heaven can wait we’re only watching the skies

I was two weeks shy of my thirteenth birthday, and in Oregon filming Stand By Me, when Live Aid happened in 1985, and I was a little too young (and focused on making the movie) to fully appreciate it. When I was old enough to understand what I’d missed, I never thought I’d get a chance to experience the show.
Never that is, until the good kids at Rhino released Live Aid on DVD, which Anne gave me for Christmas. For the past two days, I’ve turned off Fred and let the DVD run while I work on various writing projects. I’d heard a little bit of it over the Thanksgiving weekend, when XM played it on the 80s channel, so I expected to enjoy it, but I’m a little surprised at just how much it rocks. The performances really hold up, and one of them even made an impression on Ryan and Nolan.
After listening to Paul Young perform one of my all-time favorite songs, (Come Back And Stay), I moved to the couch to watch U2 perform. In order to fully recreate the concert experience, I cranked up the Onkyo to a million, and bounced a beach ball around my living room.
Ryan walked into the room, and sat down on the couch next to me. He and Nolan have grown up with U2 the way I grew up with The Beatles, so he recognized the song right away.
“Is that U2?” He said.
I told him that it was, and while Bono continued to sing, I gave him a brief history of Live Aid.
“. . . so Bob Geldof decided to —”
“Wait. I’m sorry to interrupt, but what’s up with Bono’s boots?” He pointed to the screen, and for the first time I noticed that Bono was wearing leather pants, tucked into knee-high suede boots. They had an impressive heel.
“Uhh . . .” I began.
“And is that . . . oh my god. It is.” The color drained from his face. “He has a mullet.”
Before I could reply, Nolan walked into the room.
“Hey!” He said. “What are you watching?”
“It’s Live Aid,” I said. “They were raising money for —”
“Woah! That is a sweet mullet!” Nolan pointed at the screen and erupted into peals of laughter.
I paused the DVD, and turned to face them.
“Listen, you guys. It was 1985.”
They looked back at me, blankly.
“Oh, nice.” It’s yet another ‘I’ve-just-become-my-parents’ moment, just replace ‘it was the sixties’ with ‘it was the eighties.'”
“The mullet was the official haircut of rock and roll,” I said.
Before either of them could point out how ludicrous this statement was, even if it was true, I tried to explain: “This concert was a really important event! Not only are these all incredible bands at the height of their popularity, but you can see what happened when a bunch of people came together to make a difference in the . . . in the world . . ” I realized that they weren’t listening to me. Ryan’s face was turning red and Nolan was choking back massive giggles.
“What?” I said.
Ryan’s face cracked, and he howled with laughter as he pointed at the TV. I looked up, and saw that I’d paused the movie on a shot of Bono, his head thrown back, eyes clamped shut, microphone held high . . . and mullet in full-effect.
“I’m sorry, Wil.” Ryan said. “What were you saying?”
I laughed in spite of myself. Bono did look pretty ridiculous. “I’ll tell you another time. For now, just try to enjoy the music.”
“Oh, we can do that,” Nolan said, and made a big production of putting his hands over his eyes.
“Hey, let’s see how well your rock and roll heroes hold up in twenty years,” I said.
“As long as they don’t have mullets, I think we’ll be fine,” Ryan said.
I pressed play and we watched — well, I watched and they listened, to the rest of Sunday Bloody Sunday, followed by Bad.
“See?” I said. “That was during Unforgettable Fire, just before Joshua Tree. Those two songs they just played are the reason you have heard U2 since you were too little to know what music was.”
As the final strains of Bad echoed over an aerial shot of Wembley Stadium, they cut to footage of Phil Collins about to board the Concorde.
“Who’s that?” Nolan asked.
“That’s Phil Collins. He just finished performing in London, and now he’s going to fly to Philly to perform there too,” I said. “It was pretty cool.”
“Phil Collins?!” Ryan said, “The wussy Tarzan guy?!”
I shrugged my shoulders. “Well . . . yeah.”
“He was cool?”
“Phil Collins was . . . ” I cleared my throat. “He was an international superstar.”
Ryan looked at me, genuinely confused. “Why?”
I took a deep breath and gave the only answer I could.
“It . . . it was 1985.” I said, suddenly not that uncomfortable to take another step toward becoming my parents, and silently grateful that the kids hadn’t been in the room when I was rocking out to Adam Ant.

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117 thoughts on “heaven can wait we’re only watching the skies”

  1. Hi Love the website.
    I spent the 80’s lost in Bluegrass, so Bono is only a dim memory.
    I do like to see a good mullet with lots of hairspray. They rank up there with Elvis dressed in Pink and Black.
    (And to explain about the rolled up pantleg.
    It is a sign of gang affiliation or sympathy. “Left coast” gangs – left pantleg, and “right coast” gangs etc. Folk and People, Crips and Bloods. Blue and Red.)

