The Island-Ear, Issue 113E, March 28-April 10, 1983.

This is my first blog post of the pandemic era. Other than not running my business, life hasn't changed all that much so far. I'm still self-sequestered in my basement Nerd Room, scanning and editing old printed matter like a mental patient. I hope my style of nostalgic nincompoopery is comforting to people in this anxiety-ridden time (although frankly I'm not sure it doesn't make things worse). In any case, I'm still doing it because it's what I enjoy doing and because I'm not dead yet. Wait, let me double check. Yep, I'm good--on with the show!

I've previously scanned the full Christmas 1981 issue of the free Long Island-based music bi-weekly magazine The Island Ear, and this time out I'm offering the edition covering late March/early April 1983. I was finishing up my last year of Catholic school, and deep in the throes of my New Wave and MTV period. That means IE cover boy Thomas Dolby was a favorite (and his album of about a year later, The Flat Earth, is in fact still a valued part my music collection). Don’t forget to click each pic to see it more clearly...

The inside cover includes the masthead and a look at what music Long Islanders were currently buying.

Page 3 has ads for The Record Collection in Massapequa Park, J.T. McNaughton's in Rockville Centre, and EMI America.

Part one of the "Ear Rings" album reviews.

Ads for Fox's in Massapequa, Futuri in Valley Stream, and Spize in Farmingdale.

 Page 6 has a profile of The Nitecaps.

 Ads for Rumrunner of Oyster Bay, Hofstra University's concerts, and The Record Stop in Lake Ronkonkoma.

 "Island Eye Night" took place at Cheers in North Babylon, and page 8 has the photographic evidence.

 New Hyde Park's Dublin Pub gets a full page ad.

 The "Island Ear ???Quiz???" is next, along with news in "Hot Flashes."

 Ads for Jimmy Byrne's in Flushing, Island Sound in Merrick, The Gathering in Baldwin, and Prime Cuts Records & Tapes in Little Neck.

 I haven't taken a crack at this month's "Pizan's Puzzle" word search, but I hope it's better than his lousy crosswords. I don't know if the ad for J.U.M.P. in Hempstead was intentionally placed upside-down (like, crazy, man!), but I flipped it.

 Ads for February's in Elmont and Saltee Rehearsal Studios in Freeport.

 The "Hometown Pride" section talks about The Boston Burglars, an "institution in the Western Nassau area." They were the house band at Dublin Pub, which makes sense since the singer owned it.

 I bought many a long-player at Record World and the Record Shops at TSS. I did not purchase the Robert Hazard album, although I was a fan of his stupid-but-rousing "Escalator of Life."

 McHebe's Depot in Hempstead, and Cheers.

 Lee Aaron, anyone? Well, she was at The Wax Museum in Massapequa Park on April 1st (unless this was some sort of April Fool's joke). Be-Bop in Merrick kiped the opening lines to "One Step Beyond" by Madness and re-purposed them.

 A recent live show by local favorites NRBQ gets reviewed.

 Another ad for Record World, plus Reds (and their "Funky Fitness" New Wave Workout) in Levittown and Barry Athletic in Rockville Centre.

 Larry Kleinman's "If They Can't Take a Joke" shtick and ads for Beethoven's in New Hyde Park and Michael's Music in Long Beach cover page 20.

 Ads for Slipped Disc in Valley Stream, Jumping Jack's Stereo in North Babylon, and Sparks on Main Street in Huntington.

 More album reviews, plus ads for Mr. Cheapo Record Exchange in Flushing, JB Rehearsal Studios in Rockville Centre, Ken's Record Emporiums in Queens, and Mods & Rockers Haircutters in Hicksville.

 Ads for Sam Ash Music Stores, What Not Shop in Baldwin, and L.I. Record Collector in Hempstead.

 The Thomas Dolby interview.

Page 27 includes a look at the latest imports at Record World, along with ads for My Father's Place in Roslyn Village, Music Trends LTD in the Nassau Mall in Levittown, and P.O.E.T.S. in Flushing (shout-out to their zany DJ Dash Riprock).

 "Where It's At" details all the live music coming up (at IE advertisers, of course).

 Ads for The Pawnbroker Cafes, Susan's Composing Service, No Name & Never a Cover of Huntington, Speakerkits of Bellerose, and MSP (Master Sound Productions) Recording Studios of Franklin Square.

 Next, two pages showing what was spinning at local radio stations (WLIR, WBAB, WPLJ, WNEW, WRCN, WNYU, and WBAU), plus the newest video stars of MTV.

Finally, the back cover features the familiar artistry of one Starace, whose work accompanied the Midnight Madness ads for UA Theaters for years. According to comments on this site devoted to old movie houses, the manager of the Meadowbrook was Jean Starace, and the artist was her son, Pat.

I have a few more Island Ear issues, so keep an eye out for them (as soon as I feel like devoting hours and hours to preserving them--gosh, when will I find the time)...