80's Trivia Questions

Sarah Jessica Parker and Winona Ryder Trivia

2008-05-28T17:29:00.000-07:00

Today, we're pitting film actresses Sarah Jessica Parker and Winona Ryder against each other in a contest to determine which one was cooler. Both actresses got their start in the 80's, and both were child stars that went on to have successful careers as adults (not always an easy feat!)

Sarah Jessica Parker was the third actress to play the lead in the Broadway production of "Annie." She would follow that with numerous television roles, appearances in "Footloose" and "Firstborn," and a starring role in "Girls Just Want To Have Fun." Her career really clicked in the 90's, with star turns in "L.A. Story" and "Honeymoon In Vegas," and then her signature role in the HBO series "Sex And The City."

But, while many will always remember her as Manhattan Sex Columnist Carrie Bradshaw, children of the 80's might be more inclined to remember her for her character on the short lived 80's sitcom "Square Pegs." The show only lasted one season, but it's unvarnished portrayal of the trials of adolescence presaged everything from John Hughes films to "Freaks & Geeks." What was the name of Sarah Jessica Parker's character on "Square Pegs?"

Bonus Question: Much as it was with Parker, Winona Ryder's most significant roles as an actress came in the 90's. But the film "Heathers" was probably more satisfying for anyone who felt tormented by their high school experience. Who hasn't wanted to blow up the school on Prom Night? Ironically, Ryder's agent begged her not to do the film, predicting it would be the end of her career. Instead, it cemented her reputation for being able to sympathetically portray a young person who exists at the fringes of the social order. In any case, if one looks closely, it's evident that the creators of the film "Heathers" were very focused on teen archetypes in conceiving of the film. In fact, two of the characters in the film are named after well known teen comic book characters Which ones?

80's Movies that Spent Time in the Sun and Sand

2008-05-21T17:25:00.000-07:00

Back in 1988, Tom Cruise was in a movie that spent a good part of its time on some fabulous beaches in Jamaica. But Cruise's character wasn't on vacation, he was down in the tropics seeking work as a celebrity bartender.

He does find true love, but gets sidetracked by a wealthy female executive in search of a boy toy. He comes to his senses upon returning to New York, and dumps the society dame with the classic line "All things end badly, otherwise they wouldn't end."

The film earned Cruise a 'Razzie' award, and was probably the last time he played a party guy before he started seeking more substantial film roles. What was the name of this film?

Bonus Question: Another film from 1988 also featured plenty of sand and surf, and attempted to recall the beach blanket classics of the Sixties. The film was set in 1963, and follows the adventures of Phoebe Cates and her three friends as they seek one last fling before committing to marriage and adult responsibilities. What's the name of the ocean side community, known for its fabulous beaches, where most of the story takes place?

Harrison Ford Characters Trivia Questions

2008-05-14T17:21:00.000-07:00

The New Indiana Jones film "Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull" comes out next week, so in celebration we're pitting two of Harrison Ford's best known characters against each other and letting you decide which one was cooler: Han Solo or Indiana Jones?

Previous 80's Trivia Questions included Stallone Vs. Schwarzeneggar, Nicolas Cage Vs. John Cusack, and Tom Cruise Vs. Kevin Bacon. This time, both contestants are fictional characters played by the same actor, Harrison Ford. Both of these characters are on the American Film Institute's list of all time greatest film heroes, both are rogue-ish adventurers with a quick wit and steady aim, and both are ladykillers.

Han Solo is a pirate when he first appears in the Star Wars series, vicariously appealing as a scoundrel from the wrong side of the galaxy. Of course, the character goes through a transformation when his conscience compels him to act on behalf of others instead of only in his own interests. When we see Han Solo appear in the next two films, he's a ranking member of the rebel alliance, fighting the good fight. In fact, what is his rank in "The Empire Strikes Back?"

Bonus Question: The Indiana Jones series of films from the 80's has the main character fighting lots of soldiers (and pretty much anyone else), even though he himself is not identified as a member of any military organization. No, Dr. Jones is an academic, a Professor of Archeology. According to the label on the package he receives from Venice in the film "Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade," what is the name of the college where Indiana Jones is teaching at the time?

The Cure Music Video Trivia

2008-05-07T17:18:00.000-07:00

The Cure were one of the best bands of the 80's, with an influence that runs throughout the music world, a great reputation as a live act, and an amazing catalog of songs. Their B-sides and rarities alone are enough to fill a box set. And, The Cure have a huge collection of distinctive music videos as well. The video for one of their best songs has the band performing underneath palm trees in the midst of a snowstorm. Which video is it?

Bonus Question: Sign language shows up in the video for New Order's "True Faith," but it's also present in a Cure video from four years earlier. Which one?

Classic 80's Soundtrack: Pretty in Pink Trivia

2008-05-01T20:53:00.000-07:00

If i asked you the name of Molly Ringwald's character in the film "Pretty In Pink?" Any fan of Molly's films knows that the answer is 'Andie.' Furthermore, fans of "Pretty In Pink" know that the title of the film was inspired by the Psychedelic Furs song of the same name that had come out some years before.

The legend goes that Director John Hughes heard the song playing during breaks while filming "The Breakfast Club," and set about coming up with a story based on the songs title. He apparently didn't base his story on the circumstances of the girl mentioned in the song, or any of the other lyrics, as I don't remember cars colliding or Andrew McCarthy "Walking around in the dress that she wore." And he probably could have used the name mentioned in the lyrics for his main character, but he didn't.

Those lyrics inform us that "The one who insists he was first in the line is the last to remember her name," but maybe you can do better. What's the name of the girl that the Psychedelic Furs are singing about in their seminal hit "Pretty In Pink?"

Bonus Question: Another 80's classic is the 1983 film "Valley Girl." The film was an early success for headliners Nicolas Cage and Deborah Foreman, and it had some other notable appearances as well. One of the supporting actresses in the film also had a singing career during the 80's, and was responsible for putting a song at the top of the Billboard Hot Dance/Club Play chart in 1986. During the 90's, she was the voice of a Rugrat, and also of a talking pig. What was the name of this versatile actress/singer/voice over talent?

80's Japanese Anime Trivia Questions

2008-04-24T20:48:00.000-07:00

For kids who grew up in the 80's, the Japanese style of animation known as "Anime" might have seemed like a new genre. Of course, it was only new to us. Animation had been integral to the Japanese film industry for most of the preceding century, and crept into the American scene as a sort of best kept secret.

The Japanese were creating animated films as far back as 1917, and the first feature length film of the genre came out in 1944. Disney films of the late 30's, notably "Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs," inspired the development of animation techniques in Japan, and by the end of the 20th Century, American animators were adopting the Japanese Anime style. Back in the 80's, the younger crowd was watching Japanese animated shows like "Speed Racer" on TV, while the adult crowd could check out more underground Anime films at video clubs (especially if the legendary DJ "Mohawk" Adam was spinning.)

One of the shows that turned up toon television back in the 80's was a repackaged space drama that followed the efforts of the Star Force to save the Earth from the blue skinned Gamelons. Much of the show was heavily modified as it was transformed for the American audience, but basically the Star Force must journey to the planet Iscandar to retrieve a device that will cleanse the earth of the radiation the Gamelons have been using to destroy the human race.

Their space ship is called the Argo, and it looks very much like an ocean going battleship (right down to the keel), because it has been built from the salvaged remains of the Battleship Yamoto. So what was the name of (the Americanized version) of this Japanese animated series?

Bonus Question: If you were a kid in France, Belgium, or Quebec back in the late 70's/early 80's, you may have been exposed to another animated series that was quite popular in those places. It featured a staple of the Anime genre: huge battling robots! The show was brought over to France and overdubbed in French, which helped it become popular in French speaking Quebec.

The robot in question had golden colored horns sticking out of his head that shot lightning, arms that turned into rockets, a bladed lasso of sorts, and a circular spacecraft that he fit into the front of for long trips. What was the name of the show?

Sex in 80's Pop Music Trivia

2008-04-17T20:41:00.000-07:00

Pop culture, like the art world it aspires to emulate, has an unbreakable bond with sex and human sexuality. Ian Dury placed it above drugs and rock & roll, Berlin placed it above everything, Marvin Gaye sought it's healing effect, and Thrill Kill Kult put it on wheels. Janet Jackson called out the Nasty Boys, while Vanity proclaimed herself a Nasty Girl.

Sex and pop had an odd relationship during the new wave era, though. Some artists, like Madonna and Prince, embraced the subject without hesitation (and often without tact). Others like Howard Jones, A-ha, & Erasure kept their distance. Artists like Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Soft Cell, and even George Michael managed to get their videos banned in some places (resulting in big notoriety and sometimes big sales) for being a tad too overt.

Depeche Mode managed to approach the subject without coming off as exploitative. On their first few albums, the band relied on subtle references and analogies. On their fourth album, however, the band included a dance floor favorite that addressed the subject of domination in both sexual relationships and in society at large. So what was the name of this new game Depeche Mode invited listeners to play, as described in the title of their 1985 club hit?

Bonus Question: Funny how things that were shocking for the previous generation often seems tame for the current one, but I guess that's a perpetual cycle. Frankie Goes To Hollywood stirred up enough of a fuss with "Relax" that the song was banned by the BBC. Beyond the controversy over the lyrics, though, the song probably had more different videos shot for it than any other from the era.

There was the MTV-safe laser version, there was the much racier shaving cream version, and there was the 'live' version. And there was one more version, the footage for which was taken from a film that used the song as a centerpiece for one of its dramatic sequences. The plot device that makes it possible is when the main character, on the trail of a murderer, investigates the set of an adult film shoot. The film makers basically embedded their own version of the "Relax" video smack in the middle of their film, complete with all the Holly Johnson and all the other members of the band. This was subsequently edited and released as yet one more version of the video. So what was the name of this movie?

Rick Astley RickRoll Trivia

2008-04-10T20:33:00.000-07:00

I've been Rickrolled - on numerous occasions in the last few weeks! But unlike humorous internet links, when real 80's fans play Rick Astley’s "Never Gonna Give You Up" video, it’s they enjoy the song. May I humbly suggest that the follow up phenomenon should be Minoguerolling. After all, Rick and Kylie would have been perfect for each other: they had the same producers and (therefore) stylistically similar hit singles.

Anways, you know that Rick Astley’s never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down, never gonna run around and desert you, but can you remember the name of Astley’s debut album?

Bonus Question: Rick Astley’s 80’s hits may seem a little kitschy and dated now, but they were all the rage back then. And the level of success the young artist achieved was impressive. At the tender age of 21, his debut single went to 1 on the U.K. charts and stayed there for five weeks. Even more amazing is the fact that Rick Astley would go on to have all of his first 8 singles reach the U.K. Top 10, a feat which got him a place in the Guinness Book of Records. Not bad for a guy who was singing in a local pub band 2 years before. So what was then name of the pub band Rick Astley was singing for when he was first approached by producer Pete Waterman with a record deal?

And, of course, we cant leave you without the infamous video to enjoy:

80's Songs in TV Commericals Yet Again

2008-04-07T21:03:00.000-07:00

Another hit song from the 80’s has turned up in a T.V. commercial. It seems that Chevrolet has decided to give Bob Seger and John cougar Mellencamp a rest for the moment, and instead has licensed a classic funk tune from the 80’s: "Word Up!" The song was first released in 1986 and made it to 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as 1 on the R&B and Dance charts. The version used in the commercial is a cover version, done in a more rock and roll style. The song has been covered at least a few times, and I can’t nail down exactly who’s version this is. But in this Angel’s opinion, nothing can hold a candle to the original. So what was the name of the funk band who originally recorded "Word Up" back in the 80’s?

Bonus Question: Elton had the glasses, Michael had the glove, Pete Burns had the eye patch. If you’ve figured out the answer to the first part of tonight’s trivia challenge, you might remember that the singer/producer for that band had a an article of ’clothing’ (maybe ’fashion accessory’ is more appropriate) that he made his own trademark. He is seen wearing it in the "Word Up" video, and the only other hint that I’ll give you is that it’s bright red. What is it?

Hooters Music Trivia

2008-04-07T20:57:00.000-07:00

The Hooters were a big part of the Philadelphia scene in the early 80’s, and were the first band to take to the stage at JFK Stadium for the American half of the Live Aid concerts. Rolling Stone named the Hooters Best New Band, and they placed three songs on the Billboard Top 40 from their major label debut. But it was and continues to be songwriting skills that brought success to the Hooters. The band’s principle songwriting team, Rob Hyman and Eric Bazilian, penned numerous tunes for other artists. Joan Osbourne’s "One Of Us" was one of theirs, and they also wrote for Sophie B. Hawkins and Jon Bon Jovi. Back in 1984, Rob Hyman wrote a song with Cyndi Lauper that went to 1 on the charts and got a Grammy nomination. What was the song?

Bonus Question: There was another organization from the 80’s that used the name ’Hooters’: the infamous restaurant chain. Hooters restaurants started showing up right around the same time as the band did, ironically. The source of the chain’s name and notoriety didn’t come from melodicas, though, and probably didn’t have a whole lot to do with the food. It was the nature of the service personnel that brought Hooters its fame, as well as a fair amount of controversy. For better or worse, the Hooters girl is the restaurant’s central icon, and was created for its earliest advertising campaigns. The very first Hooters girl was a former cheerleader who used the celebrity status she obtained to launch a successful career in modeling, acting, and radio. What was her name?

80's Song Lyrics and Celebrities

2008-04-07T20:55:00.000-07:00

Sometimes pop stars will mention the names of other celebrities in their song lyrics, and there are many examples from the 80’s. Bananarama were relieved to know that "Robert DeNiro’s waiting, talking Italian." Kim Carnes acknowledged the power of "Bette Davis Eyes." Joe Jackson’s song "Memphis" made ’em "think about Marlon Brando on T.V." But the best example of Hollywood name dropping on an 80’s song has to be Madonna’s "Vogue." The song mentions a host of well known actors and actresses from the golden age of cinema, including Marilyn Monroe, Gene Kelly, James Dean, Rita Hayworth, Greta Garbo . . . (you can almost hear the lyrics in your head at this point). There is one person mentioned in the list at the end of the song who was not an actor, aside from a single film role back in 1940. But he was a part of the show biz elite at the time, and his name did rhyme well with the name of his famous former wife (also mentioned in the song). And for a period of time between the 70’s and the 80’s, he was the spokesman for Mr. Coffee! What was his name?

Bonus Question: Infectiously groovy 80’s ska band Madness used the name of a famous actor as the title of one of their songs, and even got a recording of this same actor introducing himself, and used it in the song. Word has it the band approached him in a bar with a tape recorder, and then used the recording in the studio later on. So what was the name of this actor/Madness song title?

Thompson Twins Trivia

2008-04-07T20:48:00.000-07:00

Author Kurt Vonnegut might have appreciated the Thompson Twins. Just as his novel "Cat's Cradle" came to the conclusion that there was "no damn cat and no damn cradle," the Thompson Twins included no persons named Thompson, and no persons who were twins. But the band did manage to produce some memorable tunes, and they had a look and sound that was oh-so-very 80's. Just recently, several Albums from the band's most prolific period have been rereleased on expanded CD sets, complete with extra tracks and remixes. Included in this reissue is the groups crowning achievement, the 1984 album that included the hits "Hold Me Now," "Doctor, Doctor," and "You Take Me Up." The album entered the U.K. charts at 1, and peaked on the U.S. album chart at 10. What was the title?

