Why were the 70s such a tacky decade?

[Stanley Doble]

Not to mention the wonder that was Disco.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Not to mention the wonder that was Disco.

I'd much rather listen to Disco than the rubbish music we have today which really isn't saying much.

 

[LizzieMaine]

The best thing about 70s music is that it drove me to discover what else was on the radio, by tuning around to find out-of-market stations that didn't play it. WNEW was a godsend. And Joe Franklin on WOR. And Hazen Schumacher on NPR.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Musically, the only real good thing about the '70s was country music which had reached it's apogee. From the '80s onward the trend turned to "crossover" or "country pop" which sounded less country and more pop, eventually devolving into today's "bro country."

 

[Edward]

The folks who are taking shots at George Lucas for "American Graffiti" just weren't there at the right place and time to experience for themselves what he was portraying as an autobiographical account of what he experienced growing up in Modesto, CA in 1962.

It's a fair point to make that it has an appeal for those with whose nostalgia it chimes. Although the retro/ vintage boom in the UK since the 90s has really been driven by Americana (at least outside the WW2 scene), really, the US was an alien culture, very different from the UK right up until.... Well, I'd argue the web era, really. Of course we had US music, tv, movies, but you only have to compare Starsky and Hutch to The Sweeney, or even (for the retrospective angle) the original UK and the US adaptation of Life on Mars to see how far apart our pop culture worlds were in those days.

Making allowances for that, though, I still find American Graffiti to be simply dull and uninteresting; Dazed and Confused, it's counterpart for a generation ten years younger, I'd argue, I found to be a poor film in the same way. That's where it gets into subjective opinion, of course. I'm reminded of the night my brother and I went to the cinema to see The Man Who Wasn't There. I came out buzzing about hoe great it was. To this day if you ask him about it he'll simply scowl and make a sound not unlike Muttley expressing anger.... :lol: FWIW, when it comes to that sort of nostalgia thing, I'm very partial to Cry Baby (Grease wishes it could be half as good!), also Stand By Me, which I've always loved, but which I appreciate in a whole different way watching it as an adult than when I first saw it when I was about the same age as the kids in it.

Also, the music that most people here hate was perfect background music for us as we did what we did, and was perfect just as Lucas used it.

Weirdly, I expect that's one part of the film I'd really enjoy, if it's all doo wop and rock and roll, but I honestly can't recall a single song from the film.

("American Graffiti": 1973 - "The Wonder Years": 1988 - who's stealing from whom?)

The Wonder Years I'm sure played to the same nostalgia market, but I personally found it far superior. I suspect part of that is that its themes were far more universal. [huh] Alwaus fasicnates me how later it came along, actually, but I suppose in part it had a market because of the more generic sixties nostalgia that came along in the mid-eighties, perhaps, with that whole slew of Vietnam pictures there were, and such.

Hairspray. There's a '62 set film I really liked.

("Fonzie" - whom I dislike and would never watch - was not a creation of George Lucas.)

Yeah, that was largely a spin off of the generic nostalgia boom. I always liked Happy Days because it reminded me of The Flintstones. At one point as a kid I thought the latter was a parody of Happy Days, as disticnt from the All-American Family sitcoms that were its contemporaries.

The 70's had lots of bad music, but also had southern rock that was good and in my opinion was the Golden era of country music..(mid 70s-mid 80's). Though there was some bad stuff there too. Hey, I liked the 80s. That said I was young and in school then. I also lived in the south. Where I was it may have said 80s on the calander but we were over a decade behind. And I am not referring to racism. Where I grew up my school was 80% Black 20 % white. As kids we all got along great. The thing I remember about the 70s was how dark everything was.

I always loved Lynnrd Skynnrd's guitar sounds.... even if they wore flares. Dylan also went through a marvellously creative period in the seventies. The Stones got a bit bloated, but still, Exile on Main Street.... Punk rock, of course. The mainstream was mostly dross, but isn't it always?

I use to first laugh, then shake my head and then lower my head in embarrassment wherever I was overseas and over hearing American tourist in their matching polyester shirts complaining how people drive, the food was terrible and they sold no Budweiser. One time I turned and said, " you should have stayed home".

