Matthew Perry was Beloved by All -- but his Untimely Death Hits Gen X-ers the Hardest

Matthew Perry's recent, sudden death sparked an outpouring of grief and fond remembrances within the Hollywood community. It also brought a great deal of sadness to fans of the actor and just about anyone who's ever watched and loved him on television. Perry's talent extended far beyond a single TV show (I first noticed him in a guest shot he did on Just the Ten of Us in 1989 and also thoroughly enjoyed him opposite Salma Hayek in 1997's Fools Rush In.) Still, the actor will always be most remembered most as hilarious smart-aleck Chandler Bing on Friends. And therein lies the reason why Perry's death is especially painful for those of us in Generation X. It's because Friends is undeniably a Gen X show. 

In Friends first season (1994) we learn that Monica (and her high school classmate Rachel) are twenty-six years old. The rest of the gang is also right around this same age, with Ross (and possibly Phoebe) only slightly older. So when you do the math, Monica was born in 1968, placing her and the rest of the Friends squarely in Generation X. Numerous storylines and references throughout the series back this up. From Ross's fixation on Princess Leia in Return of the Jedi, to Chandler's Flock of Seagulls haircut and admission of rushing the stage at a Wham concert, clearly these characters grew up in the 80's and thus are unquestionably part of Generation X. That clarified, it's no wonder that Perry's death hits us the hardest. We've lost one of our own. 

My high school class recently had a well-attended reunion and though I wasn't able to make it, I took time to pour over the gallery of photos that were posted online in the days after. While clicking through, I smiled and laughed seeing faces from my past for the first time in literally decades. The funny thing was I wasn't even friends with most of these people. I made all of my lifelong friendships during college and to this day remain in touch with only a single high school pal. Nevertheless it warmed my heart to see people I spent four of my most formative years with and know, despite the abundance of receding hairlines and expanding waistlines, they were alive and doing well. Somehow, we all tend to have very strong sentiments towards our peers and those with whom we've shared a common, significant experience. But the flipside of that feel-good sentiment is the gut-punch and sense of loss we suffer when we learn that one of our comrades is now gone.

That's what many of us are feeling with Matthew Perry's death. Friends was the ongoing story of six Gen X-ers trying to make it in the world as they laughed with, leaned on and loved each other. As we did with the abundance of teen movies in the 1980's (e.g., The Breakfast Club, Fast Times, Risky Business) Gen X-ers saw authentic versions of themselves and their lives in the Friends characters -- whether it was Ross (smart and sensitive and carrying unrequited love) or Phoebe (so unapologetically authentic in her flakiness) or Chandler, with his rapier wit and brandishing sarcasm hiding underlying insecurities.

Many will say that Friends is a show that belongs to far more that just a single generation and that it appeals to Millennials and Zoomers as much as any other age group. This is certainly true. Enough time has gone by now that we can safely say that Friends, and many of it's themes, storylines and characters are classic. Nevertheless, the show provided a different experience for us Gen X-ers who tuned in during its original run. We were watching ourselves -- young adults in their mid-20's, living post-college life in the 90's, going through the same things we were at that same moment in time. For example, when Friends debuted, many Gen-X women (my girlfriend included) had just moved out of their parents' house, started their first real job and were realizing independence for the very first time -- just like Rachel in the pilot episode. Like Joey, many of us were pursuing a career in acting or the arts and working odd jobs to pay rent while we pursued our dream. And while young people watching the show for the first time even today can definitely relate to universal themes like this, at the time it originally aired Friends meant the most to Gen-Xers who got to come home, click on the TV and see Ross, Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Joey and Chandler living their same lives -- or perhaps the lives we wished we had. These were our peers... our contemporaries... our cohorts. And losing one of those is often the hardest blow to take... 

R.I.P. Matthew. 

Farewell Olivia

This one is a gut punch. 

I'll start with this: Olivia Newton-John was... IS... one of the best of all time. The sweet-voiced Australian crooner with the majestic name who became a global pop superstar. 