Bonus Question: The album mentioned above, as well as the one that preceded it, were both recorded at Compass Point Studios in Nassau, under the production of Alex Sadkin. Sadkin was working with another artist at the time, who ended up doing guest vocals for one of the songs from their 1983 album release. Who was it?

Knight Rider Returns to NBC

2008-04-07T20:37:00.000-07:00

It's time for another round of 'everything old is new again,' with NBC's recent revision of the classic 80's crime fighting show "Knight Rider!" First "American Gladiators," now this! Will we see a return of "Manimal?" Seriously, though . . . last Sunday night NBC aired an updated version of "Knight Rider," starring Justin Bruening as Mike Tracer (the new driver/crime fighter) and Val Kilmer as the voice of the new car. Now, the angel didn't get to see the two hour movie event, but word has the 'Hoff made an appearance, reviving his role as Michael Knight. K.I.T.T. is back too, but this time around it's a Mustang (Ford Mustang Shelby GT500KR, to be precise). So what kind of car was the original K.I.T.T., as seen in the original 80's Knight Rider series?

Bonus Question: Back in the 80's, David Letterman used to go through the T.V. Guide and point out shows where the main character faces his or her own 'evil twin.' It was a plot device that got used quite a lot, and "Knight Rider" was no exception. In one episode, David Hasselhoff and his amazing computer controlled car actually had to battle another amazing computer controlled car. It turns our that K.I.T.T.'s evil nemesis was actually the first prototype of a talking automobile, produced by Knight Industries before they got their act together. It was slated to be dismantled due to flaws in its programming, but somehow it escaped the scrap heap and it's out to settle the score! So what was the name of K.I.T.T.'s evil twin? (And you have to get the spelling right!)

Return of American Gladiators

2008-04-07T20:24:00.000-07:00

As the saying goes "everything old is new again." In this case, it's the show "American Gladiators" that's been brought back for another run (and yet there's no effort to revive "Puttin On The Hits?" Go figure.)

The original "American Gladiators" debuted in 1989, and featured athletes and body builders competing in oddball events that might be considered the precursor to X-treme sports. The combatants had nicknames like Zap and Nitro, and a few have turned up in reality shows in recent years. The host of the original series was sportscaster Mike Adamle, and he was joined each season by a co-host.

Adamle's co-host for the first season in 1989 was a former NFL quarterback who started out playing college football for Notre Dame, and went on to become starting quarterback for our own Washington Redskins. He lead the Redskins to victory in Super Bowl XVII, and he was the NFL's MVP in 1983. What was his name?

Bonus Question: Speaking of those nicknames, one of the original six Gladiators on the first season back in 1989 was a former pro racquetball player named Deron McBee. As an American Gladiator, he had the tanned surfer dude persona. During the 90's he scored small parts in the Batman sequels, guest appearances on "Walker, Texas Ranger," and a visible role in the second "Mortal Combat" movie. What was Deron McBee's nickname on American Gladiators?

80's Songs in TV Commericals

2008-04-07T20:15:00.000-07:00

Advertisers will pay big money to license pop tunes for use in commercials because they want to tap into the easy recognition that a well known song provides. Pop music may also trigger a feeling of identification for a particular demographic (no doubt the use of 80's tunes is meant to target the Gen-X'ers). And if the songs lyrics connect to the product in some way, so much the better. "What's New Pussycat" was used to sell cat food, "Sugar Sugar" was used to sell artificial sweetner, etc. etc.

Some pop songs make for questionable choices, though. Iggy Pop's "Lust For Life" and the Violent Femmes "Blister In The Sun" both contain drug references, but were used in very visible advertising campaigns (who listens to the words, right?) Then there's the times when the use of a song to push a product is just . . . weird. Currently there's a advertisement that uses a re-recorded version of the 1984 hit "We're Not Gonna Take It" to sell birth control pills.

The song was originally an anthem of teen rebellion against oppressive parents, and . . . well, I can see how birth control might play a role in such an insurrection. But I don't think that's the message that the advertiser is trying to send. But whatever the connection is, the song was the biggest U.S. hit for the band who first recorded it, what was the name of that band?

Bonus Question: I can't help notice that the birth control pills mentioned above go by the name 'Yaz,' and I wonder if the company contemplated licensing a song by the legendary 80's synthpop duo Yaz. Of course, that might have been even stranger, as many of the groups best songs are rather melancholy. But I guess that didn't bother J.C. Penny, who used a re-recorded Yaz tune for a Mother's Day commercial last year (thus taking melancholy to maudlin, glad I missed it). The song used was the group's first ever single, and it made it to 2 on the U.K. charts back in 1982. What was the name of the song?

Flashdance 80s Trivia

2008-04-07T20:05:00.000-07:00

Speaking of car commercials that use songs from the 80's, KIA is airing a commercial right now that uses the song "Maniac." The song originally became a hit when it was included in the 1983 film "Flashdance." The video for the song was a montage of scenes from the film, and the images of dancers being doused with water and chased by strobe lights are about as 80's as it gets. The fact that the video barely showed any shots of the artist responsible for the song didn't stop him from becoming one of the great one hit wonders of the decade.

The artist who co-wrote and recorded "Maniac" was a seasoned session musician, who collaborated with stars like Stevie Wonder, The Jackson 5, Chaka Khan, Donna Summer, New Edition, and George Benson. So what was his name?

Bonus Question: It's a fairly well known fact that "Flashdance" star Jennifer Beals didn't do any of the dance routines in the film herself, instead they were performed by body doubles. But the breakdancers were real. In fact, one of the breakers featured prominently in the film and the music video was New York native 'Crazy Legs' (a.k.a. Richard Colon).

Crazy Legs had come up through the earliest incarnations of the New York b-boy scene, when battling other breakers with dance moves was the pathway to glory and street cred. He would eventually become president of one of the best known breakdance outfits, a group that brought breakdance performances from the Roxy Nightclub in NYC to stages in London and Paris, and even to an appearance at the Royal Variety Performance for Elizabeth the second, Queen of England, in 1983. So what was the name of the famous 80's breakdance group that Richard "Crazy Legs" Colon presides over to this day?

Irish 80's Music Trivia

2008-03-13T20:51:00.000-07:00

Ireland gave us many great bands during the 80's, as well as a few who certainly sound Irish, but were formed elsewhere. Dexy's Midnight Runners formed in Birmingham, and The Pogues were from London. But no one can dispute the authenticity of The Pogues, nor the importance of the band to contemporary Irish people. The Pogues emerged out of the late 70's punk scene, and were rebels amidst the rebellion. They were certainly inspired by punk's energy, but they used that energy to drive a sound based on Irish and Celtic folk music. It's an impressive feat to be able to team up with traditionalists like the Dubliners, and yet still have absolute street cred with young Clash fans. And the connection between those two scenes had a lot to do with the Pogues' notorious frontman. Known for his heavy drinking and erratic behavior, he lead the band through the 80's, until his unpredictability lead the rest of the group to kick him out in 1991. He's been back touring with The Pogues since 2001, and was on (as well as off) stage with them this past week at the 9:30 club (special tip of the halo to Lilly for inviting the Angel along to see the show!) So what's the name of the legendary lead singer of the Pogues?

Bonus Question: The singer mentioned above was the subject of a biographical film in 2001, but way back in the 80's he had acting parts in at least two fictional films. Fans of cult movies no doubt remember "Straight To Hell," an homage of spaghetti westerns that featured members of The Clash and The Pogues, as well as Elvis Costello, Courtney Love, and Grace Jones. But that same year, our mystery singer played a terrorist in a movie that had Lemmy from Motorhead, Jools Holland from Squeeze, & Hugh Cornwell from The Stranglers, along with Angela Bowie, Bill Wyman, and both Paul and Linda McCartney (jeez I wish I had a copy). What was the title of this film?

80th Annual Academy Awards Trivia

2008-02-28T20:42:00.000-08:00

The 80th Annual Academy Awards Ceremony was broadcast this past Sunday, and although much has been made about the low ratings, the Oscars are still the pinnacle of the entertainment industry's awards shows. Of course, we're only to eager to scan the nominations/winners list for anything 80's related that can inspire some trivia.

This year its easy: the Oscar for Best Picture went to "No Country For Old Men," along with the Oscars for Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor. "No Country For Old Men" is a film by Joel and Ethan Coen, and is the latest inclusion in an influential and acclaimed body of work that the brothers have been responsible for both writing and directing over the last 24 years. Some of their best works include "Fargo" (which also won an Oscar for Best Screenplay), "The Big Lebowski," "Barton Fink," and "O Brother, Where Art Thou?"

Here's where the 80's connection comes in: The Coen Brothers debut feature film came out in 1984. What was the title?

Bonus Question: The 50th Annual Grammy Awards hit the airwaves a couple of weeks ago, and there's a few names from the 80's on their nominations/winners list as well. Some of the artists on the Grammies list who got their start in the 80's include Bon Jovi, The Beastie Boys, Sly & Robbie, Suzanne Vega, Lucinda Williams, Steve Earle, Brave Combo, Metallica, King Diamond, Slayer, and Bjork. It's almost a foregone conclusion that U2 will show up on the list somewhere (this year was no exception), and both Prince and Madonna scored Grammies (Madonna's was way down the list, "Best Longform Video," but its there). And then there was the numerous artists who were around before the 80's, but had their biggest hits in the 80's. This group includes Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp, Patti Austin, and the winner for Album Of The Year, Herbie Hancock.

Hancock has had a long history in the jazz world, but has also received recognition (as well as some criticism) for lending his considerable talent to other genres. The song "Rockit" is probably the best example, a synth heavy dance track that became the signature tune of the break dance scene. The video was all over MTV, and won Best Video at the first MTV awards. And the song won Herbie Hancock his first Grammy Award. Hancock performed a synth medly that included "Rockit" at the 1985 Grammy awards ceremony with three other noted keyboardists. Who were they?

80's Nostalgia in Commercials

2008-02-09T22:54:00.000-08:00

The 80's nostalgic moment is when you get that blast from the past, that moment of familiarity with something long forgotten. "Where have I heard that?" "Who did that song?" "Where have I seen that before?" Being able to put your finger on that moment is one of the things that makes 80's trivia so much fun. There's a commercial on the television right now that gave me such a moment.

The commercial is an ad for Honda's latest model of fuel efficient car, and it features a song from 1981 with the line "Hold on tight to your dreams." The song was the last top 10 hit for a group that formed in the 70's with the intention to "pick up where 'I Am The Walrus' left off." The singer from this group would go on to be an influential producer and a member of the Traveling Wilburys. So what was the name of the band that recorded "Hold On Tight?"

Bonus Question: When I heard "Hold On Tight" being used by Honda, I was struggling to remember the TV commercial from back in the 80's that also used this song. There was a Cutlass commercial featuring Precilla Presley that used the tune, but the ad I was thinking about was for one of the staples modern living. Just as there are commercials for milk and cheese and beef and "the other white meat" that promote a general product without touting a specific brand, this one promoted the use of the food product being advertised for its stimulating effects. The commercial featured rock stars, football players, author Kurt Vonnegut, and a voice over by actress Cicely Tyson. And much like ads for cigarettes in the 60's, this ad is somewhat ironic in these health conscious times. So what was the group, identified in the commercial, that this advertising campaign was designed to target?

Prince Christmas 80's Trivia

2008-02-09T22:45:00.000-08:00

Prince had a song back in the 80's (a B-side, actually) that had Christmas in the title. And while the sombre mood of the song bears no resemblance to a party mood, it seems most appropriate to include a mention of it in our trivia challenge. So what was the name of the Prince B-side from the 80's that mentions Christmas in the title?

Bonus Question: Back in 1988, Bill Murray starred in a retelling of the familiar Christmas Carol story called "Scrooged." The big musical number at the end is a cover of "Put A Little Love In Your Heart," which is sung by Al Green and a famous star from the 80's (as well as the cast of the film). What's the name of the 80's popstar who duets with Al Green on this version of "Put A Little Love In Your Heart?"

Heaven & Angels in the 80's

2008-02-09T22:39:00.000-08:00

References to Heaven and Angels are numerous in the songs of the 80's. The Psychedelic Furs sang about "Heaven," Qfeel were "Dancing In Heaven," Belinda Carlisle declared that "Heaven Is A Place On Earth," the list goes on and on. And there's no shortage of references to Angels, either. Juice Newton was the "Angel Of The Morning," U2 sang of the "Angel Of Harlem," The Eurythmics felt "There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart)."

For tonight's Trivia Challenge, what's the name of the 80's hit that includes the lyrics "You're like an angel and you give me your love?"

Bonus Question: Before the band Ministry transformed into motorcycle riding tattooed love gods, they were somewhere between a synthpop band and an industrial band. They had a great tune on one of their early albums called "The Angel." What was the name of the early Ministry album that included this song?

Chinese Punk Trivia

2008-02-07T20:29:00.000-08:00

Happy Chinese New Year! That's right, Thursday February 7th is the beginning of the first lunar month on the Chinese calendar. So how about some 80's Trivia related to China: Back in 1983, a post punk band from New Orleans released an irresistibly catchy song called "China" that made it to 53 on the Billboard Pop Charts. What was the name of this band?

Bonus Question: Those who follow Chines astrology know that 2008 will be the year of the rat. So how about some 80's Trivia related to Ratt: What was the name of the model and well known video vixen who appeared on the cover of Ratt's first album "Out Of The Cellar?"

Australian 80's Bands that Rocked the US

2008-01-24T20:19:00.000-08:00

This Saturday is Australia Day, a national holiday in Australia that is akin to our Fourth Of July. It's fitting that we pay tribute to the Aussie's and their contribution to rock and roll this week with a little trivia challenge from down under. Bands that travel from around the world to find success in the United States sometimes end up being more popular here than in their home countries. But Australians don't hold stateside success against the bands that make it big on this side of the Pacific (possible exception: Rick Springfield).

So, when INXS hit number one in the U.S., Australians took pride in the bands' achievements, and merely pitied the poor yanks for taking so long to catch on. After all, the band had reached number one in Australia four years earlier. Anyways, it was the song "Need You Tonight" that put the band at the top of the U.S. charts. The stylish video for "Need You Tonight" got heavy rotation on MTV, and was often followed by the video for another song from the album. The video for this second song borrowed its premise from Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues," and featured the band members displaying a series of cue cards with lyrics on them. What was the name of this song/video?

Bonus Question: In 1986, INXS teamed up with a true legend of the Australian scene to record a cover of an Easybeats song "Good Tiimes." The recording became a big hit and was used as the theme for the "Australia Made" concert tour. So what was the name of the artist who collaborated with INXS on "Good Times," and then shared the headline spot on the "Australia Made" tour?

Leona Helmsley Trivia

2007-12-28T22:50:00.000-08:00

As 2007 winds down to a close, our 80's Trivia Challenge takes a look back at some of the famous people who left this world during the past year. Many famous people who passed away in 2007 had no particular connection to the 80's other than having lived through it, folks like Norman Mailer, Kurt Vonnegut, Ingmar Bergman, Jane Wyman, Merv Griffin, Evil Knievel, Charles Nelson Reilly, and Robert Goulet had already made their mark before the 80's began.

