Forever 80s Podcast

When I got married in 2019, our friends organized a bachelor party for my husband. We got married in Las Vegas and this bachelor party wasn't going to be your typical night out. Knowing that my husband is a big fan of Pee-wee Herman, impersonator Drew Lepkowski (known as Las Vegas Pee-wee, @lasvegaspeewee ) was invited to tag along for the night. On this episode of Forever '80s, Drew share...

Andrea Warner is the author of The Time of My Life: Dirty Dancing , part of ECW Press' Pop Classics series. In her book, Andrea explores the film's longevity and cultural relevance with the passion of a fan and the eye of a pop culture critic. We talked about what Dirty Dancing still means decades after its debut, and why its core themes still resonate with audiences today. Find Andrea on...

Tony Crouch of vhsislife.com caught my attention when he released a new product to help clean mold off your VHS tapes. I learned A LOT about the impact of mold and poor storage on VHS tapes and now I know what to look for when shopping around. We talked about the VHS community and why analog media continues to live on through dedicated collectors. Find Tony online at vhsislife.com and on Instagram...

Isabella is an Australian-based collector of Care Bears and other retro toys. I discovered her through her colourful Care Bear posts on Instagram, where she shares updates about her toy collection and recent additions. In this episode, I talk to Bella about what inspires her to collect Care Bears, and the experiences she's had growing her '80s collection. Find Bella on Instagram @bellastre...

Gillian Steele describes herself as "your retro mommy" and if you follow her online ( @retrodreamer80s ) you'll see what she's talking about. Gillian's has embraced the '80s mom vibe as her persona as a way to express her love of 1980s satin blouses, shoulder pads, and power suits. We talked about '80s fashion, the X-Files, Modern Talking, and more. If you enjoy this...

Jeanie Jean is a self-described subculture diarist and photographer based in the UK. Jeanie's book NOT DEAD is a collection of photographs documenting the ongoing celebration of subcultures through a modern lens. Inspired by seeing younger generations pay tribute to traditional punk, goth and other fashions, Jeanie traveled around to take incredible photographs of her subjects. Her work has be...

Shane Robitaille is the author of Rockit Crew: The Adventures of Teenage Hip-Hop Misfits. In this episode, we talk about the impact that generation gaps had on so many of us who grew up in the '80s, and how music defined our identities along the way. Follow Shane on Instagram @neongraffitiadventures and check out his book here. Want more from the Forever '80s podcast? Hit subscribe, and gi...

This episode of the Forever '80s podcast features Rado, founder of High Fidelity Vinyl. High Fidelity Vinyl is an online company that specializes in vintage refurbished and new cassette and CD players (hello Walkman memories!). They also records, blank tapes, and more. Rado and I talked about why physical media still matters, why it's important to sustain the dying art of musical equipment...

UK Calling are a Toronto-based tribute band with a very specific focus on British new wave, post-punk, and 2 tone. In this episode I talk with Peter and Jarrod of UK Calling about why they pay tribute to the 1980s. We talked about Tears for Fears, '80s nostalgia, and the fun that comes with playing songs so many people love. Find UK Calling online at ukcalling.ca and on Instagram @UKcallingban...

Will Padilla is the host of 1980s Now, a podcast that "explores the importance of 1980s culture and its continued influence today." Will shared his experiences growing up as Gen Xer and talks about the influence of the 1980s on his own creative inspiration. Check out the 1980s Now Podcast online. You can also follow them on Instagram @1980snowpod -- If you enjoyed this episode of the For...

Singer Michael Angelaux describes his music as Retro Pop but that label just begins to scratch the surface of what his art is all about. Michael is a unique musician who takes inspiration from an eclectic range of sources, including vintage soap operas, first wave punk, and of course '80s music. In this episode, we talked about why the 1980s continue to be such an important decade, and how the...

When I sat down with Missy Garnett and David Lowry of HEARTBREAKER, I was ready for a deep-dive into why Pat Benatar's music still matters. And of course we got into that: How could you not when talking about paying tribute to one of the most successful female recording artists of the '80s? But our conversation veered into other important territory, too, especially in regards to the state...

Samira, aka Lady in the '80s, is a self-described cassette devotee and '80s enthusiast. Samira's tastes and fashion sense lean towards '80s goth and new wave. We talked about her passion for '80s music and fashion, and why she enjoys expressing herself through '80s style above any other while still remaining present in the NOW. You can check out Samira and her amazing '...

