They turned rock into synthesizer music which I couldn't stand. With the exception of some well written ballads, the rest pretty much sucked.
I'll never forget the day when I found out it was over. I was teaching guitar at a local music store. One of my students walked in and said "I have a new song for you to teach me!" He knew how I felt about the 80's music, but it was my job.
He laughed and said "I think you're going to really love this one." I didn't know if he was being sarcastic or not. So I put the cassette tape in and listened. As the song played, a smile grew on my face. I thought to myself "It's back, Rock n Roll is back! I thought it was gone forever!"
I stopped the tape and asked how the other kids in school were reacting to the song? He said it was the talk of the entire school. Even the junior class said they were going to vote it in as their graduation song.
The song was Sweet Child of Mine by Guns and Roses. I was never happier learning and teaching a new song than that day.
Guns and Roses was one of the exceptions to the rule, they were amazing and could have been on the same level as the Rolling Stones had they been able to keep it together. It was so sad to see them crash and burn.
I have great memories of Sweet Child of Mine!
I also remember being in a bar called "Metallicas" in Olongapo City singing at the top of my lungs to Paradise City with the word Paradise replaced by Olongapo...the whole bar was singing along.
They had this massive tube that went half the length of the bar, it was a giant ass Bose bass cannon!