Heh. Your nation does kind of have a certain stereotype, which doesn't always ring true, but there are certainly those who live right up to it. Isn't that the case everywhere, though?

Yes! Kraftwerk, the Sex Pistols, the Clash, the Ramones, ZZTop, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Porter and Dolly on the t.v., ShaNaNa on the t.v., Hee Haw on the t.v., Jan. 14, 1973 the apex of human technological achievement - Aloha from Hawaii - the King himself in all his 70s jumpsuited glory broadcast LIVE via satellite to 40 countries around the world.
What a shame to let all this great achievement be obscured by the pacer and some macrame owls.

The AMC Pacer? I've always thought it was cute...

Was that when he shopped the Beatles for being potheads? (If only they been locked up in 1970.... not one of them recorded a note worth a damn after they split!).

 

[31 Model A]

Heh. Your nation does kind of have a certain stereotype, which doesn't always ring true, but there are certainly those who live right up to it. Isn't that the case everywhere, though?

True, I have admit. But it stood out for me more. I always tried to blend in and enjoy the experience no matter where I was.

I noticed how the brits on vacation in Spain, Canaries, Balearics always hung out in the English/Irish pubs. The germans stripping and going everywhere with not much on and have nothing on while on any beach and being their usual rude self in public but I made no excuse for them but my own nationality was embarrassing, especially if they were in front of me. After listening to them complain about this and that, I usually left without stepping FWD after they left. And.......hearing what was said in the local native tongue I usually agreed with. Sometimes when asked if I was an American too, I'd say no, I'm Canadian.

 

[HudsonHawk]

The obnoxious tourist certainly isn't limited to Americans. In fact, we're far from the worst offenders. I wish I had a nickel for every European tourist who came to the US only to feel compelled to give me a list of what's wrong with the US and why they don't like our culture.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

("Fonzie" - whom I dislike and would never watch - was not a creation of George Lucas.)

And Henry Winkler didn't even know how to ride a motorcycle.

 

[31 Model A]

The obnoxious tourist certainly isn't limited to Americans. In fact, we're far from the worst offenders. I wish I had a nickel for every European tourist who came to the US only to feel compelled to give me a list of what's wrong with the US and why they don't like our culture.

Sounds like these people were already aware of American culture, especially if they were European and still came with an attitude. I found many Americans knew nothing about the countries they were in but actually expected that country to be an American clone and were disappointed it wasn't.....especially if it was a country we liberated sometime in History.

I worked at a couple of UNESCO sites here and I remember no one from any country disappointed with their treatment while on vacation. A few had been victims of local reprobates but so have Americans while travelling abroad also.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

I found many Americans knew nothing about the countries they were in but actually expected that country to be an American clone and were disappointed it wasn't.....especially if it was a country we liberated sometime in History.

And I think it's getting worse because, despite the Internet, I think a lot of Americans, particularly young people, live in a much smaller world than when I was their age.

 

[HudsonHawk]

Sounds like these people were already aware of American culture, especially if they were European and still came with an attitude. I found many Americans knew nothing about the countries they were in but actually expected that country to be an American clone and were disappointed it wasn't.....especially if it was a country we liberated sometime in History.

I'm sure they were somewhat aware, but many only knew what they saw on TV and were disappointed that not everyone in Texas rides a horse or is not J.R. Ewing. But again, my point is that the attitude of "your country should be more like mine" is not limited to Americans.

 

[HudsonHawk]

One thing I've noticed about tourists in my travels, particularly in Asia, is that there is a trend for the tourist to want to be a part of everything rather than an observer. This is particularly noticeable in photography. I've had locals not understand when I only want to take a photo, not actually be *in* the photo. They don't see tourists who don't want to take "selfies" every 30 seconds. Perhaps that's a recent or generational thing, however.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Yeah, that was largely a spin off of the generic nostalgia boom. I always liked Happy Days because it reminded me of The Flintstones. At one point as a kid I thought the latter was a parody of Happy Days, as disticnt from the All-American Family sitcoms that were its contemporaries.

The idea that became "Happy Days" was first shot as a failed pilot in 1971, around the time "Grease" was taking off on Broadway. When AG became popular the following year, ABC dusted it off and ran it as part of "Love American Style," a comedy anthology show of the time, and picked it up as a series in 1973. Nobody's suggested Lucas created the actual program, but it wouldn't have gotten on the air if his film hadn't paved the way.

