Welcome to the Boomtown

Welcome back to the 80s! If you grew up in the 70s and 80s, you remember the School House Rock educational shorts that aired during ABC’s Saturday morning cartoons. Here’s some lyrics to the Multiplication Rock episode “Elementary, My Dear” that reveals the theme of Episode 17:     Two times one is two, of course And it must occur to you You get an even number Every time you multiply by two  A sho...

Welcome back to the 80s! You can’t talk about the 80s without discussing the Cold War between the US and Soviet Union. There was real fear that tensions between these two superpowers would lead to nuclear war. Episode 16 “Cold War Kids” features such artists as U2, Sting, Prince, and Men at Work who wrote songs that reflected these anxieties.  A shout out to those of you who have been with us sinc...

Welcome back to the 80s! Mixtape (noun): a compilation of songs from different artists recorded onto a cassette tape or a CD by an individual. Episode 15 features some of Benny Banzai's favorite 80s songs of all time. These are the songs he can listen to over and over again and still be excited like he was hearing them for the first time. Featuring songs from Simple Minds, Slade, Kenny Loggins, To...

Welcome back to the 80s! In honor of Valentine’s Day this month I’ve selected some of my favorite Love Songs of the decade. Be sure to have some tissues handy. This episode is sure to bring a tear to your eye.  A shout out to those of you who have been with us since the beginning and welcome to our new listeners. As always, thanks to Team Boomtown: Alan (artwork), DJ Phil B (technical advice) and...

G'Day and welcome back to the 80s! This special Boomtown episode celebrates our listeners in Australia who have been with us from the very beginning. You've heard of Aussie artists like AC/DC, INXS, and Rick Springfield, but there are many other musicians Down Under you may not be familiar with who made some fantastic 80s music.  A shout out to all our listeners, both old and new. As always, thank...

Welcome back to the 80s. We love our listeners! When we started this podcast two years ago, we didn’t know what to expect. We were just hoping there were at least a few 80s music fans who would find our page and give us a chance. Since then we’ve discovered there are Welcome to the Boomtown fans in all 50 states (and Washington DC) and at least 52 countries. So, in appreciation of our listeners ar...

Welcome back to the 80s! According to British music producer, musician and songwriter Paul Epworth, “Pop music has greater power to change people and to affect people because it's a universal language. You don't have to understand music to understand the power of a pop song.” We couldn’t agree more. In Episode 11 we celebrate the power of 80s pop with Grammy winners, one hit wonders, Rock and Roll...

Welcome back to the 80s! Where were you at 12:01 am on August 1, 1981? If you weren’t living in New Jersey you missed seeing The Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star,” the first music video to launch the new cable channel, MTV. Over the next several years MTV would come to influence not only music, but also fashion, television, film, and advertising around the world. In Episode 10 we celebrate th...

Welcome back to the 80s! Merriam-Webster defines mega as: vast; of the highest level or rank, excellence or importance; greatly surpassing others of its kind. When applied to 80s music, the word mega defines a variety of singers and groups. Episode 9 features artists who dominated the decade such as Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, The Police, and, of course, Michael Jackson.  A shout out to those of y...

Welcome back to the 80s! Stevie Nicks once said, “Don’t be a lady. Be a legend.” Certainly the 80s had their fair share both, with women topping the Pop, Rock, Country, R&B, and Dance charts. This episode features songs from not only Stevie, but Olivia, Dolly, Sheena, Pat, Janet, Whitney, The Divine Miss M, and many others.  A shout out to those of you who have been with us since the beginning...

Welcome back to the 80s! In case you were curious, Dr. Dave isn’t just a catchy 80s radio DJ name, he actually IS a university professor. Anyway, years ago he hosted an 80s music internet radio show at his school titled the “Forgotten 80s.” He’s revived that theme for this episode, selecting some of his favorite 80s songs from not only one hit wonders, but also popular artists and icons of the dec...