The Retroist is a veritable treasure trove of 80's (and 70's) goodness. TV commercials, catalogs, and of course the poetry of Mr. Leonard Nimoy. The Youtube channel alone is worth the price of admission-- Tobor! Diet Rite! Candyland!
posted on Apr 24, 2008 - View this thread

Ricky Flores photographs of B-Boys in the 80s.
posted on Apr 21, 2008 - View this thread

Y'all think whatever you want about Michael Jackson now, knaamean? But on this day back in 1983, Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever was being taped before a live audience. Since he was no longer contractually tied to Motown, MJ planned to attend but not perform at the function; he was finally able to negotiate a solo spot singing a non-Motown song. Thriller had been released more than a year prior; Billie Jean had been the Number One single on Billboard's Top 100 for two weeks. It was time for a Pop Culture "Do you remember where you were when...?" moment. And then came the moonwalk.
posted on Mar 25, 2008 - View this thread

Long Duk Dong: Last of the Hollywood Stereotypes? Related: Whatever Happened to John Hughes? which has an accompanying photo gallery: Where are Hughes' teen stars now? [A previous post about John Hughes here.]
posted on Mar 24, 2008 - View this thread

If you were a North American kid (well, a kid stuck at home, younger than driving age) in the late 70s/early 80s, your Saturday nights were likely spent in front of the television watching The Love Boat. The show subsequently gained worldwide popularity. Did you know that the Pacific Princess is still ferrying the lovelorn across the blue abyss, and that she has a bridgecam? Did you know there were Love Boat action figures? For your nostalgic pleasure: complete episode guide, complete guest star list, theme song video (variations 1, 2, 3), lyrics and chords, and song facts.
posted on Mar 22, 2008 - View this thread

Go way back into time with a deliciously analog collection of mastermixes from 1980s-era soul radio from London.
posted on Feb 29, 2008 - View this thread

Retro Sabotage is a collection of recreations of classic video games. Or is it?
posted on Feb 23, 2008 - View this thread

If you only watch the opening credits of 279 shows from the late 1980s, make it these 279 shows from the late 1980s.
posted on Feb 1, 2008 - View this thread

Retrostatic is a treasure trove of 80's (and 90's) TV commercials--from PSAs of singing pills to the Post cereal Create-A-Villain contest (and so much more). Also, cartoons, with descriptions and opening sequences of everything from Alf Tales to Thundercats.
posted on Dec 4, 2007 - View this thread

Raisin Hell, a tale of fourth-grade Halloween woe by Eric Feezell. "I was deep in thought, mulling over ideas for a Halloween costume, a fresh, heart-stopping one. Something that had never been done before... Suddenly I witnessed something stupendous. Instantly, any ounce of reason contained in my young mind evaporated. I saw a California Raisins commercial." For reference: a list of California Raisins commercials on YouTube.
posted on Oct 23, 2007 - View this thread

You can print a line on a Epson Printer located in Brugg, Switzerland. There is a live video stream to see what you're printing as well as a light switch so you're not printing in the dark (snapshot).
posted on Oct 1, 2007 - View this thread

Thule Trail is a cute modern remake of The Oregon Trail.
posted on Sep 25, 2007 - View this thread

Something to Hüsker : Bob Mould, Grant Hart and Greg Norton live with Joan Rivers on the Late Show. Also live versions of the Byrds' Eight Miles High, The Girl Who Lives on Heaven Hill/I Apologize, Pink Turns to Blue, Every Everything, Makes no Sense at All, Ticket to Ride, New Day Rising, These Important Years, Every Everytime, and a video for Don't Want to Know if You Are Lonely.
posted on Sep 21, 2007 - View this thread

Carleton has the book for you. Bonus portable breakdancing mat! Priceless '80s video from the soon-to-be sidekick to the Fresh Prince of Bel Air
posted on Sep 18, 2007 - View this thread

ITV Chart Show Indie Charts 1989-1994 on Youtube
posted on Aug 20, 2007 - View this thread

Life imitates art. Everybody loses.
posted on Jul 7, 2007 - View this thread

On the cusp of DEVO's first tour of Europe since 1990 , it's become clear that, though largely cast aside after their 1980 hit "Whip It", DEVO's influence is finally being felt on modern audiences, around the world. DEVO has inspired tribute bands, some traditional, some not. They've also spawned new bands, domestic [MySpace link], and Foreign like Japan's POLYSICS [YouTube], and Germany's Mutate Now [YouTube]. With musical inspiration like this, can't we forgive such missteps as Devo 2.0?
posted on Jun 15, 2007 - View this thread