Others, like Anna Nicole Smith, Frankie Abernathy, David "Disco D" Shayman, and Pimp C became famous after the 1980's had ended. As for famous (or infamous) names like Tony Wilson, Luciano Pavarotti, Jerry Falwell, Boris Yeltsin, Kevin Dubrow, and Tami Faye will always elicit thoughts of the 80's. When it comes to infamous figures from the 80's, billionaire hotel operator Leona Helmsley deserves mention. Dubbed the "Queen of Mean," this well known business tycoon went from a seamstress to become one of the wealthiest real estate moguls in New York City. But anyone who worked for her would likely remember her as the tyrannical boss who was prone to stiffing contractors and firing employees for the slightest transgressions.

When she stood trial for tax evasion in 1989, a former housekeeper testified that Mrs. Helmsley once said "We don't pay taxes. Only the little people pay taxes." Leona Helmsley's denials notwithstanding, the recounting of this oh-so-80's incident no doubt helped the jury convict her. So what was the name of the United States Attorney who prosecuted Leona Helmsley and her husband for tax evasion back in 1988?

Bonus Question: Contrast the life of Leona Helmsley with that of actor Calvert Deforest, who also passed away in 2007. The two had a very similar set of eyebrows, but while Helmsley was first getting recognized in the real estate world for forcing many New York apartment buildings to go condo, it's well known that Deforest managed to live in the same rent controlled Manhattan apartment for 47 years in a row. And while Helmsley was largely perceived as wicked and demanding, Calvert Deforest, (Larry 'Bud' Melman on NBC's Late Night with David Letterman) could only be described as (in Letterman's words) "a genuine, modest, and nice man." Calvert Deforest got many an acting gig outside of "Late Night" as a result of the popularity of his character. He even got a part in a music video by a well known 80's rap group. What was the name of the group, and what was the name of the song?

Quiet Riot Singer Kevin DuBrow Trivia

2007-12-06T19:28:00.000-08:00

Fans of Heavy Metal music are mourning the death of the lead singer of the group that was arguably the first of the genre to put a record at the top of the Billboard pop charts. On Sunday, November 25th, the body of Quiet Riot lead singer Kevin DuBrow was found in his home outside of Las Vegas.

DuBrow had been a member of the band during their L.A. club days in mid 70's, and got to see the band become the vanguard of the burgeoning hard rock sound in the early 80's. Their 1983 release "Metal Health" (often incorrectly credited as their debut, although it was the first of their albums to be released in the U.S.) rode to the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100, largely on the success of the second single.

Now, it does depend on how one defines the genre, but the number one spot for the album and the number five spot for the single were firsts for a Metal band in the U.S. But it was the first and last major hit for the band. When their success started to fade with their next release, DuBrow made something of a pariah of himself by accusing other successful Metal acts of riding his coat tails (his own band eventually fired him after getting fed up with his posturing). But even Metalheads have a heart, and although he never made it to the top again, he is being honored for his contributions to the scene.

Quiet Riot's biggest hit was actually a cover of a Slade tune, but it became the bands signature. What was the name of the song?

Bonus Question: What was the name of the album that "Metal Health knocked out of the number one slot on the Billboard Hot 100 back in 1983?

LA Law Trivia

2007-11-29T19:18:00.000-08:00

Not all television dramas are fixated on doctors, lawyers, and agents of law enforcement, but an awful lot of them are. "ER," "Law & Order," "Hill Street Blues," "Nip/Tuck," "The Practice," "CSI," "Miami Vice," "NYPD Blue," the list goes on and on.

Television producer Steven Bochco was responsible for two of the shows mentioned above, and one more that was a big hit back in the 80's: L.A. Law. The show dramatized the lives of the attorneys at a high powered law firm, and in the process scored a slew of Emmy nominations & awards. So what was the name of the law firm that provided the backdrop for all the drama on L.A. Law?

Bonus Question: In an episode of L.A. Law that aired during the 86/87 season, the writers dreamed up an imaginary sexual technique that one of the firm's clients divulges to his attorney. And even though it was entirely made up, letters poured in wanting to know the details on this mysterious move. People who worked on the show claim they still get asked about it to this day. So what was the name of the fictional sexual technique mentioned on L.A. Law that caused such a stir amongst viewers back in the 80's?

Madonna 'Holiday' Trivia

2007-11-22T19:06:00.000-08:00

Madonna's "Holiday" is the perfect theme for our Thanksgiving 80's style. Thursday's a holiday, a time to celebrate, and 80's Night brings back all of those happy days! "Holiday" wasn't Madonna's first song, but it was her first chart topper. The song "Lucky Star" was released earlier, but only became a hit after being re-released following the success of "Holiday."

Holiday is the only one of her songs that Madonna's included on all of her world tours, it's been on the U.K. charts on three separate occasions, and there was even a rap version back in 1986. And, according to the liner notes of Madonna's self titled debut album, Madonna does more than singing on this tune - she plays a musical instrument. It's something that no self respecting disco tune should be without, what instrument is Madonna credited with playing on "Holiday?"

Bonus Question: Perusing the liner notes of Madonna's first album further reveals that "Holiday" is one of three songs on the album that Madonna didn't write herself. The authors of the song had a group of their own, and later had a few of their songs make it to the club charts. They originally submitted a demo of "Holiday" to the legendary John "Jellybean" Benitez, and he played it for Madonna. There's no mention of whether the authors ever recorded their own version of their song, but Madonna's version became a club classic. So what was the name of the 80's disco group who's members were responsible for writing the song "Holiday?"

Cold War Movie & Music Trivia

2007-11-11T15:11:00.000-08:00

To celebrate the fall of the Berlin wall yet again (see the first Berlin wall trivia question) try your hand at this week's cold war trivia.

The end of the Cold War presented a problem for Hollywood. For over forty years, the Soviet Union were the de facto bad guys for spy flicks and action films. Not willing to give up on a proven formula, some films in the 90's continued to use evil Russkies to menace the hero (Air force One comes to mind). Most movies today seem to have moved on to terrorists, of course.

If ever there was a movie hero that was vexed by sinister Soviets, it was James Bond. The Bond franchise goes all the way back to the 60's, but the 80's provided several installments in the 007 saga. One Bond films starts out at the Berlin wall, and sees Bond sneaking across Checkpoint Charlie in order to foil the plot of a scheming Russian general. What was the name of this film?

Bonus Question: Speaking of Checkpoint Charlie, what's the name of the Elvis Costello song that mentions the phrase?

Echo & The Bunnymen Trivia

2007-11-04T19:55:00.000-08:00

There's a chill in the air, and it feels like autumn is finally upon us. Fall is a great time for those fond of big hair or leather jackets, or any other fashion choice that doesn't fit with the heat and humidity of summertime. And the 80's gave us an abundance of great music that so perfectly fits the sombre mood of fall.

The Cure, The Smiths, Flock Of Seagulls, Japan, Xymox, Psychedelic Furs, Peter Murphy, and Kate Bush, all fit the season. Perhaps more than any other 80's band, Echo & The Bunnymen embody the barren trees and early twilight of autumn. Many consider the song "The Killing Moon" to be the band's finest moment. Lush and poetic, the song was the centerpiece of an album that was equally well crafted and brilliant. Later releases would lead to higher chart positions and more commercial success, but "The Killing Moon" was an artistic peak that was hard to follow. So what was the name of the album on which this song first appeared?

Bonus Question: Echo & The Bunymen's nouveau psychedelic sound earned them comparisons to many bands from the 60's, including The Doors. Echo & The Bunnymen did actually cover a Doors song, and their version was featured at the beginning and end of a popular 80's film. What was the name of the movie that featured this song?

Halloween 80s Trivia Questions

2007-11-04T19:35:00.000-08:00

Back in the 80's, The Cure had a video that also featured spiders and cobwebs. In this video, a bedridden Robert Smith anxiously contemplates being devoured by a gigantic spider-like creature. What's the name of the song for which this video was conceived?

Bonus Question: The aforementioned video is truly a masterpiece, from the concept to the costumes, sets, and cinematography. It was directed by long time Cure collaborator Tim Pope, but it could easily be mistaken for the work of Tim Burton. Burton was responsible for surrealistic and spooky feature films like "Beetlejuice," "The Nightmare Before Christmas," "Edward Scissorhands," and "Batman." One of Burton's earliest work was a 5 minute animated short that set the tone for much of his later works. The actor who narrated the film was also the inspiration for it, and he would later describe it as "immortality - better than a star on Hollywood Boulevard." What was the name of this actor?

Billy Idol Trivia

2007-11-04T19:19:00.000-08:00

80's Rocker Billy Idol was one of many artists from the era who benefited greatly from exposure on the fledgling MTV network. When Billy Idol was trying to get noticed in the early 80's, it wasn't radio airplay that initially put him on the map. In fact, one of his best known songs, "Dancing With Myself" barely registered on the Billboard Hot 100. It did make it to 27 on the Club Play chart, but it was heavy rotation of that song and "White Wedding" on MTV that made Billy Idol a star.

If you examine Idol's success on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (so named and based on radio play at the time) during the 80's, you might be in for a surprise. "Eyes Without A Face" charted higher than most of his other songs. Billy Idol only had one single that did better: it was his only 1 hit in the U.S., and it was actually a re-recording of an earlier release. What was the song?

Bonus Question: Billy Idol wasn't born with that name, and the story goes that he got the idea from a report card comment from a teacher that read "William is Idol." What's Billy Idol's real name?

80's Synthpop Duos

2007-10-27T08:48:00.000-07:00

Today's trivia pays tribute to the 80's synthpop duos and the sound that put the waves in 'new wave.' Synthpop didn't create the idea of the duo. After all, there were duos all throughout the era of popular recorded music, like Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, The Everly Brothers, Simon & Garfunkel, and the Captain And Tennille . But the proliferation of synthesizers and drum machines during the 80's made it possible for a pair of songwriters to skip the step of assembling a band in order to record and perform their songs.

One person up front to sing and move about, the other behind the keyboards to cue up the tracks and play the melody. Acts who followed this new paradigm included Soft Cell, The Pet Shop Boys, O.M.D., Yazoo, Erasure, Naked Eyes, Eurythmics, and Romania. In fact, there was a synthpop duo back in the 80's who took their name from an English dessert pudding. They never made it to the top ten in the U.S., but they were a fixture on MTV, and made it to 7 on the U.K. charts with the song "Living On The Ceiling." What was the name of this duo?

Bonus Question: At the root of synthpop's family tree is the legendary German quartet Kraftwerk. Their pioneering efforts from the 1970's presaged the role computers and electronic instruments would play in popular music. At the dawn of the 1980's, the title track of their album "Computer World" predicted the role computers would eventually play in our daily lives. In addition to mentioning crime, travel, communication, and entertainment, the song's lyrics mentioned four organizations which rely heavily on computers. What were they?

Christopher Thomas Howell Trivia

2007-10-24T20:44:00.000-07:00

Actor C. Thomas Howell got his first acting gigs on television, but quickly moved on to film work in the early 80's. He had a small part in "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial," in which he got enough screen time to catch the eye of Director Francis Ford Coppola. Coppola was casting for the lead role in an adaptation of a novel by S. E. Hinton, and Christopher Thomas Howell landed the starring role.

Other brat pack era actors who appeared in the film included Tom Cruise, Matt Dillon, Ralph Maccio, Rob Lowe, and Emilio Estevez. What was the name of the film?

Bonus Question: The film mentioned in the first part of this question was probably the high point for Howell during the 80's. Despite being named one of the most promising young actors of the early 80's, many of his subsequent films didn't fare so well at the box office. Maybe it was because of the odd film roles he ended up in. In the movie "Tank," his father (played by James Garner) comes to rescue him from a juvie prison farm in a Sherman tank. In Red Dawn, he played a teen guerrilla who helps repel a Soviet invasion. He switched back to teen comedies with "Secret Admirer," which was a little more successful. But then in 1986 he starred in "Soul Man," a film that was poorly received due in part to its controversial premise.

There were plenty of 80's flicks where the star has to pose as somebody else to get a job/an apartment/a scholarship/whatever, but in "Soul Man" Howell has to pose as a black student in order to get into Harvard Law School. Not everyone found that funny. Oh well, if "Soul Man" didn't earn him rave reviews, it did give him the chance to meet his first wife. A few years later, he married the actress who co-starred with him in that film. What was her name?

Thomas Dolby Music Video Trivia

2007-09-25T19:47:00.000-07:00

Thomas Dolby's tenure in the music industry has been extensive and filled with achievements, even if his days as a chart topping artist were rather short. He served as an engineer providing custom P.A. systems for well known post punk bands like The Fall, The Passions, and The Members.

Later, he played in Camera Club along with Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes. He did session work for Def Leppard and Foreigner (he played keyboards on "Urgent"), and did production work for George Clinton and Joni Mitchell. As a solo artist, he had his biggest chart success with the left field hit "She Blinded Me With Science."

Like many offbeat hits from the 80's, "She Blinded Me With Science" made it to 5 on the pop charts because the video was all over MTV. The video portrays Dolby as patient seeking psychiatric help from an eccentric doctor played by Magnus Pike. During the course of the video, Dr. Pike is suddenly struck by the physical charms of his lovely assistant/nurse, and exclaims "My Heavens, . . . You're beautiful!" What is the nurse's name, as identified by the doctor's exclamation?

Bonus Question: Thomas Dolby's stint as a producer produced at least one unqualified gem, the record "Steve McQueen" (released in the U.S. under the substitute title "Two Wheels Good.") If you were ever a fan of The Sundays, Lloyd Cole, The Colourfield, or the Dream Academy's hit "Life In A Northern Town," you should track down a copy of this record. What was the name of the band responsible for "Steve McQueen"/"Two Wheels Good"?

Pavarotti 80's Movie Trivia

2007-09-25T19:42:00.000-07:00

World renowned operatic tenor Luciano Pavarotti passed away recently. Pavarotti was beloved all over the world for his amazing vocal talents, his charisma as an entertainer, and his work as a humanitarian. He was a top selling artist who appeared on scores of recordings, both popular and classical. He was a member of The Three Tenors, a group that was responsible for the top selling classical album of all time. And, his work for charitable causes brought in record funds that went to relieve suffering in troubled spots around the world.

But he drew his share of criticism as well, much of which came from purists who felt his forays into pop culture diminished the stature of opera as an art form. He also drew fire from film critics for his starring role in a 1982 movie that is considered to be on the verge of unwatchable.

Whereas Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley managed the transition between the music and film worlds, it wasn't in the cards for Pavarotti. Oh well, may God rest his soul all the same. So what was the name of the film?

Bonus Question: Luciano Pavarotti set numerous records during his career. In 1988, he set a record at the Berlin Opera House that made it to the Guinness Book of World Records. What was the record setting achievement?

A-Ha Trivia

2007-09-06T19:51:00.000-07:00

The song "Take On Me" by Norwegian synthpop trio A-Ha is considered to be one of the classic one hit wonders of the 80's. But die-hard fans of the band bristle at the idea of one hit status for the group, pointing out that they had several other hits in Europe.

