Good memories--these shows preceded Saved By the Bell, Beverly Hills 90210, and The Simpsons in getting me through adolescence. The Wonder Years was also there for me; the main characters were the same age as me. But the cartoons--that was a wonderful fantasy world where the women were strong, beautiful, and had all the things I didn't. Sure, looking back now I'd tell myself all of that 80s self-indulgence and vanity was nonsense, and the storylines are probably completely lame, but at the time, it served me well to dream about a life that I could never have. I spent a lot of hours drawing the characters and doodling their names.

So thanks to YouTube, I present you the openings of some of my favorite 80s-tastic shows:

The two main Timbaland tracks are a bit overproduced, as expected, as is the opening song, The Valley.  But as an entire album, it's decent.  It's a new sound for them.  Box Full O' Honey and Dirty Great Monster are the two gems for me when I'm in that thinker/nostalgia mood trying to remember what DD used to sound like.  But if I want to just dance, most of the album serves that up quite nicely.  Skin Divers is a fantastic song...up until Tim goes "Wiki Wiki."  lol  But it's still a decent song.  The album sort of lost momentum before it even started.  They hopefully will release a couple more tracks and be wise about it (unlike Astronaut, which had a number of better tracks than the first two releases).  I'd say Skin Divers or Nite Runner should be next.  They're not the best on the album, but probably the most marketable (whatever that means in today's digital world--I mean if they lost Andy Taylor and shelved an entire album over this, they might as well follow through and see if their experiment worked).  Even though Falling Down is catchy at times, it's missing some of the depth that Ordinary World had.  Overall, I heard the album, was pleasantly surprised, and then went back to listen to their previous work, even Astronaut, and unfortunately realized they could do better.  But if I forget what they've sounded like before and look at this as its own work, it's not half bad.  I remember I was disappointed in Big Thing and Notorious when they came out, but those were actually solid, innovative albums that likewise didn't sell to audiences that wanted Duran to sound the same as always.  At the time I was younger, all I cared about was their videos, but it turns out the songs themselves actually well crafted, and they are an incredible live band.  The music has endured.  I hope they remember that for their next album release, but at least for now, they need to figure out how to get these songs out to the clubs, the youth, or else you'll just have sold a few to the die-hard fans and that's it.

No, I'm serious.  In public, I'll say I love a manly man like Tyson Beckford or Djimon Hounsou, but like I've already said, I'm a pretty-boy-musician girl.  And despite how "unpretty" he's become, I haven't fully gotten over my infatuation of El DeBarge.  My childhood and adolescence were defined by a lot of Duran Duran and DeBarge music, so it makes sense for me.  All their songs still take me back.  All El ever wrote about was how much he loved a lady--it wasn't demeaning or chauvanistic.  But if you've seen the latest report on El being arrested, that is just one disappointment in a long string of disappointments spanning over 20 years for me.  But whatever his demons, I still think there's a chance for him.  Will he answer these wake-up calls?  Get some help, El!  You know people love survivor stories--that's why we let Isley aka Mr. Big back in our lives.  You non-fans of R&B and hip-hop can Google all that.

