It has been 40 years.

1986 can fucking fuck off. Ooosh, I am not sober. Granted to those that know me, that will not be a shock headline of the year, 'Getty Is Pissed Again'. But.

I have been abstaining and loving it, to the point I am at a crossroad. I am going sober. I am seriously doing it. Sober. Me. No wine. No JD No Morgan's and Coke.

No Bud Light!!!!!

This is my swansong (aside from some gigs and nuptials over the summer) I felt the need to write. Why? Well I was channel hopping (I never channel hop) and the 1986 Princes Trust Concert popped up (ha ha hopping popped, hopped, almost alliteration). It started with Big Country, a firm favourite, Level 42!. Mark King with the bass guitar so high and then the sublime Suzanne Vega song Marlene On the Wall. I started watching with intent and then, Elton John with a ponytail walked on stage. Elton John. Ponytail. Paul! It is 1986, move on. Looking at his ponytail (he never grew a ponytail) and it hit me. 1986.

This gig was 1986. It is 2026.

That means my Mum died 40 years ago.

The 80's were a defining moment in terms of music and film, we can all agree on that, but maybe 1986 was an actual pivot point. Films: Top Gun Aliens

Ferris Bueller's Day Off Platoon

Labyrinth

The Fly

Highlander Cocktail Pretty in Pink Songs: Living on a Prayer Kiss

Sledgehammer (what a video) Papa Don't Preach Don't Leave me this way Sweet Freedom The Way it is Addicted to Love

(yes I know, many many more) Addicted to Love (see Cocktail) Fight for your right (to party) Pretty in Pink Brilliant Mind, ooosh

TV: Bread

Alf Blackadder II Satellite TV! All sublime, I have a 1986 playlist in my ears right now. The bad side of 1986.

Europe kept Bon Jovi off No 1 Chernobyl Challenger

and Howard the Duck was released. My mum died.

Sad emojis inbound. It was a pivotal year in this writers life, I dealt with it here; https://www.my11yearplan.com/post/_1986

And I have always used that as an excuse. I have avoided anything to do with that year over and over again, I have made reason why I 'hate' a song because it was released in 1986 over it actually being a good song or not. I mean, there are dire songs from 1986, Crowded House, Don't Dream It's Over just played and as such I feel some form of justification in saying that, but then the strings of Papa Don't Preach kick in and then Brilliant Mind by Furniture comes on after. And next it's When I Think Of You, Janet Jackson. On Wednesday I am seeing Marti Pellow and Billy Ocean, stalwarts of the 80's and I am so excited. I have a summer of events, all of which are going to be... I saw my hands hover over the keys, for a while, hunting for words, because I have no words as to how these weeks are going to be.

They are going to be amazing. They really are. I am spending time with my best friends and Sam is getting married, twice, ish, legal ceremony in America and party in Scotland.

1986, you were a challenge. You really were

And then I hear,

Nu ShooZ I Can't Wait

Falco, Rock Me Amadeus The Blow Monkeys Digging Your Scene

and I am smiling as I realise it was an amazing fucking year in all reality, it just had the i=odd curveball. So, no more hating on you 1986, time to move on.

I need an ellipsis ending so I checked some old posts for inspiration and then realised that maybe my ellipsis endings are not actually true ellipsis endings. Oh...