THE GREAT EPIDEMIC OF THE
1980S (pt 1)
Isn’t it conventional?! Isn’t it endorsing?! The conventional aptitude of what was, and it was the 1980's; every body wanted to dance, every body vogued and every body was alluring. It was the era of make-up boys and high heeled teens and their Bisexual Vibes, giving the era a new revaluation of appearances with boys using make-up and the likes of Prince, Michael Jackson, David Bowie and Boy George which they became icons to be the best of styles of the bi-vibe look (<check Prince on Rolling Stone 1984). Comparing then with now isn't difficult except it is , yet it's not far as I thought it might be, we have the reinvention of it’s music, the recreation of it's clothes, and reliving the life style of that time here in the 2000's. That era was known for its complications since it was the counterpoint of starting many new things, the appearance of AIDS, the carnage in Beirut in 83, and the majority of drugs, never the less, many things was rootly changed like the countermeasures
of music; many taboo subjects was spoken and discussed through music lyrics, such as "She Bop" by Cyndi Lauper. The red-head's song had a hidden meaning under the lyrics which was about "Masturbation", opening a door to talk about a taboo subject that weren't able to be discussed publicly, giving the industry more than chick-flick songs. And the reinvention of the video clips, thanks to Michael Jackson and his14 minutes "Thriller", Madonna and her "Open your heart to me" and her erotic liberate dance to a 9-year old (check out photo right>), a musical revolution had begun, making Video to be the next big thing, according to TIME magazine -(in 1983)- "Video will be the way to keep time with the future". And its true, the music industry and video-making had changed ever since. What also made a big impact was Pat Benatar, elongating her video clip “Love is a battlefield” with counter pointing it with a talk script that included in the song itself, making it the first video ever to include a talk script other than music backgrounds.
COVER TALK...
SEVENTEEN, U.S.
Michael J. Fox at 25, and Jennifer Connelly at 16 gracing the cover of Seventeen in July 1986. The “Teen wolf” start Michael was well known to play teen roles regard his adult age he was at, as for Jennifer Connelly she started as a model at the age of 16, being a popular model to the magazine. The model /actress had her mini break in “Labyrinth” with David Bowie.
Elle, french
Claudia Schiffer on her first cover ever, was French Elle magazine in June 1988 being only 18. She wanted to become a lawyer and work in her father's firm. Later the aspirations dropped after she was signed by a modeling agent to become a model, hitting her top to be one of the successful models in the 90's.
TWO IN TWO
This perfect incessant duo of Olivia Newton- John and John Travolta had reunited again in 1983 in there movie “One of a kind” after the success of “Grease” in 1978, where Michelle Pfeiffer and Maxwell Caulfield fetched it with “Grease 2” in 1982, with an amazing performance of Pfeiffer and her hit single “cool rider”. As for Olivia whom she hit her success in 1981 with her Physical album, going with the title’s tone, the video of the song was exercise -themed, turning aerobics to a fiesta and making headbands gym -out fashion accessory.
BEAUTIFUL
BLACKS
Talking about the myriad developments in the era, one is the accomplishments of the beautiful blacks, starting with Whitney Houston’s pre-fame days where she use to work as a fashion model in the early 1980s. Houston is one of the first women of color to grace the cover of Seventeen, leading her to grace the music scene later and be titled to be one of the exciting voices. Shifting to Janet Jackson’s breakout year. Janet began with her first debut album “Janet Jackson” in 1982, being only 15 at the time and having three other albums. She took recognition in her 1986 “Control” album. Curbing to Vanessa Williams who made history to be the first African-American girl to be crowned Miss America in 1984, which helped her later on to launch a singing and acting career.
