In honor of House of Love guitarist Terry Bickers’ 45th birthday today, we share this ‘Snub TV’ clip from 1989 that features a ripping take on fourth single ‘Destroy the Heart’ and a gentle ‘Man to Child,’ off the band’s 1988 self-titled debut, with an interview with frontman Guy Chadwick sandwiched in between.

Twenty eight years ago today, the first of what would turn out to be two multi-day US Festivals — envisioned by their organizer, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, as ‘Woodstock West’ — opened in blistering 110-degree heat at Glen Helen Regional Park in San Bernadino County, Calif.

Twenty years ago tonight, Robert Smith and the rest of The Cure — aided by a pair of American DJs and shadowed by MTV and the music press — set up a pirate radio station at the headquarters of Fiction Records with plans to illicitly premiere their soon-to-released remix album ‘Mixed Up’ over the London airwaves.

Elizabeth Fraser — the incomparable voice of the Cocteau Twins — turns 47 today, and to mark the occasion, we present what has to be one of the odder moments in the dreampop group’s history: a pair of TV news reports from WBNS in Columbus, Ohio, about the so-called ‘Cocteau Fever’ surrounding the band’s Sept. 19, 1985, concert in that city.

That once-angry young man, Elvis Costello, turns 59 today, and to commemorate the occasion, we cast our spotlight not on the rocker’s brilliantly prolific early period, but, rather, his late-’80s, post-Attractions comeback following a nearly three-year break: the 1989 album ‘Spike,’ a personal favorite.

College-rock fixture-to-be R.E.M. released its landmark debut EP, ‘Chronic Town,’ 28 years ago today, and to commemorate the anniversary, we present alternate versions of three of the record’s five songs: a faster version of ‘Wolves, Lower’; ‘Carnival of Sorts (Box Cars)’ with different vocals and no fadeout; and ‘Shaking Through,’ featuring an organ in the mix.

Shaun Ryder — leader of Factory Records troublemakers Happy Mondays — celebrates his 48th birthday today, and to mark the occasion, here’s a vintage live performance of the band’s biggest hit: ‘Step On,’ their cover of John Kongos’ 1971 single ‘He’s Gonna Step On You Again.’

Today we commemorate Tears For Fears co-founder Roland Orzabal’s 49th birthday with this choice 1983 clip of the band performing ‘Head Over Heels’ sandwiched between two halves of ‘Broken’ (the latter of which, at that point, had been released as ‘We Are Broken’ on the B-side of ‘Pale Shelter’).

In honor of Daniel Ash — he of the ’80s trifecta of Bauhaus, Tones on Tail and Love and Rockets — who turns 53 today, we dug up one of the only vintage Love and Rockets live clips we could find on YouTube, this admittedly grainy, but certainly rare, footage of the band performing ‘Mirror People’ at London’s Town & Country Club in 1987.

Today we commemorate the 52nd birthday of the incomparable Kate Bush with what’s arguably her most indelible song: ‘Running Up That Hill,’ performed with David Gilmour at 1987’s ‘Secret Policeman’s Third Ball.’

Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore turns 52 today, and to commemorate, we offer this clips of the band tearing through its iconic 1988 single “Teen Age Riot” last year on the U.K. talk show ‘Later… With Jools Holland.’

To commemorate Depeche Mode songwriter Martin L. Gore’s birthday — he turns 49 today — we present this rare solo performance of one of his best-loved songs, ‘Enjoy the Silence.’

Today marks the 25th anniversary of Live Aid, the Bob Geldof-organized African famine relief concert that remains one of the cultural signposts of the ’80s. For readers of this site, the event is perhaps best remembered as the tipping point in U2’s ascent from college-rock upstarts to global superstars.