Rolling Stones - Terryfying

Rolling Stones' 1989 album Steel Wheels was a very welcome return to form at the end of a decade that saw the band slowly fade from rock gods to... well, something less. "Terryfying" was the fourth and, dare I say, best, single off the album, a strutting, proud and boisterous song that is primarily driven forward by Bill Wyman's steady bass and Charlie Watts' drums. It's unusually rhythmic for Rolling Stones with its swamp-rocky, Creedence-y beat and crystal clear production, and the fact that it stands a bit out from much of their other songs is actually what makes it so great. 

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Janet Jackson - What Have You Done For Me Lately

Janet Jackson's 1986 album Control is her masterpiece, in large part thanks to producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis who also co-wrote most of the songs with Jackson and must have helped her find her own true songwriting self. "What Have You Done For Me Lately" was the first single off the album, her third, released in January, spearheading an hour's worth of minimalist synth-driven funk and stunning ballads that totally redefined Jackson and turned her into a superstar. The album and its first two singles, "What Have You Done For Me Lately" and "Nasty", can be seen as forerunners of an entire generation's worth of female R&B artists and their songs, showing their male counterparts where it's really at. Janet Jackson may not be considered a feminist performer by most, but this song was undeniably important for a lot of future female performers, kicking some serious ass along the way. Forgive me if this sounds shallow, it's not meant to. I seriously regard this song as a feminist anthem, and Jackson sounds as tough as nails.

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The Smiths - Heaven Knows I'm MIserable Now

What really happens, what kind of chemistry is at work, when two people simply connect, when a lyricist and a songwriter find each other, embarking on a journey that will forever change their - and our - world? I have no idea, but I'm extremely fascinated by how two persons like Steven Patrick Morrissey and John Martin Maher - commonly referred to as Morrissey/Marr - were able to create such a staggering amount of great music as they did in the years 1983 through 1987. Four "proper" albums, 18 singles that in large part did not appear on the albums (B-sides included) and three major compilations in five years is pretty much unheard of this side of The Beatles and I honestly don't think any songwriting team or single songwriter has written such a treasure trove of amazing music since their heyday. "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" was The Smiths' fourth single and one of their defining songs, where Morrissey gleefully wallows in his own stilted misery, and, judging by the video, enjoying every single moment of his own performance. Marr on the other hand is doing his masterful guitar work, seemingly at total ease, not minding his singer one tiny bit, just doing his thing in a totally effortless manner. "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" was released almost 31 years ago to the day, on May 21, 1984, and still sounds absolutely magnificent.

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Kjøtt - (Jeg gleder meg til) år 2000

Kjøtt var det soleklart mest toneangivende av de norske punkbandene som oppsto i skjæringa 1979/80. Med Helge Gaarder på vokal og en svært ung Michael Krohn på trommer, hadde bandet to markante og svært forskjellige låtskrivere fra dag én, og det var nok en av mange årsaker til at Kjøtt ikke hadde en spesielt lang levetid. "(Jeg gleder meg til) år 2000" var en av flere aldeles fantastiske låter på bandets eneste LP-plate, Op., som kom i 1981, og den var skrevet av Michael. Det er en seig rocker som mer enn antyder at han noen år senere kom til å starte Raga Rockers, og den dystopiske teksten bærer også bud om det som skulle følge. Fantastisk låt!

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The Smiths - This Charming Man

The Smiths is one of the bands that have made the biggest impact on me. Between 1983 and 1987 they released a vast amount of music, including four "proper" studio albums, three major compilations and a staggering 18 singles, most of them with one or two additional songs not to be found on the albums. The same goes for several of the A-sides, including their second single "This Charming Man", released in October 1983. It's still one of my favourite The Smiths songs, with Johnny Marr's trademark jingle-jangly guitar sound and Morrissey's wonderful wail. 32 years on, it still sounds fresh as a new dawn.

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Blondie's first albums re-released on vinyl - here's my essay

Pop music as we know it without the influence of Debbie Harry is unthinkable. Universal Music is re-releasing Blondie's first six albums on vinyl next week and have commisioned me to write an essay about the New York-based band that made a huge impact on the world of pop (and rock) music in the second part of the 1970's, going on into the 80's. It's written in Norwegian though, but take a look anyway and play their music once more. You'll not be sorry.

