A (Mostly) 80s Music Podcast: What Difference Does It Make?

There is no denying that Stevie Nicks has captivated audiences since she first burst onto the music scene in the mid 70s. It is a combination of a uniquely gifted rock and roll voice, songwriting chops, and a distinctive look that led to her musical journey. Author Simon Morrison explores these elements and so much more in his latest book, Mirror in the Sky: The Life and Music of Stevie Nicks. Simon steps into the What Difference Does It Make virtual studios to further cement the case as to why Stevie is the first woman to be twice inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame. 

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The Smithereens dominated modern rock radio in the early 80s to mid 90s with songs like "Only A Memory" and "A Girl Like You". Despite the tragic loss of their lead singer, Pat DiNizio, the band soldiers on with guest vocalists Marshall Crenshaw and The Gin Blossoms Robin Wilson taking the vocals. Guitarist Jim Babjak and drummer Dennis Diken visit the What Difference Does It Make virtual studios and talk up their passion for 60s pop songs, the road to success, and this mysterious lost album from the 90s, strangely enough, called The Lost Album. 

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Thanks to Rob Juarez, founder of the Lost 80s Live concerts, this is quite possibly our most 80s music episode ever. We went down to San Diego to learn why the artists and fans keep coming back to these shows. We talk with members of Wang Chung, Animotion, and The Untouchables. We also talk to some passionate fans that still love the music that shaped their lives. We wrap it all up by talking with the man himself, Rob Juarez.

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Director Andy Fickman has brought Heathers back to life. Yes, the beloved dark comedy classic, Heathers, is now a movie musical and it is so "very". Andy takes us through the ten year process of making this daydream a reality. And Andy may be so crazy, you'd swear he had a "brain tumor for breakfast". 

After you listen to our podcast, watch the movie, now a musical, and streaming on Roku.

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This year, David Bowie would have turned 75. To recognize this occasion, Rock Historian/Author/Podcaster Martin Popoff has authored a coffee table book, simply called Bowie @75. One might think Martin would love everything about Bowie, but being the contrarian he is, Martin makes his opinion known as we touch on a number of the significant landmark moments in Bowie's storied career.  

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Twin brothers Adam and David Moss have been harmonizing together since their days as kids trapped in their parents car, forced to listen to 60s folk and show tunes. As it turns out, they actually love this music, and now we benefit from it, courtesy of The Brother Brothers latest album, Cover to Cover. It's a love letter of sorts, dedicated to the music that has inspired them throughout their lives. Adam and David talk with What Difference Does It Make to detail the journey that led them to cover these classic pop and folk songs.  

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Rob Juarez is the mastermind behind the Lost 80s Live shows. This year marks the 20th Anniversary of the concert series that features so many of your favorite 80s bands like Devo, ABC, and A Flock of Seagulls. We get into Rob's story on how he came to create the brand, and all the hard work that goes into putting on a show. It's all on The What Difference Does It Make podcast.

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We continue our look at the first songs played on MTV by reviewing videos 16 to 25. In this episode, we agree that Iron Maiden segueing into REO Speedwagon is a horrible idea. Holly learns about Mr. Briefcase, AND she teaches Dave about the real meaning behind Phil Collins, "In The Air Tonight". After all this excitement, we test ourselves with a little MTV trivia quiz. It'll make you demand, "I want my MTV podcast!" 

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It was the early days of MTV, and it was also the early days of our podcast, circa 2018, when we dissected the videos played on August 1, 1981, the day MTV was launched. This day was so important, we made it a two-part episode. In the first part, we debate our way through the first 15 videos played on MTV. We discover that one of our favorite Pat Benatar songs is, in fact a cover. We question the musical direction of Styx. And, Holly learns the definition of brass when it's in one's pocket.

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Simon Morrison is a Professor of Music at Princeton University, with an emphasis on the musical, cultural, and political histories of the Soviet Union, Russia, the United States, and France. With all that said, he's also a fan of pop music, in particular a band from the UK called Roxy Music, their lead singer Bryan Ferry. He wrote a 33 1/3 book on the band's 1982 album, Avalon. His Princeton homepage quotes him saying "I can explain why and how music matters then as now." and that's exactly what we do this week on What Difference Does It Make podcast.

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