This one’s for the Brits
Posted by Any-Perception3198@reddit | GenX | View on Reddit | 22 comments
When I was a kid coming of age in the early 80’s, I was floored by the music coming out of Great Britain. It was so cool and different and I loved it. Such a change from the US music from the 70’s. I fell in love with the fashion that went with a lot of the bands.
Brits, what did you think of it? Was it something new for you too? I remember I heard it called “The Second British Invasion” referencing The Beatles as part of the first.
Automatic-Term-3997@reddit
The NWOBHM changed my life. Still listen to Saxon, Maiden and all the rest. Thrash and the ever-increasing‘heaviness’ of metal must dates back directly to British metal of the 70’s.
HeyDugeeeee@reddit
'74 here - I had an older brother who had lots of cool late '70s music (punk, new wave) as well as older stuff so I was a bit spoilt really. I think at the time I regarded a lot of 80s stuff as bland and trashy. Funnily I quite like some of it now. I always loved synth stuff, techno, house etc and then kinda skipped brit-pop as I'd gone straight to grunge. Wasn't ever really aware of it being cool but I was probably too clueless to realise.
bill_tongg@reddit
I was born in Scotland in '65. Punk began in London, but other major cities were important too, and some say the the Sex Pistols gig at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester in June '76 was a critical event because of all the people who were there who went on to form later influential bands. I remember standing at the bus stop, coming home from school, in 1977 and seeing an older kid with a copy of Never Mind the Bollocks, but at that age I didn't get it. The point was that anyone could pick up a guitar, learn 3 chords and start a band, you didn't have to have been to the Royal College of Music.
By 1980 when I was 15 I was able to appreciate how punk had kick-started a new musical movement, and post-punk and the ska revival - The Specials, The Selecter and Madness -particularly spoke to me. The old bands hadn't gone away, it was just that the cool kids had moved on.
GymHog@reddit
Someone better say Samantha Fox lol
Anarolf@reddit
its such a wild name…
FenTigger@reddit
The late 70’s punk & post-punk were probably the most inventive period of British music IMHO. I was a teenager at the time, and so completely biased. For example, “Are Friends Electric?” still sounds like the future.
dislikestheM25@reddit
I’m a ‘72-er. May be controversial but 80’s music didn’t really get me. However when the 90’s arrived I was completely a Britpop Cool Britannia chap. Just seemed to get it. Blur, Pulp, Ash, Supergrass, Massive Attack, Underworld, Lightning Seeds and loads more. It was just the anthems of the best years, looking back. Oh and TFI Friday on telly before going out to the pub.
Far_Winner5508@reddit
Got Blur, Pulp, and Massive Attack on my phone right now. I'm late getting into '90s Britpop but really loving it the last few years. Gonna search out the other groups you mentioned. Thanks!
StrafWibble@reddit
I was born in UK in 1971. When I was 8 or 9 I was given a record token for Christmas or birthday or something. I bought Breakfast in America by Supertramp. My first album. I also liked ELO and The Police. Punk and Ska also resonated with me.
"Electronic" music (i.e. entirely/predominantly synths and drum machines) became my next fascination. The Human League, John Foxx (who was also in Ultravox when they were more punky pre-Midge Ure) and Visage were favourites.
Getting into the mid 1980s, every Indie kid's favourite uncle, DJ John Peel, helped find me new bands to enjoy. The Fall, Half Man Half Biscuit, The Wedding Present to name but a few. I'd say the 1980s was a pure melting pot, music wise. If someone asked me to name a single song to sum up the 80s UK music scene I wouldn't be able to.
As for fashion - the hairstyles were wild. Lots of back combing, hairspray and colours; neon socks; Miami Vice pastel coloured jackets; leg warmers. It's like something new came out on a weekly basis. Those balls on springs that kids wore on their heads was another craze. Donkey jackets became a trend for a while.
I'd say we were spoilt.
Far_Winner5508@reddit
Deely Boppers!
murphydcat@reddit
MTV was a real game changer for me in the 1980s. Commercial radio stations only played heavy rock dinosaurs like Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Kansas, etc.
Turning on MTV in 1983 opened a whole new world for me: The Jam, Human League, Howard Jones, Bananarama, etc. Popular music was no longer limited long haired dudes wearing denim and frills. We were enthralled with these new sounds and colors.
Infinite-Lychee-182@reddit
Without MTV there would have been no British invasion in the 80s. When MTV started, they played the British bands because they had videos ready to go.
Far_Winner5508@reddit
Before MTV there was USA's Night Flight overnight show that had Brit/Europe/Japan/Reggae as well as US alt music videos for about 6 hours every night. Turned me on to Grace Jones, the Ramones, Gary Numan, etc.
ShadowPilotGringo@reddit
And MtV refused to play black artists in the beginning
Far_Winner5508@reddit
I lucked out in the late '70s Florida; found a college radio station as a kid and really got into New Wave and punk.
Still have a 45 of Police's Message In A Bottle.
Prestigious_Stay7162@reddit
I'm not a Brit but I had a subscription to Star Hits magazine (the American version of Smash Hits) so I want to be part of this too.
bluudclut@reddit
67 here. Born and bred in London. The things that sticks out to me is the constant changes in music and fashion. All the sub cultures. Mods, Skinheads, New Romantics, Rockers, Soul Boys, Scooter Boys etc.
Then the early 80s 'The Casual' appeared being driven by fashion from terraces (football). The fashion changed weekly. Well it seemed that way. It dominated at the time. Nearly all my mates including myself seemed to become a casual over night. I personally was a Mod and still love the style and music. But Casual was ours.
airckarc@reddit
I don’t know if this is true overall, but when I read about bands, British band members seem to be much more educated in music and literature. Many seemed to go to school for music or were otherwise educated. So this may have led to more mature and experimental music.
American bands seemed more grassroots… “we met in Jr High and started playing at dances.”
MuddaFrmAnnudaBrudda@reddit
I loved Imagination, Loose Ends, Wham, Billy Ocean and The Specials. There was just so much good stuff watching Top Of The Pop and taping the charts was absolutely everything to me.
Visual_Lingonberry53@reddit
It's the NEW WAVE!
Fletch_R@reddit
Born in 71 and the first two records I bought were by ABC and Altered Images. Both still hold up. I listen to a variety of music, but post punk and new wave is something I always come back to. There’s quite a lot of appreciation for that sound in younger folks too. There are a lot of current acts that are very influenced by bands of that era.
I grew up in Sussex, not far from where The Cure are from. I’ve seen them more than any other band, from the first time in 89 to the most recent in 2023.
Western-Calendar-352@reddit
Born ‘73 in the UK. I have core memories of the seemingly endless stream of hits from bands like the Police, the Jam, Madness, Squeeze, XTC etc, that I still love now.
By the time it got to the mid 80s, it was all a bit bland and poppy - Wham, Spandau Ballet, Duran Duran, Thompson Twins - and I was starting to look back to the 60s and 70s classic rock, prog and punk.