High School Dance in 1982

In December of 1982, while on break from Trans American School of Broadcasting, two big cheese d.j.’s returned to Ithaca high school to play a record hop.  My school mate Marty Richards and I returned back to the farmland more worldly after living in the big town of Wausau. Under our arms were records bought at the Inner Sleeve which is a long time Wausau record store.  We were addicted to MTV and had to have every song that was featured including weird British bands that no one had ever hear of!  It was an enjoyable time living away from the farm for the first time. We were learning to be disc jockeys during the morning, playing arcade games at the Schofield Shopko Mall, making cool mix tapes, and eating fine cuisine. There was a Wendy’s and a Burger Chef just blocks away (4 for a dollar hamburgers!!!), a Taco John’s (Taco Tuesday, Taco Tuesday!!), and an all you can eat noon buffet at Shakey’s Pizza (we ate all 3 daily meals in one sitting). It was a chance to work on the freshman 15 and live life. Some of my favorite tunes that were on the chart in December of 1982 include, Rock This Town-Stray Cats, Africa-Toto, Rock the Casbah-The Clash, I.G.Y. (What A Beautiful World)-Donald Fagan, Hand to Hold On To-John Cougar Mellencamp, 1999-Prince, I’m So Excited-Pointer Sisters, The Other Guy-Little River Band, and On the Loose-Saga. Those were all winners at the Ithaca dance after the boys’ basketball game.

On my Those Were the Days radio show Saturday night, I will spin back to December of 1982 and open the phone lines for requests. The light will be on for you to help program the six hour show. I will play some of the greatest songs from the fifties through the early nineties on WRCO FM 100.9, WRCO.com, or on the Civic Media app. Join us for the radio record hop starting at 6:00 Saturday night. All the cool kids will be there and for the after party at the moon tower.

Phil