Totally 80s

[King Postwhore]

It was better than watching Cinemax scrambled.


Admit it.  We all did it.

[TAC]

Skinemax

[hefdaddy42]

It was better than watching Cinemax scrambled.


Admit it.  We all did it.

Yep.

[jjrock88]

Skinemax

[PetFish]

Goldbergs did it!  Goldbergs did it!

Ah, the time before the Internet when you really had to work your ass off to maybe see boobs.

[wolfking]

Ah, the time before the Internet when you really had to work your ass off to maybe see boobs.

  This is so true!

[jingle.boy]

Except if you had that ONE friend whose parents had the 8-foot satellite dish in the backyard.

[King Postwhore]

Except if you had that ONE friend whose parents had the 8-foot satellite dish in the backyard.

Did you cross streams?

[hefdaddy42]

Except if you had that ONE friend whose parents had the 8-foot satellite dish in the backyard.

I did, in fact, have that ONE friend.

[Kwyjibo]

80s Thread? OK, I'm following.

I was born in 1970, so I spent all my teenage years in the 80s and therefore have a natural interest in (almost) everything 80s and I still like a lot of bands/artists from that time.

Regarding Livin' On A Prayer in a cover band: in my now long abandoned cover band we also played this tune. We had a female singer with a very powerful voice and she nailed the ending every time, but you could see it was very hard for her.

I'm actually a bit on a nostalgia trip in the past months, listening to a lot of music from my youth like Nik Kershaw, Level 42 (are they known outside europe?), Rick Springfield, Mike Oldfield, Bruce Hornsby, Police & Sting, Huey Lewis, Richard Marx.

[bosk1]

I was born in 1970, so I spent all my teenage years in the 80s and therefore have a natural interest in (almost) everything 80s and I still like a lot of bands/artists from that time.

Same here.  And being born in the first year of a decade makes it easy to figure out how old I am when memory starts failing and I forget. 

Regarding Livin' On A Prayer in a cover band: in my now long abandoned cover band we also played this tune. We had a female singer with a very powerful voice and she nailed the ending every time, but you could see it was very hard for her.

We actually decided to drop it.  Or, more accurately, the rest of the band decided to drop it.  I am kinda bummed, actually.  I think it came off really well.

[King Postwhore]

Level 42 fan here from the USA.

[Orbert]

We tried "Livin' on a Prayer" too.  I had the keyboards down, our one guitarist had the talkbox down, it sounded sweet.  Until the end when it goes up a step and a half, no one could do the high harmony.  She couldn't hit it; I have a pretty good falsetto and at least the note would've been there, but I couldn't hit it, either.  So we had to drop it.  It's one of those songs where you have to do that part, you have to do the insane killer ending, because if you don't, then everyone knows why, and it doesn't matter how great the rest of the song sounded, you suck for not doing the ending.

[hefdaddy42]

That really is a crazy part.

I could probably do it, if it was the first song of a set. 

Maybe. I don't know.

[KevShmev]

That leads to the obvious question: can Jon Bon Jovi still do that high part?

[bosk1]

That leads to the obvious question: can Jon Bon Jovi still do that high part?

This is all hearsay, but I have heard from several people that he has never been able to replicate it live.  But let's put in context what we are talking about to make sure we are talking about the same thing as well.  As far as the live version of the song goes, here is who is singing what:
red = Jon
blue = band/Ritchie

So, live, the last chorus after it modulates up goes:
Whoa!
We're halfway there!
Whoa-oh!
Livin' on a prayer!
Take my hand; we'll make it I swear.
Whoa-oh!
Livin' on a prayer!

Jon has to drop out on the "whoa" parts, even though he doesn't on the album.  There just isn't enough room to breathe and sing the entire thing.  He even does that on the lower choruses before the solo.  That is understandable, and I assume we all acknowledge that. 

But in terms of whether he actually goes for the notes, he doesn't try.  And if what I have heard is correct, he never really has.  The first time through, from versions I have heard, including the One Wild Night album, he goes for the notes on "we're halfway there," and sometimes tries on the rest of his parts (other times, he either drops down, just speaks the lines, or makes the audience sing).  The second time through, he just drops down and ad libs a bit and/or makes the audience sing.

[Jaq]

It was better than watching Cinemax scrambled.


Admit it.  We all did it.

Or, you know, you had the cable package that had Cinemax included in it.

The Playboy channel? Yeah, trying to watch that scrambled was my thing. 

[King Postwhore]

It was better than watching Cinemax scrambled.


Admit it.  We all did it.

Or, you know, you had the cable package that had Cinemax included in it.

The Playboy channel? Yeah, trying to watch that scrambled was my thing. 

That was a little later for me as well.

[Kwyjibo]

This is all hearsay, but I have heard from several people that he has never been able to replicate it live.  But let's put in context what we are talking about to make sure we are talking about the same thing as well.  As far as the live version of the song goes, here is who is singing what:
red = Jon
blue = band/Ritchie

So, live, the last chorus after it modulates up goes:
Whoa!
We're halfway there!
Whoa-oh!
Livin' on a prayer!
Take my hand; we'll make it I swear.
Whoa-oh!
Livin' on a prayer!

Jon has to drop out on the "whoa" parts, even though he doesn't on the album.  There just isn't enough room to breathe and sing the entire thing.  He even does that on the lower choruses before the solo.  That is understandable, and I assume we all acknowledge that. 

But in terms of whether he actually goes for the notes, he doesn't try.  And if what I have heard is correct, he never really has.  The first time through, from versions I have heard, including the One Wild Night album, he goes for the notes on "we're halfway there," and sometimes tries on the rest of his parts (other times, he either drops down, just speaks the lines, or makes the audience sing).  The second time through, he just drops down and ad libs a bit and/or makes the audience sing.

