THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF CLASSIC 80s POP
By Daniel Blythe
Allison & Busby - December 2002
ISBN 0749005343 HB
Non-fiction / Music


Reviewed by Rachel A Hyde, MyShelf.com
Buy a US || UK Copy

If, like this reviewer, your formative years fell during this decade then you will remember the sounds that provided a soundtrack for your lives. Top of the Pops was awash with flamboyant music videos and New Romantics, Stock, Aitken & Waterman (they still sound to me like a firm of solicitors) ushered in the 90s with their ready mix tunes and Bucks Fizz won the Eurovision. This was the decade that gave us the Eurythmics, Pet Shop Boys, U2, George Michael & Madonna, as well as The Birdie Song, Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers, Bros and Black Lace. So if you want to settle that dispute down at the pub as to what record prevented Ultravox' Vienna getting to No 1 or Who got to that coveted spot back in 1980 with There's No-One Quite Like Grandm,a then this may well be the book for you. You also probably live in Britain, as although there are many US inclusions, and a few others too this is mainly a book for the Brits.

Perhaps you think that music is for listening to though, or want to forget the decade entirely. But no anorak required here, as this is all great fun actually, as well as being a generous dollop of pure nostalgia. Daniel Blythe is scathing where he ought to be and praising where necessary, reminding us that Chris de Burgh actually made some good records, Sigue Sigue Sputnik were embarrassing and Duran Duran are still out there. This is not a serious "bible" for people who want a definitive guide to 80's music in its entirety, and quite a few bands and singers have been left out. Queen, Cliff Richard and Kate Bush aren't there, and neither are quite a lot of one-hit wonders or bands that just weren't memorable. (This reviewer wonders why the Waterboys aren't included.) But you can find out how memorable each act was according to the author with his five star ratings, and find out what happened to the people, the embarrassing things they said, their main singles and other strange things about them. This is just the sort of book that makes a great gift and would make a wonderful coffee table book. I can't stop looking at it. The book is great nostalgia, and fun for just about anybody who was there.

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