The Island-Ear, Issue 84E, Dec. 21, 1981-Jan 10, 1982.

I just snagged a trove of these old Long Island-published magazines off eBay. Well, maybe not a trove, but a few, to go along with the few that I already had. I may still post the '84 holiday issue if I have the time, but I really wanted to feature this one because it reflects the crossing over in my adolescent musical tastes, from Adult AOR to New Wave. Reading over the various album and single charts, the former is represented by the likes of Christopher Cross and Sheena Easton while the latter, gaining favor mostly thanks to MTV and HBO's "Video Jukebox," included The Police and The Go-Go's. My family got cable in August of '81, so the heavy rotation of Hall & Oates videos may have helped bridge that gap.

The color cover certainly looks festive, with Peter Wolf of The J. Geils Band in red and green. (I'll drop in a line here and there as I see fit, and list the names of advertising clubs and stores for Internet searchers. And as always, click the pics to see them bigger. Actually, I just noticed it works on some pics and not others. Go know.)

Ads for My Father's Place in Roslyn Village, The Wax Museum in Massapequa Park, Ole Salt in West Hempstead...

 Northstage in Glen Cove, Sam Ash, Record World/Record Shops at TSS...

An ad for The Next Whiskey Bar in Bellmore. As a word nerd, I have to say that "Pizan's Puzzles" are pretty awful. Asymmetric grids, lots of two-letter answers (mostly initials), and I even saw answer words used in the clue itself... no.

Mum's in the Morton Village Shopping Center in Plainview (your humble Non-Parader worked in that very plaza as a teen!), Fezziwig's Pub in Hempstead, Zig Zag Records in Franklin Square, and Crazy Eddie everywhere...

February's in Elmont...

Navigator's Pub in Wantagh, The Spaceport ("Long Island 's Laser Base") in Huntington, L.I. Record Collector (formerly Scrooge Records) and Butterfield's near Hofstra...

Let's play "Spot the Typos!" I caught two, how 'bout you?

 McHebe's Depot (plus coupon!) in Hempstead, Mr. Cheapo Record Exchange in Flushing, Speakerkits in Bellerose, The Record Collection in Massapequa Park...

J.J.'s Place in East Meadow, Island Sound in Merrick (for renting LP's!), and eargasms galore at Half Crown Pub in East Rockaway...

Music Warehouse had a location on Main Street in Huntington, so there's a decent chance I went there at some point. No recollection, however.

Rock Away in Rockaway (duh), Rum Runner of Oyster Bay, Shuster Sound in Valley Stream (listen to Bob, he knows what he's talking about!), and Sound King in Bellmore...

IE ads for Legz in Valley Stream featured the work of one artist, interesting stuff that was head and shoulders above most of what you'd find in these pages.

United Artists Theaters has ads in every issue I have, with this two-page center spread for '81.

 No royalties for Crumb resulting from The Playground's Mr. Natural rip.

 The Stray Cats' breakout album wouldn't hit for another six months or so, but rockabilly was already the gas for this fashion layout by Tanya Indiana, featuring Gary Setzer, brother of Brian (they were in The Tomcats together before Brian went astray).

 Ads for Futuri in Valley Stream (for suburban bondage pirates), Mods and Rockers in Hicksville, Sharp Hair also in VS, and Baldwin's What Not Shop.

 Ads for Rockin' Bottom Records in Valley Stream and Faces in Copague, plus an answerless quiz.

 Solomon Grundy's Pub in Rockville Centre.

 If the premise of a fella buying lingerie for his girlfriend as a test of his manhood tickles your funny bone, then by all means read Larry Kleinman's "If They Can't Take a Joke..." column

Alongside the Top Imports list are ads for Jimmy Byrne's in Flushing, Nino Studio in Baldwin, P.R.I. Record Pressing in Wyandance, and Deja Vu Dance Club in Williston Park.

 Here are the latest spinners and programs at WLIR, WBAB, WPLJ and WNEW-FM...

 ...plus more from WRCN, WNYU, and WBAU, not to mention the musical acts scheduled for your tee-vee.

Bringing up the rear, the inside back cover has an IE-sponsored Rockabilly Dance Party at Heckle & Jeckle's in Massapequa Park...

 ...while the back is another ad for the joint, with regular appearances by the Joke-Man himself, Jackie Martling. (922-WINE: Use your finger! Aw-haw-haw!!!)

Keep an eye out for another issue--and for Santa, because if I find the time to write up another one of these it'll be a friggin' Christmas miracle!