A new wave ‘music museum’ in an Ambler basement

August 1981, when MTV premiered on cable television, was a pivotal time for Pamela Biasi.

“MTV forever changed my life,” said Biasi, 57, who lives in Ambler.

With the introduction of MTV’s music videos, Biasi developed a love of 1980s new wave music out of the United Kingdom. “It was the unique fashion and sounds of the British new wave bands that instantly had me hooked,” she said.

Now, almost 45 years later, Biasi, an operations manager for a Montgomery County company, has transformed her finished basement into a more than four-decade collection of music memorabilia, collectibles, and special acquisitions.

“My ‘music museum’ is a time capsule of sorts of ’80s bands from the U.K.,” Biasi said. “It started with framing original posters from album releases and MTV and then just grew from there.”

The Thompson Twins and Adam & the Ants are her favorite bands from the 1980s.

Her expansive collection features vintage items from the early ’80s as well as items from the present day.

“It started with original MTV posters, hats, bags, and clothing, and I have close to 800 items in my collection, which doesn’t include my vinyl records, CDs, or cassettes,” she said.

The basement is meticulously organized. Pieces of her collection are displayed in frames on the wall and on easels, tables, and display racks carefully arranged throughout the room.

Among her treasures, she said, are “posters, RIAA gold record awards, drumsticks, promo kits and photos, sheet music, poster magazines, pins, clothing, VHS tapes, backstage passes, ticket stubs, guitar picks, concert programs, autographed books, over 200 set lists, fan club kits, and more.”

One item of great significance is the guitar that Tom Bailey of the Thompson Twins played at Live Aid Philly 1985 with Nile Rodgers and Madonna, she said. She won it in an auction in 2020 to benefit U.K. stagehands put out of work by the pandemic.

“Exactly one month after high school graduation, I attended Live Aid in Philadelphia at JFK Stadium in July 1985,” Biasi said. “My dad dropped my friend and me off for what was the longest, biggest, and hottest concert of my lifetime.”

Last summer, Biasi met up with Bailey and he signed the vintage guitar for her. “He is absolutely thrilled that I was the winner to look after this piece of music history,” Biasi said. The guitar is displayed prominently in her living room.

Bailey isn’t the only artist she’s met in person, and some know her back, she said, like Howard Jones, Glenn Gregory, Martyn Ware, Nick Beggs, and Annabella Lwin.

“They know me by name from going to many shows and meeting them over the last 40 years,” Biasi said.

Even though it’s 45 years later, and the familiar music brings back the glory of her teen years, reality does set in.

“We never know when we will see the artists on tour again,” she said. “Many of these musicians are near 75 years of age, and they might decide to stop touring.”

Back in the day, Biasi also turned her knowledge about new wave ’80s music into a radio gig. In the late 1980s, she was a part of “Post Modern PST” that aired on Friday nights on 97.5 WPST.

“It was the only block of time where you could hear ‘new wave’ bands like Depeche Mode, The Cure, Psychedelic Furs, Tears for Fears, and more,” she said. “I joined the show as ‘Post Modern Pam’ and gave updates on bands, birthdays, and TV news. I talked to listeners on the phones, and I am still in touch with a few of those listeners to this day.”

Beyond the walls of her music museum, Biasi still is a “super fan” with fellow Philly ’80s music fanatics who attend new wave concerts, even traveling internationally to see these artists over and over.

“If you see a redhead at a show in the front row, or near the stage, it’s a pretty good chance it is me,” Biasi said with a laugh.

And she is still adding to her museum. “I attend concerts a few times a month and [each time] try to add a piece of memorabilia to my collection.”

Have you created a Haven in your home to celebrate your passions? Nominate your crafty she shed, sports-themed man cave, garage-turned-artist studio, or any other space you’ve transformed (and send some digital photographs) at [email protected].