IMHO,
The 80s had a weird obsession with "macho"-ness, which started in the 70s. In the 70s, you had guys growing big bushy mustaches, showing off their chest hair; Burt Reynolds was a sex symbol for women of the late 70s; There was a big thing in the 70s towards a very "macho" sense of masculinity; even groups considered "feminine" at the time, like the gay male community, adopted "macho" looks (see the "Clone" look and Freddie Mercury wearing wife beaters and jeans with his mustache). Come the 70s and you have Presidential campaigns based around the concept, you have wrestling with stars like "Macho Man" Randy Savage and muscle-bound, seemingly dull-witted stars like Arnold Schwarzennegger, Dolph Lundgren and Sylvester Stallone and others became massively popular; the decade where a film by Steven Seagal could be commercially successful; You had He-Man being marketed towards kids through the TV show and toys. Nice guys or guys who weren't buff or into football or who liked computers were 'nerds'  (see Revenge of the Nerds). 'Wimpy' George Bush faced off against the more 'macho' Reagan in 1980; then in 1988, Bush was portrayed as the stronger male against the wimpy, nerdy Dukakis.

Am I alone in seeing this about the 80s? If not, why do you guys think the 80s had such a weird obsession with all things macho?

IMHO,
The 80s had a weird obsession with "macho"-ness, which started in the 70s. In the 70s, you had guys growing big bushy mustaches, showing off their chest hair; Burt Reynolds was a sex symbol for women of the late 70s; There was a big thing in the 70s towards a very "macho" sense of masculinity; even groups considered "feminine" at the time, like the gay male community, adopted "macho" looks (see the "Clone" look and Freddie Mercury wearing wife beaters and jeans with his mustache). Come the 70s and you have Presidential campaigns based around the concept, you have wrestling with stars like "Macho Man" Randy Savage and muscle-bound, seemingly dull-witted stars like Arnold Schwarzennegger, Dolph Lundgren and Sylvester Stallone and others became massively popular; the decade where a film by Steven Seagal could be commercially successful; You had He-Man being marketed towards kids through the TV show and toys. Nice guys or guys who weren't buff or into football or who liked computers were 'nerds'  (see Revenge of the Nerds). 'Wimpy' George Bush faced off against the more 'macho' Reagan in 1980; then in 1988, Bush was portrayed as the stronger male against the wimpy, nerdy Dukakis.

Am I alone in seeing this about the 80s? If not, why do you guys think the 80s had such a weird obsession with all things macho?


I think the early 1980's were more of a macho-sleazy era between 1980-1985.

It was due to Reagan and the rise of the New/Religious Right.

They felt that the United States in the '60s and '70s was weakened because of the Civil Rights Movment and the Second Wave of Feminism. Many conservatives felt that America had become "too liberal" and "too effeminate".

Reagan brought back prestige to the White House in the minds of many Americans because he wore "nice suits" unlike Carter's beige cardigans, because he "talked tough" to the Soviet Union and "not weak" like Carter, he also made many Americans "feel good" with his optimistic rhetoric. He wasn't a "tree-hugging hippie" like Carter, he was "a true red-blooded American that believed in oil & coal". Reagan also gave the rich a huge tax cut and this lead to the rise of yuppies (young urban professionals).

Naturally, all of this lead to a revival of more machoness in America pop culture.

This was released in the 80s:
s7DqwRKqyMk

Don't forget Chuck Norris... the movies and cartoon series.

This was released in the 80s:
s7DqwRKqyMk
From one time girlfriend to Simon Rowell.

It was due to Reagan and the rise of the New/Religious Right.

They felt that the United States in the '60s and '70s was weakened because of the Civil Rights Movment and the Second Wave of Feminism. Many conservatives felt that America had become "too liberal" and "too effeminate".

Reagan brought back prestige to the White House in the minds of many Americans because he wore "nice suits" unlike Carter's beige cardigans, because he "talked tough" to the Soviet Union and "not weak" like Carter, he also made many Americans "feel good" with his optimistic rhetoric. He wasn't a "tree-hugging hippie" like Carter, he was "a true red-blooded American that believed in oil & coal". Reagan also gave the rich a huge tax cut and this lead to the rise of yuppies (young urban professionals).

Naturally, all of this lead to a revival of more machoness in America pop culture.


