First of all, its been awhile since I wrote and that is because I have been very busy at home and at work.

This will be short but sweet.....

I wanted to title this one "MUSIC THAT TURNS YOU ON..." but since it brings me back to mid 80s when we still in high school, I figured I would title it after one of the coolest songs of the 80s....

"Welcome To The Pleasuredome"

The infamous Honda Accord aptly titled "The Deutchsmobile"

With that said, the year is 1983 and I am a freshman at Rummel High School in Metairie, LA and music was just starting to branch off into different categories. I could go on all day about 80s Hair Bands such as RATT, Quiet Riot and Motley Crue who were all over me during high school but I would rather focus on songs that I heard during times in high school that were important and memorable. Now I am not going to give you a story for each song but I will briefly tell you why its good. The mark of great songs are how they can take you in different directions. Most if not of these songs are long versions as in the 80s everything had a remix, 12 inch, and that is what you purchased in addition to the regular album to get a bonus of your favorite song.
PLEASE LISTEN to each of these from start to finish as you will understand why after its over, I promise you will enjoy.

The first song is obvious as its the title of this post. Most people know Frankie Goes to Hollywood or FGTH for short for the song "Relax" but I bought the album and the title track "Welcome to the Pleasuredome" is almost the whole side of one LP and just kicks you square in the head as you listen and take the journey along with them.

Welcome to the Pleasuredome - 1984
"We're a long way from home
Welcome to the Pleasuredome
On our way home
Going home where lovers roam
Long way from home
Welcome to the Pleasuredome"

The next song comes courtesy of my sister, Michelle, who at the time was working at a clothing shop in NOLA titled Bongo where all of the "punk rock" clothes were purchased and they had these tapes and this song was on one of them and much like my sister's music being influential on me, this song glued itself to me......

Shriekback - Nemesis (12 inch) 1985
"How bad it gets, you can't imagine
The burning wax, the breath of reptiles
God is not mocked, He knows His business
Karma could take us at any moment"

Before Ministry was that Heavy Metal band you saw in the early 90s they were techno so this is what you heard in the 80s.....this 12 inch is pretty solid and another song from my sister's Bongo tapes....

Ministry - Nature of Love (Cruelty B Mix)
"love love is like an open hand
stings a little when it lands
hold me closer hold me tighter
hold me so damn close that my heart's on fire
it's a fantasy it's a nightmare and the whole damn world is walking round"

The next tune is fucking fanastic on so many levels and it reminds me of 120 Minutes every Sunday night on MTV. In the 80s the only place to see the "Alternative/College" music was on 120 minutes hosted by dave Kendall......

The The - Infected 1986
"I've got too much energy to switch off my mind,
but not enough to get myself organized.
My heart is heavy--my head is confused,
And my aching little soul--has started burning blue!"

OK enough with Bongo but let me just say that my sister pretty much bought every album that today still resonate with me as my favorites of all time....without her I don't hear The Clash, The Jam, Siouxsie & The Banshees etc.
FUCKING RAW AND STILL POWERFUL TODAY

The Clash - Janie Jones
"He's in love with rock'n'roll, whoa
He's in love with gettin' stoned, whoa
He's in love with Janie Jones, whoa
He don't like his boring job, no"

OK so now its going to get long and I cannot let it.....here are just songs that jump out when I think of riding around with Jose, Jose M (RIP), Tony Pi, Jools, Beanie, Brooke & whoever else was along for the ride....car was never empty on the weekend. This song by the Tubes is one of many examples of why I never liked bands after they get super popular....Tubes are popular for "She's A Beauty" but this song is much much better...

The Tubes - Talk To Ya Later
"Nothin' more to be said
Write me a letter instead
I don't mean to be cruel
But I'm finished with you"

The same goes for A-Ha as they were huge in the 80s for "Take On Me" but the first song on the cassette was "The Sun Always Shines on TV" which to me is much better and just jams from start to finish....notice when I say JAM I don't mean Iron Maiden jam but an alternative 80s song JAM which is different but cool in its own way....

A-Ha - The Sun Always Shines On TV
"I reached inside myself and found
Nothing there to ease the
Pressure of my ever worrying mind
All my powers waste away
I fear the crazed and lonely
Looks the mirror's sending me these days"

alarm stand

Now what do I say about this song.....besides its STILL one of my all time favorites as it has everything.....the guitar, the drums and the heavy organ carrying it.....I learned to play the drums to this song because it is so fucking cool.....also this is before Simple Minds got popular with The Breakfast Club soundtrack......TURN THIS UP....

Simple Minds - "C" Moon Cry Like A Baby
"Where will we go, up hi under low
When the devil I know say, something is missing
Sweet angels sing, about the fast place of thingsBut our children sing, love will conquer anything"

Ok so the next song is dated for obvious reasons and many know this band from their other hits but at the time this came out it was huge....and the throwback hair....

Romantics - One in a Million
"Your love and affection
Is all I need to keep me satisfied,
You leave an impression
And baby I never want to leave you"

The next is a absolute classic and reminds me of driving to Destin for Spring Break in like 1986.....this got played so much the tape just eventually broke....THIS version is not better than the original but its fucking damn good and kicks ass.....

The Cult - She Sells Sanctuary (Howling Mix)
"I'm sure in her you'll find
The sanctuary
And the world
The world turns around
And the world and the world
The world drags me down"

Go West - Call Me (The Indiscriminate Mix)

"Mesmerised I go back to where we met

A reconstruction of the crime
I can`t track you down
Nowhere to be found
Now my one shot at success
Is the power of the press
Won`t you... "

BONUS -

Go West - We Close Our Eyes (Total Overhang Club Mix) 1985 - Vinyl

_____________________________________

TWO versions of the next song which is a product of Mick Jones of the Clash......

Big Audio Dymnamite - The Bottom Line

(Original UK 12" Mix)

"There's a new dance that`s going around

When the hits start flying you gotta get down
All the young people dance round the square
That old time groove is really nowhere"

"I'm going to take you to Part Two"
AND The Bottom Line (Remix) .....MANY people including myself like this version better since its got that cool dance vibe....

and LAST but not least.....I called everyone I knew "King" back then or everything was "King" so its obvious this song would be last in the REMIX list....good beat....

King - Love & Pride (Remix) "In you I've found a story I want to keep hearing.
In you I see all colours not just black or white.
In you I find a reason and hope for all dreamers"

The next few remind me riding around Old Metairie in high school late at night either driving over garbage cans, looking for a party or jumping the train tracks in the VW GTI.....these all have a place....

This Squeeze tape was always on......

Squeeze - If I Didn't Love You
"The record jumps on a scratch
Tonight it's love by the fire
The door of your love's on the latch"

Split Enz - I Got You (1980)

"I don't know why sometimes I get frightened

You can see my eyes, you can tell that I'm not lyin'"

AND A BONUS CLASSIC FROM SPLIT ENZ.....THIS VIDEO IS SO SMOOTH

XTC - Senses Working Overtime"And all the world is football-shapedIt's just for me to kick in spaceAnd I can see, hear, smell, touch, tasteAnd I've got one, two, three, four, five"

......

OK one more.....then a couple of bonus tunes......this is another.....just fucking jams....

The Alarm - The Stand
"Come on down & meet your maker
Come on down & make the standCome on down, come on down,Come on and make the stand"

THANKS FOR LISTENING.....I have many more just can't remember now....

These next two songs remind me of growing up playing sports at Girard Playground and WRNO The Rock of New Orleans....