It was 1988 and I went to Los Angeles dressed like The Alarm: Cowboy boots, Skull bolo tie, teal plaid shirt, leather jacket. God did I stick out. L.A. was all about Tom Cruise in Rain Man or Charlie Sheen in Wall Street, tailored suits, slicked back hair. Years later, I was glad I represented my love for the band, The Alarm. Sometimes you have go against what's popular for the things you believe in. 68 guns encouraged that spirit. Yes I had big hair!
The Alarm was my first concert - the "Spirit of '86" MTV worldwide broadcast from UCLA. My sixteen-year-old self is definitely in the video - now that it's on UA-cam, I've been meaning to watch it on my high-def TV and see if i can find myself. 😎 I've had the honor of meeting Mike a couple times. Such a kind, generous soul.
I dig the song + it doesn't make me enjoy it any less but always thought it was heavily influenced by The Clash. Couldn't you see + hear the phenomal Joe Strummer singing this number like he was gargling w/Listerine? I hear the 'Magnificent 7' being followed w/68 Guns or maybe the Sandy Pearlman produced 'Give Em Enough Rope' which is actually my least favorite Clash album. It seemed too 'Stylized' for The Clash'. Not 'Dirty' enough. I found the 1st album + 3rd albums sooo easy to sing along with but 'Give em..' + 'Sandinista' difficult to enjoy on repeated listens. You oldies remember getting those albums that you played so much that when one song ended you began humming or whistling or just hearing, in your head, the opening strains of the next song well before it starts. I listened to Led Zeppelin II last week. Hadn't heard it in yrs because it got so much airplay in the 70s + 80s on my local WPLR station that I got sick of it. So I played for the 1st time since the mid '80s and Yes, I knew every word on every but could not remember the names of most of 'em.
I agree, in some ways they tried to be a Clash-lite band, - they are a little too clean sound - I think the lyrics would have been better in the hands of Strummer,
@matt_dylan3090 if u2 had gone down in a plane crash after the recording of and before the release of 'october' maybe some people would have make a case that something had been lost and a great future cut short. those people would have been wrong.
![The Alarm - Spirit of '76 (Official Music Video} Long Version [2019 Remaster]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YSjXvFI0Zsw/mqdefault.jpg)
![The Alarm - Spirit of '76 (Official Music Video} Long Version [2019 Remaster]](/img/tr.png)
Detroit City. Early 80's. My oldest brother plays this. I was hooked.
He died in 2023. The Alarm. The best. ❤️
I saw them a bunch of times in the 1980's and early 1990's in Boston. They always played a great show. They recorded their live records there too.
A true classic!❤
Still punches my soul the same as when I first heard it…
Sending Mike Loads of love
and healing vibes..💙 🙏..
It was 1988 and I went to Los Angeles dressed like The Alarm: Cowboy boots, Skull bolo tie, teal plaid shirt, leather jacket. God did I stick out. L.A. was all about Tom Cruise in Rain Man or Charlie Sheen in Wall Street, tailored suits, slicked back hair. Years later, I was glad I represented my love for the band, The Alarm. Sometimes you have go against what's popular for the things you believe in. 68 guns encouraged that spirit. Yes I had big hair!
The best.
Absolutely Epic
Top band!!
Will never die
On TOTP BBC Four tonight
I declare their DECLARATION lp their masterpiece, and the primary, lasting reason for their legacy…
The Alarm was my first concert - the "Spirit of '86" MTV worldwide broadcast from UCLA. My sixteen-year-old self is definitely in the video - now that it's on UA-cam, I've been meaning to watch it on my high-def TV and see if i can find myself. 😎
I've had the honor of meeting Mike a couple times. Such a kind, generous soul.
Thanks for reminding me that the best half of my life has slipped by in a heartbeat and is now gone 😂
Guess what? Mine too.
I haven't heard this song in a long, long time.
I dig the song + it doesn't make me enjoy it any less but always thought it was heavily influenced by The Clash. Couldn't you see + hear the phenomal Joe Strummer singing this number like he was gargling w/Listerine? I hear the 'Magnificent 7' being followed w/68 Guns or maybe the Sandy Pearlman produced 'Give Em Enough Rope' which is actually my least favorite Clash album. It seemed too 'Stylized' for The Clash'. Not 'Dirty' enough. I found the 1st album + 3rd albums sooo easy to sing along with but 'Give em..' + 'Sandinista' difficult to enjoy on repeated listens. You oldies remember getting those albums that you played so much that when one song ended you began humming or whistling or just hearing, in your head, the opening strains of the next song well before it starts. I listened to Led Zeppelin II last week. Hadn't heard it in yrs because it got so much airplay in the 70s + 80s on my local WPLR station that I got sick of it. So I played for the 1st time since the mid '80s and Yes, I knew every word on every but could not remember the names of most of 'em.
I agree, in some ways they tried to be a Clash-lite band, - they are a little too clean sound - I think the lyrics would have been better in the hands of Strummer,
They influenced the levellers !
still a mystery why this song has not become one of the top football chants in British stadiums
The Welsh Clash.
Didn't they impersonate another band
yes this is the alarm
Ugggh this band went too 80s and ruined it for everyone happily the 90s came and crushed them like bugz.
unlike u2, the alarm does not turn everything they touch into utter shit.
no you are right I think they maybe Scottish so they turn it into SHITE
@matt_dylan3090 if u2 had gone down in a plane crash after the recording of and before the release of 'october' maybe some people would have make a case that something had been lost and a great future cut short.
those people would have been wrong.
Hilarious.