Hit Me Baby One More Time

[vashti1999]

Did anyone check this show out? A new show on NBC with artists who were at their prime in the '80s and '90s performing their old hits and competing against each other to be audience favorites? I just caught bits of it, I recorded it and watched something else. I saw a bit of Mike Reno from Loverboy. It's spooky when you see people who you remember as young, somewhat hip (for lack of a better word) performers as old and fat. I want to remember Mike Reno as he was from the Workin' For The Weekend video, not this. Still, I grew up on some of these artists, so it was nice to hear the music and see them perform. I caught Arrested Deveopment at the tail end of the show, it was good seeing them again.

[Dr. Jazz]

I haven't heard about this show, it sounds pretty interesting. I'll have to check it. I wonder who else they're gonna have on there. Vash, I can always count on you to keep me in the know

[vashti1999]

Originally Posted by Dr. Jazz

I haven't heard about this show, it sounds pretty interesting. I'll have to check it. I wonder who else they're gonna have on there. Vash, I can always count on you to keep me in the know

The show just premiered tonight, so you'll be able to catch some future episodes. If you like '80s and early '90s pop like I do, it's a show you might get into, just to see all these old acts again. Here's an article on the show from the New York Daily News

New York Daily News - http://www.nydailynews.com
The bands time forgot
By JOE NEUMAIER
Thursday, June 2nd, 2005

Hang up those skinny ties and stop quoting John Hughes movies: The beginning of the end of '80s nostalgia is upon us.

What's the drop-off point? Tonight's 9 o'clock debut of "Hit Me Baby One More Time," NBC's take-off on a British show that spotlights has-been musical acts of the Reagan years all competing against each other for cash prizes, to go to a charity of the winner's choice.

The first "Hit Me Baby" features the bands Loverboy, A Flock of Seagulls, and Arrested Development and singers Tiffany and Cece Peniston, all playing old hits and new songs. There are plans for three summer episodes, each featuring five different acts of usta-be's.

After several years in which all things from the Yuppie Decade were retro-chic, it may not be long until "I Love the '80s" becomes "I'll Stop the '80s (And Melt With You)."

"It could be a lot of fun because it's basically humiliation for these artists," says Doug Brod, executive editor of Spin magazine. "There's a cheesy element to a lot of the decade, thanks to the fashion and the hair, the recordings that often sounded terrible, and all the cheesy videos. Unlike '70s culture, which now just seems naïve, there's an artificiality to '80s culture, a guilty-pleasure quality, and that's why it's popular.

"But once you have a battle of the '80s bands, where else are you going to go?"

Paul Levinson, a Fordham University media studies professor, suggests this kind of "remaking pop culture - or 're-mocking,' in this case - is a facet of something becoming even more a part of the establishment. And even when we're mocking the music, it's with a kind of affection, as often happens with old TV shows.

"I think 'Hit Me Baby' will lead to laughing again at this music, but with affection this time, not derision, as when it was first heard," Levinson says. "Separated from its original context, it's now just looked at as a joke."

"Culture is moving at such a rapid pace now that we're at this point where we reminisce about last week," says Brod. "It's human nature. Something that triggers a comfortable memory is what people want."

Nostalgic Gen-Xers have taken comfort in their coming-of-age era at least since 1998, when "The Wedding Singer," Adam Sandler's love letter to 1985, helped start the fire. Since then, VH1's "We Love the '80s" and "Bands Reunited" helped influence current bands like the Bravery, Arcade Fire and the Killers - who helped create a demand for "classic" acts that hadn't been popular since the end of the Cold War, like Duran Duran, Motley Crue and Morrissey.

"The Bravery have become a hit by precisely re-creating the sound of the band Dead or Alive. Who thought that was possible?" says Joe Levy, assistant managing editor at Rolling Stone.

"Along with that, we have Def Leppard, Guns N' Roses, and Bryan Adams on tour, and Billy Idol and Billy Corgan have new records out," Levy adds. "It's like 1985 was a two-decade-long year. And it's mixed into the DNA of our entire culture, not just the need for nostalgia."

But that culture may be on the verge of a predictable evolution - next year marks the 15-year anniversary of Nirvana's seminal album "Nevermind" and their hit "Smells Like Teen Spirit." So even if you're still walking on sunshine, get your flannel ready because '90s nostalgia is on the way.

"We're not too early for '90s appreciation," says Levy. "Everything goes faster now with the information age.

"But don't underestimate the public's appetite for the '80s," he warns. "It may be here for a while longer."

A flock of TV throwbacks

The '80s live on via "Hit Me Baby, One More Time." Here's the lineup for the first three shows:

Loverboy: Cynically corporate Canadian rockers best known for the 1981 Joe Blow anthem "Working for the Weekend."

A Flock of Seagulls: Though they achieved worldwide fame with their early '80s synth-pop smash "I Ran," the most individual aspect of the group was the bizarre "waterfall" haircut sported by frontman Mike Score, hands down the worst 'do in salon history.

Arrested Development: Just what the world needs, PC hip hop. AD scored a No. 6 hit in 1992 with "Tennessee," joined by several other examples of touchy-feely rap.

Cece Peniston: She scored a classic with her ecstatic dance hit "Finally." But it proved to be her pop finale.

Wang Chung: Sounds like what you get from eating bad chow mein, Wang Chung had jittery mid-'80s hits like "Everybody Have Fun Tonight."

The Knack: They were bigger than the Beatles - at least in 1979, when their stuttering hit "My Sharona" sold some 10 million copies. Unfortunately, due to a backlash, it's been a hard days' life for the Knack ever since.

