The comeback of the 80s

Rick Astley is coming to town. You know the Aussie guy with the big voice with the hit — it would take a strong, strong man — that we danced to twenty years ago. Then the duo Air Supply will be back. Also from the Land Down Under, Pinoys simply love the sound of the power ballads that these guys can dish out like no other. Selling big again is Michael Jackson’s Thriller and Madonna, looking great beside young JT, is in the hit charts. And back in the theaters is the most exciting adventurer of them all, Indiana Jones.

The ’80s era is back in the Philippines in a big way. The decade saw the last days of the Marcos regime, brought changes with EDSA One and gave the country its first woman president. It saw the discovery of the HIV virus and AIDS and gave the world a globe-trotting Pontiff. I also recall Bagets, big hair, big shoulders, clunky, flashy gold jewelry and the birth of the Viva Films melodrama that made Sharon Cuneta a star.

Just last week four of the ’80s biggest heartthrobs brought the house down for two evenings at the Music Museum in Greenhills in Greatest Hits of the ’80s. Now older but still looking and singing great, Raymond Lauchengco, Louie Heredia, Gino Padilla and Randy Santiago, showed their fans that they still have that something special that turned them into stars. They also proved to today’s music lovers how unique they are and how their songs have endured over the years.

There is a clamor for a repeat of Greatest Hits of the ’80s. But that is not likely to happen soon because those ’80s balladeers are scheduled to take the show on a tour of Canada and of the US soon. So if you missed the concert, your best hope would be to wait for the video that will be in the market later this year. But you can still enjoy the hits of these pop idols, that have now been compiled in the Greatest Hits of the ’80s, CD. The album contains the original recordings that inspired the concert and some of the best made by Raymond, Louie, Gino and Randy.

Raymond, the movie and stage actor and perceptive photographer has songs from films he also starred in. These are two compositions by Odette Quesada, Farewell from the first Bagets movie and I Need You Back from the second. He also does George Canseco’s Saan Darating ang Umaga, the Viva drama where he made his film debut opposite Maricel Soriano. Raymond came out with Full Circle last year, a CD wherein he made big band versions of hits from the ’80s like Just Got Lucky and Head Over Heels and Wake Me Up Before You Go Go.

The show marked Louie Heredia’s return to showbusiness. Known then for his light R&B style, he had been content cooking up mouth-watering Paella dishes while in retirement. But the idea of once more performing and with friends and chart rivals from his heydays proved to be irresistible. His contributions to the CD are Nag-iisang Ikaw, Can Find No Reason and Iisang Damdamin.

I remember Gino in the ’80s singing the rousing theme from the movie Ninja Kids with Randy and Juan Miguel Salvador. He was also in a much-celebrated soft drink commercial with soul legend Tina Turner. He returned to performing a few years ago and shows every indication that he is back to stay. He has Let the Love Begin, a duet with Rocky, Gusto Kita and I Believe in You in the album.

Randy, the singer, actor and television host from the famous Santiago clan of Philippine movies, is now better known as the tycoon behind Ratsky, a chain of clubs in Metro Manila. Randy has always lived and breathed performing and is cast perfectly as the funnyman and naughty boy of the quartet. His hits for the CD are Hindi Magbabago, Para Sa ‘yo and his own composition, Babaero.

From the way sounds are shaping up, Greatest Hits of the ’80s seems to be only the beginning. It is just too bad that Ric Segreto is not around anymore to sing Don’t Know What to Do, Don’t Know What to Say but we still have Basil Valdez and You, Nonoy Zuñiga and his Never Ever Say Goodbye, Gary V and Di Na Natuto, Martin Nievera and Be My Lady and other ’80s memories.