One day we will be free.

[gordonzola]

I got to the party and saw a couple of friends sitting on the wooden, Victorian, second floor stairs. They weren’t even smoking but they were sitting outside, that’s what a nice San Francisco night it was. It was early and I hadn’t seen them for awhile so I sat with them and opened my paper-bagged beer.

The door to the party apartment was propped open slightly and I could hear music playing. It was something incredibly familiar that I hadn’t heard in years but obviously had listened to a lot. It was faint. I couldn’t quite make it out. But I knew the melody. I managed to small talk but my brain was trying to connect the dots and figure out what the hell it was. I knew it well but couldn’t remember if I loved it or hated it so I didn’t ask my friends if they knew it. I didn’t want to commit.

Guests started arriving and they looked slightly off: polka dots, mullets, smeared and bright cheekbone make up. Oh shit, I forgot this was an ‘80s party. My stair-sitting friends weren’t dressed up either, a reason besides the weather to be sitting outside. Context is everything though, as soon as I realized the theme of the party, the name of the song I was hearing came to me in a flash. "Go Nowhere" by Reagan Youth.* At least the DJ was celebrating the best of the ‘80s.

I hate theme parties. Themes and costumes just distract from people, which is the real point of parties. If you need your inhibitions lowered, just drink some more. If you need a costume to start a conversation, practice talking in front of a mirror. But don’t expect me to look like an idiot to balance your poor social skills. Especially to honor a decade that was so horrible to live through the first time.

But really I don’t believe those things. I’m just too lazy to ever dress up. That’s the sad truth.

The word about the party theme obviously hadn’t spread too far anyway. Maybe a third of the people were actually dressed decade-appropriately. This actually made it more fun though because some of the guests could have gone either way. Is retro your lifestyle choice or your dress for the evening?

A few hours into the party I watched as three twenty-somethings arrived together. They had much of the ‘80s attire down pat: off-centered belts, yep. Big jagged stripes? You bet. Shirt strap over one shoulder? Uh huh. But they looked upset. Something was wrong. The woman in front surveyed the kitchen full of drunk older party-goers,** their get-ups starting to droop from dance sweat and the crowded conditions.

She turned to one of her friends, just loud enough for me to hear her as I waited for the bathroom, "Look at all these 30 year olds trying to look hip and electroclash. Gross." They took another look around and headed back towards the front door.



*A song which starts with the enormously subtle New York accented Q & A: "Where you going tonight boy?"
"I’m not going fucking nowhere." Ah, the ‘80s.

** You could tell the people who really lived through the ‘80s because when DJ Dianarama played Nina Hagen, instead of some Flock of Seagulls bullshit, they were the ones filling the dance floor.

Comments

[mallorys-camera.livejournal.com]

Look at all these 30 year olds trying to look hip and electroclash. Gross...

Heh. Trust me, the age stratification thing grows worse as you get older. I'm in my fifites. It's amazing how invisible I am to anyone under 45.

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

I'm sure that's true. I'm kinda looking forward to it actually. Not to be overly simplistic or anything.

[anarqueso.livejournal.com]

Sorry, did you just say something?

[vestalvixen.livejournal.com]

As you know this new "electroclash" scene amuses the fuck out of me. And though I was pre-pubescent for the 80's, (and therefore the same age as your punchline) this is still funny as hell.

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

That's why I like you so much. Though I do have a fondness for Peaches even if she is so 20 minutes ago.

[just-a-chick-03.livejournal.com]

Nina Hagen still looks so great

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

totally. Hidden somewhere in her house is a a portrait of a really old Nina, ala Dorian Grey. I saw her last year (my first time ever, actually) and she blew me away.

[subjective.livejournal.com]

gordon, i dreamt last night that i was visiting you & staying at your house for a while. we were sitting on the sofa waiting for dinner. you kept giving me huge bear hugs.

that's about all i remember. no plot, but good characters, eh?

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

awwwww. well, I hope "awwwwww" and not "eeewwww creepy" right?

seeya relatively soon.

[glembe.livejournal.com]

How do you feel about Halloween? Adults dressing up and all that

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

I'll never top the year me and some friends dressed as St. Patrick's Day so now I don't even try.

