sex is 99... perfect. Could You Be Loved is another great track. Marley is worshipped by these guys - and me too for that matter Release date of 1980 brings it barely under the wire. [video:youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mm7muPjevik Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synthaholic Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 Interesting list Dan - especially because it doesn't includes songs from the 80s like Straight Up and I Want Your Sex that work so well for me as a DJ. I wanted to hashtag it #ListSoWhite. There's a lot of great 80s dance music from Black groups: No Parking On The Dance Floor - Midnight Star Sexomatic - Barkays Word Up - Cameo You Dropped A Bomb On Me - Gap Band Super Freak - Rick James Give It To Me Baby - Rick James Let It Whip - Dazz Band My Prerogative - Bobby Brown Oh Sheila - Ready For the World Jungle Love - The Time Get Down On It - Kool & The Gang Many more. The fact there's a Highway To Hell and only a Stairway To Heaven says a lot about anticipated traffic numbers People only say "It's a free country" when they're doing something shitty-Demetri Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MathOfInsects Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 Yeah I don't want to recommend anything from my experience because the age group of my room is so young, but what works best is stuff that's vaguely in the tempo range of their music today - which is practically all under 100bpm. Pour Some Sugar is 85, Straight Up is 95, I Want Your Sex is 99... perfect. Interesting observation. I never would have considered that perspective. There is something else, too, and I'm not sure I know what it is, but: my daughter knows within 3 notes that a song is old and she doesn't like it. She is 9. I always ask, after her "yicch!" how she knew so fast, and she always just says something like, "because that's awful." I have to think there is a "sound" to the production--not any instrument, not any style, but literally a tell-tale ambient sonic fingerprint on the recordings themselves--that signal to her "old" and "yicch." Do you have any theories about that? Now out! "Mind the Gap," a 24-song album of new material. www.joshweinstein.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LennyTunes Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 I had the exact experience with my young daughter. She says, "It's those yucky old-sounding drums." Lenny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Dan Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 I must be doing something right. My 12 yr old daughter thinks older music is better than modern music. Dan Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill H. Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 Interesting list Dan - especially because it doesn't includes songs from the 80s like Straight Up and I Want Your Sex that work so well for me as a DJ. I wanted to hashtag it #ListSoWhite. If I'm DJing an 80s night, it's gonna be a LOT of hip-hop along with healthy doses of Michael, Whitney and Janet - as well as things like Prince's Kiss that don't work well for bands. But Bobby Brown/New Edition? Oh yeah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Dan Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 I used to do a lot more of that in a previous band including many of the songs listed by Bobby Brown, the time, etc. Part of it is just carving out your niche which can be dependent on the local scene. When we first started, the band was decidedly 80s pop (more bubble gum) image. At that time, there was a band called Metal Studz that was doing more of the guitar focused hair band stuff, and another band called Dirty Muggs that wasn't strictly 80s, but did a lot of the more Bel Biv Devoe, Bobby Brown, etc kind of stuff. So we focused on our own space, look, style, etc that was different from those other bands. Over time, we started adding more of the guitar/hair band stuff. Metal Studz went by the wayside and more recently re-emerged as Top Gunz. Dirty Muggs is still going strong but added a female singer and expanded the repertoire a bit. Dan Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aellison62 Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 I must be doing something right. My 12 yr old daughter thinks older music is better than modern music. Mine too !! Very surprised but happy Kurzweil Forte 7, Mojo 61, Yamaha P-125, Kronos X61, Nautilus 73 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonnor Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 Jane Child Dont Wanna Fall In Love How 'bout that weird-ass chord run. That thing gave me nightmares. Gear: Hardware: Nord Stage3, Korg Kronos 2, Novation Summit Software: Cantabile 3, Halion Sonic 3 and assorted VST plug-ins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MathOfInsects Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 I must be doing something right. My 12 yr old daughter thinks older music is better than modern music. Mine too !! Very surprised but happy My 11-year-old likes "my" music more than current pop. The 9-year-old...total pop snob. Now out! "Mind the Gap," a 24-song album of new material. www.joshweinstein.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Dan Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 I must be doing something right. My 12 yr old daughter thinks older music is better than modern music. Mine too !! Very surprised but happy My 11-year-old likes "my" music more than current pop. The 9-year-old...total pop snob. My 9-yr old gravitates toward hip hop Back on topic, I posted the earlier list since they are still playing and successful and I played with them as recently as last summer even though I left the band about 5 years ago. Point being, I felt like it would be relevant to today's crowd. However, I did play in a different 80s band prior to that, and also played a lot of 80s in my electronic duo before that. I hadn't originally posted because that was 15 or more years ago, so not sure if it would still apply. That said, here are some others from those projects: Der Komissar - After the Fire/Falco Bizarre Love Triangle - New Order Rio - Duran Duran (I played sax -wouldn't do it without real sax) Is There Something I Should Know -Duran Duran What's On Your Mind (Pure Energy) - Information Society Hold Me Now - Thompson Twins Don't Dream It's Over - Crowded House Weird Science - Oingo Boingo Our House - Madness True - Spandeau Ballet Every Little Thing She Does is Magic - Police Sweet Dreams - Eurythmics Also, in my last 80s band, one Halloween we learned Thriller, Somebody's Watching Me, and Ghostbusters. Thriller was difficult and we only did it a few Halloweens. Ghostbusters was just kind of meh. Surprisingly, Somebody's Watching Me went over well year round. We eventually dropped it, though. Dan Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Dan Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 NOTE: I went back and color coded the earlier list to add context. Dan Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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