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Raga Rockers live fra 1989

I dag ble det offentlig kjent at Christer Falck med venner skal lage tidenes hyllestprosjekt med vinylboks, CD-boks og konsert der 100 Raga Rockers-låter skal covres. Alt vil skje 18. november, og du kan sjekke hvilke 50 artister som foreløpig er offentliggjort her. Ifølge prosjektleder Falck gjenstår de store navnene, så det kan jo bli spennende med tanke på at Dumdum Boys, deLillos, Valentourettes, Jo Nesbø, Mercury Motors og Jan Eggum er blant de som til nå er bekreftet. Anyways, her er et dødskult klipp fra NRK i 1989, der Raga spiller fire låter live og en 26 år yngre Michael Krohn intervjues av en 26 år yngre Anders Giæver. Veldig moro!

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Billy Idol - Rebel Yell

OK, so it's Fabulous Friday once more, and I guess it's about time we play this one. Billy Idol's "Rebel Yell" - not to be confused by the Confederate soldiers yell during the American Civil War - is one of the coolest, toughest and, let's face it, silliest, rock songs to ever be recorded. Released in 1983, it's the title track off the former Generation X singer's second solo album, and it's been a party staple ever since. I can still recall how I was totally awed by it, almost 32 years ago, and it's still got a hold on me. When you're done with Billy, there's a bunch of other Fabulous Friday songs here.

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Nanci Griffith - Once In A Very Blue Moon

Perfect music for a hungover Sunday, Nanci Griffith's early records are soothing, beautiful and calming. "Once In A Very Blue Moon" is the title track off her third album, released in 1984, and written by the brilliant songwriter Pat Alger with Eugene Levine. The live version in this clip is from 1987.

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Roxy Music - Take A Chance With Me

"Take A Chance With Me" is Roxy Music at their absolutely slickest - and possibly best. One of the key tracks off their 1982 swan song Avalon, it was co-written by Bryan Ferry and Phil Manzanera and remains one of my favourite Roxy songs.

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Ultravox - Hymn

Ultravox Mk. 2, meaning with Midge Ure as singer as opposed to John Foxx who fronted the band's first three records, pretty much epitomized the short-lived New Romantics movement for me. Along with acts like Simple Minds, Visage, Spandau Ballet, Human League and Duran Duran they were the soundtrack to my adolescence and, as such, incredibly important to me. Their 1982 album Quartet is really out there, pompous, loud and seriously pretentious, but I can't help loving it dearly. "Hymn" is one of its key tracks, an over-blown, over-produced monster with Ure's strained vocals doing the song no favours. I can hear its many faults, but still it's a favourite of mine. I will always cherish this song.

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Bryan Adams - Summer Of '69

Last Friday was indeed a Fabulous Friday for me as I saw Bryan Adams live on his current Reckless tour, in which he's celebrating his landmark album of 1984. You can read my impressions from the show here. One of the key tracks from Reckless and indeed my all time favourite Bryan Adams song is "Summer Of '69", a hit single that I've always loved as opposed to quite a few other songs of his - read my review for the explanation as to why I didn't care for so many of the others. Well, "Summer Of '69" was and is and always will be a fantastic song, and if you're curious about its theme I can tell you that, no, it's not about the summer of the year 1969. So, here's my pick for this week's Fabulous Friday track to celebrate the onslaught of another weekend. Be sure to check out the previous picks here.

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Stiff Little Fingers - Nobody's Hero

Today is a very, very sad day. One of the best independent book shops in the world, or possibly the best, Tronsmo in little, insignificant Oslo, has lost the lease for their premises and must move and most likely close and quit what they have spent more than 40 years establishing. This is a book shop frequented by people like Lou Reed, Patti Smith, Allen Ginsberg and many other "alternative" voices, and this all makes me want to play some loud, angry old school punk. A song I really love is Belfast band Stiff Little Fingers' 1980 single "Nobody's Hero", released around the time that I discovered Tronsmo, which has been some sort of second home for me, and a better place for education than any school ever were. All hope is not lost, but it does not look good. Anyway, here's Stiff Little Fingers. Play it loud!