I'm a twentysomething and I love Nina Hagen

[epanastatis.livejournal.com]

My musical tastes would have been so hip twenty years ago.

Re: I'm a twentysomething and I love Nina Hagen

[experimentego.livejournal.com]

At least you an take comfort in the fact that you were hip when you were still an itch in your daddy's pants.

I'm so glad to hear the sad truth

[citizenx.livejournal.com]

I waffle on the subject of theme parties. Are they too much trouble, or do they help to gel the crowd?

Most of the themes I'm interested in are ones many people I know wouldn't, couldn't, or just don't care to stick to. On the whole, I'm more fond of people when they're natural.

Re: I'm so glad to hear the sad truth

[anarqueso.livejournal.com]

I like throwing theme parties because it's yet another opportunity for me to boss people around and get them to do improbable things.

[nux-vomica.livejournal.com]

gahhhh...i love that album....me, i can hear the first three notes (name that tune!) and knw almost every punk-new wave- eighties song...eek!

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

wait. which album? Reagan Youth or Nina Hagen? Either way I love both, if in slightly different ways.

[erickapander.livejournal.com]

so that new wave i loved in the 80's is electroclash today?? i had no idea.

[elusis.livejournal.com]

Oh yes.

Or at least that's what I think the kiddies were shouting at me... I couldn't tell exactly because my hearing aid was turned off.

[incendiarymind.livejournal.com]

You just have to throw contempt back at the 20-somethings when they pull crap like that. I just think, "were you even born back then?"

But, theme parties have their place for sure. Parties tend to blend together otherwise. Theme parties can be unique. It's amazing how you can still tell people guiding forces through what they're wearing at the parties. Trendy types will still be trendy, rocker types will become 80s rocker types, etc.

[dcart.livejournal.com]

Exactly. If there's one thing that actually being alive and something of a punk in the 80s was good for is that I can do sneering condescension on a level that the most ADD'd, camera phone toting teenager could only hope to achieve. :)

[walktheplank.livejournal.com]

She turned to one of her friends, just loud enough for me to hear her as I waited for the bathroom, "Look at all these 30 year olds trying to look hip and electroclash. Gross." They took another look around and headed back towards the front door.

Too bad you were waiting to go into the bathroom. Someone should have "accidently" spilled their drink all over her hip electroclash outfit.

Or better yet, thrown a drink in her face.

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

I was too busy laughing to get mad really. The 30 year olds did look silly too. Just like their '80s bretheren.

[teabee.livejournal.com]

what an excellent entry!
i'm not a fan of theme parties, myself. but i think that's because i just feel damn goofy, rather than lazy or anything else. it's just too embarrassing. but i really love the question of whether these people's looks are a lifestyle choice or a costume.

also, i looooove porch sitting on summer nights.

and what a slam for the 30ish comment. strangely, i'm SO glad to be near 30. so much more comfortable around the "old folks" - i wonder what that says about me? certainly i'm turning more dorkish, but i'm so glad to not have to front with a cool hipness any more. that's too much stressful work.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[nosrialleon.livejournal.com]

Look at the little kids! Dressing all 80s and not getting the joke!!!!

[dcart.livejournal.com]

Glad you finally got the CDs.

I have thoughts inspired by this, but I think I'm going to save them for own journal...mostly because it's time for me to go to lunch.

I hate retro. I hate nostalgia. And I really, really, hate theme parties.

[jette.livejournal.com]

"Look at all these 30 year olds trying to look hip and electroclash. Gross."

Do people still say things like that?

Goodness.

Re: I hate retro. I hate nostalgia. And I really, really, hate theme parties.

[jactitation.livejournal.com]

Given that I spent a good portion of my socializing time from ages 13-23 making fun of "adults" (I looked a bit older than I was, drinking age was only 18, and no one really gave a shit in Brooklyn), I personally couldn't really imagine reacting to such a comment in any other way than to laugh a lot in recognition that kids know something grown-ups don't (because dressing up for a theme party in 80s duds is just as retarded as trying to look hip, but then I'm with gordonzola on the theme thing). Fuck, they'll find out soon enough that grown-ups know way too much that kids don't, doncha think?