In 1978 (when I was an extremely young Pop Culture Fiend) my mom and I visited my aunt in Philadelphia for two weeks during the summer. I had just seen the movie Grease a week or so earlier and the film had a huge impact on me. Not only was it one of the most entertaining films I'd seen in my then young life, but the music was great and (like so many other pre-pubescent boys my age) I was crushing hard on Olivia Newton-John.

My aunt was fairly well-to-do and had a lot of nice things, including a fancy turntable and eclectic record collection. Her latest addition to that collection was the Grease soundtrack -- which I proceeded to play non-stop for the entirety of my two week stay. When it was finally time to go home, my aunt said to me, "You like that record so much; you can have it." 

That was the first album I ever owned.

Olivia Newton-John was one who broke a lot of trends, beginning her recording career with an entire album of covers, before ultimately evolving her own brand of country-pop, and scoring multiple hits on both of those charts (as well as the easy listening/adult contemporary.) She also set a lot of trends -- being one of the first major artists to release music videos. Her 1982 Physical video album and TV special would set a bar for the medium for years to come -- and the short haircut (with optional head band) she debuted for that album was emulated by women across the nation and became one of the most popular looks of the decade. That Physical video collection would go on to win a Grammy award and "Physical" the single was a chart topper for 10 weeks (a record that stood for ten years) making it the biggest hit of the 1980's. Olivia's aerobics themed video for the song was one that helped launch MTV (which debuted just weeks before "Physical's" release) and that same video was also clearly an inspiration for the current Apple+ series Physical, whose creators even "borrowed" the album's art design and font style.

And of course years before all of this, Olivia had become America's sweetheart when she made her Hollywood movie debut in a role customized just for her -- Australian exchange student, Sandy Olsson in the aforementioned Grease. The film broke box office records, becoming the highest grossing musical of all-time and establishing Olivia as a bona fide movie star. "You're the One That I Want", from the film's soundtrack, reached #1 and "Hopelessly Devoted to You" peaked at #3.

That same year, at the age of only 30, Olivia released her tenth studio album, Totally Hot. It reached #7 on the charts and the lead single "A Little More Love" spent three weeks at #2. Grease was the #1 film of the year, its soundtrack was the #2 album of the year, and Totally Hot went platinum. This was Olivia at the peak of her powers... she was the biggest female star in the world. Wholesome, alluring, a genre-crossing hit-maker in both music and film; she also had a squeaky clean image -- so everyone in entertainment jockeyed to work with her and advertisers in every industry wanted her endorsing their products.

This kind of success seemed almost inevitable for the talented and prolific artist. She had gained attention in Australia and Europe with her first two albums before breaking through internationally with her third LP, Let Me There, which went to #1 on the U.S. Country chart and earned Olivia a Grammy nomination for Best Country Female. The following year (1974) she continued to skyrocket. She represented the UK at 1974's Eurovision Song Contest (won by ABBA, who would later appear on one of Olivia's TV specials.) Later that year, she released If You Love Me Let Me Know, which topped both the country and pop charts. She then repeated this feat with her next effort, 1975's Have You Never Been Mellow. In doing so, she helped blaze a trail for crossover success that would later be traveled by other female singers like Crystal Gayle, Faith Hill, Shania Twain and Taylor Swift. 

Meanwhile, "I Honestly Love You" (off If You Love Me Let Me Know) soared to #1 in the U.S. (and several other countries) before winning Record of the Year at the 1975 Grammys. More cross-chart success and #1's (a lot more) followed, including:

• "Please Mr. Please" (from Have You Never Been Mellow) - #5 Country, #3 Pop, #1 Easy Listening/Adult Contemporary
• "Come On Over" (from the 1976 album of the same name) - #1 EL/AC
• "Don't Stop Believin'" (the title track from her 1976 album) - #1 EL/AC

All tolled, Olivia had 40 entries in Billboard's Hot 100. She racked up six consecutive gold albums from 1973's Let Me Be There through Don't Stop Believin' before releasing a greatest hits album and then taking on Grease, That film's success led to more movies roles, including the beloved cult classic, Xanadu, which spawned a title track that went top ten, as well as the #1 hit, "Magic" (about as perfect a pop song as was ever recorded.) Over her career, this perfection wasn't only modeled in Olivia's signature songs, but in her covers and deep cuts as well -- particularly the ethereal "Falling", "Carried Away" and "Silvery Rain" off of Physical.

