Oh, not blaming you. Just giving a shout out to our earlier discussion. This is so apropos.
It’s so funny, isn’t it?
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Crazy Horses works on a “wtf?” level.
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Oh, I know.
But the same can be said about almost any year that I’ve been alive.
Gimme a year; I’bet I can name a crappy song from it…
Now I just feel sympathetic. An anecdote about Sun Ra:
When they were rehearsing, some of the [Arkestra] musicians complained when Sonny asked them to listen to examples of currently popular disco records:
“This is some hokey shit, Sonny.”
“This hokey shit is somebody’s hopes and dreams,” he chided them. “Don’t be so hip!”
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IIRC, if the older brother had his way, they would’ve stuck to prog.
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If you like the hair, costumes, and dancing why wouldn’t you just watch Italian pop videos from the same time and get better music? Ok, the dancing isn’t as wholesome and all-American I guess, but otherwise.
I guess they should really have done My Old School, Reelin in the years isn’t nearly mind-blowing enough for my tastes.
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Best thing. Worst thing. Hard to tell the difference.
Everything from the end of the 70’s makes me cringe today. Everything.
The demons never go away…
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In defense of 1978, The Muppet Show was on the air in 1978, and also, well, um, The Muppet Show was on the air in 1978.
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Ah, but there were so many great things that came out of the late 70s:
So many, many, many great things.
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I worked as a set designer/draftsman/engineer for the D&M show during this season at the old Osmond studios in Orem Utah. There was such HUGE pressure on all phases of the show’s production to be as hip, cool, and current as possible, because the Powers That Were (the network) knew that the squeaky-clean image of the duo wouldn’t be enough to drive viewers to the show week after week. It was almost an “anti-image” thing; the absolute innocence and sweetness of D&M was seen as a foil for the much hipper, more worldly guests that appeared every week. A lot of that was due to the massive, over-arching influence of patriarch George Osmond, who still wanted his kids doing barbershop (a la their appearances on Andy Williams) and didn’t understand the need for D&M or the brothers to be anything close to hip and relevant. They couldn’t do ANYTHING that seemed the least bit risque or daring, so it was up to the guests, the selected music, and the production values to take up the slack.
Obviously, it made for good ratings, but never contributed to anything remotely resembling “good entertainment”. I’ve always held to an opinion of the Osmonds that still stands. If you go back and listen to their recordings (especially their Christmas stuff), I can tell you that next to the Beach Boys, they were the absolute best at what they did. It’s just I didn’t care for what they did.
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I imagine they weren’t familiar with the Sex Pistols, who were at their zenith that year. Can you picture Donnie and Marie singing Bodies?
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I could only make 2 minutes into that before going NOPE.
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Yes yes I can, now quit putting pictures in my head damn it.
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You might be thinking of this?
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WKRP in Cincinnati premiered in 1978. Giving us the great dilemma of: Bailey or Jennifer?
In 1978 Soap was halfway through its first season.
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Close. But they aren’t wearing skates and dancing.
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The Muppets was a lovely exception to otherwise dull 1978 television. Since I was just starting my freshman year in high school, I really didn’t watch as much t.v. (especially since cable was nonexistent in our parts).
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Sheesh. Remember this show well. In 78 I was working in LA designing toys for Mattel, who was always on the look out for the latest trends for licensed toys (and often completely missing them, most notably Star Wars) Sure enough, the squeaky clean image and weekly TV exposure were irresistible to Mattel and they wanted to do Donny and Marie dolls. The Osmonds agreed but insisted as part of the deal that they also produce a Jimmy Osmond doll. Imagine the joy of a kid opening up a Jimmy Osmond doll on Christmas morning.
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Big Graham Osmond:
