“I hope younger listeners finish the show wishing they’d grown up in the 1980s.”
Few artists know the 1980s quite like Nick Richards. As founder and frontman of Boys Don’t Cry, he lived one of music’s most exciting decades from the inside.
Now, with Dawn of the 80s on NEWDAWN.FM, he’s sharing stories, forgotten gems and unforgettable personalities that defined an era.
Ahead of the show’s debut, we sat down with Nick to look back on the decade that changed popular music forever.
You lived the 1980s from the inside, not just as an artist but surrounded by the people who shaped its soundtrack. What made you want to relive that era through a radio show?
Nostalgia, really.
I miss those times so much. The music, the clothes, the freedom to do whatever you wanted and the excitement that surrounded music, films and fashion.
Back then it felt like there was always something new waiting to be discovered.
Rock still felt fresh and there was so much creativity. Every week seemed to bring another new sound, another artist or another record that made you stop and listen.
I wanted to recreate that feeling.
How would you describe Dawn of the 80s to someone who has never heard it before?
I want people to feel excited about music again.
Not just the songs themselves, but the production, the creativity and the sense of discovery that made the decade so special.
I'll also be introducing listeners to incredible artists and songs that, for whatever reason, never became the hits they deserved to be.
Your show promises not only great music but also interviews with some of the decade's biggest stars. What can listeners expect from those conversations?
Lots of funny and fascinating stories.
We’ll talk about what happened behind the songs, behind the music business and behind the scenes.
People often forget just how much luck played a part in those careers. Sometimes it really was about being in the right place at the right time.
The 1980s gave us everything from pop and new wave to rock, soul and dance music. How do you keep a show about the decade feeling fresh every week?
By celebrating the whole decade instead of focusing on the obvious songs everyone already knows.
There are so many fantastic records that people rarely hear anymore. I want to mix those forgotten gems with the classics so every programme feels like a new discovery.
Having worked with so many artists over the years, are there stories or memories you’re especially looking forward to sharing?
Very much so.
There are some amazing stories.
A few of them probably have to stay private because I’d end up getting sued!
But there are plenty I can tell, and I know they’ll keep listeners entertained.
Is there a song that instantly transports you back to the 1980s every time you hear it?
There are so many.
But the songs that became number one hits after being recorded at my own studio always stand out. Those memories come back immediately.
Many stations play 1980s music. What will make Dawn of the 80s different?
I don’t just want to celebrate the biggest hits.
I also want to introduce artists and songs that should have been massive at the time but somehow weren’t. There are some incredible records that deserve another chance to be heard.
What do you hope younger listeners, who were not even born during the 1980s, will discover through the show?
I hope they finish every episode thinking: “I really wish I’d grown up in the 1980s!”
If you could invite any artist from the decade for your dream interview, who would it be and why?
Prince.
He was a genius in so many different ways, but he was also a lovely, humble man.
I’d have loved to sit down with him.
Finally, when listeners reach the end of the very first edition of Dawn of the 80s, what do you hope they’ll be saying?
“Wow… that was interesting.”
The 1980s continue to inspire artists, producers and audiences around the world, but few people can tell their story from genuine firsthand experience.
Nick Richards isn’t simply revisiting a playlist. He is opening the door to the decade as someone who helped shape it, sharing memories, interviews and discoveries that only come from having lived through one of popular music’s most creative periods.
With Dawn of the 80s, listeners can expect more than nostalgia. They can expect stories behind the records, conversations with the artists who made them and a chance to discover the forgotten songs that deserved to become classics.
Every week promises to celebrate not only the soundtrack of the decade, but also the creativity, personalities and unforgettable moments that made the 1980s unlike any other era in popular music.