    

Finally, as we reached the mid-80's and entered the 90's, Olivia's superstar status began to give way. There were still concerts, occasional film and TV roles (including Two of a Kind, which reunited her with former co-star and friend John Travolta), Grease reunions, and albums that blipped on the charts... and there was a lot of time spent battling the cancer she was first diagnosed with in 1992. 

By the 90's, amidst the rise of hip-hop/urban music, it was no longer cool to like Olivia Newton-John. She was considered too square, too white bread... a relic from the 70's.

I didn't care. Whenever the subjects came up in conversation, I continue to proudly re-state facts:

First album I ever owned: Grease soundtrack

First single I ever owned: "Hopelessly Devoted to You"

First album I ever bought with my own money: Physical

I still have all three of these (the first two on vinyl, the latter on cassette) plus ONJ's Greatest Hits Vol. 2 and Soul Kiss, both of which I bought when they were still on the charts. Years later I would add more from her catalog, including the anthology, Olivia Newton-John: Gold... 

And in memory of this talented, beautiful lady; this icon and seminal artist, I think I'm gonna charge up my AirPods, dig into my collection, and play every single one of her songs. 

R.I.P. ONJ.

R.I.P. Meat Loaf (with so many "Ands")

Go elsewhere to read in memoriam bios of Michael Lee Aday; I'm here to talk about Meat Loaf dammit!

He passed away yesterday and even those of us who were not huge fans recognize his importance to the rock world. He came along at a time when rock stars typically looked like Bruce Springsteen or Joey Ramone -- skinny kids in their twenties hungry for their next meal. Or else they were glam, androgynous Brits like Bowie, Rod Stewart and Freddie Mercury - gangly guys in super-sleek slacks. And then here comes Meat Loaf, this big, fat, sweaty dude with long hair and sloppy clothes... He didn’t fit the mold.

And then his Bat Out of Hell album, which was initially rejected by any and every record company in the business. Album composer Jim Steinman described the dismissals he and Meat Loaf endured as "brutal". Along the way, the two were not only turned down, but branded as crazy, untalented and incompetent by so-called geniuses like the imperious and forever over-celebrated Clive Davis. It's a testament to Steinman's and Meat Loaf's fortitude and belief in their own talent that they were able to persevere and eventually find a home at Cleveland International/Epic Records. 

The company's decision paid off with the success of the album's third single “Paradise by the Dashboard Light". It is, of course, a song about a teenage boy who takes his girlfriend up to the lake in his car and tries to talk her into having sex. She's reluctant and asks him to swear that he’ll love her forever — “til the end of time.” He promises he will, but of course by song's end he’s “praying for the end of time” so he can break up with her.

That song blows you away with its storytelling and the way it so jarringly and repeatedly changes tempo and style. And it’s so theatrical, like a rock opera — similar to “Bohemian Rhapsody”. And the fact that the track was so long and non-radio-friendly, which mattered so much at the time of its release (1977.) And the song’s completely bizarre incorporation of New York Yankees broadcaster Phil Rizzuto announcing a baseball game — but it’s really a metaphor for these two kids having sex… Just so amazingly creative. 

And the great lyrics:

"It was long ago and it was far away and it was so much better that it is today"

“And we’re glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife…”

“Ain’t no doubt about it, we were doubly blessed — cause we were barely seventeen and we were barely dressed.” 

Oh, and that cover art!... The muscled hero onboard a motorcycle exploding out of the grave, illustrated in the style of a Frank Frazetta comic... And Meat Loaf's name in that Old English-looking Bradley font was the perfect compliment. The album went on to become one of the best selling LPs of all time. In 1977 everyone you knew had Fleetwood Mac Rumors, Frampton Comes Alive, Hotel California, the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack and Bat Out of Hell.

