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Remember 1988?
Films such as Die Hard and Rain Man dominated pop culture. George H.W. Bush won the presidential election. The first well-known computer virus, the Internet worm, circulated. Wayne Gretzky, “the Great One,” went from Edmonton to Los Angeles, the biggest trade in NHL history. Roseanne vied with The Cosby Show for the most-watched television show in the U.S. And above a wee town in Scotland, 259 people—190 of them Americans—died when Libyan terrorists blew up a Pan Am flight four days before Christmas.
And through it all, there was the unforgettable music that defined the moment and became the soundtrack to our lives.
Bobby Brown blended R&B with hip-hop beats, becoming the king of the New Jack Swing genre. The marathon Monsters of Rock tour featured Van Halen, Scorpions and others, and Metallica released …And Justice for All, bringing thrash metal to a wider audience. The supergroup Traveling Wilburys released their debut album, and Tracy Chapman’s self-titled debut achieved major critical success.
In On Record “Vol. 5: 1988”—the fifth title in his award-winning series—acclaimed music journalist G. Brown transports readers back to one of the most vibrant years in music history. Through vivid storytelling and striking imagery, Brown shares his decades of exclusive behind-the-scenes interviews and an archive of nearly 15,000 rare editorial photographs. Through his incisive writing and historical perspective, On Record “Vol. 5: 1988” captures the energy, innovation and cultural shifts that defined the era.
Explore On Record “Vol. 5: 1988” for a comprehensive record of musical legacies:
- Defining hard-rock recordings from Guns N’ Roses (“Sweet Child o’ Mine”), Def Leppard & Poison
- R.E.M., Pixies and Sonic Youth indicating a shift towards alternative rock
- Teen dance-pop acts Kylie Minogue, Rick Astley and Tiffany dominating the charts
- Public Enemy (It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back) and N.W.A (Straight Outta Compton) bringing hip-hop to the musical forefront.
- The year’s top releases in hip-hop, classic rock, country, jazz and new age genres.
On Record “Vol. 5: 1988” brims with visual narratives that inspire, educate and entertain—an essential guide to the extraordinary music of that year.
Meticulously edited and beautifully designed, this oversized edition is printed to the highest standards, making it a stunning gift or centerpiece for your living room, music room, man cave or creative space—wherever the soundtrack to your life plays loudest.
"It’s always nice when the person interviewing me knows more about music than I do. Every time I've spoken to G. Brown over the decades, he has impressed me with his knowledge and, more importantly perhaps, his humor. I enjoy people who make me laugh, and G. does that constantly. Read his On Record books and enjoy his perspective." –Graham Nash, two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee
CONTENTS
ON RECORD entries are not ordered alphabetically, but organized intuitively – a mixture of seques by musical genre or style.
