KROQ – Freddie Snakeskin – July 31, 1983 – Gordon Skene Sound Collection –
Not that 1983 had any special dibs on cynicism and anxiety – it was a pretty cynical decade on its own, you must admit. But if you’re going through it for the first time – it’s the worst there ever was and there’s no hope. Life isn’t what you thought it was, what you imagined it was – people are either the absolute best or absolute worst. No in-betweens. You’re at the Age Of The Absolutes. We’ve been there – we’ve all been there. It happens – it’s you growing up. You aren’t a kid anymore – you aren’t awkward, but you feel uncomfortable and maybe you can’t put your finger on it. Free floating anxiety. It’s the world and you’re stuck in it. But it’s not just you – it’s all your friends. Problem is – you’re not all on the same page at the same time. One day it’s you and the world is bleak and everything around you is strange, and you’ve got this friend who is being a big fucking ball of sunshine and you want to punch her out. Next day it’s her and she has uncontrollable weeping and now it’s your turn to be the ball of sunshine. And she wants to throttle you.
Lucky for most of you, it doesn’t last. But for the moment, you’re right in the middle of it and it feels legitimately creepy. The only saving grace for you are Tunes. Your radio – your stereo – your MTV. Music is the glue that holds you together – without it you’d be spiraling out of control. A world without music – no X? No Hall & Oates? No Talking Heads? Impossible.
And with your music comes your radio – the go-to place. It’s on, somewhere in the background all the time. It’s either KLOS, KMET or KROQ – the three absolutes; the three sure things in life.
And how about those gas prices . . . .
For a sample of what 1983 was all about, here is an hour’s worth of Freddy Snakeskin on KROQ from July 31, 1983.