Thing is I think this "machoness" was unique to the 80s. Obviously, throughout American history we've idolized 'strong' guys, from Paul Bunyan to guys like John Wayne and even now to men like Statham and such. But I think it took on a different form in the 80s, to the point where it became an obsession permeating a good chunk of American life - from the President down to He-Man action figures. The kind of 'machoness' also was of an almost sleazy nature, and was very highly exaggerated. Go look at action films prior to the late 70s or so - the hero isn't some pumped up muscle man. Look at the early 1960s James Bond films for example. Connery's in good shape, sure, but compared to Arnie or Stallone he was puny. Prior to the 80s having a massive build like theirs was a very fringe thing, something which marked you as a weight lifter by profession. Or look at the way chest hair was celebrated in the late 70s through mid 80s. In no other era has chest hair been so popular. Just compare the sex symbols of the 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s to Arnie, Stallone and such - and compare them to the sex symbols of the 90s and on. The 80s is unique in that way. It was very exaggerated. A boy in 1960 might've wanted to be a cowboy, but HE MAN was very on the nose, very exaggerated. Everything in the 80s just seems exaggerated, big. The hair (on both men and women). The muscles on men and women (Grace Jones). The mustaches are huge. The cars are a bit bigger than the 70s. The action stars are bigger than ever.

It's a very weird era in time for me, where exaggeration and cartoonishness was the rule rather than the exception.

The truly weird thing is this ran parallel to the whole new wave and hair metal androgynous look so popular in the '80s.

The truly weird thing is this ran parallel to the whole new wave and hair metal androgynous look so popular in the '80s.


Also, another strange paradox is Hair Metal, later in the decade. You have these bands singing about women, and sex, and having a good time, and presenting these macho, tough, testosterone fueled personas, but they're in most cases dudes who are as feminine looking as possible, with longer hair than most women. Consider the case of Skid Row's frontman Sebastian Bach.
https://hollywoodhatesme.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/sebastianbach.jpg

Not exactly a masculine guy. But the band's songs are all that same crap, and in 1989 he infamously wore a shirt which proclaimed "AIDS KILLS F-AGS DEAD."

Or consider Guns N' Roses, whose singer Axl Rose, again, presented this tough front of being a bad boy trouble maker, yet looked like:
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/11/45/ec/1145ec4cdfa28ba38e60acd6af78df5d.jpg

And wrote a song against "immigrants" "f-aggots" and "n-words", and yet loved Elton John and Queen and performed with both artists later on.

I got this idea that in the UK the macho look was more of shaved hair working class flavour with I suppose black leather jackets. Like 50's greasers but with shaved hairs and T-shirts instead of button-up shirts. Of course you had the androgynous new wave and hair metal look there as well. Is my impression correct?

Thing is I think this "machoness" was unique to the 80s. Obviously, throughout American history we've idolized 'strong' guys, from Paul Bunyan to guys like John Wayne and even now to men like Statham and such. But I think it took on a different form in the 80s, to the point where it became an obsession permeating a good chunk of American life - from the President down to He-Man action figures. The kind of 'machoness' also was of an almost sleazy nature, and was very highly exaggerated. Go look at action films prior to the late 70s or so - the hero isn't some pumped up muscle man. Look at the early 1960s James Bond films for example. Connery's in good shape, sure, but compared to Arnie or Stallone he was puny. Prior to the 80s having a massive build like theirs was a very fringe thing, something which marked you as a weight lifter by profession. Or look at the way chest hair was celebrated in the late 70s through mid 80s. In no other era has chest hair been so popular. Just compare the sex symbols of the 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s to Arnie, Stallone and such - and compare them to the sex symbols of the 90s and on. The 80s is unique in that way. It was very exaggerated. A boy in 1960 might've wanted to be a cowboy, but HE MAN was very on the nose, very exaggerated. Everything in the 80s just seems exaggerated, big. The hair (on both men and women). The muscles on men and women (Grace Jones). The mustaches are huge. The cars are a bit bigger than the 70s. The action stars are bigger than ever.

It's a very weird era in time for me, where exaggeration and cartoonishness was the rule rather than the exception.

That's because in the 1980s there was an explosion in interest in physical fitness for both men and women.

Going to the gym and getting fit was usually just a niche interest before the 1980s but it became mainstream and almost everyone had to do it in the 1980s. Remember Pumping Iron (1977) with Arnold Schwarzenegger came out and that caused a lot of men to become interested in body building.

There's your answer.

