WHAT IS YOUR MEMORY of a 1980′s MELBOURNE
(ADD YOUR MEMORY AT THE BOTTOM IN COMMENTS & POSTS)
And any links to photos for us! (Especially Bullens lions park and the Akai Bourke st tape deck) ANYONE have photos of these?
Dont forget to book for our 10th of July gig here!
As the May gig date gets closer to release We were last year looking and listening to our friends over at Macabre Melbourne who review, talk and give opinions on fun and cool things to do in Melbourne. But while the Macabre Melb crew are a wee bit younger than the cleavagedownunder crew (excepting Roger Roger, Terry Toweling and maybe Mike Michaelson) they are doing and speaking about things that the band was doing back in the 80′s! Well, we may be still drinking the wine!
So this post continues to develop with whatever you want to have reviewed or added about the 80s in Melbourne.
For those on Facebook: you can send most of these as gifts with the Melbourne Retro memories application - CLICK HERE!
So the call to arms today is this;
We want YOUR ideas on RETROspective Melbourne.
What was good or big for you in the 80s (will accept from 1978 to 1993 -just nothing before Ripper 1978, or after Back Street Boys Second album)
In the comments, looking for a Twitter amount of words, short and sharp comments about things that were uniquely Melbourne.
So, here are some ideas from 80s Melbourne to get you thinking!
In the “Captains’” case:
Melbourne based songs (some late 70s but reminds you of the time!)
ACDC _ Long way to the top
LOOK FOR: Silver top cabs, Cops with Pith helmets (yes – real word) The gas & fuel car, no Bourke St mall and a Myers van and the City Square. I think that Cleavagedownunder should ‘re-create’ this? What do you think?
Overkill – Men at Work
Cant get more Australian than this band. Or certainly more Melbourne, my fav Men at Work Song. Yes Colin Hay and the boys playing at the Cricketers arms in Richmond opposite the MCG. This film clip is my childhood, Look for the Ambulance crossing the Punt Rd bridge, The St Kilda Pier (before the kiosk burnt down) and Fitzroy St and the Espy as Colin walks around. Saw one of their last gigs at Latrobe Uni. You guys rock. Some great acoustic tracks by Colin around of this song also.
PS Click here to express your disgust for the disgrace that is the lawsuit against them for Downunder. More lawyers just getting more greedy!
Skyhooks – This is my City
LOOK FOR Naru House,Tattslotto when it started, Kingswood police cars in Fitzroy St St Kilda, Collins Place being built still, Flinders St and Princes Bridge Station & old VB bottles
Yesterdays Hero – John Paul Young
LOOK FOR: Great City Square footage (pre fountains) Yellow traffic lights, fashions, A Ford Fairlaine “Civil Ambulance” and Prince Henrys Hospital.
How do you get your Kicks? Uncanny X-Men
Thanks to Retro universe from his blog for reminding me of this one! Here see Brian and the X-Men as sharpies in the outer suburbs. LOOK FOR: Kingswoods, burn outs, sharpies and the City Square (Remember the Tassie Triangle protest stickers?)
Are you Old Enough? – Dragon
Look for Trams that you could hang out of, Vallant panel vans (Grace Bros deliveries) and heaps more.
And how about general ideas from then – well the Captains life:
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Getting strangled by a angry tram conductor on the day we won the America’s Cup (yes, bummer of a week that one for the Cap)
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Swimming in the old city square fountain (until that kid got trapped and they stopped it – bah humbug)
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3DB Breakfasts on the old Princes bridge Station complex (now Federation Square),and
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Moomba & ANZAC parade where HUGE and were broadcast on ALL TV stations! Loved Parade day Moomba!
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Coppers on point duty, when you actually had police on the street, and usually on each City corner.
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And trams and trains that ran come rain, hail or shine heat (and had conductors).
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Reflecting on the 2009 bushfires, the Ash Wednesday dust cloud rolling over Melbourne in 1983 Remember it well at the Christian Brothers that arvo at School!
