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Bands adapting from the 70s to the 80s

5,955 Views | 88 Replies | Last: 6 mo ago by Zombie Jon Snow
Zombie Jon Snow
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In reply to Bonfired • 10:47a, 6/11/25
AG
Bonfired said:
bonfarr said:
NoahAg said:
Jefferson Airplane/Jefferson Starship/Starship was awesome in the 80s.


We Built This City was an abomination and an insult to the legacy that was White Rabbit. Even Grace Slick admitted it was a blatant cash grab on her part.


I have always wondered if the Steve Miller Band felt that way about Abracadabra…and they would be an example of an act that, outside of that one song, pretty much disappeared from being mainstream popular in the 80s after a great run in the 70s.

Well "I Want to Make the World Turn Around" was a moderate adult contemporary hit in the mid to late 80s as I recall. It had a very Don Henley / Donald ***en sound so very different than 70s SMB.

Certainly they had nowhere near their earlier success. But I don't think Abracadabra is received anywhere near that kind of level as We Built This City. I don't despise it personally.
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Brian Earl Spilner
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In reply to Bruce Almighty • 1:01p, 6/11/25
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Bruce Almighty said:
It can be argued that 80s Beach Boys was more successful than 70s Beach Boys, though their music was better in the 70s.
I love Kokomo.
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maroon barchetta
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In reply to Brian Earl Spilner • 1:08p, 6/11/25
Brian Earl Spilner said:
Bruce Almighty said:
It can be argued that 80s Beach Boys was more successful than 70s Beach Boys, though their music was better in the 70s.
I love Kokomo.


Terrible Beach Boys song.
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Brian Earl Spilner
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In reply to maroon barchetta • 1:13p, 6/11/25
AG
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MooreTrucker
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In reply to EclipseAg • 1:21p, 6/11/25
AG
Quote:
Great topic ... I was actually thinking about a similar topic the other day in terms of bands that changed significantly due to personnel changes -- i.e. the Doobie Brothers with Michael McDonald or Chicago using David Foster as a producer.
Those were the two that came to my mind as well, but I couldn't remember the actual timeframe when those changes occurred.
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Bonfired
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In reply to Zombie Jon Snow • 4:27p, 6/11/25
AG
Zombie Jon Snow said:
Bonfired said:
bonfarr said:
NoahAg said:
Jefferson Airplane/Jefferson Starship/Starship was awesome in the 80s.


We Built This City was an abomination and an insult to the legacy that was White Rabbit. Even Grace Slick admitted it was a blatant cash grab on her part.


I have always wondered if the Steve Miller Band felt that way about Abracadabra…and they would be an example of an act that, outside of that one song, pretty much disappeared from being mainstream popular in the 80s after a great run in the 70s.

Well "I Want to Make the World Turn Around" was a moderate adult contemporary hit in the mid to late 80s as I recall. It had a very Don Henley / Donald ***en sound so very different than 70s SMB.

Certainly they had nowhere near their earlier success. But I don't think Abracadabra is received anywhere near that kind of level as We Built This City. I don't despise it personally.
I liked it fine as a 13-year-old and don't turn it off if I hear it on the radio now...agree that it is not even in the same galaxy of derision as We Built This City, and it shouldn't be.
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00
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4:35p, 6/11/25
AG
Scorpions changed after Uli Jon Roth left and Matthias Jabs joined the band.
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Clavell
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7:47p, 6/11/25
AG
It is a hard topic because the two decades were so different. When living thru the new wave early 80s for me it came off the disco/heavy metal/synthesizers late 70s. It almost had the 60s striped down feel to me.

I think of a few solo artists that tried like Billy Joel with some success.

Class of'82
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GrapevineAg
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7:59a, 6/12/25
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Deep Purple - if they've been mentioned, I missed it. Their sound definitely evolved, partly due to lineup changes. Just listen to the Perfect Strangers album vs Machine Head (I like them both).
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EclipseAg
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9:59a, 6/12/25
AG
Styx had a great run in the '70s and major success early in the '80s. Then it all came crashing down as Dennis DeYoung got more Broadway and less rock.

But I think it's clear that Styx was one of America's greatest rock bands, and they only caught a bad rap because most critics are cynical *******s.
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Zombie Jon Snow
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In reply to EclipseAg • 11:41a, 6/12/25
AG

To be fair nearly everything that was great in the 70s turned to crap in the 80s. Styx was not alone.


