The Ledge #689: 1985

As a rule I generally don't go to class reunions. They're just too weird for me, and I'm not great at the "what are you doing these days" types of conversations. But a few weeks ago was my 40th year college reunion, and a handful of great old friends convinced me to attend some of the festivities.

Truthfully, I have to thank those old pals, as I ended up having a great time. Sure, my old man memory caused me to not remember some of these folks but I did my best. It also caused me to reminsce on the music of that era. I was the music director of KAUR my senior year, and it was such a great period in my life. Some of my favorite bands were putting out their greatest music, and almost every week there seemed to be potnetial new faves.

The combo of this sort of reminiscing and the upcoming release of a live Husker Du box set, 1985: The Miracle Year, made the decision to honor that year on a Ledge episode an easy one. Here are quite a few of the great songs from that year. Yes, at times it does get a bit more commercial than a typical Ledge episode, but most of us welcomed the idea of "our" bands making mainstream inroads. Why wouldn't we want to hear these songs on formats that weren't "left of the dial"? Honestly, all of my music-oriented projects, whether it's via podcast, print, or record stores, have been attempts to turn people on to music they may have zero exposure to otherwise. 

What were your favorite records of 1985?

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1. Camper Van Beethoven - The Day That Lassie Went To The Moon

2. Hüsker Dü - The Girl Who Lives On Heaven Hill

3. Hüsker Dü - I Apologize

4. Hüsker Dü - Every Everything

5. Hüsker Dü - Makes No Sense At All

6. The Replacements - Left of the Dial (Ed Stasium Mix)

7. The Replacements - Nowhere Is My Home (Alternate Mix)

8. Jason & the Scorchers - White Lies

9. Dramarama - Anything, Anything

10. Hoodoo Gurus - Like, Wow - Wipeout

11. The Jesus & Mary Chain - Just Like Honey

12. The Cure - In Between Days

13. New Order - Love Vigilantes

14. The Cult - She Sells Sanctuary

15. The Pogues - Dirty Old Town

16. The Waterboys - The Whole of the Moon

17. The Fall - Paint Work

18. X - Burning House Of Love

19. The Del Fuegos - Don't Run Wild

20. The Long Ryders - Looking For Lewis And Clark

21. R.E.M. - Driver 8

22. Descendents - I Don't Want To Grow Up

23. Dinosaur Jr. - Repulsion

24. Meat Puppets - Up On The Sun

25. Minutemen - Political Nightmare

26. No Direction - Getting it On with Trudy

27. Ill Bill and the Spinal Chills - Billy Needs a Beer

28. Fear - More Beer

29. The Dead Milkmen - Bitchin' Camaro

30. Dead Kennedys - M.T.V Get Off The Air