Also, another strange paradox is Hair Metal, later in the decade. You have these bands singing about women, and sex, and having a good time, and presenting these macho, tough, testosterone fueled personas, but they're in most cases dudes who are as feminine looking as possible, with longer hair than most women. Consider the case of Skid Row's frontman Sebastian Bach.
https://hollywoodhatesme.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/sebastianbach.jpg

Not exactly a masculine guy. But the band's songs are all that same crap, and in 1989 he infamously wore a shirt which proclaimed "AIDS KILLS F-AGS DEAD."

Or consider Guns N' Roses, whose singer Axl Rose, again, presented this tough front of being a bad boy trouble maker, yet looked like:
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/11/45/ec/1145ec4cdfa28ba38e60acd6af78df5d.jpg

And wrote a song against "immigrants" "f-aggots" and "n-words", and yet loved Elton John and Queen and performed with both artists later on.


and men wanted to dress and look like women, long hair, make-up and the hairy chests.

and men wanted to dress and look like women, long hair, make-up and the hairy chests.
I wasn't aware that women have hairy chests... Howard, who are you dating??? ;D :D

I wasn't aware that women have hairy chests... Howard, who are you dating??? ;D :D

;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

That's because in the 1980s there was an explosion in interest in physical fitness for both men and women.

Going to the gym and getting fit was usually just a niche interest before the 1980s but it became mainstream and almost everyone had to do it in the 1980s.


This is correct. In the 70s the trend among males was to be very skinny. Well, I wouldn't say it was a TREND, but if one happened to be naturally very skinny one just STAYED that way. And it was a cool look. Think of rock stars in the 70s. They were generally reed thin. A good case in point is Bruce Springsteen. Throughout the 70s he was as skinny as a stringbean. But starting around 1984 and "Born In The USA" he was suddenly very "pumped".  I even remember a joke about it on a comedy record Bette Midler made. She said "I knew Bruce Springsteen when his arms were as skimpy as his chord changes".  ;D 

Then by the time the 90s rolled around, clothes started getting so ridiculously baggy that nobody could tell who was pumped and who wasn't.

This is correct. In the 70s the trend among males was to be very skinny. Well, I wouldn't say it was a TREND, but if one happened to be naturally very skinny one just STAYED that way. And it was a cool look. Think of rock stars in the 70s. They were generally reed thin. A good case in point is Bruce Springsteen. Throughout the 70s he was as skinny as a stringbean. But starting around 1984 and "Born In The USA" he was suddenly very "pumped".  I even remember a joke about it on a comedy record Bette Midler made. She said "I knew Bruce Springsteen when his arms were as skimpy as his chord changes".  ;D

Then by the time the 90s rolled around, clothes started getting so ridiculously baggy that nobody could tell who was pumped and who wasn't.

Yep.

I wasn't aware that women have hairy chests... Howard, who are you dating??? ;D :D


I'm not dating anyone at the moment but I'm saying that was the style that men wanted to emulate, the macho biker style with mustaches and hairy chests. I think the style was emulated by Glenn Hughes, the biker from the Village People.

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/95/e3/6a/95e36ae6172434c503b48af5f7e2ce52.jpg

The gay biker look came about in the 60s as a way for gay men to blend in with mainstream society. They wore sideburns and mustaches and dressed like working class straight men so as to blend in and be more accepted. The Village People were an exaggerated parody of all that. Freddie Mercury is closer to what a person would've seen if they went to the Castro District in the late 70s and early 80s. The straight version was represented by Tom Selleck and Burt Reynolds. Gays were often thought of as being naturally effeminate ("sissies") so this was a way to reject that stereotype and say that just because they were gay didn't mean they weren't manly, or any different from straight men. The root of the influence goes to the Tom of Finland erotic drawings in the 60s as well.

I'm guessing it was a backlash against the more rail thin and hippy look of the 1960's and 1970's.

I'm guessing it was a backlash against the more rail thin and hippy look of the 1960's and 1970's.


I agree. The truth though is even in the 80s people were pretty skinny compared to people now. Though arguably there were less very skinny people, I think anorexia nervosa was not as big a problem back then.

