Boy, the way Glenn Miller, er, Hall and Oates, played…
I was walking down the street today and saw a young lady wearing a concert t-shirt from the Hall and Oates 1983 H2O tour. I recognized the shirt a block away, having purchased one myself when I saw them on that tour. They’re easily mocked, but for my money they had a great, soulful sound; not on the same plane as Muscle Shoals, but at least the equal of “The Sound of Philadelphia.”Anyhoo…
Hypothesis A - I have been transported back to the 1980s in some kind of - wait for it - hot tub time machine - has been disproved to my satisfaction. Which leaves Hypothesis B - the H2O tour t-shirt represents urban hipster douchebaggery run amok, or Hypothesis C - through some combination of merit and camp value, Hall and Oates have acquired young fans in the vein of the Tony Bennett renaissance a decade ago. Can anyone help me out on this?
April 13th, 2010 at 3:48 pm
First of all, that’s TSOP to you and me - and for my money, they had nothing musically on Walter Murphy… but perhaps that’s just me. If it’s soul you’re looking for, I direct you to Peaches & Herb (and as we all know, you can’t have one without the other)… the obvious inspiration for 80s icons, Ashford & Simpson (but I digress).
Second, before I comment further… did this T-Shirt appear to have been *purchased* back in 1983? I’ve still got a Who T-Shirt from 1989, a bit tattered and frayed as it may be after 20 years… and lo and behold, given this past Super Bowl, apparently they’re still “relevant”. Again though, I digress.
So… if the young lady has an “original”, seemingly passed down from a parent, or a benevolent aunt/uncle/other relative? I think that’s outstanding…. not because I ever enjoyed the musical stylings of those two butt pirates, but rather I tip my cap to the long-term dedication to same that would be required to still be in possession of an original. If it’s instead a recent purchase, then it’s nothing more than a young chick trying to look hip by “reliving” the pop culture of two decades previous… akin to the 90s TV show “That 70s Show”… or the 70s TV show “Happy Days”. If that’s the case, she shouldn’t gotten a “Frankie Says Relax” T-Shirt… much more hip.