Los Angeles (80s) thread

[Jabberwocky]

I’m saddened by the fact that what I see today on LA vs the 80s, that I’ll never get an authentic Los Angeles Experience. I’ve never been, but in some shape or fashion I’ve obsessed about the culture and the city of Los Angeles, or Atleast what I gain from research, movies, news clips. It just seemed 1980-89 was a pinnacle time for Los Angeles, with increasing gang problems, all the serial killers.. John Holmes era. I’m really interested in the seedy underbelly and how it seems like an everything went hedonistic paradise. That said I doubt I’ll ever get to see it the way I picture in my mind so if anyone has any stories or lived in the area at the time, I’d like your input I felt like dedicating a thread to it so I can gain some more information, maybe disqualifying my thoughts that I missed the boat and now with Los Angeles the way it is now there’s no desire for me to go see trash and the homeless, I have that here

 

[Jabberwocky]

I just imagine myself, with an ounce of California cocaine a corvette and parties that never end in the hills for days, as billy idol smashes in the background and I’m doing 110 down the 10 and there’s nothing else that matters.

 

[Ds]

TL > NSADD

 

[PriestTheyCalledHim]

I’m saddened by the fact that what I see today on LA vs the 80s, that I’ll never get an authentic Los Angeles Experience. I’ve never been, but in some shape or fashion I’ve obsessed about the culture and the city of Los Angeles, or Atleast what I gain from research, movies, news clips. It just seemed 1980-89 was a pinnacle time for Los Angeles, with increasing gang problems, all the serial killers.. John Holmes era. I’m really interested in the seedy underbelly and how it seems like an everything went hedonistic paradise. That said I doubt I’ll ever get to see it the way I picture in my mind so if anyone has any stories or lived in the area at the time, I’d like your input I felt like dedicating a thread to it so I can gain some more information, maybe disqualifying my thoughts that I missed the boat and now with Los Angeles the way it is now there’s no desire for me to go see trash and the homeless, I have that here

I have friends who are from and lived in/around Los Angeles in the 1980s.

They are gay and said it got so bad with HIV/AIDS deaths, their friends dying, and the explosion in crime, gangs, how super easy it was for them to get cocaine, and crank/CRYSTAL METH which they had became addicted to, life was not as fun or laid back as it was in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, the cost of living skyrocketed, the city expanded even more with sprawl, smog was at an all time high, etc. that they moved away to other regions and states just to get away from it all. Also there were several major earthquakes in California.

I will reply with more later.

 

[Jabberwocky]

I have friends who are from and lived in/around Los Angeles in the 1980s.

They are gay and said it got so bad with HIV/AIDS deaths, their friends dying, and the explosion in crime, gangs, how super easy it was for them to get cocaine, and crank/CRYSTAL METH which they had became addicted to, life was not as fun or laid back as it was in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, the cost of living skyrocketed, the city expanded even more with sprawl, smog was at an all time high, etc. that they moved away to other regions and states just to get away from it all. Also there were several major earthquakes in California.

I will reply with more later.

Thank you, since I was like 13 I’ve had a love infatuation with LA. But all I’ve seen are moved, of course your south central hood movies, one eight seven, and others such as training day, but a recent deep dive into LA culture really brought my desire to go out there back up. But it seems to me, that the homeless that imbues Los Angeles isn’t a new thing. Especially from your post, you highlight things I brushed to the side. Slowly my rose colored glasses are coming off, but I’d still like to stay at the Cecil, snort a line of fire cocaine in the hills, and see how long it takes to get robbed on skid row. I have such a sad bucket list.

 

[SKL]

Sometimes I feel like that about "the bad old days" in NYC as portrayed in film. I only moved there after it was well on its way to becoming the safest big city in America, not an iconically hardscrabble cesspit. Then I talk with people who were actually there and it turns out it was fucking terrible, not glamorous.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Sometimes I feel like that about "the bad old days" in NYC as portrayed in film. I only moved there after it was well on its way to becoming the safest big city in America, not an ironically hardscrabble cesspit. Then I talk with people who were actually there and it turns out it was fucking terrible, not glamorous.

Yeah that’s what I’m gathering about Los Angeles, except it seems it never recovered like NYC did. I’m sure in some areas it’s glamourous. But they have gates around those neighborhoods. But then I also think I missed it. I missed the American dream of traveling to a city, and making it yourself. It dont seem like that happens to much now a days. Especially if you go out there and get on the conveyor belt of homelessness

 

[Delsyd]

I lived in LA from 1990-2001. I got to see some of the transition in to what it is today, its almost unrecognizable when I go visit my parents these days.
Growing up seeing drug deals in the park or hookers walking around Sunset was very common place. The first boobs I saw in real life was when me and my friends were skating around Hollywood and paying a hooker way too much to show us her tits, I think we gave her like $15. I lived through the LA riots and OJ trial. In my brain the two have blended together as I remember my parents keeping me home from school the day the courts were deciding whether he was innocent or guilty. If he got convicted there would have been riots for sure.
As far as homeless, LA has always had a problem but they mostly stayed by the beach or around skid row. Now there are tent cities on every major street, its pretty fucked up. Despite it being the place I grew up I would never want to go back to living there.

 

[Jabberwocky]

I lived in LA from 1990-2001. I got to see some of the transition in to what it is today, its almost unrecognizable when I go visit my parents these days.
Growing up seeing drug deals in the park or hookers walking around Sunset was very common place. The first boobs I saw in real life was when me and my friends were skating around Hollywood and paying a hooker way too much to show us her tits, I think we gave her like $15. I lived through the LA riots and OJ trial. In my brain the two have blended together as I remember my parents keeping me home from school the day the courts were deciding whether he was innocent or guilty. If he got convicted there would have been riots for sure.
As far as homeless, LA has always had a problem but they mostly stayed by the beach or around skid row. Now there are tent cities on every major street, its pretty fucked up. Despite it being the place I grew up I would never want to go back to living there.

