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Most of you grew up around the same time that I did (I think); graduating highschool in the early to mid 80’s.

Being from the class of 1985 made it difficult for me to escape being a fan of Rock music, no matter how much I liked R&B and Rap (It wasn’t Hip Hop back then). This was mainly the result of MTV coming to the airwaves in 1981 and revolutionizing the music industry. I guess it also didn’t hurt that I went to a school largely populated by caucasion students.

During the years of 1983 – 1985, I was coming of age as a teenager in Jacksonville Florida, a town of a city just off the Northeast coast of Florida. I recall having such a wide variety of music taste at that time. In fact, music was my major outlet because we couldn’t afford cable. We only heard about what was on cable or we watched what we could wherever cable was on. I ended up having to catch my share of videos while attending Jacksonville University (JU) as a student in the Upward Bound program.

Since music and other teenage indulgences were of neccesity to me, I found a job at the age of sixteen. My first job was in a store called G.C. Murphy and Co., a five and dime store that today would be comparable to a mini-Walmart. It was from that store that I bought my first and only boom box. Yeah, I carried it on my shoulder at least once.

The purchase of that piece of equipment was the beginning of me building a music collection. I purchased a variety of music in those days, and it was pretty easy to collect it with my membership from Columbia House. I had artists like Run DMC, Whodini, The Fat Boys, New Edition, but I also had Huey Lewis and the News, Sam Harris (of Star Search fame – whatever happened to him?), The Culture Club w/ Boy George, Duran Duran, Phil Collins, David Bowie and a host of others. My tastes ran the gamut and it really didn’t change much until I got to college and got mesmerized by that Miami bass, but that’s not what we are here for today.

Today, I’m feeling the sounds of the British Rock group, The Police.

The Police rocked the charts in the 80’s, as did a lot of Rock musicians, but the group was actually formed in 1977 when drummer Stewart Copeland started rehearsing with singer-bassist Sting and guitarist Henry Padovani, following the failure of Copeland’s former group, Curved Air. Of course, I was late to the table and didn’t come into the knowledge of them until the release of their highly acclaimed and last album, Synchronicity. This album competed for Album of the Year, but the Grammy went to Michael Jackson’s Thriller. Synchronicity did get a Grammy for Song of the Year, with the single Every Breath You Take. However, we are going to spin a few different selections today; Puffy ruined that song for me. Everytime I hear it I see him skipping around the stage in the tribute to Biggie. I wish I could shake that.

Anyway, the songs that have been playing in my head since I thought of featuring The Police are Wrapped Around Your Finger and King of Pain. Both of these are very moving songs and I hope you enjoy them. I also want to add Roxanne, because I love the way Eddie Murpy sang it in 48 Hrs. I’d play Synchronicity II for you, but you are spoiled enough as it is, so you’ll have to take the link on that one.

Wrapped Around Your Finger

Roxanne

[click “play” (the arrow button) to watch]

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