The 1981 Albums Draft

In this episode of Past Tens, Dave and Milt are joined by time machiner Derek Volk for another thrilling fantasy draft, this time focusing on the best albums of 1981. The trio, along with Sabrina the Robot, dive deep into the musical landscape, selecting iconic records ranging from Rush's 'Moving Pictures' to Stevie Nicks' 'Bella Donna.' Along the way, they discuss memorable TV themes and movie soundtracks from the same year, including 'Hill Street Blues' and 'Raiders of the Lost Ark.' With picks that include classics by Billy Squier, The Police, and Journey, this episode is a nostalgic ride through the early '80s rock and pop scene.   Topics   00:00 Introduction and Welcome 01:11 Special Guest Introduction 02:15 Rock and Roll Draft Setup 02:24 Robbie Williams Movie Discussion 04:47 Draft Rules and Team Names 12:42 First Round Picks 31:15 Second Round Picks 34:56 A Comedic Misunderstanding 35:13 Derek's Album Pick: Sticks, Paradise Theater 35:25 Discussing the Human League 35:29 Analyzing Sticks' Paradise Theater 39:53 Billy Joel's Songs in the Attic 45:10 Duran Duran's Self-Titled Album 50:46 Billy Squire's Don't Say No 56:21 Van Halen's Fair Warning 59:45 Tom Petty's Hard Promises 01:03:21 The Police's Ghost in the Machine 01:07:30 The Go-Go's Beauty and the Beat 01:11:34 Bob Dylan's Shot of Love 01:17:21 Fourth Round Picks Begin 01:17:41 Celebrating Pat Benatar's Precious Time 01:21:17 Rick Springfield's Working Class Dog 01:25:17 Foreigner's Album and Concert Memories 01:29:01 Genesis and the Importance of Abacab 01:32:13 Greatest American Hero Theme Song 01:36:28 Journey's Escape and Overplayed Hits 01:39:15 Final Picks and Reflections