(Above: Wal-Mart used to look a bit different.) November 1, 1969 The Internet turned fifty this past week - sort of. It was on October 29, 1969 that the first message was sent over ARPANET, a forerunner of the modern net, from UCLA to Stanford. The plan was to send the letters "L-O-G" to Stanford, … Continue reading New this week in ’69: November 1
Month: October 2019
New this week in ’69: October 25
(Above: a magazine that eludes my collection.) October 25, 1969 Earlier in the week "Beat Generation" fixture Jack Kerouac is laid to rest in Lowell, Massachusetts. Kerouac died in the early morning hours of the 21st as the result of longtime alcohol abuse. Years later the band 10,000 Maniacs will sing to him and self-aware … Continue reading New this week in ’69: October 25
Grand Rapids charts: The WZZM-FM Hot 40, October 22, 1971
(Above: It's a cool layout with a clumsy slogan.) I don't believe we've ever done an FM playlist on the blog, so let's fix that today. I just happen to have, in a pile of surveys I file under "research" in my office, the playlist from WZZM-FM in Grand Rapids, Michigan from October 22, 1971. … Continue reading Grand Rapids charts: The WZZM-FM Hot 40, October 22, 1971
New this week in ’69: October 18
October 18, 1969 It's the week that the New York Mets pulled off the miracle, defeating the Baltimore Orioles in five games in the World Series on October 16. It's the first championship for the seven-year-old franchise. (Of course, they'll win one more in 1986 on the backs of the Boston Red Sox.) The next … Continue reading New this week in ’69: October 18
Rest in peace, Pops Chambers: The Chambers Brothers, “Time Has Come Today” (1968)
Word circulated this morning that George "Pops" Chambers has passed away at the age of 88. The Chambers Brothers - Lester, Joe, Willie, and George - started performing in the late 1950s. They found their niche with "psychedelic soul," putting a rock spin on soul classics like Otis Redding's "I Can't Turn You Loose" and … Continue reading Rest in peace, Pops Chambers: The Chambers Brothers, “Time Has Come Today” (1968)
New this week in ’69: October 11
(Above: Brett Favre also acted a little.) October 11, 1969 It's the day that the Soviets, trying to remain in the space race, launch the Soyuz 6 spacecraft with two aboard. The very next day Soyuz 7 launches with three more cosmonauts. It's on that day - October 12 - that Sonja Henie passes away … Continue reading New this week in ’69: October 11
Rest in peace, Vinnie Bell: Ferrante and Teicher, “Midnight Cowboy” (1969)
Word circulated that Vincent "Vinnie" Bell passed away on October 3 at the age of 84. Bell's is not a name you would immediately recognize if you're looking for it on record labels. That is, of course, unless you happened to pick up a copy of "Airport Love Theme" in 1970, which lists him as … Continue reading Rest in peace, Vinnie Bell: Ferrante and Teicher, “Midnight Cowboy” (1969)
New this week in ’69: October 4
(And now for something completely different.) October 4, 1969 The day after Gwen Stefani was born (yes, she's also turning 50 this year) marked the start of the first-ever divisional playoffs in Major League Baseball. The expansion to twelve teams in each league included a split into two divisions. The American League sees Minnesota face … Continue reading New this week in ’69: October 4
45 Ruminations Per Megabyte 