Our singer used to sing all the lines before and after the modulation, even the "whoa" parts, and as I said she nailed it every time. She was just freakin' amazing and I never understood why she stuck with us in an amateur cover band (but sure was glad that she did). I think with a little more effort and ambition she could have made it big time. She certainly had the voice and the looks too.

I don't know if JBJ did it live, but as Orbert said, if you cover that song you have to go there. If you drop it down after the modulation everybody thinks "they can't sing it" and that is what is remembered, not the performance of the rest of the song.

Same here.  And being born in the first year of a decade makes it easy to figure out how old I am when memory starts failing and I forget. 

No kidding. My wife was born in 79 and I always have a hard time figuring out how old she gets on her next birthday.  With 1970 the math is so much easier.

[Kwyjibo]

Level 42 fan here from the USA.

I think we could be the only ones, at least considering that this is a prog/metal board. I've made the experience that they are not that popular with metalheads.

Personally I think the funkier stuff from the beginning up to World Machine is way better than the pop stuff that came after. Standing In The Light or True Colours would be my favorites. The more success they had, the less I liked them.

[bosk1]

Littler known fact: my favorite track from The Bangles is their cover of Hazy Shade of Winter, which was a non-album track originally released on the soundtrack for the film Less Than Zero, which is a mediocre film at best.

It is mine as well.  My band covers it and we usually use it as our set closer.  It tends to get great reaction, even among folks who many not be familiar with it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGVNz_KXkSw&feature=youtu.be

Not too bad for a bunch of weekend garage warriors, right?  (although I don't know where the guys disappeared to for the vocal harmonies )

[hefdaddy42]

   Youtube is blocked here at work.  I will check it out soon!

[TAC]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGVNz_KXkSw&feature=youtu.be

Not too bad for a bunch of weekend garage warriors, right?  (although I don't know where the guys disappeared to for the vocal harmonies )

Time for the "Hottest Bosk gif " thread!

[Podaar]

Middle aged bands always have the best equipment! Check out those guitars!

[bosk1]

Middle aged bands always have the best equipment! Check out those guitars!

  Well, yeah, because we've been around long enough that we can afford stuff.

[Zydar]

That was great, bosk!

[bosk1]

Thanks.  I know it isn't perfect, but it's a tricky song to pick out which notes to sing.  Even in the original, it is difficult to pick out which are the "lead" notes and which are the harmonies.  The harmonies the Bangles do are even more confusing to me. 

[King Postwhore]

Bosk1................

[KevShmev]

Nice.  But I think your band doesn't have enough guitar players.  

[Dark Castle]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGVNz_KXkSw&feature=youtu.be

Not too bad for a bunch of weekend garage warriors, right?  (although I don't know where the guys disappeared to for the vocal harmonies )

Bosk, those jeans are a crime against humanity 

[TAC]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGVNz_KXkSw&feature=youtu.be

Not too bad for a bunch of weekend garage warriors, right?  (although I don't know where the guys disappeared to for the vocal harmonies )

Bosk, those jeans are a crime against humanity 

Didn't even notice the jeans. I couldn't get past that vest!

[sneakyblueberry]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGVNz_KXkSw&feature=youtu.be

Not too bad for a bunch of weekend garage warriors, right?  (although I don't know where the guys disappeared to for the vocal harmonies )

That was brilliant!  Your voice reminds me of Geddy... I dunno don't call me out on that I don't even like Rush all that much

RE: Living On Prayer.  We do it in our covers band, but we medley it with something else, just before the modulation.  Like, "You live for that fight blah blah ALL THAT YOU'VE GOT" then instead of everyone hitting the modulation, the drummer just does an 8th note stomp on the kick and we start the vocals for You Give Love a Bad Name.  Its the Bon Jovi super medley and I want to uppercut myself just thinking about it. 

[Orbert]

Wow.  I usually hate medleys, which is why it didn't even occur to me (or apparently anyone else in my band) to cover the modulation by jumping to a different song at that point.  I know some people don't mind them, and in the case of a cover band, it can be kinda cool if you do it well.  In this case, you've played most of the song, and if the jump is done well (it has to be done well), then you can probably get away with it.  People don't think you suck for not doing the ending (even though you secretly still do) if they're distracted by "Oh hey, this song!"

[PetFish]

Didn't even notice the jeans. I couldn't get past that vest!

At least it's not denim and he's not smoothing it.  Great cover, though.  Nice!

[sneakyblueberry]

Wow.  I usually hate medleys, which is why it didn't even occur to me (or apparently anyone else in my band) to cover the modulation by jumping to a different song at that point.  I know some people don't mind them, and in the case of a cover band, it can be kinda cool if you do it well.  In this case, you've played most of the song, and if the jump is done well (it has to be done well), then you can probably get away with it.  People don't think you suck for not doing the ending (even though you secretly still do) if they're distracted by "Oh hey, this song!"

Definitely! We do a couple medleys.  I'd recommend it personally, its a great way to keep things moving, and keep people dancing without having to stop and start another song, which can kill the vibe sometimes.  I think ever since we started we've done a dance megamix (LOL) of I've Gotta Feeling (Black Eyed Peas, ugh)/Moves Like Jagger (Maroon 5, ugh)/Long Train Running, all those songs pretty much start with a single guitar, so its easy to transition into them, and it works really well, even though I hate the first two songs haha.  But crowds dig it, and we have a busy gig schedule so I guess we are doing something right. 

Its also super fun trying to think up medleys, when you're playing a song and think 'hey, so-and-so other song is in the same key and same(ish) tempo, we should medley them'.  I love playing the music nerd and thinking those things up.