This is correct. In the 70s the trend among males was to be very skinny. Well, I wouldn't say it was a TREND, but if one happened to be naturally very skinny one just STAYED that way. And it was a cool look. Think of rock stars in the 70s. They were generally reed thin. A good case in point is Bruce Springsteen. Throughout the 70s he was as skinny as a stringbean. But starting around 1984 and "Born In The USA" he was suddenly very "pumped".  I even remember a joke about it on a comedy record Bette Midler made. She said "I knew Bruce Springsteen when his arms were as skimpy as his chord changes".  ;D 

Then by the time the 90s rolled around, clothes started getting so ridiculously baggy that nobody could tell who was pumped and who wasn't.


That happened in the 90s. 1993 to 1999 were the years of ridiculously baggy clothes. Of course, that fashion carried into the 2000s.

I'm guessing it was a backlash against the more rail thin and hippy look of the 1960's and 1970's.


I think there was more macho-ness during the early to mid 1980's when AIDS came into effect.

It all really started with the docudrama “Pumping Iron” in 1977. The 80s obsession with ‘mucho’-ness was first made fun of in 1987 with the “Hans and Franz” sketches on SNL. The whole fad overall died in the 90s.

It all really started with the docudrama “Pumping Iron” in 1977. The 80s obsession with ‘mucho’-ness was first made fun of in 1987 with the “Hans and Franz” sketches on SNL. The whole fad overall died in the 90s.


I think it probably started with The Village People and most of their songs were all about being macho.

I think it probably started with The Village People and most of their songs were all about being macho.


That’s when America’s obsession with ‘macho’-ness was in full swing. I’m sure some older people today like Boomers or Joneses would say “Macho Man” was an early 80s song.

"Macho Man" was in 1979.


Macho Man was actually a hit in mid-to-late 1978.  It was the first Village People major hit.

"Macho Man" was in 1979.


Macho Man was actually a hit in mid-to-late 1978.  It was the first Village People major hit.



There’s too much aggression in “Macho Man” for the single to be thought of as a 70s disco hit. “Macho Man” is closer to being like “So Macho” by Sinitta and “Muscles” by Diana Ross than “San Francisco (You Got Me)” and “Village People” from 1977. It’s 80s. Most people don’t think of it as an 80s hit because they’re too lazy to compare the song to the hit singles that came before and after it.

There’s too much aggression in “Macho Man” for the single to be thought of as a 70s disco hit. “Macho Man” is closer to being like “So Macho” by Sinitta and “Muscles” by Diana Ross than “San Francisco (You Got Me)” and “Village People” from 1977. It’s 80s. Most people don’t think of it as an 80s hit because they’re too lazy to compare the song to the hit singles that came before and after it.


Are we actually taking the VILLAGE PEOPLE seriously in this thread? People didn't even take them seriously back then.  ::)

There’s too much aggression in “Macho Man” for the single to be thought of as a 70s disco hit...


Macho Man was indeed a 70's disco hit.  The release date I gave was from a Billboard reference book.  Scratch that - it was from FOUR different Billboard reference books - I cross checked them to make sure it wasn't a typo.  Plus I also checked my Cashbox database - all saying mid-to-late 1978.

I was a college student and into disco in 1978 (not so in 1980) and I heard "Macho Man" at the time while on campus.  Among me and my other collegiate friends, we didn't receive it very well - it wasn't as cool as, say, Chic.  But at that point the song was already a big hit.

Macho Man was indeed a 70's disco hit.  The release date I gave was from a Billboard reference book.  Scratch that - it was from FOUR different Billboard reference books - I cross checked them to make sure it wasn't a typo.  Plus I also checked my Cashbox database - all saying mid-to-late 1978.

I was a college student and into disco in 1978 (not so in 1980) and I heard "Macho Man" at the time while on campus.  Among me and my other collegiate friends, we didn't receive it very well - it wasn't as cool as, say, Chic.  But at that point the song was already a big hit.


Was “Macho Man” a 70s or 80s hit?

It’s in the ‘ear of the 8 track beholder’.  ;D

Macho Man was actually a hit in mid-to-late 1978.  It was the first Village People major hit.


I thought the video was quite funny but it seemed a bit gay-ish in my opinion.

Are we actually taking the VILLAGE PEOPLE seriously in this thread? People didn't even take them seriously back then.  ::)


I thought they were a comedy act at first.

Was “Macho Man” a 70s or 80s hit?

It’s in the ‘ear of the 8 track beholder’.  ;D


70's hit.

70's hit.


It’s commonly thought of as that. Not many seem to care about revisiting the year 1978. Joneses, early Xers, and late Xers were all different people in 1978.

