Episodes

A veteran of the jazz, funk, and even disco scenes, Herbie Hancock took a left turn in the 80's to help usher hip hop into the mainstream of pop music, and we're certainly glad that he did. This episode focuses on 1983's "Rockit" and the album Future Shock. There are certain movies that could only have existed in the 80's, and Iron Eagle (1986) is one of them. Starring Jason Gedric and Louis Gossett, Jr., it's a hunk of cheese equally matched by its soundtrack, with a theme song by King Kobra. ...

The Outfield are a band we love, and our old band used to play one of their songs back in the day. We discuss their distinction and the fun of listening to them these days. The Dark Crystal is a 1982 fantasy movie created by the amazing Jim Henson and company, which is unique and darkly spooky, designed to provide children with something scary. We love it and hope you'll revisit it as well, or visit it for the first time, if you've somehow managed never to have seen it. RELATED LINKS: Our You...

Tracey Ullman is very famous for her various TV shows and movie appearances, but before all of that, she had a Top10 hit in the U.S. and U.K. with the excellent song, "They Don't Know." We look into it and her subsequent career in this episode. The Last Starfighter is a 1984 science fiction movie that follows young Alex Rogan's journey from a California trailer park to outer space. It was also one of the first movies to feature computer-generated visual effects. Very fun. Follow and contact us...

David Lee Roth is a human male singer that some people find compelling, including the two of us. His 1986 album "Eat 'Em and Smile" is a favorite of both of ours, and we dive into it with great enthusiasm. Connect with us at www.tapeheadspod.com. RELATED LINKS: Our extremely rocking Yankee Rose playlist, on Spotify David Lee Roth, "Yankee Rose" official video, on YouTube David Lee Roth, "Eat 'Em and Smile," on Spotify David Lee Roth, "Sonrisa Salvaje", on Spotify Talas, "Shyboy," on YouTu...

Michael Penn is one of our collective favorites. The musician, that is, not the YouTube mathematician. You may not think you know him, but you certainly know his family; brothers Sean and Chris, TV director father Leo, actor mother Eileen, sister-in-law Robin Wright (Inconceivable!), and singer/actor wife Aimee Mann. Lots of connections. He has a handful of critically acclaimed albums and has done numerous movie soundtracks, including Boogie Nights. We go through his albums and focus on his 2198...

Naked Eyes' 1983 hit "Always Something There To Remind Me" is good but not among our favorites--we'll get into it--but it did open both of us up to a much larger story. We think you'll agree. The Coen Brothers' quirky and hilarious 1987 second movie "Raising Arizona" was way ahead of its time, and was the first in a long string of hits for them, and it set the tone for many of their movies that would follow. Definitely one of the best we've done on this show so far. Is it better than My Dinner ...

This is one of the biggest songs of all time, as well as the best and most distinctive videos. We do a deep dive into both. Our movie this time is the unique "My Dinner With Andre", starring Wallace Shawn and Andre Gregory. It's a movie about two estranged friends having dinner together, and much, much more. RELATED LINKS Our Take On Me playlist, on Spotify a-ha, on Spotify a-ha, Take On Me official video, on YouTube My Dinner With Andre, at IMDB The Sound of 007, at IMDB COVER YOUR EARS...

The Church are an Australian band, probably most well known for thier 1988 hit "Under the Milky Way," a beautiful song that is the subject of this episode. Three O'Clock High is a 1987 movie about a mild-mannered high school student who ruffles the feathers of the school's newly-arrived bully, and the hijinks ensue. RELATED LINKS: Our Under the Milky Way playlist, on Spotify The Church, "Under the Milky Way" official video, on YouTube The Church, on Spotify The Church, "Starfish," on Spoti...

In our favorite musical year of 1984, after many years of creating a multitude of hits separately, two musical giants came together at the top of their game to collaborate on one of the best songs of the 80's, "Easy Lover," by Philip Bailey and Phil Collins. We'll delve into the supremely interesting story of how this incredible song came to be. Fun fact: it was used in the original Wrestlemania. Also, you're a Zen-master Beatles fan if you know where the phrase 'four guys of them' comes from. ...

This episode is a bit different than our others so far. We'd actually been talking about doing a World Party episode recently, when Karl Wallinger suddenly died a week or so before this, which added some gravitas and urgency, so we decided to move him to the front of the line. Great musician and songwriter. He will be missed by us and by many others of you around the world. RIP, Karl. RELATED LINKS: Our RIP, Karl Wallinger playlist, on Spotify World Party, on Spotify World Party, "Ship of Fo...

Dexys Midnight Runners are a one-hit wonder band (actually with TWO number-one hits) whose 1982 song "Come On, Eileen" is one of the most catchy and unusual songs of the 80's, and the band's story is one of the most interesting we've come across so far. You'll love it. The World War III story Red Dawn, from 1984, holds the distinction of being the first movie to be rated PG-13. It features a cast that would all go on to be among the biggest stars. We also discuss what life was like growing up d...

In the spring of 1988, George Harrison recreuited his friends Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, and Jim Keltner to collaborate on a song. The result was so stunningly good that they decided to do an entire album together, thereby creating the biggest supergroup of all time. And yes, we do discuss some of those other ones as well. Better Off Dead is a classic dark comedy from 1985 starring John Cusack. Its eminently quotable dialogue (ever wonder where the line, "I want my TWO DOLLA...