And finally, in 1993 Meat Loaf  had his famous comeback and again collaborated with Bat Out of Hell Steinman to produce Bat Out of Hell II. Considered a 70s relic by most, Meat Loaf defied the doubters with his sequel and managed to catch lightning in a bottle a second time with another 8 minute-plus power ballad and monster single, "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That".  The song was an even bigger chart hit than “Paradise” and the its similar themes, style, arrangement and male/female vocals brought back fond memories of "Paradise" while also creating a new generation of Meat Loaf fans nearly two decades after his debut.

So Godspeed to an uncompromising original. Meat Loaf broke through on his terms and paved the way for the success of Elvis Costello, Talking Heads, the B-52's, Weezer and other artists with unconventional images and non-conforming music.

Remembering John Hughes

The recent death of director John Hughes got me thinking about his significance and his tremendous contribution to the last two decades of 20th century American cinema.

Hughes' most significant film was certainly The Breakfast Club, which, like Rebel Without a Cause thirty years earlier, gave a voice to the contemporary American teenager and offered both a humorous and sobering exploration of their angst, issues, and culture. The Breakfast Club expertly walked the line between comedy and drama -- something very few films are able to do effectively.

The Breakfast Club also served as a launching pad for young stars Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Ally Sheedy, Judd Nelson, and Emilio Estevez, and though only mildly successful at the box office when it was released in February of 1985, the film nevertheless marked the start of Hughes' (and the rest of Hollywood's) heightened interest in producing teen movies -- ultimately resulting in a sort of "High Renaissance" of the genre. The Breakfast Club became even more iconic a year after its release when it gained wild popularity among teens after it began appearing on cable television. As a result, The Breakfast Club has forever secured a place in pop culture history as THE defining movie for Gen X-ers. (For more on these topics, be sure to read my three part series, The Evolution of the 80s Teen Movie: How Bob Clark, Gen X, and Home Video Changed the Landscape of American Cinema.)

Hughes of course also wrote and/or produced and directed several other terrific 80's teen coms (and dramedies) including Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, Some Kind of Wonderful, Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Weird Science. The prolific director also gave us Uncle Buck; Planes, Trains and Automobiles; and the underrated She's Having a Baby. In the nineties, Hughes was the writer of the little-known gem Career Opportunities, Disney's 101 Dalmations remake, and the hugely successful Home Alone.

And of course prior to The Breakfast Club, Hughes' big break came as the writer of National Lampoon's Vacation, which earlier this year, celebrated its 26th anniversary. (Maxim magazine published an interesting article, an oral history of this film, in one of its recent issues.)

Hughes' deserves a large degree of respect and remembrance for The Breakfast Club by itself. Throw in all the films listed above, plus the Vacation and Home Alone sequels, and the fact that Hughes helped assemble movie soundtracks that included some of the most hip, eclectic and evocative music of the 80's (e.g., Yello's "Oh Yeah", Simple Minds' "Don't You Forget About Me") and it's no wonder that this filmmaker was, and will remain, one of our most beloved.

Watch the John Hughes tribute from the 2010 Oscars.

Related Posts:
The Evolution of the 80s Teen Movie: How Bob Clark, Gen X, and Home Video Changed the Landscape of American Cinema

The Evolution of the 80s Teen Movie: How Bob Clark, Gen X, and Home Video Changed the Landscape of American Cinema - Part II 

Rest in Peace Michael Jackson

So very, very sad about Michael Jackson. I'll have a lot more to say and share later but wanted to get this up for now -- Michael's performance from Motown 25, circa 1983. This was the performance that took him to the level of being an absolute phenomenon. Whatever else you want to say about him, he  was the rarest of talents... More to come...

 

Related Posts:

The Real Reasons Why Michael Jackson Was Important

Is an All Star Michael Jackson Tribute Concert in the Works?