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Let's look back in wonder and enjoy

Hugely successful tribute band Spring Break embodies the Eighties revival, writes Alison O'Riordan

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Sunday Jan 20 2008

The Goonies, ET, Back to the Future, The Smurfs, ALF, The A Team, Dallas, The Police, Roxette, The Turtles, My Little Pony, Popples, Hot Wheels. What do they have in common?

They are all icons of the Eighties. Yes, at the time the Eighties were known as the dreaded decade, a dark age, a confused era in which nothing of import happened. But how ironic is it that we now can't seem to let go of it?

Even Kevin Bacon has made it known recently that he is tired of fans pestering him to relive scenes from his 1984 classic Footloose. Bacon has admitted that the film helped establish his career, but 23 years on he is tiring of the public expecting him to revisit his streetwise teen character Ren McCormack.

He said: "Footloose is the bane of ... actually it's not the bane of my existence. It was a fun movie and a big help for me. But if I go to a party or a bar, inevitably they put on the Footloose theme. And if I ever happen to be dancing with my wife Kyra, people will form a circle around me and start clapping. That's a little irritating."

Whether we like it or not, the Eighties are making a big comeback in all sorts of ways, from fashion to television to music. It was an era forgotten by fashion, but the high shoulders pads are now making their return -- just take a look at Posh Spice. Hooped earrings and bangles are to be seen on the likes of Rihanna and Jamelia. Even leg warmers, leggings and retro T-shirts are being sold in the high street stores.

And Eighties television is no exception. Most of the era's hit TV shows, such as Greatest American Hero, Different Strokes, Silver Spoons, Twin Peaks and Magnum PI, have been digitally remastered and rereleased.

Eighties music was considered to be unimaginative, even with the birth of the keyboard and synthesizer, yet much of it has come back through dance samples. Cascada has had at least three number ones revamping Eighties classics. Even the Kings of Synth and Pet Shop Boys are back touring.

As always, Hollywood is on top of this trend. One of the biggest grossing box office hits of last year was Transformers, a remake of the classic Eighties cartoon. And with the help of Mattel, the toys were the most sought-after kids' present this Christmas.

Even Nintendo, the computer of the Eighties, has been reborn through the Wii. The classic Mario Bros has become the number one game more than 25 years since its conception.

What inspired me to write this piece was the immense popularity of tribute band Spring Break, who have our twentysomethings in a tizzy. They have their own niche in the market and play power ballads and dance classics. Their fan base is huge.

Spring Break frontman Jan Van Couver explained the obsession with his band: "There's no denying our appeal among people born in the Eighties. It is a tough one to explain. Possible explanations are the increased number of digital stations that consider the Eighties as the golden age of movie videos, or maybe the lack of excitement because contemporary pop fails to deliver.

"We are a think-tank dedicated to predicting musical tastes. We're best known for dominating the heavily specialised American Eighties floor-fillers market.

"It's our hard work and eye for detail that got us where we are today; people who come to our sell-out shows see and appreciate the time and money spent on researching theme songs and costumes. They often put hours aside to dress up for the occasion, and this raises our game.

"We feel that, by keeping the fires burning through our live shows, we've paid tribute to the lesser-known heroes of the decade such as Milton Friedman, Christopher Penn, Meredith Baxter, Lee Iacocca and Giorgio Moroder."

I asked fans of Spring Break to explain the attraction.

One fan said: "Spring Break are immense and have a huge following because they always do crowd pleasers. They make a lot of effort with costumes and the stage is great.

"Everyone always knows the words and you feel like you can act like an idiot and you won't look out of place -- guilty pleasures, I suppose! No-one does a better rendition of the Eighties classics such as I Want to Know What Love Is and I Wanna Dance With Somebody."

Another fan said: "I think the best thing about the Eighties was probably the music -- it's very catchy, and I believe that's why Spring Break are such a hit. Most of the songs they sing are the theme tunes to big movies so they are easily recognisable.

"We didn't really appreciate the music back then as we were only young, but by god are we embracing it now."

The Eighties represented a transitional limbo that gave birth to many shag-haired, Lycra-clad rock bands and music television.

Now, from the safety of the 21st Century, we can look back in wonder.