To Think the 90's Were The Best Decade We've Had?

[A4710Rider]

Certainly from a personal point of view;

Real music with guitars and drums and everything.

The emergence of dance music.

Mobile phones hit the market place (it made it so much easier to meet people you met previously - instead of having to ring their house number and speak to their Dad)

We were even allowed to choose our own email address. [email protected]!

TV was great, as were the Films

The 80's were just depressing and the 00's were a non event.

"People just seemed to get on with things without overanalysing everything that seems to go on now. "

I was thinking about this, also about the comment a pp made about dangers of internet. I have to be honest, I've never seen the internet as much of a danger.

but last night I was talking to a friend about various issues, it didn't go well and I realised afterwards that in many ways, we now get our news from so many different sources and viewpoints, you almost need a full set of Terms of Reference before you can be sure you are talking about the same thing.

Agree also that people just seemed to rub along together better.

I don't think people overanalysed any less in the 90s- teens certainly didn't anyway IME. The grunge generation made an art form out of navel gazing.

But we used to do it on the phone, or in diaries, or by passing notes to people. The audience was infinitely smaller, and it wasn't left out there in cyber space to be seen for all eternity.

And thank fuck for it. I found an old diary at my mum's- and it was absolutely fucking excruciating.

oh that's interesting Saucy, I was thinking about it in terms of talking 1:1 or the way a news feature might go these days - often descending into whataboutery. But that's a whole other conversation!

OP "I have to say, London during the 90's was just exquisite."

^^Another one for this. I remember my teenage self going out (sometimes underage) clubbing in Spice Girls inspired tiiiiiiny clothes and getting home safe from spots like Dalston and Brixton in the early hours or coming out of the clubs as the sun was coming up and sitting in the park. One club in the West End mid week finished during the night and I remember sitting in empty St James’ Park watching the fountains. Sometimes even walked all the way home in South London. Not sure girls my age would risk that now. Or boys.

Funnily enough ‘Sliding Doors’ with Gwyneth Paltrow was on last night, set in London in the 90s. Nearly cried it was so perfect. I had convinced myself it wasn’t true there was a time when the colours in London were so bright and things were so beautiful, and the people looked so great. But it’s there in Sliding Doors, I didn’t imagine it.

Loved the 90s. Amazing music, I had amazing friends and loved school/college. No social media and endless photographic evidence to make the teenage years harder than they needed to be. I'd hate to be a teen now.

I loved the 90's! I was thin... had great friends... great social life... better
Music which I still play today and my dd(15) loves as well so I can't be that uncool. Euro 96 and Euro 98 were amazing. Pubs in the summer drinking lager ... no mobiles. No social media. Was awesome. I'd love to go back

Mighty - yes, I'd think I'd imagined it if I didn't have my sis to confirm it.

Do you remember walking back from clubbing and maybe even stopping to have a nice chat with anyone you passed? I wasn't walking alone but even with one other girl, I just can't imagine that now.

sometimes you'd spot another clubber and just be swapping info about where you had been so you knew where to try next Saturday night.

I did have a mate working in one of the pubs that got smashed up during Euro 96 though. We had been in there for the previous match and it was lovely - but during that smash up the bar staff had to go and barricade themselves in the back room.

that said, that kind of thing wasn't new, but at the same time, there's a sort of random, indiscriminate rage and lack of consideration filling the streets at night now. Last night walking to a central London station c11.30, a group of lads were playing football (!) and didn't care that even elderly folk with sticks were unable to get past, until a few of us shouted at them.

That sort of thing wasn't the norm at closing time, and I've gone to the same places and gone home via the same roads for more than 20 years.

spring, yes, totally remember that sort of thing. Re the clobbers.

I do remember however that there used to be quite a bit more trouble at closing time because literally everyone poured out into the streets at 11pm really drunk because everywhere closed at the same time. But that did tend to be a case of people who wanted to fight fighting other people who wanted to fight, and if you weren’t involved it wasn’t scary.

Also remember those reclaim the streets protests getting a bit smashy at times, but that, like the football incidents, I don’t think is something which always happens in London around big events.

Even then though, I even remember the riots being better natured!

Mighty "But that did tend to be a case of people who wanted to fight fighting other people who wanted to fight, and if you weren’t involved it wasn’t scary"

yes, you could literally step away - it was weird, but you could. Now you can actually see young men looking for a fight with anyone they can find. Sometimes on the train

Yes Euro 96’ such fun. I have never liked football, or since.
I was in my 20s in London.
We partied so much, uni was great, Britpop, no recession

I was a teenager in the 90s and it really was a fantastic time to be that age. Someone said earlier in the thread that there was so much optimism and I know what you mean. I don't feel like there is a lot of optimism any more :(

I was 14-24 in the 90s

I started clubbing early because my bestie was 2 years older

There was also much less sexism than teen girls/young girls seem to be dealing with now

Loved the 90s but especially loved 98 and 99. I feel like everything was so fun! Clothes were colourful, music was fun even if a bit cheesy!

Ah I remember kick out at 11pm! Fights galore! Did the no smoking in pubs ban come in in the 90's? Or was that later?

without looking it up, think smoking ban was in 00s.

I liked school, I'm a girl's girl but even I found boys fun then. And we used to send them on errands

my sister hated school - same school, same rules, many teachers in common. Interesting how experiences differ.

OMD maybe we should play this album outside Central London stations and see if it changes the atmosphere?

I was a teenager in the 90's, the fashion was horrifically tasteless. Some music was good but the rest was utter shite and over played. The 90's are best remembered with rose tinted glasses.

SpringNowPlease2018 that album makes me want to stab myself in the ears.

I think it was an easier time to be a teenager. I look at teens now and they're just so cool and well-dressed and confident. Well, they appear that way at least. I imagine the pressure to conform must be immense. Social media is an awful development imho.

@Stroke I'm also a 1979-er. Very jealous about being in the front row for Silverchair!

JustaLittlePrick "I look at teens now and they're just so cool and well-dressed and confident"

oh so we were - as in well dressed for the time. The major difference in London is that we weren't so enmeshed in gang related issues.

There was a nice friendly dealer from school and things were generally cool. Certainly there were a couple of lads in the area you knew to avoid, but that was it - and I think when they did a stabbing the police dealt with it sharpish.

not sure how youth custody works now.

the school dealer did get beaten up once in the park but I think that goes with that territory frankly.

*so were we I mean.

I know the police have talked about links between social media and gang culture but I haven't read more than the mentions.

Was just reading this and Pulp started playing.

GCSEs 1996..... wow the memories on here.

Sorry that was a typo I'm not senile. 94.