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Ice Skating at St Moritz in St Kilda (now it is a bar & and expensive carpark in a hotel on the Upper Esplanade) Myself, I was too young for the Espy and the bouncers, like now scared me then also! However the Espy was the place that Captain and Foxy from the band first met ♥♥♥♥♥♥!
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Or even Chasers when Chapel Street was relatively safe (Remember the horse and cart ride from the city to Chasers with the Captain, Freddy & Ms H of McKinnon?)
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Or then back to The Captains, Tripod Rhino’s or Ms H of McKinnon’ respective flats in Prahran/South Yarra after a night at the Station Hotel! (Where did the Alfred Hospital Nurses home go????)
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Sneaking in underage to “Locomotion” in Fitzroy St – with half of Elwood High! (Just the boring “George” cinema & apartments now) Still looks run down as it did in 1985
thanks Chrys from Highett for this suggestion!
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Drinking very average wine in a brown paper bag at Stalactites (As NOTHING else was open in the city at that time.)
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Or off to Twins in Lygon St for a souva on the way home! (thanks Downesy for this one)
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Or as we got older “Little Reatta’s” in Little Collins Street. (Bobby McGees later, but that was more 90′s)
PS After drinks on 15/05/09 – Found that Little Reattas is now an Irish Pub, and COMPLETELY DIFFERENT (beer is good though!)
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The livey place with the nightly show – The SWAGMAN (where the band learnt to “Sing?”)
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BLUES BROTHERS & Rocky Horror at the Valhalla (Never got into the Westgarth scene, but saw a few there)
So hope that helps, there are a few ideas with photos now to get you thinking!
I will search for photos and make comment on this post about the good ones. Again best comment or suggestion will get a band dog tag!
Yes this prize; a tag of the band or member of your choice will be yours if you have the best retrospective suggestion for Melbourne at the site, in the comments section below.
More to be added as they come in!
We will continue to rock you
CREDITS: For the fantastic memories above:
THANKYOU to Flikr and the following for the fantastic photos above: Tidalist, Hugo90, Greg Melle & Magdalena 67 and of course Dr Keats!! I will eventually link these to your flikr page!
Also again to NZOZ on Youtube. You are fantastic!
Start suggesting below and have a great week! New date to be announced – probably Thursday or Friday!
Vale Dom Deluise who died in USA this week Captain Fancypants learnt everything he knew from this super, superhero
CAPTAIN CHAOS
Watch this excerpt from “Cannonball Run” for an idea.
A band of dogtags – for sale and prizes………………
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Now playing: John Paul Young – The Love Game
via FoxyTunes
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After a big night, souvlaki and steamed dim sims at 2am from Twins, corner Lygon and Elgin Streets, Carlton. “Oo duzzin wan gah-lic an yoh-git on dair souvlaki, eh?”
How could I have forgotten Twins! Probably as I am thinking pre-car for me. This was more my 18 – 22 hangout after leaving some nightclub at the top end of Swanston St OR the downunder bar in Lygon St! (watching Stealers – I roadied for them once!)
Pretending I was over 18 to get into the following places: ‘Locomotion” at the Seaview Ballroom in Fitzroy St, “Alternative” at Matilda’s Tavern in the City, “Checkpoint Charlie” in Commercial Rd, ‘Function’ at Chasers on a Friday night, Tok H, ‘Mud Club’ at Caseys in Glenferrie Rd. Hatters Castle and whatever that other pub was called before it became Saloon Bar. I think there were more too. Jesus, I thought I was SOOO grown up.
Inspired by the “Locomotion” in Fitzroy St, I went out and took a photo of the now”George” today. Not the same. I remember getting in under age and knocked back over age! But all you mentioned were “Elwood high” hangouts!
