Would you say the pinnacle of early childhood, those born from 1980-1984 was July 1988?
If I could point to one month and one year from the 1980's that was probably the most fun of all it would have to be that
I just remember Nintendo, Showbiiz pizza, Bright summer cloths, big sneakers, spiked hair as well as a million other things.
Also I think it was the first issue of Nintendo power , also school had been out for a month and I took my first trip to Disneyworld in July 1988. I remember every kid there was so happy, It seemed every mom there had perms and all the dads had mustaches and wore short 80's style shorts. I took my kids there last summer and it seems like all the charm is gone. I know I look at it different because I am an adult with kids yet I could just feel like I was fortunate to grow up in the best time in American history as a kid. It was truly a worry free life. Its more dangerous for our kids now, they grow up faster.
Anyone willing to go along with my theory? I just think 80's kids had the best childhood of any generation in America and that anyone after us got the shaft. My good friends and myself were having a cookout last weekend and we all agreed that was probably the best month of the entire 1980's for us growing up. My best friend got his first kiss from a girl, I got to go to Disneyworld in Orlando and my wife got to have the best summer experience of her life. She loves the movie Camp Cucamonga to this day because the whole style of the movie screamed 1988 even though it came out in 1990.
JoshWoodzy
Joined: May 22 2008
Location: Goshen, VA
Posts: 6544
Posted:
Apr 26 2012 05:27 pm
I was only 4 in July of 1988, but it was indeed fantastic. Not only did Bump n' Jump, Double Dragon and Blaster Master come out and I got them for Christmas, but so did Castlevania II Simon's Quest, which despite it's shortcomings still holds a tremendous place in my heart.
It was also my first year of summer camp and I still love the concept and idea of summer camp to this day.
Also, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Big and Beetlejuice came out. Those were fantastic films that I still watch once a year. Mac and Me came out too but yeah...we won't talk about that one.
But just thinking about it, the neon clothes, the high top Reeboks, the radical slang words, it really takes me back and I miss it.
JRA
Joined: Sep 17 2007
Location: The Opium Trail
Posts: 3475
Posted:
Apr 26 2012 06:49 pm
This album came out...
Of course if I heard this when I was 3, I'd run away screaming with my hands clenching my buttcheeks.
There are a lot of what if's in life Donny. What if I hit you really hard in the face, knocked yo shit to the back of yo skull? What if I....had you girl gargle my nuts? The fact remains, you are a fuckin mutant.
justdrop
Title: Supreme Overlord
Joined: Jan 11 2012
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 558
Posted:
Apr 26 2012 06:57 pm
I did hear that when I was 3. My cousin locked me in his room with the lights out blasting that album and made me play Final Fantasy until I got to the first dungeon. Scared the hell out of me then, I love it now.
"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life."- Winston Churchill
Atma
Title: Dragoon
Joined: Apr 29 2010
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Posts: 2450
Posted:
Apr 26 2012 07:45 pm
I was busy Shitting in my diapers and raising hell for my parents.
The Flaming Schnitzel
Title: Tsar of all Russias
Joined: May 10 2011
Location: Minsk, Belarus
Posts: 810
Posted:
Apr 27 2012 12:35 am
I was not even yet in existence, largely due to the fact that my mother was 12.
However, I do enjoy the song "In Search of 1988" by Ozma, so I'd say it's a good year. Honestly, I wasn't a huge fan of the 80's until lately.
JRA
Joined: Sep 17 2007
Location: The Opium Trail
Posts: 3475
Posted:
Apr 27 2012 01:05 am
justdrop wrote:
I did hear that when I was 3. My cousin locked me in his room with the lights out blasting that album and made me play Final Fantasy until I got to the first dungeon. Scared the hell out of me then, I love it now.
There are much more appropriate metal albums for such an undertaking! Candlemass? Helloween? Manowar? Maiden? Even Show No Mercy would have been better.
Still, for making it to the first dungeon while you were three, bravo.
There are a lot of what if's in life Donny. What if I hit you really hard in the face, knocked yo shit to the back of yo skull? What if I....had you girl gargle my nuts? The fact remains, you are a fuckin mutant.
slapolakinkaido
Title: Illegitimate Son of God
Joined: Jul 14 2009
Posts: 1565
Posted:
Apr 28 2012 02:58 am
The Flaming Schnitzel wrote:
I was not even yet in existence, largely due to the fact that my mother was 12.