Some might find it difficult to believe that this was the video to a 1984 number one hit, although it's not surprising to learn that the video was banned (as was the song, leaving the BBC in the uncomfortable position of being unable to broadcast their country's biggest hit on any of its radio or television programs). The G rated version was directed by Brian De Palma and, oddly, appeared (in slightly altered form) in Body Double as a porno film within the movie. Although the band had other hits, notably Two Tribes which was rivaled only by Land of Confusion for most over-the-top Reagan representation in a music video, they have been beset with problems, primarily relating to who owns their name, but rest assured that lead singer Holly Johnson is doing well in his new calling as a painter. This astrological chart nicely (?) sums up his entire career. Incidentally, Katherine Hamnett, who designed the hugely popular Frankie Say Relax t-shirts (along with Wham's Choose Life tees which, ironically, birthed an anti-abortion moto) is still a successful designer, who continues to be active in environmental, HIV eradication, and anti-war efforts. Anyhow, check out the wacky Relax video. But beware of naked, shaving Roman Emperors.
posted on Jun 2, 2007 - View this thread

Selected Cartoon Introductions from the 1980s [YouTube]
posted on Apr 29, 2007 - View this thread

Happy Birthday Ric Richard Otcasek turned 58 today. It's All Mixed Up, I had no idea he was so old. Well, no matter how old you are, you still need to let the Good Times Roll, so Let's Go wish him our very best, since it's pretty much Touch and Go for any rock star approaching age 60. Though many of the Cars hits where sung by the late, great Ben Orr, Ocasek was one of the more recognizable front men of the 1980s. So distinctive that, on April 18, 2006, he was ranked number 50 in The Boston Phoenix list of "The 100 unsexiest men in the world." Ocasek has had a low-key, but reasonably successful career as a solo artist, written a book of poetry and had a cameo role in the John Waters feature film Hairspray. He also appeared on the Colbert Report where he volunteered to lead a commando mission to "rescue" Stephen Jr., the baby eagle at the San Francisco Zoo. Ric also is notable as a producer, though he is probably best known (or infamous in indie circles) for producing Guided by Voices' much maligned Do the Collapse. As for my own personal connection, the first time I saw him was in 1984, when the Cars played a show with Wang Chung and the last time was when I stood next to Ric at Luna's Farewell show at the Bowery Ballroom, a well known Nightspot. Nice guy, he let me buy him a beer. It was, he said, Just what he Needed.
posted on Mar 23, 2007 - View this thread

shaved eyebrows
posted on Dec 19, 2006 - View this thread

The 50 Greatest Commercials of the 1980s. (via AdJab)
posted on Dec 5, 2006 - View this thread

Streaming episodes of Spenser: For Hire Not available on DVD, not airing on any American channel. But available at the preceding link. Spenser! Hawk! Frigging HAWK! Watch it now and thank me later.requires activex plugin for Firefox

If Spenser makes you nostalgic for 80's Boston, watch Dana Hersey drop in at the Rat and grab a slice at the Pizza Pad in a Kenmore Square that no longer exists.
posted on Dec 5, 2006 - View this thread

Dog Police.
posted on Nov 22, 2006 - View this thread

Bonkers Candy was my all time favorite, especially for the commercials and the idea that everytime I chomped it, a gigantic piece of fruit was trying to crush me from the sky. But, the real mystery is : WHAT HAPPENED TO THE "BONKERS MOBILE" ? Anyone ?
posted on Oct 18, 2006 - View this thread

Game/Computer Magazine Scans - 1982/83
posted on Oct 13, 2006 - View this thread

For most musicians, it's difficult to pinpoint a particular event that forever sullied their image and destroyed their popularity. For 80's rocker Billy Squier, however, the reason is clear. [YouTube]
posted on Aug 11, 2006 - View this thread

Comprehensive, high quality archive of box art from Transformers toys. Searchable and organized by year and faction. Tell me this isn't awesome.
posted on Jun 19, 2006 - View this thread

Music video gems and reviews from the spandex era. It's called trashfan although not all of it is trash (Springsteen). But some stuff definitely deserves to be there (Shalamar? Colonel Abrams? Pepsi & Sherley? Eew). And yes, I used to have Junior's "Mmmmmmama used to say" 45 rpm. And you know you liked it too!
posted on May 31, 2006 - View this thread

Relive your roots at NESplayer.com. This site is a huge repository for all kinds of NES stuff - it has an extensive sprite gallery, a rather comprehensive list of all NES merchandise and accessories available through the years, NES ads from comics, shots and clips from Nintendo-based TV shows(no episodes- I know - but when was the last time you thought of Captain N or the Super Mario Bros. Super Show?). There are shrines, guides, interviews, this guy who paints NES scenes... in short too much to list here. Go now, be fruitless. It's Saturday.
posted on Apr 8, 2006 - View this thread

Tips from the Blue Devils - Dunking the ball is a flashy move. In some instances, it can be the wrong move. Pot and cocaine are wrong moves. They mess up your thinking and can kill you instantly.
posted on Jan 25, 2006 - View this thread

c64s is a pretty amazing site. Much of the popularity of the old c64 was in its wide array of games and this site offers a way to play most of the popular ones all in your browser (in java). Waste time today by reliving those old early 80s memories.
posted on Jan 23, 2006 - View this thread

#1 Grabowski! Mike Ditka. Rapping. Yeah.
posted on Dec 7, 2005 - View this thread