  2. Great post!
    Bono often wears heels.
    Bono: “I would certainly consider myself to be one of the inventors of the mullet.
    I think it comes down to Patrick Swayze or me.”
    “Well, I’d start with the mullet.” -Bono on what he would change about U2’s 25-year career
    ‘Well, Bono is a Jesuit priest. With a mullet hairdo.’
    ~Bob Geldof
    The mullet wasn’t cool. Adam’s ‘fro on the other hand
    *********
    Oh and I have to comment on this:
    1985 was 5 years after I graduated from college. Bono and U2 were in their second decade of making music. Easily their second – about their 14th year I believe. I never had a mullet – because only kids thought they were cool, and I wasn’t a kid.
    Now put yourself in Bono’s shoes, er, boots. Second decade of making music.
    And that was 20 years ago.
    What’s he doing today? Selling iPods and touring yet again, striking poses onstage like he did 35 years ago. Almost makes you start spelling out M-i-c-k J-a-g-g-e-r.
    It was not their 14th year in ’85. They came together in ’76 and their first album was out in ’80. Bono is 44 right now and he could never be as bad as Jagger.

  3. I *love* Onkyo. The great big volume wheel is awesome.
    Also love the Beatles. One of my daughters (age 8) was just enjoying “And I Love Her” on my iPod, albeit the Beatles Go Baroque version.
    I’d better scroll her over to the originals…

  4. Wil, I’m a year younger than you (roughly) and I SO know how you feel. I have a friend who just turned 23 and we were talking about something 80’s-TV-related and she said “I always thought Uncle Jesse was so hot.”
    I stopped. Uncle Jesse? From the Dukes of Hazzard? I know my friends are weird, but I didn’t think she was THAT weird.
    She continued, “You know, from Full House?”
    I cried. In fact, I’m tearing up a bit now just remembering it.

  5. The 80s hair bands should really entertain them. Heck, even then I knew they were kind of goofy. What is really wierd is 1985 is when I graduated from high school. 20 years since I graduated from high school! Oh no! I’m OLD!
    At least the boys may now understand “unfortunate fashion choices” (aka why something may seem like a good idea now but will only provide fodder for the kids in years to come) Did I say years to come? It seems more like a few minutes ago.

  6. We picked up this set the weekend it came out. I watched all umpteen hours of it, and thought it was fantastic! My favorite bit was with Queen. They totally rocked the entire house!

  7. My kids have seen the Adam Ant rockout, and I threaten to use it and other geekouts in my arsenal to humiliate them in front of their friends on a regular basis. It helps keep them in line.

  10. Last time I saw U2 was at the special olypics cermony in dublin last summer. They played “pride” and “one love” with 93,000 in the stadium, 10,000 special athletes while a massive video screen showed all theyre achievements. He then led out nelson mandela who gave probably one of the best speeches that I’ve ever heard. When bono sanging “one love”, he stopped singing and left 93000 people sing the chorus all swaying together it was like variation of a mexican wave one of those unforgettable moments like live aid. (probably the best event ireland/ europe has ever put on). It was the first time the special olympics was held outside of the USA.
    The link is for pics of the event:
    http://www.specialolympics.org/Special+Olympics+Public+Website/English/Press_Room/News_Archive/2003+News+Archive/Spectacular+Opening+Ceremonies.htm
    P.S. i dont know if this is known in the states or not but they released the song this xmas. Bono and Paul mc Cartney are the only two orignal artists to participate.

  11. Where to start…first I love Rhino records. I have most of the re-releases they’ve issued of Elvis Costello’s stuff. And for x-mas my wife got me Left of the Dial a really great compilation of 80’s alternative/college radio stuff.
    As for Bono, he and his mullet stopped being cool right around 85 in my opinion. I didn’t even like Joshua Tree, I think Unforgettable Fire was the last album I liked. to quote Henry Rollins “The Clash is the band U2 wishes they could be”.

  12. I saw Bono on the Christian channel a couple of days ago talking about Jesus.
    No joke it was weird because I always thought of him as a somewhat hard rocker.

