In October of 1980 Circle Jerks released their debut album. With fourteen songs clocking in at just over fifteen minutes, the album is a true classic of the hardcore punk genre. Let’s talk Circle Jerks, Group Sex!

In April of 1980, known hellbent for leather Turbo Lovers, Judas Priest, released their 6th studio album. Taking lyrical cues from AC/DC this time around, the band dropped some of the darker themes featured on their earlier releases, opting for a more party time feel. The record announced the arrival of The New Wave of…

In October of 1980 Killing Joke released their debut album. “Bass, lead, to tell the killing joke, we mean it man! Total exploitation, no information, anonymity” was the rallying cry posted in Melodie Maker Magazine by keyboardist/singer Jaz Coleman and drummer Paul Fergeson in 1979. With the addition of guitarist Geordie Walker and bassist Youth,…

In November of 1980 Motörhead released their fourth studio album. Recorded in August and September of the same year, the illustrious producer Vic Maile managed to capture the raw power of the trio all while tightening up their sound. Though the band hated being lumped into The New Wave of British Heavy Metal, the record…

In July of 1980 Echo & the Bunnymen released their debut album. Recorded over the course of about three weeks and produced by Bill Drummond, David Balfe, and Ian Broudie, the album is considered one of the finer debut records in the 80s. Let’s talk Echo & the Bunnymen, Crocodiles!

In April of 1980 known sad bois from West Sussex, The Cure, released their second studio album. Due to being cash strapped, the record was recorded and mixed down in seven days with the band pulling 16 – 17 hour per, with the majority of the songs being conceived and written by lead singer Robert…

On June 28th of 1980 The Soft Boys released their 2nd studio album. Recorded in parts during June of 79, and from January to June of 80 on both 4 and 8 track recorders for the low price of £600, the album hearkens back to the psychedelia of the 60s but with its feet firmly…

In May of 1980, former Genesis alum Peter Gabriel released his third self-titled record. Known by informally as Melt, (due to the altered Polaroid photo of Gabriel with half of his face melting off) the album became his first commercial breakthrough as a solo artist, showing him to be a true innovator and one of…

In September of 1980 The Dead Kennedys released their debut album. The stench of Reagan looms on the horizon, Jerry Brown is coming for your uncool niece, Harvey Milk’s assassin only gets 7 years in prison (but serves less than that) and the threat of global nuclear holocaust is at an all time high, whats…

In 1980, The Cramps released their debut studio album. Let’s talk The Cramps, The Songs the Lord Taught Us!

In July of 1980 AC/DC released their 7th studio album. Following the tragic passing of front-man Bon Scott in February, the band decided to keep on going and brought on Brian Johnson as the new singer. With Mutt Lange back as engineer, they defied all the odds by making one of the definitive rock albums…

In July of 1980 Dexys Midnight Runners released their debut album. After disbanding his punk band, Kevin Rowland had a vision; to combine the urgency of punk rock with the Northern Soul scene. To quote Kevin himself: “I’m going to do what I really want to do: form a great group. We’ll wear great clothes…

In November 1980 Adam & The Ants released their second studio album. After getting his backing band stolen from him by Malcolm McLaren to form Bow Wow Wow, Adam went back into the studio armed with one Marc Pirroni on guitar and as a new writing partner. The results? The pirate look became a very…

In October of 1979 The Specials released their debut album. Produced by Elvis Costello and released on keyboardist Jerry Dammers 2 tone record label, the album was an anti-racist shot across the bow for disaffected youth in England, just as the country’s ugly right-wing turn and rise of Thatcher were taking hold. Let’s talk The…

In September of 1979 Gary Numan released his debut solo album. By the time Tubeway Army had released Replicas but before it hit #1 on the UK album charts, Numan had dropped the electric guitar all together, hired drummer Cedric Sharpley and keyboardist Chris Payne, and got started recording under his stage name. Released just…

In November of 1979 The Damned released their third studio album. The album is the first with the new lineup after the ouster of Brian James and Lu Edmunds. Dave Vanian is still on vocals, Captain Sensible now on the guitar, Rat Scabbies is back on drums and the new kid on the block, Algy…

In August of 1979, Michael Jackson released his 5th studio album. It was the first album released for Jackson on Epic following his departure from Motown. The album is also the first with Quincy Jones at the helm, whom Jackson had met on the film set of The Wiz. It is considered a classic of…

In November of 1979 Public Image Ltd released their sophomore album. The album is a departure and giant leap forward from the debut. Lyrically it is less cringe, the rhythm section is on point, and the guitar work and tone shaped post punk to come. The packaging ain’t too shabby, either. Lets talk PiL, Metal…

In November of 1979 Pink Floyd released their 11th studio album. What do you do when your tax dodging investment scheme goes tits up and find yourselves on the hook for an 83% tax liability of which you have no way to pay? You call Bob Ezrin to turn your nightmare concept record about a…

In October of 1979 Fleetwood Mac released their 12th studio album. Following the colossal success of Rumors the band opted to build their own studio to record the next album. A ten month cocaine binge and 20 songs later, the band released what was at the time the most expensive album ever made. The double…

In February of 1979, power pop legends Cheap Trick released their breakthrough live album. Recorded live at Nippon Budokan (originally constructed for the 1964 Olympics to host judo competitions) on the 28th & 30th of April 1978, the album captures one of the finest live acts of the day in their prime and catapulted the…

In September of 1979 Gang of Four released their debut album. Call it dance-punk, call it art-punk, or call it post-punk but just don’t call it late to dinner! This record is an important one in the shaping of the future of rock music. Lets talk Gang of Four, Entertainment!

In June of 1979 Neil Young & Crazy Horse released Rust Never Sleeps. Borrowing the Gerald Casale & Mark Mothersbaugh advertisement slogan for RustO-leum as the title, Young applied the philosophy to avoiding complacency with writing and putting on more progressive live shows. The album is one of Young’s finest and is certainly a must…

In January of 1979 Elvis Costello released his 3rd studio album. With Nick Lowe back at the helm, the album marks an end point to Costello’s “angry persona” and is as lyrically dark as he ever got, with many a fascist imagery and heartbreak weaving their way through an album absolutely sticky sweet with pop…