[nodoilies.livejournal.com]

Eh, this reminds me of a 80's party I went to forever ago (like 10 years). It seemed like a fun opportunity to be silly and dress up like Siouxsie. Imagine my dismay upon arriving to discover that it was a '79/'80 party and I had shown up looking very '83/'84. Whoops!

And to add insult to error, a lot of folks didn't realize I was costumed. I thought for sure my overly large hand-written "I [heart] Siouxsie" button gave it away...

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

And to add insult to error, a lot of folks didn't realize I was costumed.

ouch. they just thought you *really* loved Siouxsie

[chitinous.livejournal.com]

"Look at all these 30 year olds trying to look hip and electroclash. Gross."

Was she even alive then? I was THERE, MAN, I was THERE! Of course, I was listening to mostly whatever very popular pop pop I could get my paws on at the time, which, by the way, I am goddamn proud of--but I tell you what, the instant Latin Freestyle makes a comeback and she suddenly thinks Expose and Shannon are the very latest fashion, her ass is grass because I HEARD IT FIRST. And so did you.

Love,
Chitinous, soon-to-be Age 31.

[rockwrok.livejournal.com]

*high-fives*

/me will be 30 in less than 9 months.

That is SO fucked-up

[substitute.livejournal.com]

I'm with you on the Nina Hagen bit. I can tell the people who are either "from then" or real music fans because their 80s music is Shriekback and X the Suburbs and Mission of Burma rather than whatever top 40 was playing.

I hear the radio is gonna play New Music!
You know, the British Invasion.
But what about the Minutemen and the Black Flag
Flesheaters and DOA
Will the last American band to get played on the radio
Please bring the flag..

Not horrible to me

[swaz.livejournal.com]

Especially to honor a decade that was so horrible to live through the first time.

Sorry about that guy, but my eighties experience was super big FUN! I'd live them over again many times if I had the chance, even if I had to make the same mistakes over and over again as part of the deal.

Ignore the lame kids that have been almost completely deprived of anything original and new in their lives by circumstance. Victims of regurgitated culture.

Re: Not horrible to me

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

It isn't so much my personal experience in the '80s that was so bad, more what the decade meant/means culturally. In the Reagan Revolution kinda way. I'll actually have a post about that coming soon.

[fluxions.livejournal.com]

I hate parties in general. Theme parties were fun in college, but that was really all ego with all the annoying arty kids trying to out do each other with their costumes.

My friend once dragged me to party in SF and didn't tell me it was a theme party until we got there. The theme was: dress up like your favorite rock star. Ugh. That just shows what a good, loyal friend I am to still go with him.

I tend to prefer the company of people in their 30's and 40's anyway. Although I must say that they can make me feel very unhip. You know, like that Repo Man thing. Everyone starts chiming in about something and I'm like, huh?

[akki.livejournal.com]

Don't be dissin' on Flock of Seagulls, yo. :)

It's kinda neat how 80's fashion has come back as this new fangled "electroclash." Portland is full of these kids. Goddamn hipsters...

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

wait. you like death metal and Flock of Seagulls?

questioning your qualification to write this post

[ilipodscrill.livejournal.com]

well, i won't start with that, but i may have gone to the same party as nodoilies 10 yrs ago. the party i remember was a "new wave" party and i dressed as a sleez sister from times square(black band of makeup over the eyes, wearing a black plastic garbage bag) they judged costumes at the door and wanted to charge me more cuz they said i was a poser. my response:it's a freakin' new wave party, you should kiss my ass for being a poser. then i discovered they didn't even have(or know of)plastic bertrand's "ca plane pour moi" and dismissed them outright.
but, on the qualification point, me & zola hung out in the kitchen at this party and today he was shocked when i informed him i was there and talked to him. at 2am, but still. is this post fictional? };)

Re: questioning your qualification to write this post

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

well, you're right to question my memory of the evening. But you'll notice this posts starts from when I *arrive* at the party. Nothing I wrote about happened after midnight. Of course, as it says on the bio page, "this journal inspired by real-life events" but that's pretty much what happened.

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

Hey, i'll invite you when *I* have a party. Yep, Ben was the Reagan Youth DJ. I'm glad he was amused. He didn't mention it at work today.