Michael's Accomplishments in the '80s

[Dead-Air]

I got asked to do a shout out to the board in This Thread about this radio show I'm doing in a couple hours. Since I'm mentioning the Moorcock board, I was thinking it would be cool, in keeping with the theme of the show (underground 1980s) to rattle off any of Michael's accomplishments during that decade (which of course really started in 1977...)

Via the board, we all know tons about his recent accomplishments, and there's lots of discussion about the '60s and '70s too. So what about the '80s? Wiki me please!

[Jagged]

Mike went through the 80'es stringing me out about Pyat's next move. And now it's all done, and I'm still keeping back reading VENGEANCE... boy, was I ever the kid to keep the sweets?

[Michael Moorcock]

Hmmm... Appeared with Hawkwind in Chronicle of the Black Sword ?
Mother London ? Letters from Hollywood ? Brothel in Rosenstrasse (book and record) ?
This is awkward. I can think of lots of stuff I did in the eighties, but is it seemly to speak for myself I ask ?

[Marca]

As well as the works Mike and Jagged mention I'd include:

The War Hound And The Worlds Pain
The Steel Tsar
City In The Autumn Stars
Dragon In The Sword
The Entropy Tango

and collections like Casblanca and The Opium General, which mix in non-fiction material with the short stories.

In fact, I'd say the 80s were a very interesting period for Mike, as he made a major break from the fantasy material that he'd largely been associated with before, without forsaking it.

[Jagged]

This is awkward. I can think of lots of stuff I did in the eighties, but is it seemly to speak for myself I ask ?

Well, very good examples all. Especially considering that MOTHER LONDON is the closest thing ever to contest Joyce's "Ulysses" as a portrait of a city's conglomorate voice. Not that Mirenburg is an uninteresting place, either.

[David Mosley]

The '80s can be seen as the period when Mike's career shifts up a gear into literary mode. Novels like The Condition of Muzak (Guardian Fiction Award in 1977) and Gloriana (World Fantasy Award (1979)) are obviously precursors to works like Byzantium Endures and Mother London, but there's a sharp move away from the 'pulp' fantasy books Mike was writing in the '60s & '70s during this decade.

Mike's output during the '80s was:

• The Russian Intelligence
• My Experiences In The Third World War
• Byzantium Endures
• The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle
• The Entropy Tango
• The Steel Tsar
• The War Hound And The Worlds Pain
• The Brothel In Rosenstrasse
• The Retreat From Liberty
• The Laughter Of Carthage
• Elric At The End Of Time
• The Opium General & Other Stories
• The Dragon In The Sword
• The City In The Autumn Stars
• Letter From Hollywood
• Wizardry And Wild Romance
• Mother London
• Casablanca
• The Fortress Of The Pearl

Fortress sees a return to Elric but in a form that's quite different from the style employed in the earlier books. Eventually this results in The White Wolf's Son (2005) where the form is stretched to breaking point.

[Jagged]

Mike's output during the '80s was [...]

That list seems to suggest that Mike only published 1.9 books a year! Wow...

[Dead-Air]

Mosley's book earns the use as source material prize! Thanks everyone! http://www.kpsu.org

[Dead-Air]

That was awkward. I've not read a whole lot of long lists off the net while on the air before. Apologies that it showed a bit. You'd think after 21 years of radio, I wouldn't sound so stoned!

[Steve1971]

Hmmm... Appeared with Hawkwind in Chronicle of the Black Sword ?

I love that record - one of the Hawk's best. Your narrations on the tour were superb too. Wish you could work with them again and bring a dash of literary flair to the proceedings...

[Michael Moorcock]

Well, it's not likely, these days, that I'll work with Hawkwind again. I still kick myself for letting myself get involved in that quarrel between Nick and Dave a few years ago. I should have known better. But there it is.
Who knows, maybe I could put a new band together and do my numbers, at least... We old men still have our dreams.

[Talisant]

Dibs on banjo roadie?

[Michael Moorcock]

Heavy banjo. A new sound at last! It could actually be done... (Thinks...)

[Talisant]

Been running one through a fuzztone for recording, scares the cats

[voilodian ghagnasdiak]

Itd be cool hooked to a Midi.