Fast Times at Nago's Nerd Alert.

To me, the bands of the very early 80's were somewhat confused in their identity. Most of the big Rock acts of the day were not really metal, not really new wave and not necessarily ready made for traditional Top 40 radio either. The fashion was just as confused, but it was a bit of controlled chaos on both fronts and it made for a fresh time in pop culture. History tends to jump from Disco to Madonna, but personally I find the years in between to be pretty interesting.

Before I get into the best of that era, I want to briefly look back on how we got there.

In 1956, Rock and Roll was new, fresh and innocent. It may have scared parents, but the kids flocked to the excitement of it all, and why not? After all, it belonged to the youth and went against the conservative grain of the times. As vanilla as 50's Rock and Roll appears in history today, it was still pretty damn exciting back then. It also ushered in a new Fad for the masses: the cool kids.

In the 60's, everything was wide open for experiment. We had mop-tops, bikini tops, tie-dyes and birthday suits all within a few short years. No one had a rule book. The Beatles put out so much quality music during their several incarnations that even though they started out mop-top, they ended up legends. The cool kids were ready to be challenged, and pop culture delivered a revolution or two for them to devour.

The 70's got way more commercial, and so did some of the cool kids. Their collars got big and the shoes got tall. Polyester became clothing material and a few cool kids learned to dance. BUT, the 70's also gave us an underground, which made the way for a cool kid redefinition. Guitars got heavy and production became a craft. They weren't as deep as the generation preceding them; they did not want to change the world. They either wanted to party in the world that existed, or burn it down around them.

Enter the early 80's. The music and culture was up for grabs. Christopher Cross, Joe Jackson, The Police, Pat Benetar and The Go-Go's took the best and worst from the 70's and sold the shit out of it. Many superstars were rising as Jeff Spicoli waxed history with Mr. Hand. Some of the dinosaurs of the 60's and 70's managed to maintain careers through the transition, but Van Halen existed, and it was hard to compete with that.

Pop culture was ready for someone to come along and capture the disenfranchised youth post Zeppelin and Punk. They needed a voice, and Cameron Crowe delivered what was to become the first great high school teenage FU movie since Rebel Without a Cause. Fast Times at Ridgemont High set the bar pretty high with a format that is still copied to this day. It came along at a time where we could still be honest about teenage life in America, and not so frickin sensitive about how kids act (and react) to situations.

But, wait...Nago blogs about music, whats with the movie stuff?

This movie is filled with great music references even though the soundtrack mostly blows. Check out the track listing:

1. "Somebody's Baby" (Jackson Browne)
2. "Waffle Stomp" (Joe Walsh)
3. "Love Rules" (Don Henley)
4. "Uptown Boys" (Louise Goffin)
5. "So Much in Love" (Timothy B. Schmit)
6. "Raised on the Radio" (The Ravyns)
7. "The Look in Your Eyes" (Gerard McMahon)
8. "Speeding" (The Go-Go's)
9. "Don't Be Lonely" (Quarterflash)
10. "Never Surrender" (Don Felder)
11. "Fast Times (The Best Years of Our Lives)" (Billy Squier)
12. "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" (Sammy Hagar)
13. "I Don't Know (Spicoli's Theme)" (Jimmy Buffett)
14. "Love Is the Reason" (Graham Nash)
15. "I'll Leave It up to You" (Poco)
16. "Highway Runner" (Donna Summer)
17. "Sleeping Angel" (Stevie Nicks)
18. "She's My Baby (And She's Outta Control)" (Palmer/Jost)
19. "Goodbye, Goodbye" (Oingo Boingo)

This is a good example of how awkward the music scene was before MTV blew up. Unfortunately I am positive that it did not even come close to capturing the essence of this film.

Dude, where is the music that actually existed in this movie????

The Cars - Moving In Stereo
This song is iconic in this scene. They are inseparable. Phoebe Cates is still a goddess for her infamous pool scene.

The Go-Go's - We Got the Beat
The only Go-Go's song that I remember from the movie. A great movie opening track.

 

Led Zeppelin - Kashmir
Right before Ratner's first date with Stacey, Damone gives him the important advice: "When it comes down to making out, whenever possible, put on Side One of Led Zeppelin IV." Cue "Kashmir," from Physical Graffiti. FAIL!!!!

Sam and the Pharaohs - Wooly Bully
Spicoli says "Hey dude, I know that song" and joins the cover band on stage.

Somebody's Baby - Jackson Brown
The honorable mention is a song that actually made it on the soundtrack, Jackson Browns "Somebody's Baby". The scene is a 15 year old Stacey (Jennifer Jason Leigh) headed out to the Point to lose her innocence to a man much too old for her (after she lies to him about her age).

Other great music moments:
Damone tapping out Cheap Trick to a potential scalped ticket customer, who, is uninterested based on it being "kid stuff". Cheap Trick is maybe not exactly what you would call "In the Movie", but they are there in spirit.

Spicoli crashing a '78 Z28 while listening to Sammy Hagar

There are more, I am sure.... Watch the movie again and relive them yourself. I think I may do the same soon.

Call this Blog filler if you will, but respect what Cameron Crowe did years before Singles, Jerry McGuire and (my personal favorite) Almost Famous. This movie is "awesome, totally awesome".




Now Playing 02/26/2012:
Michale Graves - All the Hallways
Alabama Shakes - Always Alright
Frank Turner - I Still Believe
Bad Religion - True North
Grace Potter - Like a Prayer
Baroness - March to the Sea
CCR - Born on a Bayou



He was a hard headed man, he was brutally handsome...and she was nerdially pretty.