It’s commonly thought of as that. Not many seem to care about revisiting the year 1978. Joneses, early Xers, and late Xers were all different people in 1978.


I could be plopped back into 1978 right now and be perfectly happy, despite the fact I do not like disco. There was lots of other music to listen to. Things felt very free in 1978. I liked the atmosphere. A Democrat was president (and one who openly called himself a pacifist), there was no war, and for a while it seemed like a lot of 60s ideals had come true, even though nobody was paying attention to them by then.  Were your experiences different in 1978, Retrolover? I still can't ascertain if it was in 1978 you decided "Macho Man" was not of it's time, or if you were looking back in, say, 1981 and came to this conclusion.

I could be plopped back into 1978 right now and be perfectly happy, despite the fact I do not like disco. There was lots of other music to listen to. Things felt very free in 1978. I liked the atmosphere. A Democrat was president (and one who openly called himself a pacifist), there was no war, and for a while it seemed like a lot of 60s ideals had come true, even though nobody was paying attention to them by then.  Were your experiences different in 1978, Retrolover? I still can't ascertain if it was in 1978 you decided "Macho Man" was not of it's time, or if you were looking back in, say, 1981 and came to this conclusion.


Watch any film set in 1978 like “Detroit Rock City” or part one of “The New Edition Story” and you will see that 1978 was the first year of the 80s. All of the leftover Boomer culture and early Xer culture from the mid to late 1960s was gone completely in 1978.

Most adults do not see 1978 as an 80s year because they do not focus on it being an 80s well enough. It’s easier to say that 1978 is a 70s year because the numbers ‘7’ and ‘8’ are at the end of the year. No one was paying attention in ‘78, I’m sure, like they don’t now. Easier is better to the majority of people in this world.  ::)

Watch any film set in 1978 like “Detroit Rock City” or part one of “The New Edition Story” and you will see that 1978 was the first year of the 80s. All of the leftover Boomer culture and early Xer culture from the mid to late 1960s was gone completely in 1978.

Most adults do not see 1978 as an 80s year because they do not focus on it being an 80s well enough. It’s easier to say that 1978 is a 70s year because the numbers ‘7’ and ‘8’ are at the end of the year. No one was paying attention in ‘78, I’m sure, like they don’t now. Easier is better to the majority of people in this world.  ::)


You did it again. "Watch any film SET in 1978". That is not like BEING in 1978. I'm starting to think you weren't even there.
Everything you say is so theoretical. I've never been to the city of Oslo, for example, so I wouldn't presume to tell someone who lives there what the city is like , no matter how many films set in Oslo (but filmed somewhere else) I've seen, or what I read on the internet. I was there and 1978 was about as different from the 80s as today is. HOWEVER, the 80s were lurking right around the corner, but like lambs to the slaughter we didn't know it. The cultural 80s began in 1981 with a vengeance.

You say all Boomer culture was gone by 78? Wrong! Boomer COUNTERCULTURE was gone by 78 perhaps (though echoes reverberated everywhere), but what do you think punk was? An absolute Boomer phenomenon. Do the math. How old was Johnny Rotten in 1977? How about the Ramones? The Damned? Boomers! Likewise with disco. A Boomer phenomenon, sorry as I am to say it.

You did it again. "Watch any film SET in 1978". That is not like BEING in 1978. I'm starting to think you weren't even there.
Everything you say is so theoretical. I've never been to the city of Oslo, for example, so I wouldn't presume to tell someone who lives there what the city is like , no matter how many films set in Oslo (but filmed somewhere else) I've seen, or what I read on the internet. I was there and 1978 was about as different from the 80s as today is. HOWEVER, the 80s were lurking right around the corner, but like lambs to the slaughter we didn't know it. The cultural 80s began in 1981 with a vengeance.

You say all Boomer culture was gone by 78? Wrong! Boomer COUNTERCULTURE was gone by 78 perhaps (though echoes reverberated everywhere), but what do you think punk was? An absolute Boomer phenomenon. Do the math. How old was Johnny Rotten in 1977? How about the Ramones? The Damned? Boomers! Likewise with disco. A Boomer phenomenon, sorry as I am to say it.


Except the story is being told by people who were alive in 1978 and pictures of how KISS fans and the members of New Edition looked were used to buy and designing the clothes for those movies I mentioned.

You are counterattacking everything I said in my last post. Please stop doing that and listen to me before you type.