There was an earlier, far better program also called "Happy Days." It was a variety show on CBS in the summer of 1970, based on 1930s popular culture, and featured guest appearances by a large number of thirties celebrities who were still active. Yes, there was a time when you could turn on your TV and see Benny Goodman or Duke Ellington performing at full tilt, and this was that time. Although the format itself was somewhat corny and nostalgia-driven, the performances themselves were excellent. Even as a little kid I knew I was seeing something special, and it irritated me to no end when Fonzie and Co. preempted the title a few years later. The variety "Happy Days" has never been shown anywhere since 1970, and may not even exist anymore, but I remember it vividly.

 

[31 Model A]

And I think it's getting worse because, despite the Internet, I think a lot of Americans, particularly young people, live in a much smaller world than when I was their age.

You got that right.......................:eusa_clap

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

One thing I've noticed about tourists in my travels, particularly in Asia, is that there is a trend for the tourist to want to be a part of everything rather than an observer. This is particularly noticeable in photography. I've had locals not understand when I only want to take a photo, not actually be *in* the photo. They don't see tourists who don't want to take "selfies" every 30 seconds. Perhaps that's a recent or generational thing, however.

But don't you realize that a picture of yourself "holding up" the Leaning Tower of Pisa is de rigeur???

 

[DecoDame]

I've met very few who are nostalgic for the eighties. Usually folks who were eighteen in about 1983 and would love to relive their undergraduate years, or hipster kids who were born in the nineties and think The Wedding Singer was a documentary. Of the former, without exception they're all old goths, new romantics, or some other subculture group. People who lived through the eighties and want to revive the mainstream culture of the period are like rocking horse doo doo.

*raises hand* Yes, I'm one of those strange specimens that have fond thoughts about (some of) the 80s. Precisely because it was my young adult time, first-taste-of-freedom and I didn't have to worry about a "real job" yet and was wholly ignorant of current events or politics (not really proud of that, just the facts). And I was immersed in one of those sub-cultures: New Wave or alt music. It strikes most as ridiculous now, I'm aware, but those asymmetrical peakcocks were a breath of fresh air after enduring the brown and orange shag of the 70s. Plus it was just fun. And it was, or could be, a very creative expression and largely home made until the $$ interest caught on and started selling it back to us in the malls (like most youth movements of course).

Even MTV, which has had such a murderous influence on pop culture, initially was so poor it only showed basically art students turned musicians doing their own videos, because it was free material. Those were actually very interesting and quirky and fresh. The feeling of discovery of some new sound was great too.

And it was a feeling of having a "tribe", that if you saw someone with a particular music button or purple hair, you knew you at least had something in common on sight. And, we were very much into vintage clothing as a group, and that was my first direct taste of buying and using/wearing it on a daily basis. And what that has wrought!

So unapologetic fondness for the 80s, right here. I might not want to time travel and stay for good. But a tidy re-visit to 1982 or 3 for a bit? I wouldn't be opposed to it. I wouldn't go back to watch "Dallas" on broadcast.

 

[HudsonHawk]

Even MTV, which has had such a murderous influence on pop culture, initially was so poor it only showed basically art students turned musicians doing their own videos, because it was free material. Those were actually very interesting and quirky and fresh. The feeling of discovery of some new sound was great too.

This is shocking to the kids today, but the "M" in MTV used to stand for "music".

 

[LizzieMaine]

I'd actually very much like to go back to 1983, so I could punch my 1983 self in the face and tell her what to avoid over the next five years.

 

[31 Model A]

I'd actually very much like to go back to 1983, so I could punch my 1983 self in the face and tell her what to avoid over the next five years.

Hindsight is always 20/20 whereas foresight is always through rose colored glasses. Of course, in 1983 I had only two years to retirement and making money in the civvie world was on my mind when that would happened. I'm only better off today because I finally became smart enough to stay single.

 

[1961MJS]

This is shocking to the kids today, but the "M" in MTV used to stand for "music".

Yes, I have on occasion told someone that "I'm SOOO old that I remember when MTV played music."

Later