However, I do enjoy the song "In Search of 1988" by Ozma, so I'd say it's a good year. Honestly, I wasn't a huge fan of the 80's until lately.
Fuck, I was 12 in 1988! Well, actually 11, but close enough.
GPFontaine
Joined: Dec 06 2007
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 11244
Posted:
Apr 28 2012 09:52 am
I went to Disney world in December of 1988. It fucking snowed and the monorail froze. Though I did meet Jim Henson. So I guess it was pretty awesome.
I was going on two in July of '88. I doubt it was a good or bad year for me. I'm not sure what year would be my favorite but it would likely be some time in the mid to late 90's.
Rogue Hippo
Title: Lone Wolf Hippo
Joined: Jun 28 2010
Location: America's Wang
Posts: 245
Posted:
Apr 28 2012 03:32 pm
If you've never been to Showbiz Pizza then you had a terrible childhood and I pity you. It was basically a pizza place/arcade with a kick-ass robot band with 10 different singing, animatronic characters who sang original songs. And it was AWESOME! There's a pretty good watch instantly documentary about it on Netflix:
Showbiz was eventually bought by Chuck E. Cheese. After watching the documentary, I went to Chuck E. Cheese and instead of a robot band they had a big-screen tv that just played Nickelodeon. Fucking Lazy!
Beach Bum
Joined: Dec 08 2010
Location: At the pants party.
Posts: 1777
Posted:
Apr 28 2012 03:45 pm
I remember Showbiz Pizza, but we only went there once before it became a Chuck E. Cheese. They still had the robotic band though.
i'll_bite_your_ear
Title: Distillatoria
Joined: Jun 09 2010
Location: van down by the river
Posts: 3707
Posted:
Apr 28 2012 03:59 pm
There is also a Simpsons Episode were Bart celebrates his birthday at a restaurant wich obviously resembles a Showbiz Pizza restaurant.
it was the best of times
it was the blurst of times
Syd Lexia
Site Admin
Title: Pop Culture Junkie
Joined: Jul 30 2005
Location: Wakefield, MA
Posts: 24887
Posted:
Apr 28 2012 08:15 pm
Maybe I've been to Showbiz and I don't remember it. I definitely remember going to Chuck E. Cheese's and they had a robot band.
The Rock-Afire Explosion was the robot band at Showbiz Pizza. Chuck E. Cheese's bought Showbiz but the guy who owned the rights to The Rock-Afire Explosion wouldn't give them to Chuck E. Cheese's so they just made new characters and put them on the old Rock-Afire Explosion animatronic skeletons. The new band was Called Munch's Make Believe Band and they blow ass. But I'm probably biased because I have fond memories of The Rock-Afire Explosion so I'll let you judge for yourselves:
I wasn't even a glimmer in my parents eyes at that point. I feel left out.
https://discord.gg/homestuck is where you can find me literally 99% of the time. Stop on by if you feel like it, we're a nice crowd.
Blackout
Title: Captain Oblivious
Joined: Sep 01 2007
Location: That Rainy State
Posts: 10376
Posted:
Apr 29 2012 05:21 pm
I saw a commercial for Chuck E Cheese's just the other day. Their mascot still looks firmly rooted in the 80s and 90s, fingerless leather gloves, big sunglasses, a backwards hat, and I'm pretty sure he was both riding a skateboard and playing a guitar at the same time.
justdrop
Title: Supreme Overlord
Joined: Jan 11 2012
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 558
Posted:
Apr 29 2012 06:53 pm
JRA wrote:
justdrop wrote:
I did hear that when I was 3. My cousin locked me in his room with the lights out blasting that album and made me play Final Fantasy until I got to the first dungeon. Scared the hell out of me then, I love it now.
There are much more appropriate metal albums for such an undertaking! Candlemass? Helloween? Manowar? Maiden? Even Show No Mercy would have been better.
Still, for making it to the first dungeon while you were three, bravo.
In 1988 we had no music snobs to tell us what to listen to or to pay for our albums, sorry.
"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life."- Winston Churchill
