The Vibe of Vice by Flashlites Productions
Over the last three years AOR Disco has focused on music from 1968-1982. There have been a few exceptions to this but the final years of the Golden Age of AOR have been neglected. The makers of Yacht Rock got it right when they ended the series in 1986 - the year which saw the release of Michael McDonald's last major hit, the break-up of Journey and the arrival of the poodle bands like Bon Jovi whose success led to the grunge backlash five years later which killed AOR off for good. So it's long-overdue that we feature a mix which captures the spirit of the mid-1980s, before it all went wrong, and who better to ask than CJ of Flashlites Productions whose five volume Ready 4 Airplay series has documented the progression of the classic American FM radio sound. For CJ the defining context for mid-80s AOR is Miami Vice so here it is: "The Vibe of Vice", featuring a mixture of original tracks and new edits, with samples from Miami Vice Season 1 and the Miami Vice Pepsi Ad from 1985.
Comments
02. I Can Dream About You (Kay K Extended Edit) – Dan Hartman
03. Foolish Heart (Genuine Fraud Edit) – Steve Perry
04. Running Up That Hill (Ashley Beedle Edit) - Kate Bush
05. This Is Not America (Eli Escobar Edit) – David Bowie / Pat Metheney Group
06. The Beast In Me (Hot Tracks Remix) – Silence 2
07. Vicious Games (Vicious Mix) - Yello
08. Take Me Home (12” Mix) – Phil Collins
09. Broken Wings (Dynamicron In A Rush Edit) – Mr Mister
10. Drive (The Tebay Re-Edit) - The Cars
11. Voices – Russ Ballard
12. The Boys Of Summer (808 Extended Remix) – Don Henley
I think disco was starting to fade from the mainstream as early as 1979/80 - at least in America. I was actually referring to AOR music as defined by the Boston/Journey/Eagles/REO/Foreigner/McDonald generation - and how it ceased to be the main form of US pop/rock in 1986 (although there are a handful of AOR classics from 1987 onwards by Whitesnake,Richard Marx, Fleetwood Mac, etc).
But hair metal bands like Poison and Winger pretty much took over after Bon Jovi's Slippery When Wet became so huge in 1986 - and it was that which the grunge/alternative scene was reacting to in 1990.
So it could be said that it was Bon Jovi and not Nirvana who really forced AOR underground. That's my theory anyway...
both have, in my opinion, its correctness. The important thing is that we love becomes a form of popular music together, which, with exceptions, already belongs to the underground. In my "Ready 4 Airplay" series, I've many protagonists of the West Coast Yacht AOR rock sounds that have never had much commercial success, despite the fantastic compositions and productions. I was and still is important to remember this and others to participate in this listening experience.
Therefore, I thank this blog and especially Matthew, who for me represents a platform.
By the way ... R4A Vol.VI follows the next day.