Yes, I've gone meme crazy. Get ready for the 80s meme.
I am in my early 40s so the 1980s was a primo decade for me. My coming of age decade, if you will. I sowed my wild oats in the 80s. Sharon suggested that we all post photos of our 80s hair and do this meme. Doing this was lots of fun and I wasted an entire morning and part of an afternoon at work googling and youtubing and chuckling to myself in my cube. Did you know that the lead singer from Flock of Seagulls was a hairdresser before starting the band? That explains a lot. Yvonne , Risa , Deb and Misa, if you're up for it, consider yourself tagged.
Here are the rules:
1.Expand on the questions as much as you can. It makes it more fun for the rest of us.
2.Show us your hair, whether it be preppy or skyscraper bangs. Post some photos and make it fun. We promise not to laugh, we have them too!
3. If you get the meme from a blog, leave a comment on that person's blog so they can see your responses.
4. Post links to any videos from YouTube to your blog that help you and your readers to relive the 80s. Here's mine: Robert Hazard, "Escalator of Life."
5. Party like it's 1999.
Here are the questions:
1. Preppy or Rocker:
2. Z Cavarricis or Guess Jeans and Espirit or Benetton?: None of the above. I shopped at thrift stores, yard sales and Trash & Vaudeville in NYC (when I saved up enough $$)
2. Favorite songs of the 80s. "Holiday in Cambodia" Dead Kennedys. I remember taking the bus into NYC when their album (yes, a big round black vinyl record album) “Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables” came out in 1980 so I could buy it at Bleecker Bob’s. My local record store wouldn’t sell the Dead Kennedys. This album is probably my all time favorite album from the 1980s.
3. Most Annoying Pop songs of the 80s
"Mickey" by Toni Basil
“Say You Say Me” Lionel Richie
“We Built this City (on Kim’s Big Toe)” Jefferson Starship
4. Hair Metal or Heavy Metal- Who was your favorite performer and favorite song?
I didn’t like either. In the 80s, I would have called them “blow dryer bands” (e.g., hair metal) and to me they were commercial sell-outs. Yup, I was just too cool for school in the 80s. Major attitude. Now I love 80s hair metal bands. All the lip gloss and pouting and tight jeans makes me laugh.
5. What posters were on your bedroom wall or college dorm room? Poster of the photo of the 1940s couple kissing by Robert Doisneau and a poster of a very young Mick Jagger. I’m sure I had other posters but these are the only ones I remember.
6. What concerts do you remember most from the 80s? The B-52s (for free!) in Central Park. It was my first concert ever. I think that was in 1980. I also saw: The Clash, Gang of Four, the Specials, David Bowie, Grateful Dead, Psychedelic Furs, Billy Bragg, Michelle Shocked, Echo and the Bunnymen, and Adam Ant. I also saw the Go-Gos (they opened for the Specials) and they stunk.
7. Favorite 80s movies. The Christmas Story, Class of 1984, Better Off Dead, Desperately Seeking Susan, Revenge of the Nerds, Eraserhead, Caddyshack, Fast Times at Ridgemeont High, RepoMan. So many good movies!
8. Favorite 80s movie quotes: “Two Dollars! I want my two dollars!” Angry paper boy in Better Off Dead.
“Enchante. Hehheheheheh” Archie in Repo Man
“Wax on wax off.” Karate Kid
“Won’t you loofah my stretch marks.” Judge Smails wife in Caddyshack
9. Top 3 most memorable pop culture moments of the 80s for you:
(1) When Reagan was shot (we had a keg party). Not really a pop culture moment, but hey. (2) Going to a No NUkes rally in Central Park, and (3) Going to an Anti-Apartheid rally at Rutgers.
10. Favorite 80s cartoon
I didn’t watch cartoons in the 80s. I was 15 yrs old in 1980.
11. Favorite 80s commercials: Life Alert "I've Fallen and I can't get up"
12. Boy George or Wham? Damn, why must I choose? Ut oh, I better RELAX.
13. Favorite one-hit wonder
"Safety Dance" by Men Without Hats
14. INXS or Depeche Mode: Depeche Mode
15. Poison or Warrant: I gotta go with Poison because I loved watching Bret Michaels on Rock of Love. “Will you stay in this house and rock my world?”
16. Did you ever meet a rocker or 80's pop icon? Where were you? I met Jello Biafra (lead singer for the Dead Kennedys) at a pizza place on
17. Snap bracelets or Jelly bracelets?I have no clue what these are.
18. Fess up. Who had the garden weasel bangs? Did you ever measure your wall o' Aqua Net love? Not me. I kept my punk 80s hair gelled up and looking good with Tenax gel or Dippety Do. My youngest sister was Master of the Big Bangs.
19. Favorite 80s TV shows: Uncle Floyd Show on the local cable channel.
20. Is Jon Bon Jovi still hot or what? Fugedaboudit! Jersey Represent!
21. "Double Dare" or "You Can't Do That on Television" No clue. I was in my teens & 20s through the 80s and was too busy drinking and smoking pot to watch much TV.
22. Who was your favorite Brat Packer?
23. Jellies or Reebok Pumps Neither. I wore black combat boots or light pink pointy toed ankle boots.
24. Favorite pizza parlor arcade game I never played video games.
I've been saving the best for last. My 80s hair.
This one was border-line mullet. It must have been 1980. This hair cut may have been self-administered. I just grabbed a bunch of hair in the front, cut it short and spiked it up. I was trying so hard to be punk with my pathetic spiky hair and Sex Pistols t-shirt. Was I trying to look fierce for this photo? More like goofy. I had this haircut for about a week and then cut all my hair off really short.
Here I am in London during my junior year of high school in February 1982. The blob under my lip is a giant piece of spit. I was trying to gross out the guard to no avail. I had the time of my life in London, shopping at flea markets and Kings Road, going to pubs and clubs. Good times! My hair looks pretty good too. Damn, I look so young.
I think this picture was taken during college, circa 1984/85. I was trying to have hair that was a hybrid of Bono's mullet and David Bowie's hair in The Man Who Fell to Earth. It falls short on both counts. But over all not such bad hair for the 80s. Quasi-bad.
Next post, there will be knitting content. Perhaps, a FO.
This post rocks. And the hair is awesome. That last photo does scream 80's, you just need a spiked bracelet. ~ksp
Posted by: Kelli | July 25, 2008 at 02:42 PM
Great post, great pics!! I had not such an exciting life as yours. I will have to dig out an old pic, scan it and post it for the 80's meme!!
Posted by: Yvonne | July 25, 2008 at 02:47 PM
OMG KIM! I love it. Dipety Do Hair gel *remembers fondly*, the spackle of the hairstyle industry. I adore you hair in the last picture too. I can just see you bursting out int a killer 80s punk song! (ahem. I will bring you a snap bracelet next time I see only b/c I don't want you to be deprived of one or anything. Just sayin'. :-)
Thanks for playing along with me!
Posted by: Sharon | July 25, 2008 at 04:22 PM
Thanks so much for the flashback-
I'd play too, but I was such a freak that none of the questions really applied. Now I wonder if I really did grow up in the 80's.
I've got to say that John Lennon's death and the shuttle disaster were my 2 "cultural" events and Devo's Whip It was my favorite One Hit Wonder. I wouldn't have been caught dead without my Police cassettes or The Cars
Posted by: sophanne | July 25, 2008 at 05:59 PM
Kim, it's shocking how similar our 80s experiences were: bad attempt at punk with mid-length misguided attempt at Blondie hair, arty black and white shots with short hair (you do look lovely there), London photo; "Escalater of Life.'' ("Hey, gurls. I'm a personal friend of Gloria Vanderbilt'! It seemed like such biting anti-mall commentary then. But now I love the mall. What was Robert bitching about?")
Also: Smug disdain of hair metal, then later embrace of it, much like mall.
So, anyways: It's "Raining Men!'' I was not going to do the show thing because I have a stick up my ass and am too self-concious. But I love that song! Still, it's kinda late...and...I do have a stick up my ass. Good luck! I must talk to you about this.
Posted by: Carrie | July 25, 2008 at 11:50 PM
like, ohmigod - you don't know what jelly bracelets are?!? ;o)
Posted by: JessaLu | July 26, 2008 at 11:01 AM
You got me laughing! That last picture? Screaming Pat Benatar all the way.
Posted by: Suzanne V. (Yarnhog) | July 26, 2008 at 01:38 PM
Thanks for the fabulous flashback! In the 80s I didn't have big hair, I had big shoulders.
Posted by: Ina | July 26, 2008 at 08:22 PM
I love the last picture. You look like you are in the Elizabethan era to me.
Posted by: Shameka | July 27, 2008 at 05:48 PM
Cool, I've been tagged, this will be fun.That B&W photo of you is hot. You were hot then and you still are. My dorky photos are coming.
Posted by: misa | July 27, 2008 at 10:17 PM
Love those pictures! I believe you can remember more about the 80s than I can. Misa tagged me and all my 80s knowledge went out the door. LOL
Posted by: Deborah | July 28, 2008 at 11:03 AM
Eraser head- love that one. Repo man was good too. I loved the Police- they were my man.And the whole Madonna wanna be's. heh. That was my era.
Posted by: olga | July 28, 2008 at 01:14 PM
I lived and loved the 80's! Such a great time..thanks for the trip back!
Posted by: Donna (vanfox23) | July 28, 2008 at 11:23 PM