I said that leftover Boomer and early Xer culture from the 60s (before 1969) was gone in 1978. I should have put the ‘before 1969 part’ in my last post, but I didn’t. No one is perfect.

1978 was a new time. The only problem is people, too many times, glance over that year and 1979 when discussing time periods.

In the 70s, early Boomers became partygoers at the disco. Late Boomers learned to do same from the early Boomers shortly after “Soul Train” was on TV. In the 1980s, early Boomers were trying to hold on to their club days, but the music wasn’t as good past 1984 or 1985. 1988 was the last year that many early Boomers were on the dance floor. Late Boomers partied until sometime in the mid or late 1990s.

“Macho Man” by the Village People was a song that the Chippendales danced to from 1979 until sometime in the 80s after Reagan was President. I consider “Macho Man” an 80s song because it didn’t get old until after 1983 when Jason Bateman sung it on a “Silver Spoons” episode. “Macho Man” was recorded in the 70s, but it was released in a time when all genres of music lost that organic sound that it had from the 1960s to 1974 or 1975. Disco took over completely in 1978 and early Xers were tired of disco in that same year. It wasn’t the 70s anymore to people that were really paying attention to the pop culture of that year.

In the 70s, early Boomers became partygoers at the disco. Late Boomers learned to do same from the early Boomers shortly after “Soul Train” was on TV.


This is too general.  Indeed, I myself (late Boomer) was party girl in the Disco days (77-79) because as a college freshman I fell in with the wrong crowd.  Yes, I had a blast, but partying didn't help my academic aspirations.

On the other hand, the majority of my peers didn't go in for all that.  Many of them were pretty serious, and only about half of them (or even less) liked Disco.  Even at Disco's peak of popularity many still weren't fans.

In regards to "Soul Train", I loved it - I was an avid watcher of "American Bandstand" and "Soul Train".  They didn't make me become party girl, but sometimes I think they helped draw out the hidden party girl lurking within...

In the 70s, early Boomers became partygoers at the disco. Late Boomers learned to do same from the early Boomers shortly after “Soul Train” was on TV. In the 1980s, early Boomers were trying to hold on to their club days, but the music wasn’t as good past 1984 or 1985. 1988 was the last year that many early Boomers were on the dance floor. Late Boomers partied until sometime in the mid or late 1990s.

“Macho Man” by the Village People was a song that the Chippendales danced to from 1979 until sometime in the 80s after Reagan was President. I consider “Macho Man” an 80s song because it didn’t get old until after 1983 when Jason Bateman sung it on a “Silver Spoons” episode. “Macho Man” was recorded in the 70s, but it was released in a time when all genres of music lost that organic sound that it had from the 1960s to 1974 or 1975. Disco took over completely in 1978 and early Xers were tired of disco in that same year. It wasn’t the 70s anymore to people that were really paying attention to the pop culture of that year.


And after 1980's began, clubs started to die out such as Studio 54 and The Paradise Garage.

And after 1980's began, clubs started to die out such as Studio 54 and The Paradise Garage.


There were a lot of clubs around in the 80's.  IMO 80's clubs were more casual (in general) than 70's clubs.  Perhaps smaller too, on average (I have no data to back this up, though).  A lot of 80's clubs started up in the 80's, rather than holdovers from the 70's.

I did a lot of clubbing in the mid-late 80's.  The good clubs pulled in some crowds.  I had some fun - and got myself into sticky situations now and then (as you'd expect)...  ;D

There were a lot of clubs around in the 80's.  IMO 80's clubs were more casual (in general) than 70's clubs.  Perhaps smaller too, on average (I have no data to back this up, though).  A lot of 80's clubs started up in the 80's, rather than holdovers from the 70's.

I did a lot of clubbing in the mid-late 80's.  The good clubs pulled in some crowds.  I had some fun - and got myself into sticky situations now and then (as you'd expect)...  ;D


Very true. You rarely heard about the casual 80s clubs in the mid to late 80s like you did Studio 54 and The Paradise Garage from the 70s into the 80s. Club Kids were all over the news from 1988 or 1989 into the early 90s, but it wasn’t the same thing that we’re talking about.

Hey, it's the nth reincarnation of The Early '90s Guy/Fan and all his weird "spirits"!

