Man, the Toto toid is good. I had just learned about Toto's involvement in Thriller only a week or so ago when I watched an episode of Professor of Rock. I didn't know Human Nature was co-written by one of the Toto guys. The Prof interviewed Steve Porcaro about how it came about and it was a fascinating story. Toto had a couple of tracks (I think he called them "grooves") they had laid down demos for to send to Quincy Jones to hear. Parcaro had just written the first draft of Human Nature (cute story about it being inspired by a conversation with his young daughter) and wanted to get it down on tape. He put it on a cassette but it was the last one so he used the other side for the tracks they had to send to Quincy. Apparently Jones was listening to the tracks but didn't stop the tape when they were over, then the tape flipped sides and he heard the Human Nature demo, and that's the one he was interested in.
The fun thing about Toto was, they weren't this great band that everyone asked for help making records. They were a bunch of talented studio guys that showed up to record a Boz Skaggs record one day, a Steely Dan album the next day, and working with Michael McDonald the next. So they got to know each other from the session work and THEN decided to make their own band. But then the session work kept coming also. Everything I read about them says that EVERYONE in the L.A. recording scene in the 70s and 80s knew them and worked with them. They did so much work that even they can no longer accurately quantify how many songs they are collectively on! --K
I was never huge on MJ, but I truly liked “The Way You Make Me Feel.” Charming. Romantic. Underrated. It kind of reminded me of his sister Janet’s “Love Will Never Do (Without You)”.
Sorry, boys. I still don’t get why TFF is in this bracket at all. Great band. But, legend? No.
In the end, have to go with the 80’s-est…MJ. So much Mormon gang violence. So powerful. Please, West Side Story has more realistic violence.
I did have “Thriller.” God, I hope it was gifted to me, and I didn’t buy it.
Tom Holden. Bless his heart, spent more time in the bars than on the job.
❤️ !! "The Way You Make Me Feel" is a light, happy romp, that is thematically similar to that JJ song. I like the Janet song a little more, but I see your point.
Regarding Tears for Fears, they were a borderline case for me, a personal favorite with just enough in-decade hits to make the next-to-last spot...and then I needed to at least make a case for them. But in the end I reluctantly had to admit to MJ's ultimate power.
I have heard so many Tom Holden stories over the years! Do you have any firsthand ones from running into him?
Maybe Thriller was a Columbia Records and Tapes Club purchase?
I think that in time people will start voting for their favourite songs and not necessarily for the most legendary acts. We should expect many surpirses in round 2!
I had no idea about the F5 tornado in 1985! Parts of that Wikipedia article were definitely written by someone who wants to write a novel about it. Or, at least the forward to a novel about it. Glad the roller rink wasn't packed at the time!
The natural phenomenon (wouldn't call it a disaster since it didn't level buildings like the tornado did) I remember most in Ohio was the 1986 earthquake. My school was near the epicenter and my mom ran in and carried me and my friend out like the superhero she was. Of course, she (and many others) thought it was the boiler in the old building exploding, but still. Some apparently thought it was bits of the Challenger. We're not used to earthquakes in Ohio. 🤷♀️
I certainly do not like MJ. I never really listened to him, but I do see how he was a big influence on 80's culture (one glove, moonwalking, etc.).
I absolutely love Tears for Fears. Back in the early 80's, my grandmother convinced me that listening to rock/pop was going to send me to hell, so I kind of avoided music altogether for a while. Tears was one of the groups that pulled me out of that nonsense. No question they truly had one of the classic mid-80's sound.
At the end of the day, I could not vote against EVH. As much as it pains me to have MJ along for the ride, it is worth it to keep Eddie in this bracket. Wouldn't it be great to see him face off against himself?
Fun 'toid... I heard an NPR interview (https://www.npr.org/2024/10/29/nx-s1-5165381/eddie-alex-van-halen-brothers) with Alex Van Halen, who said that this recording for Beat It is one of the the cracks in the band that ultimately lead them to splitting up. The band thought of Eddie's style as the band's brand, and you don't get it anywhere other than Van Halen, and you definitely don't give it away for free. From there, things went downhill, but at least we got 1984 out of it before everything fell apart!