For even bigger bragging rights, they might point out that the band is in the Guinness Book Of World Records for playing to the largest paying audience in the world (198,000 people at the Rock In Rio II festival in 1991). And they did have other chart hits in the U.S. as well. The band's second hit made it to 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 and won two MTV Video Music Awards. The video even picks up where "Take On Me" left off, with singer Morten Harket reverting to animated form as he steals away into the night. The next thing you know, the band is in a cathedral playing to an audience of mannequins. What was the name of the song?

Bonus Question: Borrowing a page from the Duran Duran playbook, A-Ha actually recorded the them song to a James Bond movie. Which one?

80's Sea Creatures Song Trivia

2007-09-06T19:48:00.000-07:00

The theme for today's 80's trivia is sea creatures in honor of such famous songs like, "Rock Lobster" by the B-52's. After all, I've been known to throw a lobster or two on the grill during a cookout (right next to a pile of shrimp). And the song is one of the all time greatest party tunes, beloved by fans of 80's music and fans of seafood alike.

The song mentions plenty of other sea creatures besides lobsters. It includes references to clams, mussels, jellyfish, piranha, narwhals, catfish, and stingrays. It prompts me to wonder if the undersea world provided a theme for any other records from the 80's . . . In fact, it did!

The cover of Bananarama's first album shows the girls frolicking under the waves, accompanied by dolphins, tuna, halibut, and at least one lobster. What was the name of the album?

Bonus Question: If the B-52's and Bananrama can be said to have displayed a passing fixation with sea creatures, there was another band from the 80's that was downright obsessed. Song titles like "Fish Below The Ice," "Hammerheads," "Coelacanth & "Underwaterboys;" lyrics that remind us that "we could still end up with the great big fishes." What was the name of the band?

Swing Revival Trivia

2007-08-27T18:54:00.000-07:00

I have always had a fondness for tunes that swing. As much as the rock and roll explosion of the 50's was seen as a rebellious move away from the culture of the previous generation, the platters that were spinning at the sock hop retained the swing rhythms and energy of the big band era.

As a child in the 70's, much of the television I viewed was interspersed with advertisements for K-tel "oldies but goodies" collections of songs from each of the eras (plus a good measure of 60's doo-wop). The music caught my ear, and as a result, I was primed and ready when the rockabilly craze of the mid 80's took hold.

Later on in the 90's, there was a big revival of the big band sound, and some of the same (stray) cats stepped in to help the youth cut a rug or two. Even last year, the Christina Aguilera single "Candyman" brought back a vintage sound. I don't know if this is the sign of another revival on the way, but it seems like we're overdue.

Anyways, there were lots of cuts with triplet tempos back in the 80's. In 1984, the band Wang Chung released there first full length LP "Points On A Curve." Much of the album had a moody New Wave tone to it that earned them comparisons to Japan, Ultravox, and Naked Eyes. But the most successful single from the album was a little more upbeat, with a sultry swing feel that was "cool on craze." What was the name of the song?

Bonus Question: Here's an obscure and long forgotten gem that's well worth the trip: back in the late 70's, The burgeoning San Francisco scene gave rise to Romeo Void, Translator, Wire Train, and a band called the Explosions. The dynamic front woman of this band would later go solo and release a truly fabulous album on her own. Clash bassist Paul Simonon was involved with the album at some level, and was even married to our mystery singer for a spell. What was her name?

Tony Wilson & Factory Trivia

2007-08-27T18:47:00.000-07:00

The world lost Tony Wilson la2 weeks ago. The eclectic promoter and Manchester icon got involved in promoting bands after attending an early Sex Pistols show in the mid 70's. He was a reporter for Granada Television in Manchester at the time, and the inspiration from this show lead him to presenting punk era musicians like the Sex Pistols on the Granada events programme "So It Goes."

During the same period he began promoting the Factory night at the Russel Club, and later started a record label by the same name. The Fledgling Factory Records did much more than simply signing and promoting some of the best new bands of the era. They established a distinct look and style for their releases, from singles to LP's to cassettes and even promotional campaigns, that incorporated all aspects of the presentation of the music into a larger alternative cultural context.

Factory rekindled the idea of a record label identity for itself and its artists, similar to what labels like Blue Note had done for Jazz artists in the past. Factory's innovative approach of music for music's sake inspired other independent labels like 4AD, Creation, Netwerk, ZTT, Cleopatra, Sub Pop, Dischord, and Teenbeat.

Amazingly, while running the label, promoting bands, and managing a nightclub, Wilson continued to host regular television broadcasts for Granada! During the 80's, Tony Wilson hosted a late night show that was one of the first of it's kind in the U.K. It ran very late Sunday nights and covered regional music, literature, and arts in general (and, not surprisingly, included a lot of New Order's music in its presentation). What was the name of the show?

Bonus Question: All of Factory Records' releases had a catalog number, including singles, albums, cassettes, and even things like stationary, posters, a lawsuit, the Hacienda Club, and the cat. FAC 2 was the first music release, a double 7" single that included songs by Joy Division, The Durutti Column, John Dowie, and Cabaret Voltaire. On the outer cover, there is the title ("A Factory Sample) the name of the artists, the catalog number, and a graphic with a slogan underneath (these things all appear on the bootleg versions that turned up later). The graphic in question was used on at least a few other Factory releases. On this particular release (FAC 2), what does the slogan underneath it say?

DEVO Music Trivia

2007-08-09T09:17:00.000-07:00

In 1980, new wave pioneers DEVO released the album "Freedom Of Choice." It was their most commercially successful album, and was second only to their debut LP in terms of quality. The album included several crucial cuts, including the title cut and the smash hit "Whip It." There was another song on the album that may not have been a chart hit, but was a catchy tune, and it was covered by a bunch of other bands. The lyrics include the verse:

"She sings from somewhere you can't see
She sits in the top of the greenest tree
She sends out an aroma of undefined love
It drifts on down in a mist from above"

What's the name of the song?

Bonus Question: For the most part, the rest of the albums DEVO recorded for Warner Brothers were less compelling to the record buying public, and were generally derided by critics. Ironically, DEVO were criticized for displaying the same kind of subversive nature that had initially drawn the publics interest a few years earlier. For example, the band used a poem written by John Hinkley Jr. to Jodie Foster as the basis for the lyrics of a tune from "Oh NO! It's Devo!" Needless to say, it stirred up a lot of controversy. What was the name of the song?

If you'd like more DEVO Trivia, try the DEVO album trivia.

Gloria Estefan Trivia

2007-08-06T17:25:00.000-07:00

Cuban born pop diva Gloria Estefan rose to stardom back in the 80's, but many may not realize that the band she fronted actually got its start back in 1975. Originally known as the Miami Latin Boys, the band recruited young Gloria Fajado after a wedding gig and changed their name to the Miami Sound Machine.

Gloria Fajado became Gloria Estefan when she married the band's leader, and the group went on to record a series of Spanish language albums for CBS International. The band eventually released an album sung primarily in English and began to cross over into the pop charts. They soon became a big sensation, and their success paved the way for the Latin music scene to blossom in the U.S.

In 1985, Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine had their first top ten hit, and the record holds the distinction of being the first single to simultaneously appear on Billboard's pop, Latin, soul, and dance charts. What was the song?

Bonus Question: In 1999, Gloria Estefan made her feature film debut in "Music Of The Heart," but it wasn't her first movie gig. In 1986, she had a bit part in a made for TV movie that also featured Linda Hamilton, Bill Maher, and Sinbad. What was the name of the film?

Schwarzenegger & Stallone Trivia

2007-07-28T18:50:00.000-07:00

Today we're pitting the two greatest action stars of the 80's against each other, and letting you vote to decide who was cooler! Back in the 80's, Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger vied for the title of greatest action hero, and there were a few parallels in each actor's rise to stardom. Both started out playing bit parts during the 70's, both played characters with minimal dialog who still managed to be unintelligible when they did speak (at least Schwarzenegger can blame his Austrian background), and both made a trademark out of appearing as shirtless oiled up muscle men.

There were rumors back in the 80's that they would face off in a film together, but it never happened. Probably because neither would consent to let the other emerge as the victor. But a few of their films shared the same supporting actors. In fact, one actress allegedly enjoyed the attention of both actors off-screen as well as on. This actress starred in her first major motion picture in 1985, and Schwarzenegger had a supporting role. Rumor has it the two were involved with each other during the filming, and that she was even engaged to Arnold. But not long after she met Stallone, became engaged, married him, and appeared in two of his subsequent films. What was the name of this actress?

Bonus Question: Another supporting actor who worked with both landed his very first film appearance with a small part in an early Schwarzenegger film (one that turned out to be crucial to Arnold's career). Two years later he was cast as the psychopathic villain in a Stallone movie, and I can't help but thinking it was because he bore a resemblance to Schwarzenegger. In fact, when the two are duke-ing it out in the film's climax, it looks like Stallone is fighting Schwarzenegger (squint your eyes a little). This supporting actor continued to get roles well into the 90's that played off the resemblance, most notably as a Terminator-esque character on the X-files. What was his name?

Hairspray Movie Trivia

2007-07-23T10:40:00.000-07:00

Some of the previous 80s trivia questions have discussed the phenomenon of movies that were later turned into Broadway shows, and then remade as movies all over again. The best example is "The Producers," but it also happened with "Little Shop Of Horrors."

This Friday, "Hairspray" hits the theaters, a film adaptation of a hit Broadway musical from 2002, that was based on the original John Waters film "Hairspray" from 1988. The thing that stands out in my mind is that this is the first time anyone has done a remake of a John Waters film. Granted, "Hairspray" was a lot more mainstream than the infamous director's earlier cult films. I doubt the big Hollywood studios are jumping at the chance to remake "Pink Flamingos" or "Female Trouble."

Actors from the original films like Divine, Edith Massey, and David Lochary have sadly passed away, leaving some big shoes to fill for anyone casting for a remake (John Travolta's got his work cut out for him, if you ask me). But enough ruminations. The original 1988 version of "Hairspray" included actors like Divine and Mink Stole, who appeared in Waters' earlier films. But it also included a newcomer. What was the name of the actress who got her first big break playing Tracy Turnblad in the original 1988 version of "Hairspray?"

Bonus Question: Divine was an essential part of so many John Waters films, and "Hairspray" was the last the two would complete together. But Divine always got the best lines in any of the films in which she appeared. Can you complete this line? "Tracy, I have told you about that hair. All ratted up like a _______ _______."

Movie Come-Back Songs Trivia

2007-07-12T11:25:00.000-07:00

Songs from the past sometimes resurface and become popular all over again. This occasionally happens these days with songs from the 80's, and actually happened a lot back in the 80's with songs from the 60's. A good example is a pair of big 60's hits for the Righteous Brothers, "Unchained Melody" and "You've Lost That Loving Feeling."

In both cases, it was use of the songs in popular movies that rekindled the public's interest during the 80's. That, and the fact that they're good songs. So perhaps a similar thing happened with a song from the 80's that's experienced a renaissance. "Space Age Love Song" is a tune from the 80's that only made it to 30 when it was originally released, but it gets requested more and more at today, and I've been hearing it more when I'm out and about. The song was used on the soundtrack for "Monster" and "Not Another Teen Movie," so maybe that's why it's coming around again. Or maybe it's just that it's a great song. So who recorded "Space Age Love Song" back in the 80's?

Bonus Question: Another means by which an old song gets a new lease on life is through a remix. The Ministry Of Sound 2007 Annual features a remix by SJB of the song "Rush Hour." The song was originally a solo hit in 1988 for an artist who had previously served as guitarist and songwriter for an immensely popular group from the early 80's. So who recorded "Rush Hour" back in the 80's?

Morrissey Trivia

2007-07-12T11:20:00.000-07:00

Morrissey came to town earlier this week, as part of his current tour. Morrissey was, of course, the singer and lyricist for The Smiths, considered by many to be the most important band of the 80's. And Morrissey continues to be a prolific songwriter and performer, with a catalog of solo releases that carry on many of the themes he developed as a member of The Smiths.

Morrissey disbanded The Smiths and went solo back in 1987, shortly after guitarist Johnny Marr announced that he was leaving the band. This turn of events occurred just before the release of "Strangeways, Here We Come," the album that would end up being the band's last. If one checks out the videos made for the singles released from "Strangeways, Here We Come," it's notable that Morrissey is the only Smiths member who appears in them. One of these videos features Morrissey and an entourage of protégés riding around Manchester on bicycles. What's the name of the song?

Bonus Question: Some of the locations in the above mentioned video pop up several times in The Smiths' lexicon, and several have become destinations for Smiths fans visiting Manchester. In fact, the Strangeways prison (since renamed) provided inspiration for the title of the last Smiths album, and if you check out the back cover, there's a road sign pointing out the way to Strangeways. Word has it the sign is no longer there (probably nicked by a fan) but it has been immortalized on the back of this album. Underneath 'Strangeways' is another location some distance further on, what is it?

Transformers Movie Trivia

2007-07-04T08:41:00.000-07:00

This week sees the release of the new "Transformers" movie, but children of the 80's know that there already was a Transformers movie back in 1986. As collectible toys, the Transformers were very popular, as an animated TV series, the Transformers had kids glued to the set. The movie was a moderate success however, and went on to become something of a cult classic. It's rather lukewarm reception might have had something to do with the fact that Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots, was killed off in the film, much to the horror of many young fans. Those fans didn't know it at the time, but the writers of both the film and the TV series were encouraged by the toy company to kill off older characters in order to introduce new toys to sell (no wonder we're such a cynical generation).

Anyways, the voice for one of the robots in the film was provided by one of the classic figures from the golden era of cinema. His success and his stature in the film world had withered away somewhat in his later years, as evidenced by his role in this film, which he described as playing "a big toy who attacks a bunch of smaller toys." But his best work is still regarded as some of the most innovative and important examples of film making. Sadly, he passed away before this project was completed or released, making "Transformers" officially the last film to which he contributed. So who was this historic cinematic icon?

Bonus Question: The Transformers were, of course, robots in disguise, capable of transforming into cars or trucks or planes or household objects. Which Transformer could transform into a large pistol, which was then fired by another Transformer?

"Streets Of Fire" Trivia

2007-06-21T08:17:00.000-07:00

The film "Streets Of Fire" wasn't well received when it was originally released in 1984. It failed to break even, putting an end to plans for a pair of sequels. A heavily stylized attempt at rock and roll film noir, it was full of 50's cars, 80's neon, and MTV ready music sequences. The story centers on the rescue of a rock singer kidnapped by a biker gang led by the sinister Raven. A great concept for the time, but Hollywood has proven over and over that a great concept does not always mean a great film.

If nothing else, it's full of familiar faces. Willem Dafoe, Rick Moranis, Bill Paxton, Ed Begley Jr., even an appearance by The Blasters. The actress who played the sultry singer Ellen Aim had to wait until the 90's to regain her stardom, but she makes for an alluring 80's rock star in this film. So who was it?

Bonus Question: Streets of fire was full of tunes, but the one that became the biggest hit was a Dan Hartman song called "I Can Dream About You." Hartman was in the music video version, but in the film, the song was performed by a fictional 60's style doo-wop group. What was the name of this doo-wop group in the film?

