FUV Boat 80s Flashback! The TAS Staff Picks Our Decade Faves

Break out the vinyl! WFUV and The Alternate Side are going back to the future on the FUV Boat time machine with an 80s-themed dance party. The big bash, a fundraiser for WFUV and The Alternate Side, sets sail on Friday, September 7 from 7-10 p.m. EDT. Head to rtrcruises.com for tickets and details. 

Along with WFUV's Darren DeVivo, The Alternate Side's own Russ Borris and Alisa Ali will DJ that night and to get everyone in the mood, the TAS Staff dug out our vinyl, parachute pants and VHS tapes to come up with a list of our faves of that decade:

Russ Borris, Host of The Alternate Side and WFUV's Assistant Music Director

Five favorite songs:
Depeche Mode, "Somebody" (live version from 101)
Dio, "Rainbow in the Dark"
Grandmaster Flash, "The Message"
The Outfield, "Your Love"
The Smiths, "Sweet and Tender Hooligan"

Five favorite dance tracks:
New Order, "Blue Monday"
Oran "Juice" Jones, "The Rain" (more of a slowjam, but contains the best kiss-off ever)
Salt-n-Pepa,"Push It"
Shannon, "Let the Music Play"
Yaz, "Situation"

Five favorite albums:
Bruce Springsteen, Nebraska
Men at Work, Business as Usual
The Cure, Disintegration
The Replacements, Tim
Tom Waits, Rain Dogs

Okay, fashion errors. 'Fess up:
I don't know who decides they were errors. Thick neon shoelaces were awesome and hipsters are wearing Members Only jackets in 2012. Looking back, I was a visionary.

The 80s movies you love:
Back to the Future
Blues Brothers
Ghostbusters
Pee Wee's Big Adventure
This is Spinal Tap

If you were a John Hughes character, which one would you be and why?
I don't think I can settle on one. I feel like I share traits with Clark W. Griswold, John Bender and Keith Nelson, though.

Alisa Ali, Host of The Alternate Side, WFUV Producer:
Many of my all time favorite albums and songs came out of that period," says Alisa. "I find making definitive lists so challenging, because I consume music based on mood which, for me, changes like a Flock of Seagulls.  If I've missed anything, please be sure to tell me on the FUV boat. If you come up to me and tell me that it would make your night if I played a certain song, well, I'd love to make that happen for you."

Five favorite songs:
Talking Heads, "Once In A Lifetime"
New Order, "Age Of Consent"
Pixies, "Gigantic" 
The Smiths, "This Charming Man" 
Men at Work, "Overkill" 

Five favorite dance tracks:
Michael Jackson, "PYT" 
Prince, "Let's Go Crazy" 
The Bangles, "Walk Like An Egyptian"
Soft Cell, "Tainted Love" 
Madonna, "Into The Groove"

Five favorite albums:
Beastie Boys, Paul's Boutique
INXS, Kick
Pixies, Doolittle
The Smiths,  Louder than Bombs (A compilation album.  Maybe that's a cop-out so I don't have to choose my favorite Smiths album. But I think it's fair to choose this one, because I did listen to this album a lot then and now)
U2, Joshua Tree

Disastrous Fashion Decisions:
Acid Wash, Excessive Shoulder Pads, Jelly bracelets (actually I still like them), those Triangle Cone hair things, Plastic Members Only jacket...uh. What else? I'm sure I've made all of the mistakes.

Favorite 80s movies:
Ghostbusters
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi

If you were a John Hughes character, which one would you be and why?
I'd probably be Jeanie Bueller. (from "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," of course.) She went from being a total b***h to being really cool after she has a life-changing experience with a super-stoned Charlie Sheen (Ah, Charlie Sheen, you used be so cool. Sigh.) She's pretty bad ass the way she does that triple kick to Mr. Rooney's face.

Eric Holland, TAS/WFUV Host:

Five favorite songs:
Killing Joke, "Eighties"
Prince, "Darling Nikki"
Devo, "Whip it"
AC/DC, "Shoot to Thrill"
Paul Simon, "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes"

Five favorite dance tracks:
Frankie Goes to Hollywood, "Relax"
Eddy Grant, "Electric Avenue"
LL Cool J, "Dear Yvette"
Cameo, "Word Up"
Rick James, "Superfreak"

Five favorite albums:
The Clash, London Calling (released January 1980 in the U.S.)
Replacements, Let it Be (1984) 
REM, Fables of the Reconstruction (1985)
Nirvana, Bleach (1989) 
Pixies,  Doolittle (1989)

Okay, your biggest fashion faux pas:
Having hair on my head (the horror). Having a Spuds MacKenzie shirt  and tucking my jeans behind the tongues of my high-topped sneakers.

Your personal best 80s movies:
Ghostbusters
Fletch
The Princess Bride

If you were a John Hughes character, which one would you be and why?
Ferris Bueller because life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.

Kara Manning, Content Editor/Writer and On-Air Interviewer

Five favorite songs:
The Sundays, "Can't Be Sure"
Talk Talk, "Life's What You Make It"
ABC, "Be Near Me"
The Cure, "In Between Days"
Altered Images, "Love To Stay"

Five favorite dance tracks:
New Order, "Blue Monday"
Dominatrix, "The Dominatrix Sleeps Tonight"
Madonna "Borderline" or "Into The Groove" (tie)
The Stone Roses, "Fool's Gold"
Tom Tom Club, "Genius of Love"

Five favorite albums:
The Cure, Disintegration
Scritti Politti, Cupid and Psyche 85
Kate Bush, Hounds of Love
New Order, Power, Corruption & Lies
Talk Talk, Spirit of Eden

Big fashion errors:
My cropped Prince-like baroque jacket. A summer of dressing like Madonna in the "Borderline" video. My Betsy Johnson daisy dress (later spotted in R.E.M.'s "Shiny Happy People" video) and a Janet Jackson "Escapade" tuxedo coat. I still sentimentally own the latter two items as future museum donations.

Favorite 80s movies:
Local Hero
Tootsie
Hannah and Her Sisters
Desperately Seeking Susan
Wings of Desire

If you were a John Hughes character, which one would you be and why?
A hapless cross between Sam Baker and Watts ... although still waiting for those diamond studs and would like my knickers back.