Stuck in the 80's
Encyclopedia
Stuck in the '80s is a blog and podcast produced by Steve Spears and the St. Petersburg Times
, the largest daily newspaper
in Florida. Stuck in the '80s covers the music, movies and culture of the 1980s. It features regular interviews with musicians, actors and celebrities of the 1980s along with top 5 lists, CD and movie reviews
and more. It began in July 2005. The blog is updated daily. The podcast is available for free on iTunes or online
school reunion
. He was writing a blog for the reunion website, and people
really loved all the stories from the old days. When the reunion was
over, he really missed doing all the blogging and storytelling. About that
same time, podcasts were just getting going. He really wanted to do a
podcast, but he wanted to do it on a topic that did not even feel like "work"
to him.
He had a coworker -- Gina Vivinetto -- who
grew up in Tampa Bay
the same time he did. They had gone to a lot of the
same concerts, even known some of the same people. He approached her and
asked if she'd be interested in co-hosting a podcast. She agreed. The
bosses green-lit the project and they got rolling.
They did not have a name for it at first. Spears thinks the name of the podcast
itself came from one of their original sign-offs. He said goodbye by just
saying, "we'll be here, stuck in the '80s" and it seemed to fit.
The podcast was supposed to only 5 or 6 minutes
and they were going to use it as a "segment" in another podcast the paper was
producing called the TBT Tiki Lounge. Well, their first show came in closer
to 15 minutes, so it was decided to just break it out as its own show. As
time went on, the length of shows grew longer and longer. These days, the
average show is 45 minutes. The movie commentaries are usually 2 hours.
Gina left the show after 27 episodes to pursue another career opportunity,
and Sean Daly, the music critic for the St. Petersburg Times took over.
Daly and has been working with “Spearsy” on the podcast since episode 28.
Steve and Sean are sometimes joined by special guests including Cathy Wos,
Stephanie Hayes and other writers for the
St. Petersburg Times.
St. Petersburg Times
The St. Petersburg Times is a United States newspaper. It is one of two major publications serving the Tampa Bay Area, the other being The Tampa Tribune, which the Times tops in both circulation and readership. Based in St...
, the largest daily newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
in Florida. Stuck in the '80s covers the music, movies and culture of the 1980s. It features regular interviews with musicians, actors and celebrities of the 1980s along with top 5 lists, CD and movie reviews
Film criticism
Film criticism is the analysis and evaluation of films, individually and collectively. In general, this can be divided into journalistic criticism that appears regularly in newspapers, and other popular, mass-media outlets and academic criticism by film scholars that is informed by film theory and...
and more. It began in July 2005. The blog is updated daily. The podcast is available for free on iTunes or online
History
Spears came up with the idea for a podcast shortly before his 20 year highschool reunion
Class reunion
A class reunion is a meeting of former classmates, typically organized at or near their former school by one of the class on or around an anniversary of their graduation. Former teachers may be invited as well...
. He was writing a blog for the reunion website, and people
really loved all the stories from the old days. When the reunion was
over, he really missed doing all the blogging and storytelling. About that
same time, podcasts were just getting going. He really wanted to do a
podcast, but he wanted to do it on a topic that did not even feel like "work"
to him.
He had a coworker -- Gina Vivinetto -- who
grew up in Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is a large natural harbor and estuary along the Gulf of Mexico on the west central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsborough Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay."Tampa Bay" is not the name of any municipality...
the same time he did. They had gone to a lot of the
same concerts, even known some of the same people. He approached her and
asked if she'd be interested in co-hosting a podcast. She agreed. The
bosses green-lit the project and they got rolling.
They did not have a name for it at first. Spears thinks the name of the podcast
itself came from one of their original sign-offs. He said goodbye by just
saying, "we'll be here, stuck in the '80s" and it seemed to fit.
The podcast was supposed to only 5 or 6 minutes
and they were going to use it as a "segment" in another podcast the paper was
producing called the TBT Tiki Lounge. Well, their first show came in closer
to 15 minutes, so it was decided to just break it out as its own show. As
time went on, the length of shows grew longer and longer. These days, the
average show is 45 minutes. The movie commentaries are usually 2 hours.
Gina left the show after 27 episodes to pursue another career opportunity,
and Sean Daly, the music critic for the St. Petersburg Times took over.
Daly and has been working with “Spearsy” on the podcast since episode 28.
Steve and Sean are sometimes joined by special guests including Cathy Wos,
Stephanie Hayes and other writers for the
St. Petersburg Times.