  13. Wow… I really enjoyed that post!
    I have U2’s Live Aid performance on video tape. It’s powerful stuff… who could forget Bono rushing into the crowd to pick up that woman during the twelve-minute “Bad”?!!
    By the way Wil, what do you think of the new album? Can’t wait to see them on the next tour by the way!
    Signed, a massive U2 fan from Ireland 😉

  14. This was a great post, I laughed out loud. I’m older than most everyone here (I was in my late 20s when Live Aid happened)–what a great memory. Isn’t it funny how mullets evolved? They may have started out cool, but eventually they were just casual fashion–you didn’t notice them ’cause so many people had them. Now they connote something altogether uncool, of course. I point out to my (teenage) kids that on certain old “Seinfeld” episodes Jerry’s hair is dangerously close to mulletish. It wasn’t anything at the time, just a hair style.
    By the way, this was the FIRST time I recognized one of your titles, Wil. Ah, Alphaville. I still love 80s music.
    I saw “Coldplay” a couple of years ago–as a prelude to their ballad “Trouble” Chris Martin told how in the car (bus?) radio on the road, a Phil Collins song (damn, forget which one, some love song) came on and they all laughed at its cheesiness. Then Chris Martin told the audience (of which I was the way oldest) that in 20 years this song (“Trouble”) will come on the radio and it will be the cheesy song your kids laugh at. Chris Martin is a wise man.

  16. 1)This blog has made me feel VERY OLD,LOL!!!
    2) I miss the days when Phil Collins was cool
    *glares at Disney for having him sell out,*gives another glare for taking Elton John too
    3) I had no idea that the hair do Bono used to sport was infact a mullet, at the time I just thought it was a kick-butt/sexy rocker hair do.
    *sigh…those were the days 🙂

  17. I forgot to add this
    as someone who is a firm believer in REAL MUSIC
    you make me very proud that you are raising your boys on UZ, awww yes that makes me very proud. 🙂
    I just got the hugest smile on my face when I read that.

  21. I giggled outloud at work and co workers are staring at me like I’m a total GEEK! That rocked! LIVE long and always listen to U2 that’s what I say.
    I have to get that DVD!
    What a great gift.

  22. I giggled out loud at work and co workers are staring at me like I’m a total GEEK! That rocked! LIVE long and always listen to U2 that’s what I say.
    I have to get that DVD!
    What a great gift.

  23. That’s an incredible story, Wil, and I’m always touched and inspired by the way you are with the boys, but just a minute here – you were rocking out to Adam Ant??!!!??!!!
    I’m just about your age, or maybe a little older, and back in the day NO ONE rocked out to Adam Ant!
    (Then again, I did go to a college where the graffiti said “Black Flag kills Ants on contact”…)

  24. that is so funny.. and all the while i’m reading this i’m hearing in my brain that new song about stuck in 1985 , or what ever it is

  25. hey wil, pretty all those bands you mentioned in your post were from the UK (apart from U2 who i know are from Ireland, but it’s just next door!!!!) being from England, i think its sooo cool that bands from our country made such a difference to the way people think. it makes me proud!
    you are a gread dad wil, the boys are lucky to have you, just as you are lucky to have them.
    “long days and pleasant nights.”
    love rach
    xxx

  26. hey wil, pretty all those bands you mentioned in your post were from the UK (apart from U2 who i know are from Ireland, but it’s just next door!!!!) being from England, i think its sooo cool that bands from our country made such a difference to the way people think. it makes me proud!
    you are a gread dad wil, the boys are lucky to have you, just as you are lucky to have them.
    “long days and pleasant nights.”
    love rach
    xxx

  28. My son (yes, the eleven year old again) and I were looking at Live Aid stuff online and we came across this little tidbit…
    http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1188518,00050003.htm
    I’ll be watching to see who hops onboard and if it actually comes to fruition.
    By the way… Mary, I was in my mid-twenties for Live Aid, so I’m right there with ya. I feel just a tad creaky…
    My tween is lamenting all he lost out on with the eighties bands. He has now added the Live Aid DVD to his birthday list…

  29. Wil,
    Please pardon my ignorance, but here in south Louisiana a mullet is a fish that jumps out of the water several times in succession. I have often had mullet jump into my boat.
    Would you please post a link with a picture of a mullet hair cut. I am really curious.
    Freeman 🙂

  31. Ahhh, Live Aid. July 1985. I was 14 and remember being in a dilemma about which concert I should watch. They showed the Wembley concert on BBC1 from midday till 10pm but at 5pm BBC2 kicked off with the Philly concert(!) so I was remote control jockeying for the best part of 5 hours so I wouldnt miss anything (but I invariably did!!!)
    Brill show what with Queen blowing everyone away with their set and seeing Phil Collins board Concorde so that he could make both shows. (Hmmm, I wonder what happened to Concorde…BRING IT BACK DAGNAMMIT!) I stayed up til 3 to watch the end and remember thinking how odd it was hearing everyone singing “Do They Know Its Christmas” in the height of summer!!!
    It has been announced that as primarily being in aid of the Asian Tsunami Disaster and as a partial tribute to it being 20 years since Live Aid a concert is being planned for Jan 22 at Cardiff’s Millenium Stadium.
    goto http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/4156085.stm to read all about it. I dont know whether it is going to be televised as yet though, sorry.