Cyndi Lauper Trivia

2007-06-14T08:10:00.000-07:00

This Thursday is the True Colors tour at Merriweather Post Pavilion. The headliner for the show is legendary 80's pop-star Cyndi Lauper. Cyndi Lauper was responsible for the central female anthem of the decade, the song "Girls Just Want To Have Fun." As timeless as that song has become, it only made it to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Lauper's first #1 was actually "Time After Time," but those two hits plus two others put Cyndi Lauper in the record books as the first female artist to have four Top Five singles from a debut album. Among her many other achievements, she was the #1 Singles Artist and #1 Female artist of the year for 1984, and she won awards from the MTV Video Music Awards, the American Music Awards, and Rolling Stone Magazine. Cyndi Lauper also won a Grammy Award, what was the category?

Bonus Question: Cyndi Lauper's second album "True Colors" featured lots of guests, including The Bangles, Aimme Mann, and Billy Joel. One of the guests on the album provided a voice over segment at the end of the song "911," playing the role of an emergency operator. Who was it?

80's Birthday Trivia: June 7th

2007-06-05T08:01:00.000-07:00

This Thursday is June 7th, and there are a number of famous people who have a birthday on this date. Actor Liam Neeson was born on June 7th, along with tennis star Anna Kournikova. One of the best known pop stars of the 80's was born on June 7th, 1958.

The artist in question was and is one of the most prolific songwriters and recording artists of his generation, with several platinum albums, no less than twenty top ten singles, chart topping songs written for other artists, a stable of his own protégés, and a hit movie. So who is the birthday boy in question?

Bonus Question: There's another popular singer who will be celebrating a birthday this Thursday, only this one was born in 1940, and experienced most of his success in the 60's. He did make it back into the charts in 1988, though, when he teamed up with the Art Of Noise to record a cover version of a song that was previously a #1 hit for the very same artist mentioned in the first part of our trivia challenge. So what's the name of our other birthday boy?

Lip Sync Mishaps Trivia

2007-06-01T07:36:00.000-07:00

Last week pop star Britney Spears earned some fresh demerits from critics and fans when her performance at the House of Blues in Florida went awry in a most undignified fashion. It seems the prerecorded track that she was lip syncing to began to skip. Now, I feel for Ms. Spears. Anyone who relies on CD's (or DVD's) has probably had them skip or jam at the worst possible times, so I would figure the controversy would focus on more reliable discs. Actually, no. The controversy is over the revelation that Britney lip syncs. I didn't realize this was news, but I digress. Of course Britney is not the first popstar to suffer from such a scandal. Ashlee Simpson got burned back in 2004 during a Saturday Night Live appearance. And every time something like this happens, people will no doubt recall the most infamous example of rock and roll swindles from back in the late 80's.

In July of 1989, a popular dance duo had their 'live' performance on MTV ruined by a skipping playback machine, fueling speculation that their live shows were faked. But by the following year, their careers were over when their manager officially revealed that they didn't actually sing on their studio recordings either. They even had to give back their Grammy. What was the name of the group?

Bonus Question: Maybe all these discredited pop stars could turn their lemons into lemonade by pointing out that decent lip syncing is itself a tricky skill to master. Not convinced? Well, back in 1984 there was a T.V. show that rated contestants for their originality, appearance, and lip sync ability as they mimed along to popular songs of the day. What was the name of the show?

80's Beach Music Video Trivia

2007-05-25T00:09:00.000-07:00

With Memorial Day Weekend approaching fast, many people will be making their way to the beach. The beach is a vital part of summer time partying, as well as a concept that presents itself in lots of 80's pop culture.

The Fixx tried to "Reach The Beach," New Order "Walked down to the beach . . . " Beaches provided the setting for fun 80's party movies like "Back To The Beach," and "The Allnighter," and also provided the title for the slightly less party oriented movie "Beaches." And there were at least a couple of 80's music videos that take place at the beach. One such video that comes to mind has the band's captivating lead singer frolicking in the surf while her band mates are alternately shown rocking out on the dunes and buried up to their necks in the sand. Also protruding from the sand are several gigantic red and white striped candy canes. What's the name of the song?

Bonus Question: Another 80's music video filmed at the beach shows the Beastie Boys pursuing a buxom babe in a bikini and red high heels across the sandy shores of (what looks like) Long Island. What's the name of the song?

The English Beat and Evangelicals Trivia

2007-05-24T23:51:00.000-07:00

The English Beat will be appearing at The Birchmere this week. The English Beat were part of the late 70's/early 80's ska revival, along with other 2-Tone recording artists like The Specials, The Selecter, and Madness. They inspired a legion of dedicated fans despite having a relatively short run of three album releases during their time together.

Ironically, (but not unusual for U.K. bands in the 80's), their early recordings made it to the British charts while without charting in the states, and later records that charted in the U.S. barely got noticed in England. The Beat (as they were known overseas) had their first U.K. hit with a cover of "Tears Of A Clown" in 1979. The highest U.K. chart position The English Beat achieved with an original tune came in 1980. Interestingly, the song made it to the U.K. charts again in 1996, and it's a tune they are well remembered for. What's the name of this song?

Bonus Question: The Reverend Jerry Falwell passed away recently in his office at Liberty University. Falwell was a controversial figure back in the 80's, and remained so right up until his final days. He became a public icon during the 80's for his work furthering Evangelical Christian causes, and for the role he played in helping Ronald Reagan and the Rupublican Party rise to power during that decade. He founded the Moral Majority in 1979, an organization that became a lightning rod for scorn and animosity from the alternative scene almost immediately.

Punk rock bands like the Dead Kennedys, The Circle Jerks, Youth Brigade and Green Day all took shots at the group in their lyrics. Industrial bands like Ministry, KMFDM, Pop Will Eat Itself, and Cabaret Voltaire used the rhetoric of the religious right in dada-ist sample collages. One of the best send ups of the Evangelical movement was a B-side that became a dancefloor hit back in the 80's. The song didn't even bother with lyrics, it was all samples, and it started out with the line "Hey poor! You don't have to be poor anymore!" The band was Front 242, what was the name of the song?

Jane Fonda Movie Trivia

2007-05-09T14:27:00.000-07:00

Actress Jane Fonda was on Letterman last night, promoting a new movie in which she stars alongside Lindsay Lohan. Most of the trivia one might dig up concerning Jane Fonda would probably focus more on the 60's and 70's than the 80's. But then, the band name Duran Duran did come from the movie "Barbarella." And who can forget Fonda and her leg warmers, appearing in the series of Jane Fonda workout tapes that spanned the 80's?

Fonda's film work in the 80's was less intense than in previous decades, but she had a few hits and otherwise notable appearances. In fact, Jane Fonda and her father Henry Fonda were the only father daughter acting team to both receive Oscar nominations in the same year. The year was 1981, what was the name of the film?

Bonus Question: In 1980, Jane Fonda starred along with Dolly Parton and Lilly Tomlin in the hit comedy "9 to 5." One of the other members of the cast of "9 to 5" also appeared in the mystery film mentioned in the trivia question above. Who was it?

80's Prom Night: Valley Girl Trivia

2007-05-03T11:33:00.000-07:00

This weekend is prom night! Proms are a big part of teen movies, and teen movies were, like, a MAJOR part of the 80's! Much in the same way that Prom Night is the big climax at the end of high school, the Prom provides the setting for the big climax in films like "Pretty In Pink," "Dance 'Til Dawn," and the 80's classic "Valley Girl."

In the film "Valley Girl," punk rocker Randy is vying for the affections of Julie, who is trying to choose between him and her more straight laced boyfriend Tommy. When Julie rejects Randy, he is heartbroken, and spends the night drinking at a club at the edge of town. The band playing in the club is an actual band from the 80's, and in the scene they play a little of their hit song "A Million Miles Away." What is the name of this band?

Bonus Question: Earlier in the film, Randy is going out on a limb to get Julie's attention. He camps out on her lawn, he's the ticket taker at the movie theater, the server at the drive in, he even dedicates a song to her on the radio. What's the name of the song and what's the name of the band who recorded it?

Sigourney Weaver Trivia

2007-04-25T18:17:00.000-07:00

The Discovery Channel has a series running right now called "Planet Earth," and the narrator's voice seems a bit familiar. In fact, it is none other than actress Sigourney Weaver. A classically trained dramatic actress, Sigourney Weaver first got noticed by film audiences as a result of a six second part in Woody Allen's "Annie Hall."

She's probably best known for her portrayal of 'Ripley' in the Alien series, but she's had a slew of other great roles in film and in the theater. And although she has not (as yet) won an Academy Award, She's been nominated a couple of times. She got nominated for Best Actress for "Aliens" (an extreme rarity in the sci-fi genre), and in 1988 she earned the rare distinction of being nominated for both Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress in two different films. The supporting actress nomination was for her part in "Working Girl," can you name the 1988 film for which Sigourney Weaver received her second "Best Actress" Oscar nomination?

Bonus Question: Sigourney Weaver adopted the first name 'Sigourney' after reading "The Great Gatsby" as a teenager. What was the first name she was born with?

Sean Penn Movie Trivia

2007-04-19T22:02:00.000-07:00

Actor Sean Penn was on "The Colbert Report" tonight. Which is irregular considering that the reclusive Mr. Penn isn't exactly a regular on the talk show circuit. But Colbert has had other reclusive guests on his show in the past, including the ever-elusive George Lucas - So, I guess anything is possible for Colbert. If you missed the show tonight, don't worry... Comedy Central re-airs the Colbert Report several times the following day. In any case, here's some fun Sean Pen Trivia in honor of this memorable episode of the Colbert Report.

As most of you are aware, Sean Penn got his start in the 80's. And, for this trivia question, we'll recall a couple of lesser known Sean Penn movies. Mr. Penn is apparently a big fan of Robert DeNiro, and he got a chance to co- star with his idol back in 1989. The stunning thing is that it was a comedy! What was the name of the film?

Bonus Question: Back in the 80's, Sean Penn had a small part in a film directed by his father, Leo Penn. What was the name of the film?

Ally Sheedy Trivia

2007-04-11T06:54:00.000-07:00

Actress Ally Sheedy was part of the original 'Brat Pack' in the mid eighties, earning that distinction by appearing in such 80's classics as "the Breakfast Club" and "St. Elmo's Fire." She actually considered the term 'Brat Pack' a bit condescending. After all, at the time the Hollywood press was applying term, Sheedy was 23 and had been acting on stage and appearing in commercials since age 15. She had even published her own children's book at age 12 (it probably didn't hurt that her mom was a literary agent.) Ally Sheedy had a bunch of television roles between '81 and '83. Then she made the leap to film with her first motion picture role in a 1983 film that starred Sean Penn. What was the name of the movie?

Bonus Question: Ally Sheedy had a recurring part on a TV series before moving on to film. Her character's name was Kristen, what was the name of the show?

Alfred Molina Movie Trivia

2007-04-04T09:41:00.000-07:00

Actor Alfred Molina is back in theaters, with a supporting role in the new Richard Gere film "The Hoax." Molina may not be a household name, but he's a respected stage actor, and he's had his fair share of notable movie roles. He was in last year's "The Da Vinci Code," he was the mayor in "Chocolat," and he played arch villain Dr. Octopus in "Spiderman 2." He's been acting in films since the early 80's, and in fact his very first feature film appearance was in a small but memorable role in a true 80's classic. His character delivers the classic line "No time to argue. Throw me the idol, I throw you the whip." What was the name of this film?

Bonus Question: Not to give away the answer to the first question, but the distinctive opening sequence of the afore mentioned film created enough of a sensation that spoofs have shown up in many subsequent works. The Simpsons did a take off this film sequence in the 90's, and so did a 1989 film starring another famous "Al", the prince of parody, "Weird Al" Yankovic. What was the name of Weird Al's film?

Daryl Hannah 80's Movie Trivia

2007-04-01T22:42:00.000-07:00

In the 1984 film "Splash," actress Daryl Hannah plays a mermaid who rescues a young boy named Allen from drowning. After another encounter with the grown up Allen years later, she decides to emerge from the ocean, assume human form, and seek him out. He's all grown up at this point, and living in New York City (and played by Tom Hanks). A few clever plot devices are thrown in to explain how the mermaid's tail becomes a pair of legs, and how she learns English. Additionally, once on land, Hannah's mermaid character decides to adopt a name from a street sign. What was the name of Daryl Hannah's mermaid character in "Splash?"

Bonus Question: A few years earlier, Daryl Hannah played a renegade replicant on the run from the Blade Runner. What was her character's name in that film?

Gremlins Movie Trivia

2007-03-21T07:48:00.000-07:00

In the 1984 movie "Gremlins," Inventor Rand Peltzer sets out to find an unusual Christmas gift for his son Billy. He ends up purchasing a furry little creature called a "Mogwai" from the grandson of a mysteries shopkeeper. Little does Peltzer know, he's bringing home a bundle of chaos. Billy names his Mogwai "Gizmo," and sets about getting acquainted with his new pet. Unfortunately, Billy and his family fail to follow a set of care and feeding rules offered by the shopkeeper's grandson, and the result is that the cute furry Mogwais multiply into a horde of ill tempered green lizard men. So, according to the shopkeeper's son, what are the three rules that you must follow in order to prevent your Mogwai from mutating into a mob of Gremlins?

Bonus Question: Who is credited as providing the voice for little Gizmo?

Lucky Charms Leprechaun for St. Patty's

2007-03-14T19:58:00.000-07:00

St. Patrick's day is approaching and this week's trivia question is all about this popular Irish holiday. Ask anybody who grew up in the 80's to name a famous leprechaun, and they'll probably mention "Lucky," the mascot for Lucky Charms breakfast cereal.

The lovable cartoon character was originally created in 1964, and except for a brief period in the 70's when he was replaced by a wizard, he's been pitching the marshmallow encrusted cereal ever since.

So, if you were watching Saturday morning cartoons back in the 80's, and a Lucky Charms commercial came on, you'd see Lucky the Leprechaun trying to dodge a pack of hungry kids bent on taking his cereal. What was the famous catch phrase that Lucky would always say before he tried to escape?

Bonus Question: You can probably recite the four marshmallow shapes that were in the original Lucky Charms cereal ("yellow moons, orange stars, pink hearts, and green clovers!") Blue diamonds were added in 1975, but what were the two regularly occurring shapes that were added in the 80's?

Scooter Libby, Iran-Contra, and Kevin Costner

2007-03-12T14:29:00.000-07:00

The big story recently has got to be the guilty verdict for Vice President Dick Cheney's former Chief of Staff, Lewis "Scooter" Libby. Now, i dont mention politics in these 80's trivia questions when I can avoid it, but I couldn't help noticing the parallels between the legal scandal that plagues the Bush Administration now, and the scandal during the Reagan Administration back in the 1980's.

The phrase "fall guy" was used in the news coverage of both of these affairs, suggesting that the individuals who end up facing a jury in these matters are taking the rap for the misdeeds of higher ranking officials. Back in the days of the Iran-Contra scandal, the most visible scapegoat was decorated the Marine Lieutenant Colonel who was serving as a National Security Council aide in the Reagan administration.
He was convicted and sentenced, later got his conviction overturned, and ultimately followed in the footsteps of guys like G. Gordon Liddy by becoming a commentator on radio and television. What was his name? (hint: he's the guy in the picture)

Bonus Question: Roughly a year after the Iran-Contra scandal broke, a movie came out with obvious parallels to the story. It starred Kevin Costner as a young Naval officer who struggles to avoid being blamed for a Washington D.C. scandal that involves sex, murder, and abuse of power. What was the name of the film?