Content creator Katelyn Sue says she is "just a girl living like it's 1985" and we are here for it! Katelyn's online presence promotes authenticity and positivity, all while celebrating the 1980s. In this episode of the Forever '80s podcast, Katelyn talks about her love of Weird Al, Pee-wee Herman and more, and how important pop culture can be for our own well-being. Find Kat...

The Gear bag was THE bag to own in the '80s. But for all of this bag's popularity they are nearly impossible to find out there in the wild and are highly sought after on the vintage market. But if you miss your Gear bag, the hunt to find a new one is over: Gear bags are back, baby! It's all thanks to Donna Lennox, who has re-launched these iconic bags into the world with her Gear 80 br...

John Hughes' films, particularly Pretty in Pink , Sixteen Candles , and The Breakfast Club, are some of the most iconic '80s movies. They not only influenced a generation when they debuted, but continue to epitomize '80s fashion, music, and mindset for younger generations. Hughes' character Duckie Dale, featured in Pretty in Pink and played by John Cryer, is arguably one of the mos...

Linda Schuyler is the co-creator and executive producer of the long-running Degrassi franchise. I recently read Linda's memoir, The Mother of All Degrassi (ECW Press) and was incredibly inspired by her story. I've been a long-time fan of Degrassi and grew up watching the show, so it was a great honour to have Linda here as a guest. We talked about the challenges career women faced in the &...

The Queen is Dead is a Smiths tribute band based in Toronto, Canada. On this episode, vocalist Nelson Garcia and drummer Frank Baraczka join in to talk about what it's like to play tribute to a legendary band like The Smiths. If you enjoy this episode and want to learn more afterwards... Find the Queen is Dead on Instagram at @thequeenisdead_to , on Facebook or at thequeenisdead.ca. For more a...

Grace Marian Chan is a writer, zine maker, and overall '80s enthusiast based in California. In this episode, Grace shares her experiences growing up in the '80s and how the '80s are influencing her novel-in-progress, set in 1987. We also talked about '90s zine culture, retro toys, and more - including why we still love the '80s despite the challenges of the decade. Check out Gr...

Kylee Kubat is a multi-passionate person who is keeping the '80s alive through her work in real estate and through her music. Kylee is a Florida-based realtor who represents various 1980s-era condos in the state. She is also working on a conceptual album inspired by Florida condos. We talked about 1980s architecture and what it means to Kylee to preserve it in a society bent on constant change...

Photographer Michael Galinsky captured the essence of American mall culture through his highly sought after books Malls Across America and The Decline of Mall Civilizatio n. In this episode, Michael talks about mall culture in the '80s but we also get into so much more: Why is nostalgia so powerful? What are people looking for these days that our current era doesn't seem to provide? Give i...

I first met Jeff Schuster while shopping at his retro toy store Retrosaurus in Hamilton, Ontario. I've been collecting '80s toys on and off for years, having decided in my 20s that I wanted to gradually replicate my childhood toy collection. After spending time in the vintage community, I've learned that I'm not alone in this pursuit. Adults of all ages seek out vintage toys for al...

Illustrator Madlen Bochmann, currently based in Germany, first caught my eye on Instagram when I noticed her illustrations of Talk Talk singer Mark Hollis. I'm a huge fan of Mark Hollis and Talk Talk, and was intrigued by Madlen's creative discipline and sustained inspiration to create an ongoing artistic output dedicated to Mark. We talked about what Mark Hollis means to Madlen, and why h...

When Rob and Michele of Rascal Salvage Vintage heard that there was an opportunity to get a hold of a replica of Falkor from the classic 1980s film The Neverending Story, they seized the moment. It has turned out to be a life-changing decision that's led to new adventures and brushes with celebrity. In this episode, Rob and Michele talk about the impact that Falkor and The Neverending Story co...

In this episode I talk to New York City-based singer Violet Sky, aka @glitterwave80s . Violet is in her early 20s, but her songs sound like they are straight out of the '80s. I got curious: How did she get the sound so bang-on when others have tried and failed? In this episode, Violet tells us why the 1980s are such a deep source of creative inspiration for her music and her lifestyle, and how...