Tiffany: The mall queen of 1987 had the first No. 1 by a teenage girl with her debut album. It yielded an over-chewed cover of Tommy James' bubblegum classic "I Think We're Alone Now."

Irene Cara: She shot to "Fame," with that one hit song. What a feeling!

Sophie B. Hawkins: Scored with "Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover," one of the best-ever Prince ripoffs.

Cameo: A pioneering black rock band, with funk underlay, Cameo hit its stride in the mid-'80s with the hits "Word Up" and the ballad "Candy." Leader Larry Blackmon also made history by carving his Afro into a triangle.

Tommy Tutone: Their hit "867-5309" made this one of the most famous phone numbers this side of 911.

Vanilla Ice: Yes, he's the most wack rapper in history, but Ice proved crucial in crossing over hip hop to the mainstream in the '90s. He had the biggest-selling rap album of his day by nicking David Bowie's "Under Pressure" for the hit "Ice Ice Baby."

The Motels: The best of L.A.'s new wave bands, the Motels had a string of love-lorn hits, from "Only the Lonely" to "Suddenly Last Summer," all fronted by Martha Davis' haunting vocal quaver.

Jim Farber

[vashti1999]

Flock of Seagulls, Tiffany, Cece Peniston, Arrested Development and Loverboy were on the first show. I'll be looking forward to Irene Cara, Cameo and seeing how Martha Davis of the Motels looks today.

[Dean Winchester]

the show was kinda fun, but I felt pity.

I personally think they should've done this show Idol-style.

With all the artists, and week by week, they get narrowed down, and the winner would get a new recording contract and a big promotional push for that "comeback record". Instead of just the winner gets $20,000 into their fave charity (some of these artists are so washed-up, just give them the $20,000)

[Steve M.]

Most of these artists were partially repsonsible for why so much of the music of the eighties sucked, and for the triumph of style over substance in the eighties - a trimuph which still influences pop today. Please come back, Foreigner - all is forgiven!

[vashti1999]

Originally Posted by Steve M.

Most of these artists were partially repsonsible for why so much of the music of the eighties sucked, and for the triumph of style over substance in the eighties - a trimuph which still influences pop today.

That's exactly what made the eighties great. Sometimes style over substance is welcomed.

[TripperFan]

Originally Posted by Steve M.

Most of these artists were partially repsonsible for why so much of the music of the eighties sucked, and for the triumph of style over substance in the eighties - a trimuph which still influences pop today. Please come back, Foreigner - all is forgiven!

My brother in law is like the biggest Foreigner fan!!! He's even got a website - the first fan one ever!

[Steve M.]

Originally Posted by vashti1999

That's exactly what made the eighties great. Sometimes style over substance is welcomed.

You must remember the eighties differently than I do. I went to high school and college during the eighties, and I remember a detached public, yuppies, MTV, fluorescent pastels, "Miami Vice," bad action movies, and way too much Brylcreem. All flashy, superficial style with nothing underneath - like the music!

[Dean Winchester]

Originally Posted by Steve M.

You must remember the eighties differently than I do. I went to high school and college during the eighties, and I remember a detached public, yuppies, MTV, fluorescent pastels, "Miami Vice," bad action movies, and way too much Brylcreem. All flashy, superficial style with nothing underneath - like the music!

well, Vash is a few years younger than you. If you are a child of the 60's and early 70's and your idea of "great pop" involves someone playing folk on an accoustic guitar, then oversynthesized or overproduced 80's pop music is not your thing.

The 80's was FUN, nothing more, nothing less. Very little pretention like from the 70's, as well as very little depression like the 90's. If one wants to listen to a post-60's pop song that they can have fun listening to, they're going to reach for a Duran Duran cd before someone like CSNY or Dylan. The "serious" music of the 80's doesn't compare to those from the 70's, but if what you're looking for is just plain fun POP music, the type that can appeal to anyone from age 5 to 85 (the prob with 90's pop is that it wasn't cool to anybody over 12), the 1980's offered it better than no other decade did.

[ABlairican Pie]

Originally Posted by Steve M.

You must remember the eighties differently than I do. I went to high school and college during the eighties, and I remember a detached public, yuppies, MTV, fluorescent pastels, "Miami Vice," bad action movies, and way too much Brylcreem. All flashy, superficial style with nothing underneath - like the music!

But at least bands like Saxon were the epitome of all that was cool.

[¤I Love Clay Aiken¤]

I watched it, but was kind of disappointed. It wasnt what I had expected it to be, but it was alright. Good enough for me to keep watching

[Dean Winchester]

Originally Posted by ¤I Love Clay Aiken¤

I watched it, but was kind of disappointed. It wasnt what I had expected it to be, but it was alright. Good enough for me to keep watching

I would've liked it better if the "winner" actually gets a shot as a real comeback. Like each of the three winners makes it to the final round, and then the viewers call in and decide which one wins. And the winner receives a big-budget recording contract with a high-profile label, as well as A-list promotion for their next record, and the guarentee MTV/VH1/radio will at least give the song a chance. Basically "the winner gets $20,000 donated to their fave charity" is a way of saying they're still gonna be hasbeens after the show again, lol.

They hyped the show like it was about a comeback, so why not live up to that promise? I watched the show thinking it'd be like American Idol (which I hate) but... with people you actually knew about more than 2 months ago.

[robyrob]

the KNACK is on !!!!

apparently they are going to replay the episodes on Bravo

[JethroSimpson]

That's weird, they did a version of that show here in England which started a couple of months ago and Tiffany did that one too, and made it through to the final. Belinda Carslile was the other American who did it, it was won by Shakin Stevens (don't think he ever had a hit in America)