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It was only a little over a year ago that I finally got on the bandwagon concerning You Tube…better late than never. Up to then, my only awareness of this it was when I’d look over my daughter’s shoulder to watch some fairly silly-although often laughable-amateur take-off or farce. Every so often, I knew she was downloading some recent performance, but it was only last May that I realized what was in the archives. This was right around the time I started listening to Queen once again, and my daughter had to see what Freddie Mercury looked like, so she searched, and voila!

It was the coolest thing to see what were only memories and images from the past; some of the footage takes me clearly back to being at concerts during my high school days. I can feel the almost feel the palpable energy of the crowds and smell the…well, never mind. I stared at the long-haired rockers and pointed out to my kid that we weren’t so dorky back then after all-although the idea that they’re probably now grandfathers is a little unnerving. I found a video made by my all time favorite, David Bowie, back in 1968. (I didn’t know they were even making videos then, but he was always ahead of his time…) He appeared to be about 18, and for that time, did a fairly good job of it, in my opinion. Regarding some other old videos, some uncharitable folks thought they were low budget and cheesy, but hey-nothing starts out being great. If it weren’t for those 1980 attempts, technology wouldn’t be where it is today, would it?

Anyway, I spent a pleasurable hour watching videos made in the 1970’s and 1980's, and had every intention of catching those that I’d somehow missed on MTV. Not surprisingly, life intervened and I never got “around to it”, as they say. But I remember how fun it was to take a walk down memory lane, and nothing does it quite like seeing an audience and performers of years ago. It’s also a little funny to look back on the styles as well. Now, real people did not walk the streets dressed as Liberace, Elton John, David Bowie and Freddie Mercury did-and even Prince was not exactly a wallflower-but performers today still can’t hold a candle to them in terms of attire. Perhaps it was because they were, after all, men who came across as outrageously bedecked, but even at that, you have to give the designers credit. Moving to other lesser known or back up performers, think matching jumpsuits, platform shoes, and wide, wide afro’s. Yet, it’s the audience that can give the real picture of what was being worn back then.

For the most part, pretty girls in the past would still be considered pretty by today’s standards. Forget the flowers painted on cheeks, headbands, and hair parted in the middle on almost everyone. Even girl’s clothes didn’t look to be all that different, in the quick glimpses of the audience screaming in adulation. It’s the guys where changes are most often noticeable, most evident in the 1970’s, when a good majority had much longer hair than seen today, and a lot of facial hair. Seeing some guys with flared jeans and puffy or flowered shirts looked just plain funny. Shirts open to the waist with a lot of gold chains, is almost as bad. Yet, I’m thrilled that the younger generation can have a sense of how we’ve arrived at where we are today. (By the way, my kid cannot believe I actually like some of that old stuff, yet I complain about the screaming she listens to. I told her that “back then”, screaming was used to make a point and didn’t constitute the lyrics. Good answer, huh?!)

So, if by some chance you find yourself with a few extra minutes someday, check out one of your favorite groups from years ago on You Tube. You’ll probably enjoy the trip back in time. What’s funny is that some days our kids will be doing the same thing with today’s entertainment in the next 25 yars and asking how anyone could have left their house looking like that!