I Knew It

The 80s are officially back. In a commercial context (natch). BecomeAnMM.com. The 80s are also back in Quicktime if need be. It would take an M&M commercial to re-introduce the world to "This Is The Day," the bouncy college radio hit from TheThe (Matt Johnson).

I guess this has significance to me because Matt Johnson was the first music guy I ever interviewed. It was on my 20th birthday, which would make it (calculating...) 1984. I finagled an interview with him through radio station KUSF, which wasn't even the station I was working at at the time. That would be cable radio station, KSFS (hey--you can get it in your dorm room), but KUSF happened to be located up the street from my house and happened to have Matt Johnson on live radio that afternoon. My roommate (now bandmate and long-time friend), Sue and I conducted this interview, which consisted of us trying to come up with questions to ask a 23-year-old that we considered to be a musical genius.

He quietly answered all our lame questions, looking bashful and amazed that two girls would find his British accent so captivating. Somewhere I have a cassette of that interview, recorded by an abject, grumbling KUSF engineer (some things never change). The only revelation I came to that has stuck with me was: That was the artiest guy I've ever met.

Matt Johnson wrote "This Is The Day" when he was 20. He's still really arty. I can barely comprehend his Web site. Hey Matt: I'm glad you're getting some residuals from an M&M commercial. M&Ms that are breakdancing, getting mohawk haircuts and M&Ms whose futures are so bright, they gotta wear shades. That's arty commerce.

Don't Be Uncool This Time Around:
For all your Manic Panic needs
cocaineaddiction.com
A bunch of 80s bands and clubs from San Francisco (study up)
The Henry Rollins Show
Lest we forget: Hair Metal
Required viewing
Make sure you have the right footwear