Oscar Winners: Martin Scorsese & Forest Whitaker

2007-03-01T11:50:00.000-08:00

Last week our Trivia Challenge concerned itself with the Grammys, so it's fitting that this week's puzzler is inspired by the recent Academy Awards ceremony. By all accounts, the predictions about who would win for many of the major awards were quite accurate. The best example is Martin Scorsese's win for "Best Director."

In the weeks leading up to the Oscars, every discussion about the awards mentioned the fact that the legendary director had never won an Oscar, despite numerous nominations. So it would have been a bigger surprise if he hadn't won, but it's great that he's getting the recognition this year.

Scorsese's important contributions to the world of film include such classics as "Taxi Driver," "Raging Bull," and "The Last Temptation of Christ." He's also made a few contributions to the world of music video. What was the name of the Michael Jackson video that Scorsese directed back in the 80's?

Bonus Question: Lots of well deserved wins in the acting categories, not the least of which was Forest Whitaker's win for "Best Actor." He originally went to college on a football scholarship, then earned two more scholarships in music, and then went to Berkley to study acting under a fourth scholarship. He's had a diverse career that's included both major films and independents, television, and even some directing (in fact, he directed a music video too, but that was in the 90's). And he's rubbed elbows with at least one of the other people who took home an Oscar last Sunday. What was the name of the Martin Scorsese film from the 1980's that included a small part played by Forest Whitaker?

Grammy Award Winners: The Judds

2007-02-22T14:57:00.000-08:00

Last week's weeks Trivia Challenge concerned itself with a seasonal theme for the day (our post valentines salute to love gone wrong), so there was no mention of the Grammy awards ceremony that took place earlier that week.

Every year the I scan the list of Grammy nominees and winners to see if artists or trends from the 80's are in evidence. The big story this year was the Dixie Chicks, who overcame a rather undeserved reputation as pariahs and took home five Grammys (funny, criticizing the president only seemed to help Green Day).

There's not a whole lot of country music that shows up in an 80's play list, but I do remember that there was a lot of talk back then about the 'new country' that was emerging. Artists like Dwight Yokham, Marty Stuart, and K.D. Lang were redefining what the genre meant to people. If one were to look for an 80's equivalent of the Dixie Chicks, one might settle on The Judds. True, The Judds never attacked Reagan's military strategies, and where the Dixie Chicks are a trio, The Judds were a duo (if only Ashley Judd had pursued singing instead of acting . . . )

Nevertheless, The Judds were the most successful country duo of the era, and they won the Grammy for "Best Country Performance By A Duo Or A Group With Vocal" four times during the 80's ('84, '85, '86, & '88). The Judds won their first Grammy for their first number one single on the Billboard Country chart. What was the name of the song?

Bonus Question: I will confess that if my mother hadn't been such a huge Judds fan I would have been oblivious to The Judds and anything else from the country scene. Dance music and club music doesn't get represented quite as thoroughly as country, but there were two awards this year.

80's artists dominated the categories, with one nomination for Depeche Mode and two for the Pet Shop Boys. Madonna got nominations in both categories, and took home the award for "Best Electronic/Dance Album." Madonna got nominations back in the 80's, but no awards. She got her first Grammy in 1991 for "Best Long Form Video" (For the "Blonde Ambition World Tour: Live!), and then picked up a bunch of awards in 1999 for "Ray Of Light." So what was the name of the song that got Madonna her first ever Grammy nomination back in the 80's?

Depeche Mode Sad Love Songs

2007-02-15T11:12:00.000-08:00

The 80's were a great time for tragic songs about love gone wrong. Back then, love was tainted, love was a battlefield, and modern love just walked on by. Love was a stranger, a bizarre triangle that would tear us apart again. Seems like only Tiffany was having a good time with it.

So, with such a wealth of great 80's tunes for the broken hearted, this Thursday's post Valentines salute to songs of spite and betrayal could very well go into the next day (but of course it can't). If ever there was a band that could throw together an ode to disappointment, it was Depeche Mode. They had some great love songs too, but every album included at least one cut that cut through the heart.

I specifically remember a friend of mine breaking up with his girl to the tune of "Leave In Silence." Cold blooded. Subsequent albums included gems like "Love In Itself," "Lie To Me," and the classic "Policy Of Truth." So what was the name of the Depeche Mode album that opened with the somber command to "Leave In Silence?"

Bonus Question: Depeche Mode wrote lots of bitter tunes, but they never had an album called "Love Stinks" (wouldn't have fit their image very well). What was the name of the band who did have an album called "Love Stinks?"

Prince at the Super Bowl Halftime Show

2007-02-07T12:01:00.000-08:00

The halftime show at this year's Superbowl was provided by the one and only Prince, and what a fine performance it was! From the fireworks to the marching band to the raw energy of the set, it brought some much needed excitement back to the Superbowl. And they pulled it off amidst a downpour, which only served to underscore the last song in the set.

The set included the song "Let's Go Crazy," a big hit from the Purple Rain soundtrack. In the lyrics to the song, Prince mentions calling up a shrink in Beverly Hills (U know the one.) What's the name of this shrink?

Bonus Question: The B-side to the original single release of "Let's Go Crazy" was the Prince classic "Erotic City." What was the name of the female vocalist who sang along with Prince on "Erotic City?"

The Police Trivia

2007-02-01T12:39:00.000-08:00

Rumor has it that the upcoming 49th Grammy Awards ceremony being broadcast on February 11th will open with a performance by The Police. The Police were one of the most important bands to emerge from the late 70's punk/new wave scene, and went on to become one of the most successful rock acts of all time. They only released five studio albums during their time together, but they were all great. An incredible achievement, considering that even the Stones had some clunkers.

Of course, tensions in the band drove them apart after the release of "Synchronicity," so maybe they split up before they could pull a 'Tin Machine.' The band had an impromtu reunion at Sting's wedding in 1992, and they got together a few years ago for their induction to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. But reuniting for the Grammies in 2007 roughly coincides with the 30 year anniversary of the band's inception.

Looking back at their history, it's notable that their only number one hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 was "Every Breath You Take." Granted, the song stayed there for eight weeks, making it one of the biggest hits of all time. But this was from their fifth album in 1983. In the U.K., they had five number one singles, and the first of these topped the charts back in 1979. So, what was the name of the first Police single to hit number one on the U.K. charts?

Bonus Question: U.S. recognition for The Police wasn't entirely lacking. The band won their first Grammy Award back in 1980. What was the name of the song AND the category in which they won?

80's Music from Australia

2007-01-25T09:24:00.000-08:00

Australia gave the world many great bands and artists back in the 80's. INXS, Men At Work, Midnight Oil, Rick Springfield, Real Life, and Kylie Minogue all came from the continent down under. These artists established themselves in Australia, then got noticed in the U.S. through the import bin at the record store and exposure on MTV. While some hit the U.S. charts early on and then faded away, others had a series of hits in the United States. Then there was Kylie Minogue, who had U.S. hits in the 80's, but not again until 2002.

Anyways, for the Aussie band The Church, getting recognition in the United States involved a slow and steady climb. From early on, their records were available on import, and they got airplay on alternative and college radio. But the band's search for major label support in the U.S. led them to associations with a couple of different record companies. It was after the band signed with Arista that they had their most successful release in the states. The album they put out in 1988 was called "Starfish," and while it didn't put them up there with U2 or R.E.M,. they did score their first and only Billboard Top 40 hit. What was the name of the song?

Bonus Question: The 80's band Eurogliders weren't actually from Europe. True, they had an English singer, but the band was formed in Perth, Australia. The one Eurogliders song that made it into the U.S. charts only got to #65, what was the name of this song?

Styx Trivia: Concept Albums

2007-01-17T10:47:00.000-08:00

In the early days of rock and roll, the medium of choice was the single. Back in the 50's, a stack of 45's might make up the majority of a teenager's collection. Long playing record albums mainly served to collect together a band's top singles. In the 60's, artists like the Beach Boys and The Beatles saw the album as a valid medium all its own, and released theme albums like "Pet Sounds" and "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band." The songs made more sense within the context of the other songs on the album. One step up from a theme album was the concept album, in which all the songs on the album had common characters and told a larger story. Examples include The Who's "Tommy," David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars," and Pink Floyd's "The Wall." Half the records ever released by Yes or The Alan Parsons Project qualified, but as the 70's wound down and punk rock emerged, the concept album got a bad reputation.

The emerging punk scene associated concept albums with bombast and rock era excess. But there were artists that still strove to put out concept albums in the 80's, and in the case of the band Styx, the desire of lead singer Dennis DeYoung to pursue concept albums put him at odds with the rest of the band. In fact, the Styx album "Kilroy Was Here" lead to the band's break up. The album sold well enough, but it got poor reviews, and the tour that followed emphasized theatrics and dialog to the point of alienating fans and band members alike. But the lead single from the album "Kilroy Was Here" was the band's second million seller, and while it wasn't their biggest hit, it's probably there best remembered tune. The song was heavy on camp value and unintentionally corny lyrics, and was later referenced by everything from "Futurama" to "Austin Powers" to a 1999 Volswagen commercial. What was the name of the song?

Bonus Question: The album "Kilroy Was Here" tells the story of a time in the future in which rock and roll is outlawed. The movement to ban rock is lead by Dr. Everett Righteous, who organizes record burnings and ultimately imprisons the story's hero, rock star Robert Orin Charles Kilroy. So what was the name of the political organization that Dr. Righteous uses to stamp out Rock N Roll?

Popular Girls do As They Please

2007-01-10T07:54:00.000-08:00

There was a story in the news recently that caught my attention . It seems that there's a group of cheerleaders at McKinney North High School in Texas that until recently had been absolutely terrorizing the place. This so called "Fab Five" were the most powerful clique in the school, and they owed it all to their incredible popularity and the fact that one had a mom who was the school's principal (up until the story got out and she was forced to resign.) But word has it these girls were cutting class, talking back to teachers, and just plain getting away with murder. I'll bet there were some kids at that school that wanted to burst their bubble. Anyways, the whole scandal is like some Hollywood movie come to life. Stories in the press about the McKinney High cheerleaders have compared the situation to the movie "Mean Girls." But I remember a film from the late 80's that, while not exactly the same, did feature an all powerful clique of ultra-popular chicks who run psychological roughshod over their classmates. The movie starred Wynona Ryder as a one time confidant of the group who conspires with outsider Christian Slater to burst their bubble in a most morbid fashion. What was the name of the film?

Bonus Question: The aforementioned film took place at the fictional Westerberg High School. Apparently, the name for the high school came from the last name of the lead singer of Wynona Ryder's (at the time) favorite band. So what band are we talking about?

Val Kilmer Movie Trivia

2007-01-04T13:45:00.000-08:00

Actor Val Kilmer began his pursuit of a career in acting by attending some very prestigious acting schools, such as the Hollywood Professional School and Juilliard. His early career included lots of theatre work, along with some appearances in commercials, and an after school special. When Kilmer set his sights on film work, he scored the lead role in his first two movies. Ironically, he got more attention for the supporting roles that followed, such as his part in the 1986 film "Top Gun."

He returned to leading roles in the 90's, portraying Jim Morrison in "The Doors" (1991) and the legendary caped crusader in "Batman Forever" (1995). He got a reputation as being difficult to work with (especially after the Batman gig), but many view Kilmer's technique of immersing himself in the role as the key to his ability to play many diverse types of characters. Back in 1985, Val Kilmer played the brilliant-yet-quirky leader of a group college students who divide their time between conducting cutting edge research and performing devious pranks. What was the name of the film?

Bonus Question: The film makers invented a fictional school to provide the setting for the afore mentioned movie, but it was based on an actual school. In fact, many of the pranks in the film were based on the exploits of the students at this actual school, and an alumnus of that school was on the set acting as a consultant during filming. What's the name of the real school that provided the inspiration for the fictional school in our mystery film?

James Brown Trivia

2006-12-27T12:40:00.000-08:00

As you may have heard in the news, the Godfather of Soul, the one and only James Brown, passed away on Christmas day. The contribution that James Brown and his band made to popular music cannot be overstated. His classic funk grooves were the bedrock on which Hip Hop was built, but his influence is not limited to Hip Hop alone. You can hear James Brown's influence in countless records by Prince, you can see his showmanship in the moves of Michael Jackson, and his activism in support of his community inspired artists like Afrika Bambaattaa and Public Enemy to follow his lead. And, we wouldn't have the electro-funk undercurrents that powered so much 80's dance music if it wasn't for him (so it's no coincidence Ministry sampled James Brown, The Tom Tom Club chanted his name, and Cabaret Voltaire named a song after him.) Just like Elvis Presley, James Brown's later years were marked by controversy and creative decline. But his name belongs right next to Elvis, and The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Lou Reed, David Bowie, Kraftwerk, and countless others who sent popular music in new directions.

At the dawn of the 1980's, James Brown was for the first time cast to play a part in a major motion picture. He plays a Reverend who's rousing sermon and energetic performance with the choir inspires the main characters in the film to go on a mission to save an orphanage in which they grew up. What was the name of the film?

Bonus Question: What was the name of the song James Brown recorded in 1984 with Afrika Bambaataa?

Beauty Queen Dilemma Déjà Vu

2006-12-21T12:46:00.000-08:00

Despite being focused on 80's pop trivia, we ty to remain topical and relevant to the here and now when composing the weekly trivia challenge. After all, everything old is new again, or so the saying goes. The big story in the entertainment world this week? "Beauty pageant winner(s) immersed in scandal, will she (they) be dethroned?" Miss USA 2006 Tara Conner's recent escapades in the New York club scene have threatened not only her title, but that of Miss Teen USA Katie Blair. It's nice to see that all concerned have there priorities in order, putting the issue of Miss USA retaining her title above such trivial matters as illegal drug use, underage drinking, contributing to the delinquency of minors, and liquor license violations for the clubs involved. But it occurs to us: We've been here before! In 1984, Vanessa Williams lost her title as Miss America after Penthouse magazine published a series of scandalous photos. Now, the Miss America Pageant and the Miss USA pageant are run by two different organizations, but it seems like Vanessa Williams got a raw deal back in the 80's. Ms. Williams participated in the controversial photo shoot long before entering the Miss America pageant, whereas Ms. Conner's improprieties took place while she was wearing the crown (or dragging it behind her as some accounts allege). Also, Ms. Williams didn't break any laws when she posed for that photo session, can the same be said for Ms. Conner? Well, it turns out that it is for the owner of the pageant to decide, and both Tara Conner and Katie Blair have been absolved by no less a moral authority than Donald Trump. Whoever owned the Miss America pageant back in 1984 declined to give Vanessa Williams a second chance, but it turns out she didn't need their endorsement anyhoo. Ms. Williams went on to have a successful career in movies and music that included gold records and a starring role on Broadway. All in all, a better track record than many pageant winners end up with. Vanessa Williams released her first solo album in 1988, what was the title of the album?