Blank Tapes
posted on Nov 7, 2005 - View this thread

Gloria Estefan and Mylo [warning: eighties]
posted on Sep 11, 2005 - View this thread

Xanadu Home of the Future sits rotting in Kissimmee, Florida. It was built in the early 80s by Roy Mason and combined a unique architectural approach with an environment controlled by Commodore computers. Squatters were probably not part of this future plan. You can buy this visionary piece of futures past today or you could buy one in Sedona. However, be aware that the Gatlinburg and Wisconsin Xanadus were not preserved.
posted on Jun 10, 2005 - View this thread

The Found Footage Festival is a live comedy event and screening featuring odd and hilarious clips from videotapes found at thrift stores and garage sales and in warehouses and dumpsters throughout the country. [note: quicktime, profanity, accidental mutilation, bad advertising, burger joint rap music, mullets] main page
posted on May 10, 2005 - View this thread

Treat your mother right, fool (windows media file, mid-80's synth, mohawked and bejewelled b-list celeb).
posted on Apr 15, 2005 - View this thread

Estonian TV-Commercials from the 80's by Harry Egipt.
posted on Jan 30, 2005 - View this thread

Ever notice a little too much sax in 80's music? (Warning: Slow loading page---lots of embedded Quicktime.)
posted on Jan 27, 2005 - View this thread

1980s Vinyl Multimedia In the 1980s UK, artists were busy embedding multimedia-enabling compiled computer code into the locked grooves of their vinyl releases (and some cassette tapes). Who knew?
posted on Mar 19, 2004 - View this thread

An 80s band hires a much younger group of musicians to lipsync in their new video - and it becomes a hit. It's a good thing the music industry isn't all about image...
posted on Feb 23, 2004 - View this thread

Yes, We're The Mini*Pops! For a few brief, shining years in the 80s the Mini*Pops were the ne plus ultra of every pre-adolescent's rock star fantasies. From the classic Mini*Pops, to the haunting Mini*Pops Let's Dance, to everyone's seasonal favourite Mini*Pops Christmas, the Mini*Pops embodied the hopes and dreams of pedophiles children everywhere. Of course, no retrospective of the Mini*Pops would be complete without listening to their bastardization of tribute to Abba.
posted on Sep 28, 2003 - View this thread

Decade of Rad: The 10 Eightiest Movies
posted on Aug 17, 2003 - View this thread

Bar Mitzvah Disco • When We Were Shtetl Fabulous
"If you are Jewish, there would have been a golden year when it seemed like you attended a bar mitzvah disco almost weekly. Each one was like a pee-wee Studio 54, a potent cocktail of ritual, acne, insecurity, and hormones run amok." Help the folks at Bar Mitzvah Disco gather photos, stories and details from Bar/Bat Mitzvahs from the 70s and 80s to publish in their forthcoming book on the subject.
posted on Jul 31, 2003 - View this thread

Here's a fine way to start a Thursday: pour a cup of joe, settle into your ergonomic chair, and enjoy 80s Ending, a funny little film by Douglas Jordan. Six minutes long, well worth the watch.
posted on Jun 5, 2003 - View this thread

Today, the music critics at pitchfork.com posted the first half of their "Top 100 Albums of the 1980s" feature.
posted on Nov 18, 2002 - View this thread

80's ROCK IS DEAD (LONG LIVE 80'S ROCK) Holy crap, I saw an ad on the teevee for a new BOSTON album called Corporate America. A new Boston album! A self-described "in your face" indictment of big business and what it is doing to our world. You'll be comforted to know that the music is still way overproduced and the political content has all the impact of Mike + the Mechanics "Silent Running." In other words — don't change a thing! It turns out all the big 80's rockers have 2002 albums, even the little king himself: Phil Collins. Testify. I'll be damned if one of his new songs doesn't sound like "Take Me Home (Redux)." Def Leppard's "X"? Same. Poison's "Hollyweird"? Same! Poison even does a party rock version of The Who's "Squeeze Box." Wonderful. Bon Jovi, Rush, Robert Plant — what year is this again? Who cares. Let's rock. As soon as this Family Ties is over.
posted on Oct 31, 2002 - View this thread

Those of you old enough to remember watching sporting events in the late 70's and early 80's may remeber a gentleman with a rainbow colored wig who enjoyed holding up a sign reading JOHN 3:16. That gentleman was named Rollen Stewart and while he was ubiquitous for a time, he came to sad and bizarre end. His rise and fall detailed in this article and a short movie is an interesting cautionary tale about the nature of celebrity in a media saturated world.
posted on Oct 14, 2002 - View this thread

A Scranton, PA man is auctioning 250,000 pieces of software mostly games from the 80s and early 90s composed of around 20,000 unique titles (2MB Excel Spreadsheet) for $250,000. He says its the worlds biggest collection and many games are rare and in demand. You will need trucks and warehouse. If anyone can afford to sit on these for a few decades untill the 80s generation gets old and nostalgic it could be the Schoyen of early computer gameing software.
posted on Sep 8, 2002 - View this thread