First up we're going to examine a whole slew (how much constitutes a slew?) of ads for satellite television. Cable TV had taken hold and those beyond the reach needed their fix too. Plus, we were in that brief window of time that satellite TV could often pick up unscrambled cable stations for free....well minus the cost of installing the monster dish. I wonder how many of these businesses are still around? Here are the ads along with some songs released before this date that mention satellites.
she drove a Plymouth Satellite faster than the speed of light
You know I don't like where you come from it's just a satellite of London
I watched it for a little while
Timothy Leary should have trademarked turn on and turn off
The other big craze of the 80's was VCR's and by 1985 it had calmed down a little, but I was surprised to see that you could once rent movies at Circuit City. I loved to visit Circuit City from the age of 13 or so until I was out of high school just to go into the car stereo playback room manipulating the dials.
If I ventured into the car stereo room on this week back in 1985 and turned on the pop station here is what I might have heard. This Top Ten is definitely full of pop with nary a real rock song in sight. That doesn't make it a bad list, but it does tend to be boring. The only song out of this batch I owned was David Lee Roth's cover of "California Girls" since I had bought the Crazy From The Heat EP that day it was released.
What was going in Nashville music wise besides The Chieftains and Roger Whittaker? The local scene was still buzzing at Cantrell's with a full slate of shows happening.
Cantrell's Stage Announcements by Rick Champion
So the Bible tells me so...
Foreigner would be playing M.T.S.U's Murphy Center with Giuffria opening a month from this issue's edition date. "I Want To Know What Love Is" was still on the Nashville Top Ten list having been on it 12 weeks. Boy, did I hate that tune and I still do. It's just complete treacle. I'd hear it come on and immediately think to myself.....man, these guys used to rock.
There was other upcoming soft music to choose from. Dan Fogelberg was coming to town soon to play the Grand Ole Opry House with an ace band of country rock musicians.
Debby Boone was set to amp up her volume though with an all new techno-pop sound in her performance at TPAC on March 18, 1985.
Be careful you could be entering the danger zone
The Backstreet club located at Nolensville Road and Haywood Lane was bringing us some "New Wave" music with The Wrong Band and the Top 40 stylings of The Grip. Thursday was ladies night and Sunday was 2 for 1 (I'm assuming drinks?). The Wrong Band had put out a great 45 called "I Live In My Car" that I really liked. I can't find it online, but maybe I will dig through my stuff sometime and post it even though I'm pretty sure it skips.
The Muppets would be at Municipal Auditorium for 6 performances. You could see them in the morning and in the evening on Friday. Perhaps the night time show was edgier.
New Orleans
Muppets rule!
Tuesday March 26, 1985 would bring an interesting tribute show to the Grand Old Opry House. The legendary WLAC disc jockey John R. would be honored in a star studded night of music. Just check out that list of performers below and the night would be hosted by another legend Wolfman Jack, I would have loved to have seen this show. Read all about John R. at the Wikipedia page devoted to him. When people think of Nashville they think of country music, but WLAC-AM 1560 was playing rhythm and blues during the overnight hours with a 50,000 watts reach throughout the 50's, 60's, and into the 70's. Gene Nobles, Herman Grizzard, Hoss Allen, and John R(ichbourg) reached almost half the country with the sounds that were the beginnings of what became rock and roll.
The last thing this week is this ad for The Breakfast Club being in its final week. I've got a Film Flashback post coming up in April about seeing this incredible film multiple times in 1985 and many times over since. I have the blu-ray after all. I hope you've enjoyed this Sunday Showcase review and will come back for another one next week.
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