The 1980s was all about the 12" single and I consumed them greedily. The Beat cheated with their reggae-inspired vocal & dub sides making up an extended version, but The Human League took the art of the 12" to the next level. The Sound Of The Crowd was always my favourite on the Radio 1 playlist and the 12" version didn't disappoint. Forever Now was the first Psychedelic Furs album I bought (I now have them all) and the title track was their greatest single that never was. Rip It Up was one of the first songs that proved that you didn't need to be able to sing in tune to have a really great tune. Spinal Tap was a life-changing movie and an endless treasure trove of quotes and moments. Prince, The B-52's and The Cure represent my own Summer Of Love in the mid-late '80s against the backdrop of imminent nuclear armageddon, but the late '80s dance revolution pointed to a more escapist but optimistic future. Everyone went for the Paul Oakenfold remixes of Happy Mondays, but the Vince Clarke remix of W.F.L. still gets me every time with its pounding, pulsing intro. As I left the 1980s, all I wanted to do was dance.
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