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The Waterboys - We Will Not Be Lovers

Ha! Yesterday I bought tickets to see The Waterboys in Oslo in October. That's really something I look forward to as I haven't seen Mike Scott and his band perform live since 1986. That's right, a long time ago, and before their most famous and possibly best record, the extraordinary Fisherman's Blues from 1988 that was assembled from well over 100 different songs recorded over a two and a half year period. Here is the wonderful, seven minute "We Will Not Be Lovers", one of Scott's many brilliant songs. The folk rock on this album was both a surprising and in some weird way a natural continuation of Scott's musical journey. Listen to Steve Wickham's fiddle on this track, and you're hooked. It's such a great song, and hopefully it will be in their live set come October. Fingers crossed!

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Electric Light Orchestra - Yours Truly 2095

ELO's 1981 concept album Time is generally not regarded as among their best, on the contrary rather. That doesn't concern me much though. I love the album that tells the story of a man from the 1980's finding himself of a sudden in the year 2095, unable to return to his previous life, and all the wonders he's encountering. "Yours Truly, 2095" sees the hapless protagonist writing a letter back home to his girlfriend/wife, telling her "I met someone who looks a lot like you, she does the things you do, but she is an IBM" and, later, "she's also a telephone". The future looked a lot different in 1981 than it does today...

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Talk Talk - Tomorrow Started

Although well-loved and quite popular when they existed, Mark Hollis and Talk Talk's posthumous standing is larger than life, much due to their two final albums, experimental and wildly adventurous sonic masterpieces Spirit Of Eden and Laughing Stock. It's hard to find much wrong with an album like 1984's It's My Life either. "Tomorrow Started" is just one of those deeply felt, atmospheric songs that led up to the more minimalistic approach of the latter albums, really, truly beautiful in all respects. Here's a live version from Montreux in 1986, that adds one and a half minute to the studio version. That in fact means it's one and a half minute better than the studio version.

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U2 - Party Girl

Originally titled "Trash, Trampoline And The Party Girl", this was first featured as the B-side to U2's non-album single "A Celebration" released in March 1982, between the albums October and War. The A-side sounded better, but when U2 released the live mini-LP Under A Blood Red Sky on the heels of War in 1983, it featured "Party Girl", the same song but in a slghtly different and much, much better version. The same version was featured on the video release U2 Live At Red Rocks: Under A Blood Red Sky, and can be seen here. Enjoy!

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Chris de Burgh - an essay about Eastern Wind

Well, hip it ain't, but Chris de Burgh's 1980 album Eastern Wind was a huge and unexpected hit in Norway, selling 160 000 copies. I have re-listened to it with 2015 ears and written an essay for Universal Music about how it stands today. So if you will, go on and read it - in Norwegian - so Google Translate could be handy. At least you can listen to the album if you can't read the words.

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The Blue Nile - The Wires Are Down

Glasgow trio The Blue Nile may or may not be disbanded, but we can safely say they take their time between records. Since their 1984 debut A Walk Across The Rooftops they have only released a total of four albums, and singer Paul Buchanan has released one additional solo album, 2012's Mid Air. "The Wires Are Down" is not an album track though. It was released as the B-side to their 1989 single "The Downtown Lights" and further appeared on the 2012 deluxe edition of second album Hats. It's just a really beautiful, atmospheric song that goes to show how incredibly good they are. This is much more than your average B-side material.

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U2 - Pride (In The Name Of Love)

I loved them from day one and the debut album Boy in 1980, but it wasn't until the release of third album War in 1983 that it really became clear that U2 were destined for great things. A world tour featuring Bono as a flag-waving politically oriented pop star showcasing songs like "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "New Year's Day" made a certain impact, and laid the foundation for what was to follow. "Pride (In The Name Of Love)" was the lead single from follow-up album The Unforgettable Fire, the first time they worked with Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois as producers. Remaining one of U2's best songs, it's inspired by Martin Luther King and perfectly sums up what U2 were - and still are - all about, musically and lyrically both.

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