Collegiate Times

Beginning with the election of Ronald Regan and the death of John Lennon, rock and roll historian Barry Drake described a world where MTV actually played music videos, Michael Jackson was famous for his songs and long hair and tight pants were hot?for guys.

Throughout an energetic and entertaining lecture on ?A Decade of Music in the Video Age? last night in Squires, Drake repeatedly drew on his first-hand knowledge of the 80s music scene. Drake, himself, originally began as a rock star. In the 1970s and 1980s, he recorded and produced three albums and toured extensively, including college campuses.

?I would begin each concert by telling my audience a little about the artists I was covering,? Drake said.

Eventually, the schools booked him for two days: the first to lecture about these artists, the second to perform his songs. After awhile, he made the personal choice to discontinue his concerts and simply concentrate on his lectures. In 1984, he began the lecture circuit that continues today.

The audience received his show well. Spontaneous laughter was interrupted only by clips of music that Drake prepared himself. Using slides and digital video, he organized a full multimedia performance that illustrated the visual aspect of the 1980s.

Sarah Wahl, sophomore biology major, an attendee and avid 80s music fan said, ?Barry presented music of the 80s in a very upbeat manner. He mouthed the words to all the songs as their videos played and it was obvious he had a genuine appreciation of 80s music that was impossible not to be affected by.?

With the exception of hearing Cyndi Lauper's ?Girl Just Wanna Have Fun? on the radio and having a mild crush on Jon Bon Jovi, most of today's college students remember very little about the decade they were born in.

Kelsey Butler, sophomore foreign languages and literatures major, echoed a sentiment popular amongst the audience.

?I learned a lot of different things about 80s music that I didn't know,? Butler said.

Drake covered every aspect of music. He discussed both American and British new wave, American heartland rock, the rise of female rock stars, the rise of rap and hip hop, hard rock and the old-fashioned American roots music. Drake covered 80s pop music in its entirety focusing on the self-proclaimed ?King of Pop,? Michael Jackson.

Drake wrapped up his lecture with commentary of moral significance.

?In a decade of greed, musicians came together and sang for a greater purpose,? Drake said.

This purpose, as Drake puts it, is known as Live Aid, a benefit concert and CD by both the British and Americans. This selfless endeavor generated over $45 million for famine relief in third world countries. His slide for this section was titled adequately, ?The 80s gets a conscience.?

From Bruce Springsteen to Culture Club, Madonna to Aerosmith, Prince to Whitney Houston, Drake spanned the cultural gamut of the 1980s.