007 INTRODUCTION
008 TRACY CHAPMAN
010 MELISSA ETHERIDGE
012 EDIE BRICKELL & NEW BOHEMIANS
014 TANITA TIKARAM
016 TONI CHILDS
018 MICHELLE SHOCKED
020 JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS
022 COWBOY JUNKIES
024 ANITA BAKER
026 BRENDA RUSSELL
028 BILLY OCEAN
030 FOUR TOPS
032 THE TRAVELLING WILBURYS
034 KEITH RICHARDS
036 THE KINKS
038 CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & YOUNG
040 BRIAN WILSON
042 ROBERT PLANT
044 BAD COMPANY
046 THE MOODY BLUES
048 MIKE + THE MECHANICS
050 3
052 ROBIN TROWER
054 CHEAP TRICK
056 STEVE MILLER
058 CHICAGO
060 DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES
062 LITTLE FEAT
064 38 SPECIAL
066 LYNYRD SKYNYRD
068 JIMMY BUFFETT
070 BRUCE HORNSBY & THE RANGE
072 GRAHAM PARKER
074 RICHARD THOMPSON
076 LEO KOTTKE
078 RANDY NEWMAN
080 TONIO K.
082 PAT McLAUGHLIN
084 KENNY LOGGINS
088 BILL MEDLEY
090 ELTON JOHN
092 JANE'S ADDICTION
094 THE SUGARCUBES
096 WAS (NOT WAS)
098 THE CHURCH
100 BIG PIG
102 PAUL KELLY & THE MESSENGERS
104 JOHN MAYALL
106 GEORGE THOROGOOD & THE DESTROYERS
110 ELVIN BISHOP
110 JOE LOUIS WALKER
112 THE ROBERT CRAY BAND
114 THE JEFF HEALEY BAND
116 TOMMY CONWELL & THE YOUNG RUMBLERS
118 HENRY LEE SUMMER
120 THE GEORGIA SATELLITES
122 THE SMITHEREENS
124 TREAT HER RIGHT
126 CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN
128 LET'S ACTIVE
130 THE FEELIES
132 THE BEARS
134 INFORMATION SOCIETY
136 TACKHEAD
138 UNDERWORLD
140 ERASURE
142 THE PRIMITIVES
144 THE PROCLAIMERS
146 VAN MORRISON & THE CHIEFTAINS
148 HOTHOUSE FLOWERS
150 THE BIBLE
152 TIM & MOLLIE O'BRIEN
154 SAM PHILLIPS
156 SANDI PATTI
158 STRYPER
160 DANZIG
163 SAM KINISON
164 BON JOVI
166 AC/DC
168 OZZY OSBOURNE
170 SCORPIONS
172 JUDAS PRIEST
174 IRON MAIDEN
176 METALLICA
178 MEGADETH
180 QUEENSRYCHE
182 YNGWIE MALMSTEEN
184 POISON
186 L.A. GUNS
188 RATT
190 WINGER
192 DAVID LEE ROTH
194 BULLETBOYS
196 KINGDOM COME
198 LIVING COLOUR
200 FISHBONE
202 BOBBY BROWN
204 TIFFANY
206 NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
208 KENNY G
210 AL JARREAU
212 LIZ STORY
214 TUCK & PATTI
216 ACOUSTIC ALCHEMY
218 ROB WASSERMAN
220 SHADOWFAX
222 STANLEY JORDAN
224 NAJEE
226 ZIGGY MARLEY & THE MELODY MAKERS
228 TOOTS
230 VAN HALEN
232 U2
234 R.E.M.
234 PAULA ABDUL
234 TAYLOR DAYNE
236 SHEENA EASTON
238 ROD STEWART
238 SADE
238 ENYA
242 STEVIE WINWOOD
242 ROBERT PALMER
242 NEIL YOUNG & THE BLUENOTES
246 PETER CETERA
246 BETTE MIDLER
246 BARBRA STREISAND
250 MARTIKA
250 KYLIE MINOGUE
250 SAMANTHA FOX
254 PUBLIC ENEMY
254 RUN-D.M.C.
256 PRINCE
258 M.C. HAMMER
258 MORRIS DAY
258 JOHNNY KEMP
262 GUY
262 J.J. FAD
262 AL B. SURE!
266 DJ JAZZY JEFF & THE FRESH PRINCE
266 ROB BASE & D.J. E-Z ROCK
266 FAT BOYS
270 PET SHOP BOYS
270 CLIMIE FISHER
270 JOHNNY HATES JAZZ
274 A-HA
274 SIOUXSIE & THE BANSHEES
274 COCTEAU TWINS
278 JOHN HIATT
278 MORRISSEY
278 JULIAN COPE
282 MAXI PRIEST
282 THE WATERBOYS
282 THE POGUES
286 THE BANGLES
286 JANE WIEDLIN
286 PAT BENATAR
290 BOY MEETS GIRL
290 WILL TO POWER
290 RICK ASTLEY
294 NEW EDITION
294 THE BOYS
294 BOYS CLUB
298 JIMMY PAGE
298 LITA FORD
298 VIXEN
302 BLUE OYSTER CULT
302 ANTHRAX
302 SLAYER
306 CINDERELLA
306 EUROPE
306 KIX
310 EDDIE MONEY
310 GLENN FREY
310 GRAYSON HUGH
314 KARYN WHITE
314 CHERRELLE
314 SAM BROWN
318 TEDDY PENDERGRASS
318 IVAN NEVILLE
318 DEON ESTUS
322 CAMEO
322 LEVERT
322 SURFACE
326 CROWDED HOUSE
326 THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS
326 RHYTHM CORPS
330 TALKING HEADS
330 OINGO BOINGO
330 BOOK OF LOVE
334 DURAN DURAN
334 THE ESCAPE CLUB
334 THE GODFATHERS
338 STEVE EARLE
338 DYLL LOVETT
338 K.D. LANG
342 DWIGHT YOAKAM
342 RODNEY CROWELL
342 KEITH WHITLEY
344 REBA McENTIRE
346 PATTY LOVELESS
346 K.T. OSLIN
346 BOYS CLUB
350 THE DESERT ROSE BAND
350 RESTLESS HEART
350 SOUTHERN PACIFIC
354 BOBBY McFERRIN
354 TAKE 6
354 GEORGE HOWARD
358 KATIE WEBSTER
358 JAMES BROWN
358 WILLIE DIXON
362 SLICK RICK
362 ICE-T
362 WYNTON MARSALIS
363 RANDY TRAVIS
363 GEORGE STRAIT
363 HIGHWAY 101
364 LUCINDA WILLIAMS
364 SHONA LAING
364 THE DOUGHTON FAMILY
365 RICK ASTLEY
365 THE GREGG ALLMAN BAND
365 CELLARFUL OF NOISE
366 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS