Posts > Category: Random 80's Trivia
Classic Levi’s Ads Through the Ages
Introducing out latest blog feature! Each month we're going to be taking a trip down memory lane and looking back at some classic retro TV ads that hit our small screens duruing our childhoods.Few things are guaranteed to make you feel old like getting nostalgic about old TV adverts. These are the kinds of things you often donât even know that you remember, but having been aired in between your favourite after-school shows they slip into your sub-conscious only to make you feel old in the future.
Some adverts become legendary and some brands are better known for their advertising campaigns than others. Believe it or not the classic jeans brand Leviâs have been airing TV ads since way back in 1966, so lets take a trip back and see just what Levi's brought to the TV table.
How many of these ads from them can you remember?
Good Morning World, 1974
A campaign for Leviâs âyouthwearâ features a boy and his dog having a much sprightlier morning than any I remember when having to be up early. Any 70s kid are bound to remember this, but whether you can or not, rest assured you wonât get that song out of your head any time soon.
Best bit: the dogâs ears!
Todays World! 80s Technology....Today
Now one thing we REALLY love here at Truffle Towers is...gadgets!
We're always on the hunt for the latest and greatest technology treats to occupy our busy little fingers that will keep us in touch with the world, have fun, or simply lend a helping hand in life.
Looking at all the amazing technology we now have surrounding our everyday lives now got us think about the things we thought was cool, the best thing since sliced bread and at the cutting edge during the 80s and how it would compare to things now. Take a look at some of our top tech comparisons to see just how far things have come from their...larger beginnings usually.
Computers
Probably one of the most noticeable advancements in most people lives really. From very humble beginnings in the days where memory was better seen as writing something on a notepad and RAM simply defined how hard to had to hit the thing to get it to work. Basically in their very early days they became very expensive, glorified calculators. Now things did improve in the 80s, seeing many new models with the use of discs and programmes that did bring a amazing new meaning to personal computers compared to their predecessors. Compare this now to the brand spanking new laptop we recently received at Truffle Towers with it's 8gigs or RAM, 250gig solid state hard drive, USB 3.0 ports and more bells and whistles than a jester at a renaissance fair, it's a far cry from todays world indeed.
Pat Sharp Talks Twins, TV and T-Shirts!
February 1989 will be remembered for a number of interesting reasons. The Soviet army withdrew its last troops from occupied Afghanistan; Sky TV launched in Europe; Salman Rushdie had a $3m bounty placed on his head and the first GPS satellite was launched into space.
But here at Truffle Towers, the big news of February 1989 was the launch of the best kids TV game show that has ever been! Set in a zany obstacle course, Fun House delighted us young telly addicts with it's fast paced Grand Prix, gungey games and the tag hunt finale around the house.
Fun House became an immediate hit, propelling it's host Pat Sharp into TV stardom. Pat hosted each of the 146 episodes of the show's 11 year run and has since appeared on Never Mind The Buzzcocks, Come Dine With Me and I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out O Here!, famously messing with Lorraine Chase's teddy and causing "Tedwardgate".
Today, Pat hosts the afternoon show on national Smooth Radio, runs an online presenter academy (www.presenteracademy.co.uk) and spins his wheels of steel DJing at events all over the world.
We're lucky enough to work directly with Pat on our range of Pat Sharp T-Shirts and Fun House T-Shirts and thought you TruffleShufflers would be as interested as we were to hear some of Pat's memories of working in kids TV in the 80s and 90s.
TS: Let's get the obvious questions asked first Pat... What was the best and worst thing about owning such an impressive mullet?
PS: I think the best thing about the mullet was the fact that twenty years later, people still remember it and talk about it! Not many people can say that their haircut from the 80's is still a talking point!
10 Things You [Probably] Didn't Know About Top Gun!
As soon as you here the opening chords of Kenny Logginsâ "Danger Zone," you are transported back to a time when the coolest men in the universe were flying F-14 Tomcats for the Navy and had silly names like Maverick, Goose and Ice Man. "Top Gun" made Tom Cruise a household name and gave Meg Ryan one of her first movie gigs. But even though itâs one of the most frequently quoted guy movies, how well do you really know it? Here are some facts about "Top Gun" that might surprise you.
10 - The bar in which a boozy rendition of "Great Balls of Fire" was performed is real, and still exists. Itâs called Kansas City BBQ, and itâs in San Diego, California. Although a 2008 fire destroyed a lot of its memorabilia, the piano is still there and they still sell Top Gun t-shirts.
Top Geeks of the 80s!
Everyone loves a good geek, whether you can simply marvel at their genius, or smile at their quirky geeky ways they never fail to intrigue and entertain us on the big and small screens.
With the geek clothing scene these days bigger than ever, it seems revealing you inner nerd has never been cooler. Modern day screen heroes are more and more not the all-out amazing lead roles, but increasingly the cooky sidekick that can out gadget and out think any challenge. With some amazing new characters hitting the big time recently such as the new Dr Who, BBC Sherlock series and Q from James Bond played by Ben Whishaw, we thought we would take the time to appreciate the geeks of old with our Top Geeks of the 80s list!
Anthony Michael Hall in everything from 1982 to 1985
Best known for his roles as The Geek in 'Sixteen Candles,' Brian Johnson in 'The Breakfast Club,' Garry Wallace in 'Weird Science', Anthony is well known and loved by all retro film lovers in the land and we're sure everyone has a little bit of his characters inside them. Geeky but cool!
David Lightman in 'WarGames' (1983)
5 Megadrive Forgotten Greats
When 16 bit was the king of consoles and your teenage life was controlled by something called a D-pad. You were either a Super Nintendo kid or like me
You were all about the Sega Megadrive. Obviously Nintendo had Mario and Sega had Sonic the Hedgehog. These games are have firmly proven themselves in gaming history and that will never change, But what about those forgotten classics of the 90s gaming scene. The games you only saw while watching Games Master on T.V. or the ones you would swop with your friends at school in the playground. Well for all you 90âs gamers out there here five of my favourite played and always wanted Megadrive forgotten classics
1) Rocket Knight Adventure
Whatâs cooler than a possum wielding a sword and and jetpack.....NOTHING! Some say this was the best side scrolling Megadrive game of its time which maybe why I've heard rumours Konami may be remaking it. Maybe thereâs still hope of fulfilling my childhood dream of finally owning this game.
2) Italia 90
Mega Games 1 brought the three games on one cartridge. Super Hang on and Columns were the first two games but it was all about World Cup Italia 90 for me. Much like sensible soccer it was one of those games where you could pin point the perfect scoring point