Bonus Question: Holy double whammy, Batman! The issue of Penthouse magazine that included the Vanessa Williams photo spread became the second largest selling issue of any magazine in history up to that point. Ironically, it's illegal to own an unaltered copy of that particular issue. The reason for this has nothing to do with Miss America, but rather the identity of the centerfold. So who was the centerfold for that particular issue of Penthouse, and why was it such a big deal?

80's songs that wont die

2006-12-14T12:12:00.000-08:00

There have been many 80's songs that have experienced a renewed enthusiasm during recent years and in the 90's. Many songs from the 80's seem they will never die. Many of these 80's songs that caught a "second wind" achieved it with the aid of a movie or commercial that contained the classic 80s tune. Or perhaps, someone remixed the song causing interest in the original as well.

Whatever the cause, some popular 80's hits that went over big between '93 and '96 might have included "Treason" by Teardrop Explodes, "I Feel For You" by Chaka Kahn, "I Would Die For U" by Prince, "Rock Me Amadeus" by Falco, or "Church Of The Poison Mind" by Culture Club. "Legs" by Art Of Noise got played all the time back then, but doesn't get requested as much now. By contrast, tunes like "The Promise" by When In Rome ,"Head On" by The Jesus And Mary Chain, "Don't Put Another Dime In The Jukebox" by The Flirts, "You Might Think" by The Cars, and Dramarama's "Anything, Anything" represent the kind of tunes that have been added to the set in the last 5 years.

Of course, there's many standards that always please the crowds like: "Billy Jean," "Come On Eileen," "Safety Dance," "Hungry Like The Wolf," "In A Big Country," "Bizarre Love Triangle," "Spin Me Round," "Oh L'Amour, "Don't You Forget About Me," "Into The Groove", and "Take On Me" or the infamous "Video Killed The Radio Star" by The Buggles. After all, it was the first video ever played on MTV. But do you remember the name of the first Buggles album, the one that contained this hit?

Bonus Question: The artist who recorded "Kiss Me" was a founding member of Duran Duran, but he left the band right before they made it big. He soldiered on, though, recording under several different names. What was he calling himself when he recorded "Kiss Me"?

80's Band, Madness Trivia

2006-12-07T12:52:00.000-08:00

The British band Madness were very British. Like Kate Bush, The Jam, The Sex Pistols, or Lulu, there's little doubt that anyone listening to Madness (or watching one of their highly creative music videos) would be able to guess where the band was from. And they were beloved in Britain. True, they followed the familiar rock and roll trajectory of rising to stardom and later on fading from view with little fanfare. But at their peak, their fans in Britain came from all kinds of different age groups and backgrounds. Their first 20 singles all made it into the UK top 20, so it's no surprise that their 1992 hits collection went right to the top of the British charts. In the United States, the band is best known for the song "Our House," which made it to #7 on the Billboard charts and was their only U.S. top ten hit. "Our House" made it to #5 in England, but wasn't actually their biggest hit over there (in fact they had at least eight songs that charted higher in the UK!) Madness hit #1 on the UK charts back in 1982 with a song that came out before "Our House." What was the name of the song?

Bonus Question: Madness did a fair number of cover tunes, and it doesn't surprise me that they covered legendary ska artists like Prince Buster. (In fact, both their first single "One Step Beyond," as well as the band's name, came from Prince Buster.) But it does surprise me that they covered a Scritti Politti song back in the 80's. Their version made it to #35 on the UK charts. Which Scritti Politti song did Madness cover?

Gina Gershon Trivia

2006-11-30T13:34:00.000-08:00

Much like the subject of the last 80s trivia question, actress Gina Gershon appeared in her best known films during the 90's, but got her first acting roles back in the 80's. Today, Gershon is well known for having a large and dedicated gay and lesbian following, probably influenced in part by her roles in which she appeared in sexually provocative, nude lesbian love scenes.

While she had uncredited roles as a dancer in both "Beatlemania: The Movie" and "Girls Just Want To Have Fun," her first credit worthy role in a major studio production was in an 80's classic from Director John Hughes. I don't remember hearing her utter a word, but I do remember her and her best friend giving Molly Ringwald a really hard time (tch tch). What was the name of the film?

Bonus Question: Which Cars video features an appearance by Gina Gershon?

Marisa Tomei Trivia

2006-11-22T07:02:00.000-08:00

Actress Marisa Tomei is probably best known for her Oscar winning performance in the 1992 film "My Cousin Vinny." She's had a bunch of great film roles before and since, and also appeared as herself on an episode of "Seinfeld." Back in the 80's, she had a supporting role on a TV sitcom that starred actress Lisa Bonet. Marisa Tomei played one of Lisa Bonet's college roommates, what was the name of the show?

Bonus Question: Marisa Tomei's first appearance in a major film was a tiny little part where she only had one line ("You're so drunk!") What was the name of the film?

Cage or Cusack Trivia

2006-11-16T14:26:00.000-08:00

Polarization is the buzz word in recent elections in this country, with progressively smaller percentages of the population making up the undecided 'swing' vote. Everyone else seems to have their minds made up well ahead of time. But we think the candidates in today's 80's trivia question present quite a challenge when it comes to deciding who was cooler. Nicolas Cage or John Cusack?

Nicolas Cage and John Cusack are both great actors and personalities, and each has a long list of credits that includes a diverse range of critically acclaimed films. And both got their start in the 80's! Actor Nicolas Cage is particularly adept when it comes to playing different sorts of roles. From punk rocker Randy in "Valley Girl" to gang member Smokey in "Rumble Fish" to Vietnam vet Sergeant Al Columbato in "Birdy." In the film "Raising Arizona," Cage plays a comedic role as an ex-convict who marries a policewoman and conspires to kidnap a child from a wealthy furniture store owner. So, what was the name of Nicolas Cage's character in "Raising Arizona?"

Bonus Question: John Cusack has played many great characters in his career, but his portrayal of the lovable underachiever Lloyd Dobler in "Say Anything..." is the one for the history books. In the film's most memorable scene, Lloyd holds a stereo over his head that is playing the song "In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel. By doing so, he is hoping to win back the affections of his sweetheart. The song will forever be associated with that moment, but "In Your Eyes" was actually added to the scene during the post production process. The sound coming from the stereo while the scene was shot was actually a tape of one of Cusack's favorite bands at the time. So what band was actually playing on the boombox during that classic scene?

German 80s Trivia: When the Wall Came Down

2006-11-09T12:51:00.000-08:00

Today is November 9th, and it was on this day in 1989 that the Berlin Wall came down. After nearly half a century of tension between the east and the west, the conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union started to cave in, and with it went Europe's most prominent symbol of the divide: the wall that separated East and West Berlin. Now that much of the details surrounding those historic events have been declassified, it turns out that the wall came down due to a series of mistakes and miscommunications as much as anything else. It certainly caught the press by surprise, along with border guards, military commanders, and leaders in both Washington and Moscow. But once the process had begun, it snowballed out of control. One American TV star who was in Berlin at the time was able to share in the celebration AND garner a big following as a result (much to the chagrin of many back in the States.) He had first become famous commanding a computerized car called "Kit" in the series "Night Rider," but he became a hero to Berliners when he sang the song "Looking For Freedom" as the wall came down. What was his name?

Bonus Question: What was the name of the Canadian band that had a song called "Dancing On The Berlin Wall?"

All Souls Day: 80's Style

2006-11-02T12:05:00.000-08:00

Today is November 2nd, and November 2nd is All Souls Day. The basic idea of All Souls Day is to take the opportunity to remember those who have passed away during the preceding year. Many well known people from the 80's left this world during 2006, such as former Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger, Senator and 1988 Vice Presidential candidate Lloyd Bensten, Producer Aaron Spelling, and actor Bruno Kirby to name a few. Since this site tends to focus more on pop culture, here's some trivia concerning a couple of dearly departed stars from the 80's: Actor and comedian Don Knotts passed away back in February. Knotts' career started long before the 80's. He had a regular spot on the "Steve Allen Show" back in the 50's, and went on to play Barney Fife on the "Andy Griffith Show" during the 60's (for which he earned SEVEN Emmies!) If kids in the 80's didn't know him from all the Andy Griffith repeats, they undoubtedly knew him as the landlord on "Three's Company." He joined the cast in 1979 when The Ropers left to appear in a spin-off. So what was the name of Don Knotts' character on "Three's Company?"

Bonus Question: Singer June Pointer, youngest member of the Pointer Sisters, passed away in April of this year. The Pointer Sisters had a string of hits in the early 80's. They also had several film and television appearances in which they either played themselves or played a fictional singing group. They had a spot in the 1976 film "Car Wash," and they played 'The Mermaids' on an episode of The Love Boat' (they backed up bartender Isaac in a talent show). What was the name of the T.V. sitcom on which the Pointer Sisters had a guest appearance as a singing group known as the 'Doo-Wop Girls?'

Ghostbusters Movie Trivia

2006-10-25T21:09:00.000-07:00

Appropriately, this week's 80's trivia question has a halloween theme about the Ghostbusters Movie:

A red circle bisected by a diagonal red stripe. Place this symbol over a cigarette, it means 'No Smoking,' place it over a clown, it means 'No Bozos.' Place it over a spook, and you've got the Ghostbusters logo. Like a team of metaphysical dog catchers, the Ghostbusters offer a service to haunted eighties New Yorkers every bit as essential as that of the exterminator: ridding your property of ghosts. But as the film progresses, the Ghostbusters discover that the ghoulish infestation of New York is much more serious than they originally thought. A portal is being opened to the netherworld, through which Gozer the Destructor will emerge to destroy the world. In the films climax, the Ghostbusters confront Gozer, who transforms from a haunting young woman into a gigantic monster that lumbers through the city streets. What form does Gozer assume in order to terrorize New York City and destroy the Ghostbusters?

Bonus Question: At one point in the film Ghostbusters, a teenage girl is seen celebrating her birthday at Central Park's Tavern on the Green. Who plays the part of this teenage girl?

Prince Movie Trivia: Purple Rain

2006-10-19T14:03:00.000-07:00

Today's 80's trivia questions focus on one of my favorite 80's stars, the artist both formerly and currently known as Prince. Not everyone remembers Prince's second or third attempts at movie stardom, but everyone remembers his first: "Purple Rain." Prince already had a bunch of hit singles, but the success of "Purple Rain" made him a superstar. It also gave him the distinction of being the first artist since The Beatles to have the #1 album, #1 single, and #1 movie all at the same time. The #1 single was, of course, "When Doves Cry," and the lyrics to the song suggest the image of a courtyard with an ocean of "something" in bloom. An ocean of what?

Bonus Question: The film "Purple Rain" mirrors Prince's real life. One of the central themes to the film "Purple Rain" is the main character's turbulent relationship with his father, who is also a musician. As difficult as his relationship with his father is, The Kid (Prince's character) picks up on one of his dad's old tunes and reworks it. Whether this happened in real life or not, I don't know, but one of the songs on the "Purple Rain" soundtrack is used in the scenes where The Kid is trying to rework his father's song into something of his own. Which song?

Pet Shop Boys Trivia

2006-10-12T13:10:00.000-07:00

The Pet Shop Boys are coming to visit us here in the Nation's Capitol on Sunday, so they are the subject of today's trivia question... What better way to make an entrance into the world of pop music than by having your first chart topping song become a timeless classic as well as going all the way to #1 on both sides of the Atlantic? Actually, it wasn't quite that easy for the duo. The first version of what would eventually become their signature song only caught on in Belgium (and one or two other places), but failed to get significant airplay in the U.S. and in the U.K. Their fortune changed when the song was re-recorded by Stephen Hague and re-released a year or so later. From that point the new version steadily gained popularity until it hit the top of the charts. So what was the name of the Pet Shop Boys first (and as far as the Billboard Hot 100, only) #1 single?

Bonus Question: The afore mentioned song may not have been #1 in "every city, in every nation," but it might as well have been. The lyrics to the song mention two geographical locations (in the next line, actually), which are stops on a railway line. What are the two locations mentioned in the song's lyrics? (Extra credit if you can cite the historical significance of this lyrical reference).

Incredible Hulk Trivia

2006-10-04T12:11:00.000-07:00

This past weekend they were showing the 2003 version of "The Hulk" on cable. If you are a child of the 80's, you might remember "The Incredible Hulk" TV series that ran from 1977 to somewhere around 1982. The show kind of shambled off the air when the ratings started to slide. Back in those days there was rarely a dramatic final episode to conclude a series, as show cancellations just kind of happened. But there was a 1988 TV movie "The Incredible Hulk Returns," followed by "The Trial of the Incredible Hulk" in 1989. So how does the Hulk of 2003 compare with the one in the TV version? CGI Hulk big. CGI Hulk smash. CGI Hulk has strange play dough like consistency. Creating a CGI Hulk wasn't a possibility back when they made the TV series, so instead they hired a bodybuilder and former Mr. Universe to play the part, covered in green make-up and frizzed out wig. He may not have had CGI Hulk's 15 foot tall stature, but he brought a level of humanity to the role. So who played the Incredible Hulk in the late 70's/early 80's live action TV version?

To help you with this week's trivia question, here's the opening segment to the 1980's Incredible Hulk TV show. It's fun to watch it again and it may just give you the answer to this week;s trivia question. Take a look...

Bonus Question: Academy award winning actress Jennifer Connelly appears in the 2003 Hulk film. Eighties fans may remember her from the 1986 film "Labyrinth." She's probably best known for her part in "A Beautiful Mind," as well as several other films from the last ten years or so, but she started her career with small acting and modeling gigs when she was still in grade school. Jennifer Connelly even had a bit part in a Duran Duran video back in the 80's. Which one?

Madonna: Bad Movies, Good Soundtracks

2006-09-28T12:13:00.000-07:00

Today we celebrate Madonna's torrid 80's affair with the silver screen. Like many romances, it started out fresh and invigorating, with a hint of mystery. But later it became stiff and awkward, burdened by the weight of too many unrealistic expectations. That doesn't mean Madonna's relationship with the movies didn't drag on for years (or that it's necessarily over), and while it didn't yield much in terms of box office success (after "Desperately Seeking Susan" anyways) or compelling cinema, it did add a bunch of hit tunes to her song catalog.

Maybe it's unfair to blame Madonna alone for her less-than successful films. After all, what about her leading men? We won't pick on Sean Penn or Warren Beatty, they've each got enough winners amongst their credits. But what about the leading man from "Who's That Girl?" He started out his career with some promising roles, but by the time he teamed up ith Madonna in 1987, he was on the downward slope towards supporting parts and production work. So what was the name of the actor who played Louden Trott in "Who's That Girl?"

Bonus Question: As mentioned above, Madonna movies that didn't sell movie tickets still managed to sell soundtrack records and hit singles. "Who's That Girl" not only had hits on the soundtrack, it had it's own very successful concert tour. But one of Madonna's big studio films from the 80's had no Madonna songs, and therefore had no Madonna hits, and instead featured another rock star's songs on a soundtrack that only saw limited release. Which movie was it and which rock star recorded the songs for the film's soundtrack?

