Music and Audio
I Remember: 1981
Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher had been in office for two years in 1981; policies to push privatisation of state-owned industries and utilities and the reform of the trade unions, combined with mass closure of heavy industry and factories contribute to the highest postwar levels of unemployment and a year remembered for a summer of civil unrest as the spending cuts and monetary policy bite deep. 100,000 people from across Britain march to Trafalgar Square in London for the TUC's March For Jobs.
After racial tension builds up, riots break out in Brixton, Peckham, Toxteth and Handsworth and by the end of summer riots against police occur in many towns and cities.
"Ghost Town" by The Specials hits number one in the UK charts, capturing the political mood of the summer.
John Lennon spends 6 consecutive weeks at number one with "Imagine" spending 4 weeks at the top, to be replaced by "Woman"; Adam and the Ants also have two number ones with "Stand and Deliver" and "Prince Charming".
Bucks Fizz win the Eurovision Song Contest for the UK with the song "Making Your Mind Up".
MTV hits the airwaves for the first time, Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star" is the first song to be played.
I Remember: 1980
1980, unemployment is on the rise, reaching a postwar high of over 2,000,000 and the country slides into recession.
26 people are taken hostage after a group of six armed men stormed the Iranian embassy in South Kensington. After six days and the death of a hostage the SAS end the siege by storming the building, killing another hostage and all but one of the gunmen.
Philips and Sony launch the Compact Disc, although it is several years later before Audio CDs hit the stores and several years after that before the phrase "B side" is confined to history.
ION Vertical Vinyl Wall Mounted Retro Turntable
Hear your music from another angle!
Catch the eye and ear of everyone with Ion Vertical Vinyl, a wall-mountable turntable. Vertical Vinyl is a fun, new way to experience your records - you can listen to them whilst they literally hang on the wall.
[ more... ]80's A-Z : A
The 80's, 10 years condensed to 26 blog posts in bullet point format...
[ more... ]Brick USB Memory Stick
It looks like a keyring-friendly version of the world's favourite plastic play brick, but it's also a funky USB memory stick.
[ more... ]iBlocks - iPod Speakers
I can't get enough accessories for my iPod. So that’s exactly why we loved iBlocks when we clapped eyes on these pocket sized speakers. iBlocks are basically lego building bricks with built in speakers that attach to the bottom of your iPod. The sound is pretty impressive for something so small.
Mini Boombox MP3 Dock
As far fetched as it may seem the Mini Boombox by Suck UK is actually made from cardboard, but has styles to look like a retro ghetto blaster from 80's yesteryear!
[ more... ]Stones' Tongue Sold to Victoria and Albert Museum
The original black and white artwork for The Rolling Stones' iconic lips and tongue symbol has been bought by London's Victoria and Albert Museum.
[ more... ]James Brown's 'Relics' Auctioned
Possessions belonging to late, great James Brown - including iconic stage capes and jumpsuits - have raised $800,000 (£400,000) at under the hammer.
[ more... ]Sgt Pepper Drum Under The Hammer
Amongst other rock and roll items, Beatles memorabilia went up for auction at Christie's yesterday.
[ more... ]Sleeveface
Check out your vinyl, or if your music collection is solely CD, use this as an excuse to go out and get some.
[ more... ]Oldest Recorded Computer Music
The BBC has unearthed the what is thought to be the oldest recordings of computer-synthesized music, recorded on a Ferranti Mark 1 computer, at the University of Manchester in Autumn, 1951.
[ more... ]USB Mix Tapes
Remember in the days before digital music and MP3 players? If you do, then you probably made compilations of all your favourite music, to share with your friends and loved ones, on good old fashioned blank cassette tapes.
[ more... ]Blake's 7 Audio Adventures Box Set
The much loved TV science fiction series BLAKE'S 7 returns, re-imagined as a series of all-new audio adventures.
[ more... ]Win A Camper Van - The Who's Magic Bus
The Who - in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust - is currently running a competition to win The Who's Magic Bus - and it is a real bus, an original, customised Volkswagen T1 panel van from 1965.
[ more... ]