  32. Man, I just had, more or less, the same conversation with my wife (she is 7 years younger than me – cradle robber that I am).
    I had to explain to her what a moment in time for me that day was.
    I was literally parked in front of the TV and stereo making recordings on cassette and VHS for posterity. I still have them!
    I am very dissappointed that the DVD does not have the Led Zepplin reunion on it. That was the moment for me of the whole day!
    Regards,
    Ed

  33. Alphaville and Other Quotes
    You know, if this were just a website dedicated to figuring out awsome song quotes, I’d still come here every day!
    I wonder if it’s hard for Wil to come up with them or do they just come to him from above…

  35. Phil Collins: It seems that he is in a place in his life where he is happy and all the pain and angst that drove him creatively is gone. Or he is just old….
    “In the Air Tonight” came on the radio the other day and my 6th grade nephew asked, “Who is that?” (My nephew is a budding drummer.) I said, “It is a classic. Learn to play that song and anything else Phil Collins played drums on. Maybe I’ll put together a CD of Neal Peart, John Bonham, Phil Collins and Stuart Copeland for him.
    The opening sequence to “I Don’t Care Anymore” still kills when cranked to 11.

  37. THANK YOU. Haha, this was such a funny post, because I know with certainty, that when I have children… I’ll be saying much of the same.
    Incidentally, I’m FINALLY getting Mr. Stitch on tape through Amazon.com — I used to have a copy I taped from Sci-Fi Channel, but subsequentially lost. It’s my favorite ‘independent’ movie.

  38. I, too, received the LiveAid DVD’s this year for Christmas. As soon as 7ofHearts (my wife) heard (re: I told her) that I wanted it, she order it.
    Queen by far was the best.
    All we hear is Radio GaGa. Radio GooGoo. Radio GaGa.
    Video was new.
    Radio.
    Someone still loves you……
    Ayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy-O
    Ayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy-Oh
    Ay-da-da-day-da-da-do
    Di-doh
    Di-doh
    Dee-doh-de-doh-de-doh.
    We miss you, Freddie.

  39. Wil, come on! You – rocking to Adam Ant? I was just a kid when he was wearing a hussar’s coat, and I’m old enough to be your . . . . big brother.
    Maybe I was older than I remember.

  40. That’s funny, I was’nt born in the 80’s but I know the people your talking about, what store did your wife find the DVD at?

  41. Aren’t kids great? I can’t wait until my little man is old enough to pick on me for things I was into in the past.

  42. Wil, I think “Stand by me” had at least as big influence on me as a kid as “Live Aid”.. So consider yourself immortalized in the eighties just as much as “live aid”, I hope it is not a depressing thought.
    There was just something about that movie as a whole for a 13 year old kid.. The music, the “last summer being a kid” feeling etc.. Too bad River Phoenix never made it to thirties, fourties, etc..

  43. Wil,
    Wil, that was funny. Is there a such thing as a, non-funny looking, musician look? It seems that we can’t always use the 80’s or the 60’s as an excuse. I would never want to be a musician fashion designer. No matter what look you decide on, somebody, somewhere will always be laughing.
    FG

  45. Ok…for the record…mullets were NEVER EVER attractive….on ANYONE. Not even on Mr. Cool Ass Bono himself. As far as Mr. Collins goes…I guess I’m still living in the past, because I think he’s still an incredible talent. I dug my parent’s music…so i never gave them a hard time about it…but I still have to comment on their style. I guess there are some things that older and younger generations can not change about themselves.

  46. I freakin’ LOVE it! Just heard about your blog today and had to come look (I was a Trek fan back in the day) and almost laughed my orange juice through my nose when I read about your Live Aid experience. Especially the Phil Collins part. Had a ditto experience with my kids a few years ago. So thanks a pantload, WIl, now I have yet another blog I’m gonna need to read every day. 😉

  47. Hey Wil, I remember Live Aid quite well (I kicked my folks out of the house for the weekend so I could watch it uninterrupted & without complaint). I remember how totally cool it was that Phil Collins had a jet on stand-by just so he could play both shows … I remember getting up at like 4AM local time in order to catch the Australian set … I remember Bono’s mullet, and tell the boys you just kinda had to be there to understand … I remember the rumors flying about a Beatles reunion (Paul McCartney with special guests, Julian Lennon in attendance) … I remember getting goose-bumps with the totally awesome feeling that my generation was doing this, putting this together, pulling it off (never done before). It was way cool. Thanks for the memories, Wil.

  48. Wil, I so feel your pain. I teach high school, and the kids are as merciless to me as ever I was to my own parents (who had stuff like “Have a groovy summer” scrawled into their yearbooks). “Rad? People really said ‘rad’? And they weren’t just joling around?”

  49. In no way, style, decade or context can Phil Collins ever be seen as cool, it’s just not going to happen. He has no ‘it’ or ‘wow’…and we do have to try and forgive Bono because it was, as Wil said, the 80’s.

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