I remember underage getting into DALERIUM (spelling?) at Chasers Sunday night where all the cool guys where argh when guys asked me to dance and then went to Soda Sisters nxt door to eat and laugh and hang out and also Saturdays was WOG night ( I can say this as its my background) all the perms, hairspray in the ladies and the techo music! ha! I was a mod but had parties for 18th etc Saturdays at Chasers and Captain ALL ELWOOD HIGH guys, luv the 80′s and miss great TV shows xx
Mohair Cardigans, tube skirts, teased fringes, black lipstick and pointy boots from Rocco’s
Going to see the movie Crocodile Dundee at the cinemas in Brunswick(no longer there) Buying kylie Mingoue’s “Locomotion on vinyl.
Going to Hell Fire Club for a short while then crossing the road to Fish Tank which was not that great so up the road to Stalactites for a snack before the serious clubbing at Razor.
Ma’s hot dog van, cnr Flinders and Swanston st, may a hot dog, dimmie or burger after leaving the club at 3am…………Starsky and Hutch jackets………waring treads……..the disco at Nikobellas in Malvern..
I was unlucky enough to see the Vapours in Adelaide they played turning Japanasia 3 times.It is the only reason I can remember it. At the Arkarbar.
ps Ive got Chrissy and you are not getting her back.
People keep telling me about a mythical time they call the “late eighties”. I still don’t believe them of course, they are just a fairy tales to scare Gen Xers. The story of South Side Six has alway been one of my favourites and who could forget the drama and tension in the “Saga of the Villiage Green”, with wicked witch Quattro. The adventure on ice at the Myer Music Bowl and the bumping of uglies in the hidey-hole under the stage you used to be able to get into. But as I said, these are just stories….
I used to go to the “Venue” in St Kilda (which used to be where the Novatel Hotel is now on the Upper Esplanade)every week to see Grand Wazoo when Kate Cebrano was singing with them… this was mid 80′s so she must have been in her teens back then!! You could tell she was destined for greatness… what a great soul voice!!
Oh god WHAM and “Wake my up before you go go!” but moreso the “1985 Choose” album that started with “Ghostbusters”! Many a summer was that record blaring in the lounge room while we played in the pool, had water fights with the hose or sunbaked on the trampoline… ahhh, the good ol’ days
A kids TV show in the 80′s! My parents produced the show …the show was called something…Neighbourhood….with puppets etc. I was shown the audition tape and asked who would be a great host for the show – someone with a bit of kid appeal – I picked someone by the name of “Shirl”??? Who was he? But he had the best personality and the funniest AUSSIENESS about him. I didn’t know what SKYHOOKS was or who SHIRL was ….I was only 9 yrs old!!! And I still haven’t grown up much have I?? Ok, gotta get dressed for school now!
CDV XXXX
Being a “MOD” wearing cheap Doc Martins from Greville Street for $10 now much more, must wear black,white and some tartin with short slicked cool hair do’s I remember Sade Cool Operator playing over and over by Mono (A guy at Elwood High) as we rode the coach to school camp…sigh fun times, fun times
The smell of wacky tobaccy in the toilets at St Moritzice skating rink.
tram conductors
red rattlers
No doors,only a bar across the doorways on the unused side of the tram.
any mobilehotdog stand at 2am outside any nightclub in Melbourne
pony riding at catania park st kilda every sunday morning.
minimum chips 5 cents
cobbers and milk bottles half a cent each.
Vale: Little Riata’s. It might be called something different but heaven forbid surely they still have massive french bouncers and the steepest staircase in Melbourne (at least it felt steep when the massive french bouncer through you down the stairs). And chasers well wasn’t 1989 the year that Ecstasy at chasers meant Ecstasy at chasers and as long as the door was shut it was still legal. God Im old!
Satellite, land of a thousand haircuts, Alternative, Locomotion. Sitting in the toilets to hear Nick Cave sing in St Kilda (was it the Venue?), because it was too mindbendingly loud. Wearing PJ’s out to clubs with a hip belt and paisley pattern. Scritty Politty, Joy Division, New Order. That jiggly dance I could never master. wearing white makeup on my face. Being young and staying up all night. Boys with more make-up on than me. Going to Aphrodisiacs after the clubs closed for a coffee and a plate of freckles. The Black Cat Cafe in Brunswick where the one eyed cat would traipse through the cake counter and lick the icing and the staff were so rude, you felt privileged just to be served. Feeling part of a small clan of people who didn’t like the mainstream scene and feeling special and exotic. Having the guts to shave my head (apart from tendrils at the front), then dying it bright red. Having perfect skin.