Popular episodes of the podcasts
Here are some of the Stuck in the '80s favorite podcast episodes- Episode 28 – '80s mix tapesMixtapeA Mix Tape or Mixed Tape is a compilation of songs recorded in a specific order, traditionally onto an audio Compact Cassette.A Mix Tape, which usually reflects the musical tastes of its compiler, can range from a casually selected list of favorite songs, to a conceptual mix of songs linked by a...
- Episode 31 - AC/DCAC/DCAC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
vs. Guns N' RosesGuns N' RosesGuns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album... - Episode 49 - Michael JacksonMichael JacksonMichael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
ThrillerThriller (album)Thriller is the sixth studio album by American recording artist Michael Jackson. It was released on November 30, 1982, by Epic Records as the follow-up to Jackson's critically and commercially successful 1979 album Off the Wall... - Episode 53 – Adam CurryAdam CurryAdam Clark Curry is a broadcasting and Internet personality well known for his stint from 1987 to 1994 as a video jockey on the music video channel MTV. In the mid-1990s, Curry was a World Wide Web entrepreneur and one of the first celebrities to personally create and administer a Web site...
interview - Episode 55 – Stan RidgwayStan RidgwayStanard 'Stan' Ridgway is an American multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter known for his distinctive voice, dramatic lyrical narratives, and eclectic solo albums and was the original lead singer of the band Wall of Voodoo...
interview - Episode 59 – Rick SpringfieldRick SpringfieldRick Springfield is an Australian-born singer-songwriter, musician, and actor. He was a member of pop rock group Zoot from 1969 to 1971 and then started his solo career with his début single "Speak to the Sky" reaching the top 10 in Australia. In mid-1972, he relocated to the United States...
and Loverboy interview - Episode 65 – The PoliceThe PoliceThe Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For the vast majority of their history, the band consisted of Sting , Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland...
Synchronicity - Episode 70 – Thomas DolbyThomas DolbyThomas Dolby is an English musician and producer. Best known for his 1982 hit "She Blinded Me with Science", and 1984 single "Hyperactive!", he has also worked extensively in production and as a session musician.-Early life:Dolby was born in London, England, contrary to information in early 1980s...
interview - Episode 78 – Huey LewisHuey LewisHuey Lewis is an American musician, songwriter and occasional actor.Lewis sings lead and plays harmonica for his band Huey Lewis and the News, in addition to writing or co-writing many of the band's songs...
interview - Episode 80 – We're stuck in the '70s
- Episode 81 – Kenny LogginsKenny LogginsDuring the next decade, Loggins recorded so many successful songs for film soundtracks that he was referred to as, King of the Movie Soundtrack.He began with "I'm Alright" , "Mr. Night", and "Lead the Way" from Caddyshack...
interview - Episode 84 – Heart's Nancy Wilson interview
- Episode 87 – Styx's Chuck PanozzoChuck PanozzoCharles Salvatore "Chuck" Panozzo is an American musician best known as the bass player for the rock band Styx. A longtime member of Styx, he founded the group with his fraternal twin brother, drummer John Panozzo, who died in July 1996, and singer Dennis DeYoung...
interview - Episode 88 – Asia's Carl PalmerCarl PalmerCarl Frederick Kendall Palmer is an English drummer and percussionist. He is credited as one of the most respected rock drummers to emerge from the 1960s...
interview - Episode 90 – AC/DC's Brian JohnsonBrian JohnsonBrian Johnson is an English singer and lyricist who has been the lead singer for the rock band AC/DC since 1980. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003 along with the other members of the band....
interview - Episode 95 – Canadian musicMusic of CanadaThe music of Canada has influences that have shaped the country. Aboriginals, the British, and the French have all made unique contributions to the musical heritage of Canada. The music has subsequently been heavily influenced by American culture because of its proximity and migration between...
of the '80s - Episode 97 – Martha QuinnMartha QuinnMartha Quinn is best known as one of the original video jockeys on MTV .-Early life:...
interview - Episode 98 – John WaiteJohn WaiteJohn Charles Waite is an English rock singer and musician. He was lead vocalist for The Babys and Bad English. As a solo artist, he scored several international hits, including 1984's "Missing You", a top ten hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart, reaching #1 in the...
interview - Episode 100 – Epic 100th show
- Episode 102 – REO Speedwagon's Kevin CroninKevin CroninKevin Cronin is the lead vocalist/ rhythm guitarist/ occasional pianist for the American rock band, REO Speedwagon. REO Speedwagon had two #1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 written by Cronin, "Keep on Loving You" and "Can't Fight This Feeling" .- Early life and career :Cronin was born in Evanston,...
interview - Episode 105 – Genesis Invisible TouchInvisible TouchInvisible Touch is the 13th studio album by the band Genesis, released in 1986. It reached No.1 in the UK where it remained in the charts for 96 weeks, making it by far the most commercially successful album of their career, eventually selling over 15 million copies worldwide...
