As I type, the Internet and old fashion media look at the year 2010. So let us return to the past. Let us return to 1980, but before we go there, I must admit I might have it all wrong. The turn-of-decade sea shift from “classic rock” to “new wave” could be about Glen Thrasher changing from child to something vaguely resembling a man: the changes not about everything or anything changing in music. A musical change I perceive obvious could be unfathomable to those not Glen Thrasher. During the period 1977 to 1980 Glen Thrasher changed from a high school boy living in the suburbs who never went anywhere after dark into some semblance of an adult. He became “a man” with an apartment in a dangerous major American city, a girlfriend, and a string of jobs. Nightlife consisted of going to bars to watch live music 2 to 7 nights per week for the next 20 years. (For those that doubt Atlanta was a dangerous city those years, remember, this was the era Atlanta was called Murder Capitol of the Nation. It was also the period of news cycle driven missing & murdered black children of Atlanta. Assumed to be the work of a serial killer, these headline-making crimes were attributed to my fellow Georgia State University alumni, Wayne Williams. At the time of his arrest I was working in the G.S.U. registrars office. I looked up his file and discovered his class schedule and determined we were enrolled in an introductory English composition class together. I cannot say if Wayne attended the class. I certainly do not remember him. A side note worth mentioning: his file was unusually slim. I assume the police had already been there to remove anything/everthing more interesting. Every other student file I ever saw contained an essay written by the student at the time of their application for admission. I would have enjoyed a look at Wayne’s essay.) I found something in the world outside of Glen Thrasher to parallel these changes within. It was inevitable. I imagined changes in the music. Also inevitable. Most of my new life revolved around music: buying records, spinning records at small radio stations, going to see bands at seedy bars, writing about music: live & recorded, and before long attempting to play in bands before audiences. I associate personal changes with musical changes, real or not. Sea change, or song remains the same, 1980 was another remarkable year for music. As with 3 years preceding there are many records good enough to be the best record of many a lesser year.

Best LPs of 1980

1. Graham Lewis & B.C. Gilbert: Dome (Dome, UK)
2. Half Japanese: Half Gentlemen/Not Beasts (Armageddon)
3. Information/Blinding Headache/Mofungo: Tape #1 (cassette)
4. The Feelies: Crazy Rhythms (Stiff)
5. Young Marble Giants: Colossal Youth (Rough Trade, UK)
6. The Raincoats: The Raincoats (Rough Trade, UK)
7. Swell Maps: In Jane From Occupied Europe (Rough Trade, UK)
8. Joy Division: Closer (Factory)
9. Borbetomagus: Sauter, Dietrich, & Miller (Agaric)
10. Captain Beefheart: Doc At the Radar Station (Virgin)
11. Martin Rev: Solo Album (Lust/Unlust)
12. Graham Lewis & B.C. Gilbert: Dome 2 (Dome, UK)
13. Dead Kennedys: Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables (Alternative Tentacles)
14. The Mekons: The Mekons (Red Rhino, UK)
15. Caberet Voltaire: Voice of America (Rough Trade, UK)
16. Magazine: Play (IRS)
17. The Cure: Boys Don’t Cry (PVC)
18. Glenn Branca: Lesson No. 1 (99 Mini-LP)
19. Talking Heads: Remain In Light (Sire)
20. The Fall: Grotesque (Rough Trade, UK)
21. Elvis Costello: Get Happy (CBS)
22. Durutti Column: Return of the Durutti Column (Factory)
23. Soft Boys: Underwater Moonlight (Armageddon)
24. Colin Newman: A-Z (Beggars Banquet, UK)
25. David Bowie: Scary Monsters (RCA)
26. Pylon: Gyrate (Db)
27. The Cure: 17 Seconds (Fiction, UK)
28. X: Los Angeles (Slash)
29. The Flesh Eaters: No Questions Asked (Upsetter)
30. The Fall: Totale’s Turn (Rough Trade, UK)
31. Siouxsie & the Banshees: Kaleidoscope (Polydor)
32. The Boys Next Door: The Birthday Party (Missing Link, Aus.)
33. The Jam: Sound Effects (Polydor)
34. The Ex: Disturbing Domestic Peace (Verrecords)
35. The Dicks/The Big Boys: Live at Raul’s (Rat Race)
36. The Pop Group: For How Much Longer Can We Tolerate Mass Murder (Rough Trade, UK)
37. John Fahey: Live in Tasmania (Sonet)
38. Bill Dixon: In Italy Volume 1 (Soul Note, Italy)
39. Magazine: The Correct Use of Soap (IRS)
40. Art Ensemble of Chicago: Full Force (ECM)
41. John Zorn: School (Parachute)
42. LaDonna Smith & Davey Williams: Direct Waves (Trans Music)
43. Tom Waits: Heartattack and Vine (Asylum)
44. Elliott Sharp: Rhythms & Blues (Zoar)
45. Kurtis Blow: Kurtis Blow (Mercury)
46. 999: Biggest Prize In Sports (Polydor)
47. The Clash: Black Market Clash (Epic)
48. John Zorn: Pool/Hockey (Parachute)
49. Various Artists: Wanna Buy a Bridge? (Rough Trade)
50. Anthony Braxton: Seven Compositions 1978 (Moers)
51. Bow Wow Wow: Your Cassette Pet (EMI cassette) 1^st version
52. Killing Joke: Killing Joke (Editions EG)
53. Suicide: Alan Vega & Martin Rev (Ze)
54. Lewis & Gilbert: 3r4 (4AD)
55. Sam Rivers: Contrasts (ECM)
56. The Undertones: Hypnotized (Sire)
57. Elvis Costello: Taking Liberties (CBS)
58. Steve Beresford: The Bath of Surprise (Piano)
59. The Clash: Sandinista! (CBS)
60. Fela Kuti: I.T.T. (Polygram)
61. Psychedelic Furs: Psychedelic Furs (CBS)
62. Circle Jerks: Group Sex (Frontier)
63. Prince: Dirty Mind (Warner Brothers)
64. Jim Carroll Band: Catholic Boy (Atco)
65. ACDC: Back In Black (Atlantic)
66. Jah Wooble: The Legend Lives On… Jah Wooble in “Betrayed” (Virgin, UK)
67. Caberet Voltaire: Live at the YMCA (Restless)
68. David Moss: Terrain (Cornpride)
69. Robert Ashley: Perfect Lives (Private Parts) (Lovely)
70. The Last Words: The Last Words (Armaggedeon)
71. Harold Budd & Brain Eno: Plateaux of Mirrors (Editions EG)
72. Various: Decline of Western Civilization (Slash)
73. Van Morrison: Common One (Warner Brothers)
74. Michael Hurley: Snockgrass (Rounder)
75. The Teardrop Explodes: Kilamanjaro (Mercury)
76. The Units: Digital Stimulation (415)
77. Jon Hassell & Brian Eno: Fourth World Volume 1: Possible Musics (Editions EG)
78. The Ramones: End of the Century (Sire)
79. XTC: Black Sea (Virgin)
80. The Cramps: Songs The Lord Taught Us
81. Motorhead: Ace of Spades (Mercury)
82. Vic Godard & the Subway Sect: What’s the Matter Boy? (MCA. UK)
83. The Associates: The Affectionate Punch (Fiction)