Cabbage Patch Kids

2006-09-23T16:50:00.000-07:00

The cabbage patch kids were perhaps the most popular and memorable dolls from the 80's. The dolls were so popular and in such high demand, that stories of mother's fighting each other over the last doll in the toy store started surfacing in the mainstream news. Typically these maternal brawls occured during the christmas season when demand for the dolls was at its highest.

The plastic headed dolls were originally created with plush, fabric heads but when the went into mass production, they began having plastic heads that were much easier to produce. The original doll's creator, Xavier Roberts, began creating the dolls by hand and sold them at small festival and local busineses. Eventually he sold the licenscing of the dolls to Coleco who renamed them to: "Cabbage Patch Kids" and sold them succesfully throughout the 80's.

So, what was the original name of the "Cabbage Patch Kids" dolls?

John Hughes Movie Trivia

2006-09-21T12:44:00.000-07:00

Film Director John Hughes was THE chronicler of teenage experience back in the 80's, and probably stands out amongst directors of any era when it comes to credible portrayals of adolescence in the movies. Maybe Hughes did such a good job representing teenagers because he was so close to his own high school experiences. In fact, he lets it show in the choice of geographical settings for many of his best known films. Several of his films are set in the area of the country (even in the same neighborhoods) that John Hughes lived in during high school. As with most movie productions, different scenes for the same movie ended being shot in different places, but one U.S. city has always been closer to the center of the John Hughes universe than any other. The locations and settings for such Hughes classics as The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, Weird Science, Home Alone, Planes Trains & Automobiles, She's Having A Baby, and Ferris Bueller's Day Off were in the suburbs and towns that surround it, and in the art of the city itself. So what city are we talking about?

Bonus Question: Actual high schools were used as settings in many of Hughes' films, and often times more than one high school was actually used in the film to represent the fictitious school in the story. Which two John Hughes films from the 80's used the same two high schools for shooting interior and/or exterior scenes that appeared in those films? (I anticipate a fair amount of debate on this one...)

The Facts of Life of Stacey Q

2006-09-15T09:49:00.000-07:00

Amongst the vast selection of one hit wonders of the 80's (and there were plenty) was popstar Stacey Q. She was born Stacey Swain, and early on in her career performed in the Ringling Brothers Circus. Later, she joined a synthpop band called Q, who then became SSQ (basically adding her initials to the band's name). When SSQ ceased to be, apparently she got to take the 'Q' with her, re-emerging as the solo artist Stacey Q. Her debut solo album "Better Than Heaven" was released in 1986. It produced two hit singles, one of which made it to number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. What was the name of Stacey Q's biggest hit from back in the 80's?

Bonus Question: Like Suzi Quatro before her, Stacey Q got a spot on the television sitcom, "The Facts Of Life" playing (of all things) a pop star. In fact, George Clooney's character is so taken by her that he elects to become a roadie for her band as she departs to go on a concert tour. So what was the name of Stacey Q's character on the TV show, The Facts of Life?

MTV and the 80's Trivia

2006-09-07T11:56:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday night was the night of the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards ceremony. MTV was a central part of the 80's pop culture experience, and long time readers know that I always scan the list of winners and nominees for artists who first got big in the 80's. While the Grammies still love giving awards to Rock's old timers, they're harder to find on the VMA list. Still, there are a few, mostly amongst the nominees. Madonna was nominated, along with U2, Prince, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Green Day (who just barely have a foot in the 80's based on their first couple of records for Lookout Records).

Well, despite her five nominations, Madonna didn't score a moonman. The Red Hot Chili Peppers got six nominations, but only one win, in the less glamorous category of "Best Art Direction." Congrats all the same. Most people think of the 90's and Lollapalooza when they think of the Chili Peppers, but their first record did come out in 1984, and had their first big hits by the time of their fourth album in 1989. The songs "Knock Me Down" and "Higher Ground" made it onto the Billboard charts, paving the way for the bands even bigger success in the early 90's. So, what was the name of the 1989 Red Hot Chili Peppers album that put the band on the charts?

Bonus Question: As much as MTV portrays itself as revolutionary and courageous, they often act a bit cautious with new musical trends (This thought goes through my head as I note that this years winner for Best Hip Hop Video is Black Eyed Peas "My Humps.") When it comes to MTV's association with Hip Hop, it wasn't always the foregone conclusion it appears to be today. By 1988 rap music was already an established form. Nevertheless, it was in '88 that MTV first got into the game with a weekly two hour showcase known as "Yo! MTV Raps." The show's DJ was a well known figure in the New York scene who started out as a graffiti artist and went on to do production work and direct music videos. He was even mentioned in the lyrics to Blondie's "Rapture," and he appeared briefly in the video. What was the name of the DJ on "Yo! MTV Raps?"

Baby on Board Trivia

2006-09-04T21:41:00.000-07:00

We all remember the "baby on board" signs that were popular during the 80's. The five-inch signs were originally intended to be placed in the back window of an automobile to deter tailgating. The baby on board sign were first marketed in September 1984, the sign became a huge fad reaching it pinnacle in 1985. Its use in the US rapidly declined by 1986 as parody imitations with lines like "Baby I'm Bored," "Pit Bull on Board," and "Mother-In-Law in Trunk" became popular, but it is still popular in the UK (along with other versions such as "Princess on Board" and "Little Person on Board").

Although we rarely see the baby on board signs in the back of cars anymore, we still see this lexicon show up in american pop culture. In 1993, an episode of a popular television program featured a barbershop quartet tune called Baby On Board. The song crooned about how "each trip's a trip to paradise, with my baby on board", thanks to "the sign in my car's windowpane". What was the name of this television program?

Bonus question: What was the name of the company that first marketed the "baby on board" signs in 1984?

Yuppie 80's Trivia

2006-09-02T10:22:00.000-07:00

The term "yuppie" is a popular 80's slang that often was used with connotations of selfishness, materialism, and superficiality. Originally the term held some positive meaning, but quickly led to backlash against those that self-identified with the term. Much like the term "valley girl", "yuppie" enjoyed great popularity during the 1980's but died quickly in the 90's. The term "yuppie" is interesting because it sounds similar to the pupular 70's term "hippie" but is, by most accounts, the opposite in meaning.

So your 80's trivia question today is, where did the term yuppie come from? This is a tough one, so, i'll give you a little help. The term originated from an acronym that describes this particular demographic. The acronym is Y.U.P. What does this acronym stand for?

Bonus Question: Perhaps the most famous fictional yuppie character to-date is present in the novel "American Psycho" written by Bret Easton Ellis. What is the name of this famous yuppie character?

One Crazy Summer

2006-08-30T18:42:00.000-07:00

If Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of summer, then Labor Day weekend marks the summer's end. It's been one crazy summer, and I hate to see it go. Speaking of "One Crazy Summer," there was a movie by that name that starred John Cusack. It was directed by Savage Steve Holland, and it followed Holland's other feature with John Cusack, a movie called "Better Off Dead." "One Crazy Summer" isn't remembered with quite the same fondness as "Better Off Dead," but the lead actress in the film went on to become one of Hollywood's highest paid actresses in the 90's. Who played the role of John Cusack's love interest in "One Crazy Summer?"

Bonus Question: What is John Cusack's occupation in the film "One Crazy Summer?"

Valley Girl: The movie?

2006-08-28T21:18:00.000-07:00

Although most of us are familiar with the term "Valley Girl", most of us are not familiar with the motion picture of the same name. "Valley Girl" is a term coined for girls in the 1970s, originally referring to affluent young women living in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles, California. The term was popularized in the 1980's and its meaning shifted to represent a more cartoonish stereotype of young women. Typically, a valley girl was characterized by a "ditzy" or "airheaded" personality, and unapologetically "spoiled" behavior that showed more interest in shopping, personal appearance, and popular social status, rather than in any self-enriching pursuits.

The use of "valley girl" died out sometime in the 1990's but its mark on history can be seen in many ways - one of which is in the 1983 teen movie: "Valley Girl" starring Nicolas Cage. So, todays trivia question is: What was the name of the actress who played the Valley Girl in the movie?

Bonus Question: A 1995 movie told the tale of yet another Valley girl. This movie's story was based on the novel "Emma" written by Jane Austen. What was the name of this film?

Get the Lead Out

2006-08-25T09:38:00.000-07:00

"Get the lead out!" It's an old expression that basically means "pick up the pace, step lively, get things moving." It's very helpful when applied to soldiers and athletes, and, on occassion, is also appropriate to Rock Musicians. It seems that every so often in the cycle of pop music, rock stars get overly focused on sounding loud, hard, macho, and intimidating. Trouble is, they end up with a sound that plods along like a ten ton dinosaur. Fortunately, something comes along that puts a little swing back in the dance floor -Completely appropriate, as rock and roll did start out swingin' back in the '50's. When late 60's rock started to suffer under its own weight, the early 70's proto punk sound of The Ramones and the Stooges came to the rescue. By the late 70's, bands like Led Zepplin had once again buried rock and roll's energy under a morass of excess. Punk rock to the rescue. Even during the 90's, when a frantic lust for hard rock legitimacy clung to the feet of rock and roll like a tar pit, there was an all too brief swing revival. So as I sit here hoping that someone will rescue us from the slow plodding beats of the crunk millennium, I remind myself that you don't have to rock like a sloth to be a rebel. Back in the 80's, Adam Ant chided listeners who "Don't drink, don't smoke, what do ya do?" What was the name of the song?

Bonus Question: Hip cats in search of new wave tunes that swing, should grab a copy of Tones On Tail's album "Night Music," which includes one of the best 'B-sides-that-later-became-a-club-hit' ever. "Ya ya ya ya ya ya ya-ya yo," the tune advises that "Living it up is a big kick, it's good for you." What was the name of the song?

Tom Cruise and Kevin Bacon Trivia

2006-08-10T11:26:00.000-07:00

Tom Cruise and Kevin Bacon: both popular stars that emerged in the 1980's. And although you may not think that they have alot in common, they have a few interesting connections. So, today's 80's trivia challenge will highlight some of the things these two 80's stars have in common. Both were up and coming young stars back in the 80's, both starred in hit movies geared towards teen audiences, and both had memorable dance scenes in their big hit teen films. The two didn't actually show up in the same major motion picture cast until "A Few Good Men," but that came out in '92. So what else might connect the two? Reportedly Tom Cruise was considered for the lead role in Footloose, but there's a more tangible connection: hit songs from hit soundtracks. The same singer who sang the chart topping title song for Kevin Bacon's "Footloose" would later sing two hit songs for Tom Cruise's "Top Gun." In fact, this singer had more chart success with songs recorded for movie soundtracks than he had with songs recorded for his own albums. What is the name of this 80's musician?

Bonus Question: Kevin Bacon's character in one of his films has a best friend who is played by an actor who also plays the best friend of Tom Cruise's character in another film, AND this supporting actor is in real life the brother of another famous actor from the 80's who was himself a teen sensation way back then. What is the name of the supporting actor who played the 'best buddy' role alongside both Kevin Bacon and Tom Cruise back in the 80's?

Mel Gibson & Gary Numan

2006-08-03T12:13:00.000-07:00

Gary Numan's is performing here in DC at the 9:30 Club next week, so it seems appropriate to mention him in today's 80's Trivia Challenge. Also, Mel Gibson has been in the news as of late (under circumstances that are quite displeasing). So, can we rope in both celebrities in one 80's Trivia Question? But of course we can.

One of Mel Gibson's films from the early 80's made quite an impression on Gary Numan. So much of an impression that he used the film as the basis for the theme and title of his 1983 album release. Gary Numan even went so far as to dress the part on the cover, wearing an intimidating leather and chains get-up that made him look like a character from the movie. What was the name of this 1981 film?

Bonus Question: Although he's largely considered a one hit wonder in the U.S., Gary Numan hit number one on the U.K. singles and album charts several times during his career. With his success came the wealth that would allow Gary Numan to pursue a rather expensive hobby. His pursuit of this hobby has gotten him additional publicity around the world, and it also got him arrested in India. What is Gary Numan's hobby?

Miami Vice Trivia Question

2006-07-23T14:25:00.000-07:00

Since the new Miami vice movie is out now, it seems only appropriate to have a little miami vice triva this week. So, here goess...

Back in the 80's, the Miami Vice show got lots of attention for the use of some stylish and offbeat contemporary pop tunes in the score. In fact, the Miami Vice soundtrack LP spent 11 weeks at the top of the charts, making it the most successful TV soundtrack of all time. But while Phil Collins and Glen Fry contributed songs to the show (and even made cameo appearances in certain episodes), they didn't write the theme song. What was the name of the person who wrote the Miami Vice theme song, as well as the incidental music?

Bonus Question: Don Johnson's character Sonny Crockett lives on a sail boat. What was the name of the boat?

DEVO Album Cover Trivia

2006-07-12T11:43:00.000-07:00

While bands like The Ramones and The Sex Pistols ignited the filth and the fury of the late 70's punk rock scene, DEVO was part of the art school set. They fit in with the likes of Talking Heads, The B-52's, Oingo Boingo, The Residents, Lene Lovich, Laurie Anderson, Yello, and many other similar artists who saw writing songs and recording records as simply one element of a larger presentation. Like the other artists mentioned above, DEVO also explored film, video, theatrics, electronics, and even alter egos. But if you went to a punk rock party in 1980, you'd probably hear all these bands played together right alongside some Buzzcocks, Clash, and Generation X.

Anyways, some DEVO trivia is in order: Which DEVO album cover shows the heads of the band members mounted on top of potatoes?

Bonus Question: Back in the 80's, when DEVO went on tour, they'd sometimes appear incognito as their own opening band. What did they call themselves when they performed the opening set pretending to be a Christian soft-rock group?

Superman Movie Trivia

2006-07-05T15:37:00.000-07:00

The new Superman film, "Superman Returns" is out and has been topping the box office since its release. The original comic book super hero, Superman has shown up in every manner of pop culture media from radio to movies to television to video games to songs. The latest "Superman" feature film underscores the enduring appeal of the character who first appeared nearly 70 years ago.

During the 90's, references to Superman were a running gag on "Seinfeld." Back in the 80's, a popular rock band had a song named after Superman, which had the catchy refrain "I am Superman, and I can do anything." What was the name of the band?

Bonus Question: Richard Donner's "Superman: The Movie" was meant to be the definitive film realization of the Superman saga, and it's inevitable that "Superman Returns" will get a lot of comparisons to the 1978 film and it's sequels. And not just for what shows up on the screen. Apparently, this latest installment was in the works for ten years, went through many rewrites and casting disputes, and passed through the hands of three different directors. Sounds very familiar: the 1980 sequel Superman II also had it's share of behind the scenes squabbling. Marlon Brando was cut from Superman II after he won a lawsuit seeking profits from the first film. Ironically, the footage that was shot of Brando way back then ended up in "Superman Returns" after Anthony Hopkins (cast to play Jor-El) walked out with one of the directors.

Well, getting back to the 80's, Brando wasn't the only one who wasn't around when the final version of Superman II was assembled. Director Richard Donner was fired after shooting a large portion of the film, including scenes featuring another actor from the first film. This actor still appeared at the top of the bill when "Superman II" was released, but his part was a combination of leftover Donner footage, along with footage of a look-alike and a voice impersonator. He left the project before the replacement director Richard Lester took over. What was the name of this famous actor?