Back to the thread the 1980s was the decade where being female and bodybuilding finally became seen as "hot and sexy", with the fitness/aerobics craze being a big help towards its allure, likely as a reaction to the women's lib movement. Before that, you were considered "ugly" if a muscled up woman didn't look feminine enough. It still shows today as a lot of back issues of Muscle & Fitness have become hot collectibles. Of course, bodybuilding was also strong for men too, and as the decade drew to a close, this led to American Gladiators.

Interestingly, Studio 54 had a short-lived syndicated TV show in the 1988-89 season called "The Latin Connection" reflecting the popularity of the freestyle genre, and it hosted tryouts to be a Solid Gold dancer in 1983, where the hot breakdancing craze was used as part of the audition. It was still relevant even after it closed to the public in 1985. Still, when I look at old Billboard Hot Dance/Disco/Club Play charts from the '70s/'80s and even into the '90s, I often cry at the variety of songs that were played, where even the melody was noticeably more important and the beats were a lot more innovative, and that music was EVERYWHERE in fitness clubs too (just watch any scene from any movie/TV show from the '80s like Perfect that takes place in a gym, and you'll see what I mean).

Hey, it's the nth reincarnation of The Early '90s Guy/Fan and all his weird "spirits"!

Back to the thread the 1980s was the decade where being female and bodybuilding finally became seen as "hot and sexy", with the fitness/aerobics craze being a big help towards its allure, likely as a reaction to the women's lib movement. Before that, you were considered "ugly" if a muscled up woman didn't look feminine enough. It still shows today as a lot of back issues of Muscle & Fitness have become hot collectibles. Of course, bodybuilding was also strong for men too, and as the decade drew to a close, this led to American Gladiators.

Interestingly, Studio 54 had a short-lived syndicated TV show in the 1988-89 season called "The Latin Connection" reflecting the popularity of the freestyle genre, and it hosted tryouts to be a Solid Gold dancer in 1983, where the hot breakdancing craze was used as part of the audition. It was still relevant even after it closed to the public in 1985. Still, when I look at old Billboard Hot Dance/Disco/Club Play charts from the '70s/'80s and even into the '90s, I often cry at the variety of songs that were played, where even the melody was noticeably more important and the beats were a lot more innovative, and that music was EVERYWHERE in fitness clubs too (just watch any scene from any movie/TV show from the '80s like Perfect that takes place in a gym, and you'll see what I mean).


Nth? From what I have read on this board, there was only The Early 90s Guy/Fan.

Weird “spirits”? :o

Please explain.

There were a lot of clubs around in the 80's.  IMO 80's clubs were more casual (in general) than 70's clubs.  Perhaps smaller too, on average (I have no data to back this up, though).  A lot of 80's clubs started up in the 80's, rather than holdovers from the 70's.

I did a lot of clubbing in the mid-late 80's.  The good clubs pulled in some crowds.  I had some fun - and got myself into sticky situations now and then (as you'd expect)...  ;D


So AG, Why did Studio 54 and Paradise Garage close up in the 80's? ???

So AG, Why did Studio 54 and Paradise Garage close up in the 80's? ???


I dunno  :-\\

At that time (1979) I was too young for these clubs - even if I had been in near proximity (which I wasn't).  Teenagers (even late teens 18+) weren't their target audience, and in many cases weren't even admitted.

As far as my college partying, that was by and large on campus.  It was great - no cover charge, and I didn't have to spend precious money on booze (actually the party hosts didn't often provide booze, they were "BYOB"; I didn't imbibe there).  My reason to be there was to dance the night away (and hopefully meet a soulmate in the process)...

I dunno  :-\\

At that time (1979) I was too young for these clubs - even if I had been in near proximity (which I wasn't).  Teenagers (even late teens 18+) weren't their target audience, and in many cases weren't even admitted.

As far as my college partying, that was by and large on campus.  It was great - no cover charge, and I didn't have to spend precious money on booze (actually the party hosts didn't often provide booze, they were "BYOB"; I didn't imbibe there).  My reason to be there was to dance the night away (and hopefully meet a soulmate in the process)...


Weren't people having so much sex that they were forced to close the doors forever? ???

Health and fitness were a "craze" in general in the late 1970s I feel. That's when the running trend started and aerobics and bodybuilding followed not long afterwards.

Health and fitness were a "craze" in general in the late 1970s I feel. That's when the running trend started and aerobics and bodybuilding followed not long afterwards.


And I remember a lot of them were mostly gay and had big muscles too.