June 17, 2025: The Walkman Years

My favorite album of the 80s.

A big statement, since this marked the golden age of pop music legends.

Michael Jackson moonwalked. Prince draped the world in purple. Madonna ruled MTV, and Springsteen gave grit in a red bandana.

But one band lived in my Walkman.

Their debut single sang about craving a hardcore drug — oooooh, scandalous — until I realized the illicit substance was just love.

I’m talking about Huey Lewis and the News.

Their smash LP, Sports, landed in 1983, and I played it so often the cassette tape practically fell apart.

Today, I learned three facts about that iconic cover which shows the group crammed inside a dive bar.

1) There’s a guitar made from a toilet seat hanging on the wall
2) The TV in the background displays Dwight Clark’s legendary 49ers catch
3) Huey Lewis had a hangover during the entire shoot

Takes me back to those pencil-rewinding cassette days.

I’ll never look at them the same again.