Lol damn. Everytime I hear about LA especially those that lived in the latter years the answer is generally the same. You do have Angelinos that can’t afford or just can’t/don’t wanna move they like it there but I rarely see it. I’ve been living in what’s called a little San Francisco almost 10 years now, and if it’s anything like here. I don’t wanna be there. Most said head north if you wanna see California for the beauty it is. That LA is generally hot and crowded in summer months. And that Gavin is doing his best to run the rest of California into the ground. That an you can’t have anything over 10 rounds.
legal weed isn’t worth my guns.:/

 

[PriestTheyCalledHim]

Sometimes I feel like that about "the bad old days" in NYC as portrayed in film. I only moved there after it was well on its way to becoming the safest big city in America, not an iconically hardscrabble cesspit. Then I talk with people who were actually there and it turns out it was fucking terrible, not glamorous.

Yes lots of muggings, robbery, murders, abandoned buildings, massive fires, homelessness/drug addiction, etc.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Yes lots of muggings, robbery, murders, abandoned buildings, massive fires, homelessness/drug addiction, etc.

Well why are people still out there? I’m talking middle-high class that can afford to move? I guess what I’m saying is Los Angeles still good for a vacation? Given my vacation would be demented as fuck, I’d like to stay at the hotel Cecil. Go see where river died at. I’d like to see south and East central Los Angeles. lmao , I’d kinda like to see some locations associated with the night stalker. Over all I think LA has just been this place that’s huge that scares me sorta as it seems like if there was a hell it would be Los Angeles, idk maybe I’m idolizing the wrong things. I shouldn’t idolize anything anyways. I just don’t wanna keep looking up to something, I’ve only ever seen through video. Or rose colored

 

[Zephyn]

LA sucks, super dangerous and sketchy, not a good place. Santa Monica is alright. Hollywood is bad.

 

[PriestTheyCalledHim]

LA sucks, super dangerous and sketchy, not a good place. Santa Monica is alright. Hollywood is bad.

True, the areas outside of L.A. are much better than the city and areas closer to the city.

 

[PriestTheyCalledHim]

Well why are people still out there? I’m talking middle-high class that can afford to move? I guess what I’m saying is Los Angeles still good for a vacation? Given my vacation would be demented as fuck, I’d like to stay at the hotel Cecil. Go see where river died at. I’d like to see south and East central Los Angeles. lmao , I’d kinda like to see some locations associated with the night stalker. Over all I think LA has just been this place that’s huge that scares me sorta as it seems like if there was a hell it would be Los Angeles, idk maybe I’m idolizing the wrong things. I shouldn’t idolize anything anyways. I just don’t wanna keep looking up to something, I’ve only ever seen through video. Or rose colored

You seem curious about L.A. so why not save up money and go there and visit L.A. both the city and county, Hollywood/West Hollywood, Malibu, Long Beach, Redondo Beach, Compton, Ingelwood, Silverlake, the Valley, Orange County, Riverside, Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Disneyland, etc.

Why do people stay in and around Los Angeles in Southern California? Various reasons work, family, they have always lived there, they enjoy living there, they lived elsewhere and did not like it, etc.

I have cities I am obsessed with but they are not in California or the USA/North America, so I will not hijak this thread; but if anyone is curious you can send me a private message.

 

[Jabberwocky]

You seem curious about L.A. so why not save up money and go there and visit L.A. both the city and county, Hollywood/West Hollywood, Malibu, Long Beach, Redondo Beach, Compton, Ingelwood, Silverlake, the Valley, Orange County, Riverside, Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Disneyland, etc.

Why do people stay in and around Los Angeles in Southern California? Various reasons work, family, they have always lived there, they enjoy living there, they lived elsewhere and did not like it, etc.

I have cities I am obsessed with but they are not in California or the USA/North America, so I will not hijak this thread; but if anyone is curious you can send me a private message.

Go ahead I’d like to learn from those that have been around the world

 

[PriestTheyCalledHim]

Go ahead I’d like to learn from those that have been around the world

Hi here is a list of cities I am intrigued or obsessed about: Liège/Luik, Lille, Aachen, Antwerp, Apeldoorn, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Haarlem, Meppel and Coevorden in Drenthe, Utrecht, Den Bosch, Den Haag, Zutphen, Antwerp, and Brussels, Hamburg, Copenhagen, Tallinn, Bern, Zürich, Prague, almost every town/city in Cosenza province, Napoli, and Rome.

 

[Felonious Monk]

LA sucks, super dangerous and sketchy, not a good place. Santa Monica is alright. Hollywood is bad.

Now? That's just false. I lived in LA 2014-2016 and never once felt unsafe.

I think what the OP refers to is through rose-colored glasses through. There's nothing sexy about worrying about getting car jacked at a red light. Violent crime is WAY WAY down from 1990, to the point where it's basically non-existent (and comparing today's "mugging" vs. 1990's drive-by's also kinda skews the statistics). Not to mention the racism back then that went in every direction possible--it still exists today but the kids of those people are much less willing than their parents to buy into a bunch of low-intelligence stereotypes (though the recent black-on-Asian violence epidemic shows it's not dead, but the fact that most of the perpetrators seem to be 50yo black men is highly relevant to me).

 

[Lip_Service]

I’ve lived in Hollywood almost my whole life and it’s been a slow decline for sure. The pandemic pushed it over the edge. The homeless are out of control and the county isn’t doing shit about it.