1984

Took a cross country road trip from Pittsburgh to West Coast to deliver my friend Brian who was set to work in a startup near Bear Creek, CA. Along the way decided to travel through the PNW since he is native to both Seattle and Portland.

In Portland after 4 days of listening to AM pop radio, went down to the newly built Big Pink building where there was a food court. We, just graduated from college, and in our flannels and blue jeans, became immersed in a sea of stylish teenagers.

They all seemed to be wearing white, baggy -- or rather wafting, like sheets in the wind -- clothes. Angular hair cuts. Mascara? Could it be...yes, this was the first adolescent generation that got its visual fetishes not from album covers, but from MTV...specifically...Duran, Duran.

Reading this reminded me of a great scene from the Sundance show "Deutschland 83" where the young East German spy Martin is first exposed to the Western joys of a Walkman and Duran Duran.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwdP3GVW…