I totally get this, so much of your comment is my situation...except for the weirdo grandma part 😂!!!
I mean, I caved and voted MJ, because of cultural reality of the 80s, but my heart is with Tears for Fears!
Eddie versus Eddie is entirely possible!! That would be the 1 vs. 2, which is the "expected" outcome of any bracket, so... 🤔
Wild to think "Beat It" nuked VH, but with Roth, something would have nuked that relationship anyway, you know? Destined to explode, in my opinion, this just accelerated it?
You guys are right on this one, I voted Tears all the way. And not just because of just a fuck you to MJ (but yeah, fuck that guy). I think the new wave/post-punk/goth sounds of the 80s are the most enduring and influential music from then, that which has stood the test of time over many of the bigger hits of the 80s. What would get more people out on the dance floor today, I Melt With You or some Debbie Gibson song that went to #1?
MJ didn't sound 80s, he just sounded like MJ. I don't think that - despite his obscene number of hits - he was really that influential on anyone either. He kind of existed in his own musical silo.
Tears For Fears adoration has grown since the 80s. Back when Big Chair first came out almost no one in the States knew their song Mad World, and for many years after. Now it's a beloved song by white Gen X people. And Head Over Heels just kicks!
I love it! And I didn't learn Mad World until AFTER Big Chair, either, just like you said. There are enough votes going Head Over Heels, that it is (was?) briefly WINNING! Whoa!!
Man, the Toto toid is good. I had just learned about Toto's involvement in Thriller only a week or so ago when I watched an episode of Professor of Rock. I didn't know Human Nature was co-written by one of the Toto guys. The Prof interviewed Steve Porcaro about how it came about and it was a fascinating story. Toto had a couple of tracks (I think he called them "grooves") they had laid down demos for to send to Quincy Jones to hear. Parcaro had just written the first draft of Human Nature (cute story about it being inspired by a conversation with his young daughter) and wanted to get it down on tape. He put it on a cassette but it was the last one so he used the other side for the tracks they had to send to Quincy. Apparently Jones was listening to the tracks but didn't stop the tape when they were over, then the tape flipped sides and he heard the Human Nature demo, and that's the one he was interested in.
More to Toto than meets the eye I guess.
That's an awesome story! I read that the Toto lineup is responsible for writing or playing (or both) over 15,000 song credits. Mind-blowing!
I pretty much believe that now, I wouldn't have a couple of weeks ago.
The fun thing about Toto was, they weren't this great band that everyone asked for help making records. They were a bunch of talented studio guys that showed up to record a Boz Skaggs record one day, a Steely Dan album the next day, and working with Michael McDonald the next. So they got to know each other from the session work and THEN decided to make their own band. But then the session work kept coming also. Everything I read about them says that EVERYONE in the L.A. recording scene in the 70s and 80s knew them and worked with them. They did so much work that even they can no longer accurately quantify how many songs they are collectively on! --K
Please tell me Keith doing the medley of Michael Jackson noises is now a sound clip you have at the ready to pop in when the feeling strikes.
I love you guys so much! Ya big goobers!
I was never huge on MJ, but I truly liked “The Way You Make Me Feel.” Charming. Romantic. Underrated. It kind of reminded me of his sister Janet’s “Love Will Never Do (Without You)”.
Sorry, boys. I still don’t get why TFF is in this bracket at all. Great band. But, legend? No.
In the end, have to go with the 80’s-est…MJ. So much Mormon gang violence. So powerful. Please, West Side Story has more realistic violence.
I did have “Thriller.” God, I hope it was gifted to me, and I didn’t buy it.
Tom Holden. Bless his heart, spent more time in the bars than on the job.
❤️ !! "The Way You Make Me Feel" is a light, happy romp, that is thematically similar to that JJ song. I like the Janet song a little more, but I see your point.
Regarding Tears for Fears, they were a borderline case for me, a personal favorite with just enough in-decade hits to make the next-to-last spot...and then I needed to at least make a case for them. But in the end I reluctantly had to admit to MJ's ultimate power.
I have heard so many Tom Holden stories over the years! Do you have any firsthand ones from running into him?
Maybe Thriller was a Columbia Records and Tapes Club purchase?
--K
It was not.
Toto rules! 🤩
I'm gonna go with Tears for Fears on this one, they were a big part of my teenage years' soundtrack and they deserve some love!
This is awesome! Thank you for doing what I wasn't strong enough to do!
I think that in time people will start voting for their favourite songs and not necessarily for the most legendary acts. We should expect many surpirses in round 2!
Dumping MJ in round one did not seem remotely possible, and yet here we are in a VERY close matchup!
Oh yeah, breaking apart the Rubik's Cube was the only way for normies to solve it.
I had (still have, actually) a Pyraminx that is really easy to solve. Makes us dumbasses feel really smart.
I had no idea about the F5 tornado in 1985! Parts of that Wikipedia article were definitely written by someone who wants to write a novel about it. Or, at least the forward to a novel about it. Glad the roller rink wasn't packed at the time!
The natural phenomenon (wouldn't call it a disaster since it didn't level buildings like the tornado did) I remember most in Ohio was the 1986 earthquake. My school was near the epicenter and my mom ran in and carried me and my friend out like the superhero she was. Of course, she (and many others) thought it was the boiler in the old building exploding, but still. Some apparently thought it was bits of the Challenger. We're not used to earthquakes in Ohio. 🤷♀️
That tornado was a defining event for a lot of us in Gen X. And the way it changed Niles forever was impossible to ignore.
I remember seeing the earthquake on the news but didn't feel a thing down in the Youngstown area!
I certainly do not like MJ. I never really listened to him, but I do see how he was a big influence on 80's culture (one glove, moonwalking, etc.).
I absolutely love Tears for Fears. Back in the early 80's, my grandmother convinced me that listening to rock/pop was going to send me to hell, so I kind of avoided music altogether for a while. Tears was one of the groups that pulled me out of that nonsense. No question they truly had one of the classic mid-80's sound.
At the end of the day, I could not vote against EVH. As much as it pains me to have MJ along for the ride, it is worth it to keep Eddie in this bracket. Wouldn't it be great to see him face off against himself?
Fun 'toid... I heard an NPR interview (https://www.npr.org/2024/10/29/nx-s1-5165381/eddie-alex-van-halen-brothers) with Alex Van Halen, who said that this recording for Beat It is one of the the cracks in the band that ultimately lead them to splitting up. The band thought of Eddie's style as the band's brand, and you don't get it anywhere other than Van Halen, and you definitely don't give it away for free. From there, things went downhill, but at least we got 1984 out of it before everything fell apart!
I totally get this, so much of your comment is my situation...except for the weirdo grandma part 😂!!!
I mean, I caved and voted MJ, because of cultural reality of the 80s, but my heart is with Tears for Fears!
Eddie versus Eddie is entirely possible!! That would be the 1 vs. 2, which is the "expected" outcome of any bracket, so... 🤔
Wild to think "Beat It" nuked VH, but with Roth, something would have nuked that relationship anyway, you know? Destined to explode, in my opinion, this just accelerated it?
--KGM
You guys are right on this one, I voted Tears all the way. And not just because of just a fuck you to MJ (but yeah, fuck that guy). I think the new wave/post-punk/goth sounds of the 80s are the most enduring and influential music from then, that which has stood the test of time over many of the bigger hits of the 80s. What would get more people out on the dance floor today, I Melt With You or some Debbie Gibson song that went to #1?
MJ didn't sound 80s, he just sounded like MJ. I don't think that - despite his obscene number of hits - he was really that influential on anyone either. He kind of existed in his own musical silo.
Tears For Fears adoration has grown since the 80s. Back when Big Chair first came out almost no one in the States knew their song Mad World, and for many years after. Now it's a beloved song by white Gen X people. And Head Over Heels just kicks!
I love it! And I didn't learn Mad World until AFTER Big Chair, either, just like you said. There are enough votes going Head Over Heels, that it is (was?) briefly WINNING! Whoa!!
Keith, I’m pretty sure it was “Human Nature” that we sang in Chorus. Does that sound right?
Another chorus member, and also our accompanist, believes it was, "Man in the Mirror," to a 98% certainty!