Episode Details

“I think in every era of music you can find stuff like this — and sometimes you’ll find that it’s superior to the music that really was making it big commercially.” –Michael Carmody

In this episode of Deviate Rolf delves into a musical mystery — tracing the fate of ten rock and pop albums (found in a thrift store record bin) that evoke the quintessential look and sound of 1980s music, even though — for whatever reason — they never made it big back in the day.

Joining Rolf in this musical investigation is Jedd Beaudoin (@JeddBeaudoin), who hosts the syndicated music show “Strange Currency,” and Michael Carmody (@Carmody68), a musician, record collector, and donut shop entrepreneur.

Album art and show notes for each 1980s mystery album are listed below, in chronological order, by time-code.

Sue Saad and the Next (Planet/Elektra), 1980

[4:05 – 10:56]

Featured song: “I I, Me Me”

Links:

• 1980 Grammy Awards winners
• 1980 Billboard Year-End Hot 100
• Sue Saad on The Hustle with Jon Lamoreaux
• Joan Jett (musician)
• John Cougar (musician)
• Sue Saad and the Next, “Young Girl“
• Sue Saad and the Next, “Gimme Love Gimme Pain“
• Rush, “Spirit of the Radio“
• Led Zeppelin, “D’Yer Maker“

S·P·Y·S (EMI America), 1982

[10:56 – 20:25]

Featured song: “She Can’t Wait”

Links:

• 1982 Grammy Awards winners
• 1982 Billboard Year-End Hot 100
• Al Greenwood (Foreigner and S·P·Y·S keyboardist)
• Mick Jones (Foreigner guitarist)
• Spooky Tooth (band)
• SAGA, “On the Loose“
• Rainbow (band)
• The Clocks, “Nobody’s Fool“
• The Human League (synth-pop band)
• Warren Cuccurullo (Missing Persons guitarist)
• Cinemax (pay-cable TV network)

The Breaks (RCA), 1983

[20:25 – 27:55]

Featured song: “She Wants You”

Links:

• 1983 Grammy Awards winners
• 1983 Billboard