Updating my sound

[Hootayah]

I used to play in bands mostly in the late 70's and early 80's. Basically all I ever really listen to now are the old albums I own... Rush, The Smiths, Squeeze, Uzeb, Tubes, Missing Persons etc...
I desperately want to update my style cause people are constantly telling me my songs sound really "80's".
I don't know whether to take that as a compliment or a put down but either way, what bands would you recommend I listen to in order to get into the 2003's?

[Polera]

I personally like the eighties compared to the stuff they play today. However if you want to know the new and popular bands of 2003, im going to have to go with, (in no particular order) stone sour, hoobistank, queens of the stone age, puddle of mudd, thoery of a dead man (my personal favorite of 2003), incubis, and system of a down. Then you have other bands which are hot and have more staying power like red hot chillipeppers, ozzy, anything by Zakk Wylde, kid rock...well kiinda....,carlos sanatana is doing **** again,

well the list can be long depending on who you talk to ... personally, with the exception of theroy of a deadman and some puddle of mood songs, i think most of the music is ****, well incomparison to the eighties of course. Kid rock is wicked..more so from a guitarist point of view as Kracker puts toghether some good riffs.

[u10ajf]

Harder done than said yeah (!!!) but if you can emulate an early 80s Alex Lifeson guitar sound don't worry 'bout being 80s, that sound hasn't been bettered by anyone. What needs updating is popular opinion, music's largely **** these days. Don't go on popular opinion, people are ignorant! but don't take my word for it..

[mc9mm]

There is nothing wrong with that, I would really
take it as a compliment if someone told me my
songs sound sooo 80's.

[Hootayah]

I guess that's just it though. I don't know whether to take it as a compliment or an insult.
It's like when you go on the newsgroups or forums and ask for opinions on your songs...then you get replies like, "very 80's", and I don't have the slightest idea what the heck is making it sound 80's or whether they like it or not.
I get the feeling sometimes that just putting a solo into a song instantly categorizes it as old fashioned.

[u10ajf]

O.K. these are things I associate with 80s music:

Pros:
Musicians who can play their instruments
Funky slap bass,
plasticy electronic drums,
Moog pedals and synth sounds
clean chorusy guitar chords with lots of space
insane guitar breaks

cons:
mullets, big hair, spandex, gyrating hips, crotch groping