4 Comments
Oct 20Liked by John Halbrooks

I was 16 in 1980. Disco music was still being listened to. For example, Donna Summer and Chaka Khan. Other music performers I remember on the radio: Hall & Oates, Michael Jackson, U2, Heart, Fleetwood Mac, Styx, Commodores, Kenny Rogers, Crystal Gayle, Eddie Rabbitt, Ronnie Milsap, Pat Benatar, Supertramp, Air Supply, and Billy Joel. I discovered Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and Prince my senior year which was 81-82. I listened to rock and country music back then.

My dad was a computer programmer so back in 1980 and the very early 80s, I associated computers with the large ones he used at work.

Expand full comment
Oct 20Liked by John Halbrooks

I used to record songs from the radio onto TDK cassette tapes. This series is so good and bringing back some great memories.

Expand full comment
Oct 20Liked by John Halbrooks

I discovered Gabriel's music, including 'Games Without Frontiers' and 'Biko', only recently. Later in the '80s, Gabriel worked with the Senagalese Mbalax artist Youssouf N'dour, who can be heard singing in Wolof in Gabriel's hits 'In Your Eyes' (on the album 'So') and the single for International Woman's Day 'Shaking the Tree'. Both tracks also make some use of traditional West African drumming styles. Having learned a little Wolof while working in West Africa, I am always excited to hear it sung, along with the drum rhythms I first heard during celebrations in the village where I lived.

Expand full comment

Thanks, John. Many memories are sparked, including playing a version of Bat n'Ball on that early Apple computer...I confused the programme by making the bricks black and white, creating 'holes' for the ball to smash more bricks... I guess I started learning how to navigate systems from a young age!

Expand full comment