Hmmm good times, long ago.
Echo and the Bunnymen and the Jump Club Collingwood. The Boys Next Door last gig before going to England at the Ballroom St. Kilda. Someone…. at the Chevron St Kilda Rd. The Crummy Cowboys at the Terminus Hotel, Richmond. For more Melbourne music memories check Facebook “I got drunk at the Crystal Ballroom”
Hmm have been thinhking…. John Lennon murdered and Azaria dingo-snatched 1980
Well, you did ask….Boys Next Door at Hearts in Carlton (on a Wednesday night) we hid our schoolbags under the table. The Tiger Lounge, Richmond. The Tote, Collingwood. The Gasometer, Fitzroy. Village Belle, St Kilda, Corner Hotel, Richmond. Spread Eagle and Cricketers Arms, Richmond. The London Tavern, Caulfield. The Models at the Ferntree Gully Hotel. The Reels at the Dorset Gardens in Croydon. The Manhattan in Ringwood. Mount Erica Hotel and Bush Inn, Prahran. David Bowie at the Kooyong Tennis Courts. And the last train home to Croydon left Flinders Street at 12.03am.
I didn’t go to discos, I was strictly a LIVE music girl….ahem… well CDU are alive…
Keep them coming, keep them coming!
I just stumbled on your blog and have to comment..I love it..so many memories. I grew up in Melbourne in the 70s and 80s and moved away for too many years..now back in st kilda and wonder why I left. Hard to see the passing of time and what happened to our Seaview ballroom, Prince, and more recently the Greyhound. I saw my first band at 17..Models…courtesey of a 3RR door prize.
Sad to see the passing of the relatively youthful and talented such as R. Howard, too many such funerals in the past few years.
Anyway..keep up the good work!!
Id forgotten all about travelcards….
My nephew looks just like I did in the 80′s … same hair cut; bleached white and spiky Annie Lennox style. Got my hair cut for free because I modeled for the hair salon called Forecast in Royal Arcade .. boy did they chop up your hair and boy did we love it. Didn’t get enough photos of that era.
oh the 70s and 80s marvelous days of partying in melbourne, painters & dockers, the angels, kids in the kitchen and many more at the venue, st.kilda. bojangles satday nights, always a punchon, bananas which became olivias next to st.moritz skating rink, great nightclub, the tattler in swanston street was a great club, and the ricky tick club in carlton, those were the days….please send me back
I always found that Bojangles was never open for long enough, as it was always closed after each murder out the front! Thanks for the contribution! Scott Carne was great apparently at the Zoo On Sunday night. Pity we missed it
Great site. A question, I’m from Perth, but spent some time in Melbourne late 70s, early 80s. There was a very loud furniture salesman who advertised on tv in the early hours. I believe there was a rumour he was convicted of bringing in drugs in hollowed out table legs. Can anyone help me with a name?
Thanks
Would it be Franco Cozzo?: Megalo, megalo, megalo.
Nikki’s got a good memory. I could never understand that bloke at Rocco. I remember buying my patent leather winkelpickers from Succhi and the Emporium in the City. City clubs like The Users Club, Sub Terrain, Alternative/Obsession. Blind drunk nites at Locomotion where every single person I talked to was under age. Who remembers the “Blue Room” at Locomotion in there with all the UV lights where everyone looked awesomely tanned with the whitest teeth and cleanest clothes. Corner Hotel and Bensons on Swan Street, Her Majestys which later went on to become the Saloon. Remember Barbarellas on Smith Street? I remember being there blind drunk at 16, saw a girl walk out the front and get hit by a car. Sobered me up a bit.
Captain Fancypants
Thank you, that’s him.