Heart got soft
REO Speedwagon went all mushy
Styx went theatrical
Jefferson Airplane/Starship was the worst with Starship ugh
Chicago with their sappy era
Elton john turned to only ballads and kitchy stuff
Aerosmith - ok they had a comeback after Walk This Way redo but I don't like anything after 1980 as much as pre 1980


Notable exceptions
ZZ Top - but even they went commercial
Rolling Stones - but not as great as they were after Tattoo You, Steel Wheels was ok
Rush - had one of their best eras although some people disliked it by comparison to the 70s but it was way better than 90s Rush
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EclipseAg
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In reply to Zombie Jon Snow • 11:44a, 6/12/25
AG
Zombie Jon Snow said:

To be fair nearly everything that was great in the 70s turned to crap in the 80s. Styx was not alone.


Heart got soft
REO Speedwagon went all mushy
Styx went theatrical
Jefferson Airplane/Starship was the worst with Starship ugh
Chicago with their sappy era
Elton john turned to only ballads and kitchy stuff
Aerosmith - ok they had a comeback after Walk This Way redo but I don't like anything after 1980 as much as pre 1980


Notable exceptions
ZZ Top - but even they went commercial
Rolling Stones - but not as great as they were after Tattoo You, Steel Wheels was ok
Rush - had one of their best eras although some people disliked it by comparison to the 70s but it was way better than 90s Rush
Yeah ... lots more hairspray and Diane Warren ballads.
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MSFC Aggie
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11:05a, 6/13/25
AG
If Kenny Loggins was a band, he would rule this thread
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Bruce Almighty
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In reply to MSFC Aggie • 11:11a, 6/13/25
AG
MSFC Aggie said:
If Kenny Loggins was a band, he would rule this thread


Michael Jackson over Kenny Loggins
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MSFC Aggie
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In reply to Bruce Almighty • 11:39a, 6/13/25
AG
Bruce Almighty said:
MSFC Aggie said:
If Kenny Loggins was a band, he would rule this thread


Michael Jackson over Kenny Loggins
Touche
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gggmann
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12:35p, 6/13/25
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I don't think anyone's mentioned KISS yet. They went from grease paint and a classic rock to disco in '79 and then to hairspray and glam in the mid '80's. I guess it kinda worked. They had their 2nd biggest hit with "Forever" off of '89's Hot in the Shade album.
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Psychag
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8:48a, 6/14/25
AG
Been listening to my Tom Petty vinyl collection for several days and have come to the conclusion that few musicians have evolved as he has (musically and song writing). From 1976 through 2014 his music is as diverse and matures in a way very few artists have. Admittedly, I have not listened to Last DJ or Hypnotic Eye but dang, what a great musician. Can't help but think he had so much more important music left and passed way too soon. I wish I had seen him live.
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EclipseAg
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In reply to MSFC Aggie • 9:07a, 6/14/25
AG
MSFC Aggie said:
If Kenny Loggins was a band, he would rule this thread
Yeah, as a huge Loggins fan, I immediately thought of him. But I figured no one else would care.

Loggins was an ideal shape shifter through the '70s-'80s, changing as trends changed. He had a huge metamorphosis from the '70s and '80s, from gentle folk-rock singer to jazz rocker to yacht rock legend to '80s synth rock archtype.

His 1985 album "Vox Humana" captures that '80s MTV sound perfectly and couldn't be more different from his work with Loggins & Messina.

And none of that includes his role as "soundtrack king," which is his most visible legacy but in my mind, the least impressive.
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Zombie Jon Snow
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In reply to EclipseAg • 9:37a, 6/14/25
AG
EclipseAg said:
MSFC Aggie said:
If Kenny Loggins was a band, he would rule this thread
Yeah, as a huge Loggins fan, I immediately thought of him. But I figured no one else would care.

Loggins was an ideal shape shifter through the '70s-'80s, changing as trends changed. He had a huge metamorphosis from the '70s and '80s, from gentle folk-rock singer to jazz rocker to yacht rock legend to '80s synth rock archtype.

His 1985 album "Vox Humana" captures that '80s MTV sound perfectly and couldn't be more different from his work with Loggins & Messina.

And none of that includes his role as "soundtrack king," which is his most visible legacy but in my mind, the least impressive.

He really has a fascinating catalogue in retrospect. His greatest hits covers a wide swath of styles. I'm always intrigued by him and appreciate him but never really bought any of his records except maybe Vox Humana and the soundtracks he was part of.

Just a great voice and a talented writer. Plus he had great collaborations with big names like Stevie Nicks, Steve Perry, Michael McDonald, Gladys Knight, Smokey Robinson and even The Pointer Sisters each really blending with him perfectly.

He has at least 5 sounds:

folk - mostly with Messina
jazzy - like Toto
yacht rock
soundtracks
pooh corner stuff

It's really a testament that he was so malleable.

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