This episode is devoted to Canadian singer and multi-instrumentalist Jane Child. She's our first one-hit wonder, and she's possibly the last big one-hit wonder of the 80's. This episode is being released on February 15, which--coincidentally enough--is also Jane's birthday, so we're wishing her a happy one. Our 'movie' this time is actually a TV show we loved when we were young called B.J. and The Bear, about a trucker and his chimp Bear who travel the country and meet women in every town, all ...

In this 'very special' episode, Blaine kept the subject a secret from Todd until we recorded it. New Edition and all of the tentacles of their related bands (Bobby Brown, New Kids on the Block, and even Whitney Houston) is a supremely interesting story, and we're sure you'll agree. This one's by request. RELATED LINKS: New Edition, on Spotify Bobby Brown, on Spotify Bell Biv DeVoe, on Spotify New Kids on the Block, on Spotify Whitney Houston, on Spotify Whitney documentary, at IMDB The N...

The Bangles were arguably the biggest all-female band of the 80's, and we both totally love them. We explore their early career and their big hits, as well as the issues that arose within the band as one of the members' star rose. Our movie this time is "The All-Nighter (1987)", which starred Susanna Hoffs, Joan Cusack, and Pam Grier, and was co-written/produced/directed by her mom. What could go wrong with that formula? RELATED LINKS: Our The Bangles playlist, on Spotify The Bangles, on Spo...

U2's album "The Joshua Tree" is one of the biggest and most influential of all time, and it's the subject of this, our first episode of 2024. We mostly focus in on the song "Where The Streets Have No Name," but discuss other songs too, as well as the making of the video and the band's later involvement with author and filmmaker Bill Carter during the civil war in Sarajevo in the early Nineties. We're sure you'll agree that they're an incredible band with an incredible story, even the comparative...

Released in 1987, "A Very Special Christmas" was a bit of a turning point for Christmas music, which both of us enjoyed back then and continue to enjoy to this day. We also take you back a long time ago (1978) to a galaxy far, far away to discuss the famously awful Star Wars Holiday Special. We've added plenty of audio clips because you wouldn't believe just how weird and awful it is otherwise. We even included Christmas in the Stars from 1980, which is perhaps most famous for being Jon Bon Jov...

Released in 1987, "A Very Special Christmas" was a bit of a turning point for Christmas music, which both of us enjoyed back then and continue to enjoy to this day. We also take you back a long time ago (1978) to a galaxy far, far away to discuss the famously awful Star Wars Holiday Special. We've added plenty of audio clips because you wouldn't believe just how weird and awful it is otherwise. We even included Christmas in the Stars from 1980, which is perhaps most famous for being Jon Bon Jov...

In this, our first-anniversary episode, we talk about the new Beatles releases quite a bit, before moving on to Toto and their album Toto IV, their incredible prowess as studio musicians, and their well-known penchant for doing cocaine back in the day. Our movie this time is the 1982 classic "An American Werewolf in London," which Todd had never seen until now. This excellent, strange, and surprisingly romantic movie sparks an interesting and funny conversation. RELATED LINKS: The Beatles, "1...

We thought it would be super fun to share the music that made us who we are today, and last time was Blaine's turn, so this time is Todd's turn, along with some personal stories and insights. We think you'll enjoy it. Our Todd's Top 10 playlist, on Spotify Trevor Rabin, on Spotify Tears For Fears, on Spotify Elliott Smith, on Spotify Van Halen, on Sotify Yngwie Malmsteen, on Spotify Ben Folds Five, on Spotify Crowded House, on Spotify Neil Finn, on Spotify Jellyfish, on Spotify Jon Br...

We thought it would be super fun to share the music that has made us the people we are today, and Blaine's going to start us off with his all-time, whole-life favorites. Blaine's Top 10 playlist, on Spotify: Drummer playing Beatles on the rooftop⁠, on YouTube ⁠Fountains of Wayne hotline⁠, on YouTube Trevor Rabin, on Spotify Men At Work, on Spotify Colin Hay, on Spotify Toy Matinee, on Spotify Kevin Gilbert, on Spotify The Police, on Spotify Sting, on Spotify Bring on the Night, at IMDB Crowded ...

Milli Vanilli were famous for lip-synching their way into history back in 1989, as well as for winning (and returning) their Grammy for Best New Artist. But, as is so often the case, there's much more to the story, and that's what we discuss in this edition of TapeHeads. The story of Rob Pilatus and Fabrice Morvan--known around the world more commonly as Rob and Fab--is weird, deep, nuanced, and even tragic, but we hope you'll agree with Fab that when you fall, you stand back up. Enjoy their biz...

This episode is devoted to one of our all-time favorite bands, Crowded Houose. Neil Finn is a genius, and we can't wait to share more of his music with you, along with his brother Tim, with whom he has collaborated quite a bit, and Mitchell Froom, who produced and played on many of the best CH albums, and is currently touring with them, at the time this episode is being released. Be sure to check out our playlist for this one. No movie this time, but just a glowing recommendation for one of the ...

This episode, focusing on the famous and infamous Mötley Crüe, is another one that was brought to us by request. Their story is so vast and their so long-ranging that this show could have been ten hours long. We had fun with it, and we think you'll enjoy it. Don't forget to click through to our episode links and watch the hilaious video of Vince's less-than-stellar vocals. Leave a comment here, or you can contact us and make a request of your own, orour web site, tapehead spod.com RELATED LINK...