Disappointments:
1.  At 10, I wrote my first fan mail letter to him after the release of his first solo album.  Got no response.  Maybe it was lost in the mail.
2.  That year I found out he was not Puerto Rican but in fact black and French.  Not that I mind, but I had a thing for Latinos at the time.
3.  His solo work was largely unnoticed after his debut, even when he had Babyface (hitmaker extraordinaire at the time) produce the last album--the sound was right, but people were starting to tire of the Babyface sound.
4.  His collaborations with rap artists like DJ Quik and Warren G were good, but left a dent in my 80s picture of him.  It's not music I would play for my kids either, unlike classic DeBarge.  Collabs with Quincy Jones and Fourplay were acceptable, though.
5.  He was sentenced to community service after pleading no contest to slapping a student.  Then his brothers Bobby (of Switch) and Chico (solo artist) were convicted of drug trafficking.  Then Bobby passed away from complications from AIDS.  Those things aren't El, but people thought it was him (just like they thought he was married to Janet Jackson, but no, that was James).  And it affected him.  He seemed to disappear after Bobby died
6.  And when hip-hop hit the mainstream and took off, and everyone from Tupac to LL to Biggie was sampling DeBarge songs El had produced and/or written, he didn't show up for a comeback.  Same when Ashanti was sampling--no sign of El.
7.  Him doing Starlight Express.  I hated that song and wanted to hear original work again (even though Rhythm of the Night was dabomb).  Where's your soul, El?  But then when he got it back for a short while, people had left him behind. 
8.  In an interview, when asked to give advice, he said, "Keep your head straight, put God first in your life, and stay away from drugs."  *sigh*
9.  His divorces.  Man has 10 kids at least.  That's fine, but you know I had a dad like that and it's confusing for the kids sometimes.  There are already rumors one of his kids is following in his footsteps (and I'm not just talking music).
10.  He just deserves better for his talent, but I think he's past the chance of getting a record deal).  Everyone was trying to make him a poor man's Michael Jackson back in the day.  But they should've let that boy stay behind a piano and a mike.  He could wipe the floor with some of today's artists.  No lip-synching or voice alteration there, my friends.

It's bad company, maybe--but you have to take responsibilty as well for your addictions.  Call me old-fashioned; I don't curse.  But if I did, I'd say he needs to get himself the f*** together before it's really too late.

Again, it was the music first, then the fascination with the pretty boy, although Incubus isn't all over my ipod like DD is.  I do prefer slender and pretty over rugged, though there is no denying what is universally hot.  There's hot and then there's my own definition of attractive.  Most people sort of gravitate to a certain "type."  It's no surprise that I married a charming, intelligent, pretty-boy.  Both he and an ex have been mistaken for gay--I guess that comes with the territory.

Unlike John who played up his looks at times, BB seems to have gone through phases of hiding it, perhaps resenting that people were judging, or even buying, the book by its cover.  And his book is definitely (not definately, pet peeve) a wild journey through his creative spirituality and potent philosophies.  He intrigues me, even though I don't buy his opinions, but as always I believe celebs are entitled to them as much as I am.  And he certainly articulates them well.

I've been a fan of Duran Duran for 20+ years.  And if you can't tell by now, my favorite member is John Taylor.  I'm a fan and a girl but could never be a "fangirl."  Well, I was one once, but once you start digging, you're just asking for your bubble to be burst.

Love:
His talent (that would be the killer bass lines--Rio, AVTAK, Notorious, Come Undone, Nice, all of it.  The solo career, not so much.)
His style (well, some of it, like his dyed hair)
His height
His soft spot for kids
Married to Juicy Couture co-founder Gela
His smile, of course *dies*
His charm and humor (when they surface)
His wiggle-dancing on stage
When he gives a good interview
Love love love that he returned to Duran Duran

Hate:
His insecurity, esp in the 80s, which translated into arrogance or alleged "side deals" (cheating)
His style--ew at the open shirts and chest hair and also his headwraps
When he was a bit too coked out in interviews
When he wasn't coked anymore and just seemed tired and bitter in interviews
That he lost his Birmingham accent, and maybe his British accent altogether
Liberty and Thank You (he was drugged up in the first and they covered White Lines in the second)

On the Fence:
His cokehead whoring days...I mean, they're over--and who doesn't have a past?  But it looks like those drugs tore up his face a bit.
His acting.  It's not half bad, but some of those roles were lame.  Good thing he put that on the back burner.
The collaboration with Timbaland and Justin--I was appalled at first, but yeah, the final product is much better than I was expecting. 
He's one to wear his emotion on his sleeve.  Sometimes it's endearing, and sometimes you want him to just shut up.