OK, I've been a music fan for a long time now and I've lived through some good years for music and some lean ones. And I've dug back into the music of the past, too, so I feel pretty confident in deciding that 1979 was perhaps the pinnacle of pop music so far.
Of course this is a subjective game to play and it all depends on taste. If you're a country fan or a jazz fan, you've probably got to go back at least 15 or 20 years further to find the best year. If you like metal, maybe jump ahead a few.
But I like mostly Jamaican and British music and for me 1979 is unbeatable. Perhaps it's because I was a music-hungry kid then, but I think I have the facts on my side. And unlike many, I still love discovering new bands and new music. I'm definitely not a music fan living in the past.
The facts:
There were far too many great records made in Jamaica that year and The Wailers' "Survival" is perhaps the best known. But Black Uhuru, Dennis Brown, Gregory Issacs, I. Roy, Dillinger and tons more were at the peak of their game then, too.
Look to England and Ireland and the results are astonishing:
The Clash -- "London Calling" (which, like others on the list, arrived in the U.S. in early '80)
The Jam -- "Setting Sons"
Elvis Costello & the Attractions -- "Armed Forces"
Buzzcocks -- "A Different Kind of Tension"
The Cure -- "Three Imaginary Boys" (and the awesome "Jumping Someone Else's Train" 45)
Stiff Little Fingers -- "Inflammable Material"
Gang of Four -- "Entertainment"
Magazine -- "Second Hand Daylight"
The Police -- "Reggatta de Blanc"
Joe Jackson -- "Look Sharp"
The Undertones -- "The Undertones"
Squeeze -- "Cool for Cats"
Debut 45s by The Beat, The Specials, The Selecter, U2 and Madness
Led Zeppelin -- "In Through The Out Door"
Pink Floyd -- "The Wall"
Add a few American discs like:
Blondie -- "Parallel Lines"
Patti Smith -- "Wave"
Pere Ubu -- "New Picnic Time" (and "Dub Housing" was Nov. 1978!)
The Blackholes' -- "Warren Spahn" 45, a Milwaukee classic!
Dead Kennedys -- "California Uber Alles" debut 45
I know there's more, but this is what came to mind this morning. So, tell me what I forgot! Or, tell me why I'm wrong using the talkback feature below. After all, what's the point of music if you can't blab about it?
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