- Episode 112 – Night Ranger's Jack BladesJack BladesJack Martin Blades is an American musician. He has worked in several bands: Rubicon, Night Ranger , and Damn Yankees . He also recorded with Tommy Shaw under the name Shaw/Blades, and has done work alongside TMG, the Tak Matsumoto Group...
interview - Episode 120 - Baseball movies of the '80s
- Episode 122 – Deborah GibsonDeborah GibsonDeborah Ann "Debbie" Gibson is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. In 1987 she was pronounced the youngest artist to write, produce, and perform a No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100, with her song "Foolish Beat" and she remains the youngest female to write, record, and...
interview - Episode 130 – ABC's Martin FryMartin FryMartin Fry is lead singer of the band, ABC.-Biography:He grew up in Bramhall, Stockport, alongside his younger brother Jamie .-ABC:...
interview - Episode 131 – Human League's Phil Oakey interview
- Episode 135 – Journey's Ross ValoryRoss ValoryRoss Lamont Valory is Journey's noted bass player. He and Neal Schon are the only original members of the band still performing with the group. Aside from his termination from the group during the Raised on Radio album sessions in 1986, Ross has played on all of Journey's albums...
interview - Episode 136 – Red ScareRed ScareDurrell Blackwell Durrell Blackwell The term Red Scare denotes two distinct periods of strong Anti-Communism in the United States: the First Red Scare, from 1919 to 1920, and the Second Red Scare, from 1947 to 1957. The First Red Scare was about worker revolution and...
movies of the '80s - Episode 138 – Naked Eyes' Pete ByrnePete ByrnePete Byrne is a Los Angeles, United States based English recording artist, and lead singer for the pop/New Wave duo Naked Eyes, during the earlier years of the 1980s. They are well known for their cover version of "Always Something There to Remind Me"...
interview - Episode 139 - Horrible hits of 1980
- Episode 143 – Duran Duran's Andy TaylorAndrew Taylor- Sport :* Andrew Taylor , English football player* Andy Taylor , English football player* Andy Taylor , English football player...
interview - Episode 150 - Horrible hits of 1981
- Episode 158 – Olivia Newton-JohnOlivia Newton-JohnOlivia Newton-John AO, OBE is a singer and actress. She is a four-time Grammy award winner who has amassed five No. 1 and ten other Top Ten Billboard Hot 100 singles and two No. 1 Billboard 200 solo albums. Eleven of her singles and 14 of her albums have been certified gold by the RIAA...
interview - Episode 159 - Horrible hits of 1982
- Episode 160 - Hair metal anthems
- Episode 163 – Hall & OatesHall & OatesHall & Oates are an American musical duo composed of Daryl Hall and John Oates. They achieved their greatest fame in the late 1970s and early to mid-1980s. Both sing and play instruments. They specialized in a fusion of rock and roll and rhythm and blues styles, which they dubbed "rock and soul."...
' John OatesJohn OatesJohn William Oates is an American rock, R&B and soul guitarist, musician, songwriter and producer best known as half of the rock and soul duo Hall & Oates ....
interview - Episode 166 - Horrible hits of 1983
- Episode 170 - Breakups in the '80s, featuring interview with Deborah ForemanDeborah ForemanDeborah Lynn Foreman is an American actress. She is perhaps best known for her starring role in the 1983 movie Valley Girl, as "Julie Richman" acting opposite Nicolas Cage as "Randy".-Early life:...
- Episode 171 - Horrible hits of 1984
- Episode 176 - John Hughes tribute
- Episode 178 - Horrible hits of 1985
- Episode 181 - Guilty pleasureGuilty pleasureA guilty pleasure is something one enjoys and considers pleasurable despite feeling guilt for enjoying it. The "guilt" involved is sometimes simply fear of others discovering one's lowbrow or otherwise embarrassing tastes. Fashion, video games, music, movies, and junk food can be examples of...
songs of the '80s - Episode 187 - Horrible hits of 1986
- Episode 189 - Peter GabrielPeter GabrielPeter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
SoSo (album)So is the fifth studio album by British rock musician Peter Gabriel, released in 1986. Many of its songs reflect a more conventional pop-writing style and became radio hits, while others still retain Gabriel's dark, brooding sense of experimentalism.It is Peter Gabriel's second album produced by... - Episode 192 - Top 10 movie scoresFilm scoreA film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film, forming part of the film's soundtrack, which also usually includes dialogue and sound effects...
of the '80s - Episode 197 - Horrible hits of 1987
- Episode 200 - 200th episode
- Episode 202 - Horrible hits of 1988
- Episode 207 - Horrible hits of 1989
- Episode 214 - Sean Daly sharing important news