|
|
 |
On Saturday, November 28, 1942 Boston's Cocoanut Grove nightclub was the site of one of the deadliest fires in American history. The night spot was owned by Barney Welansky who had connections to both the mayor and organized crime. It was quaintly reminiscent of Rick's Cafe Americain in the movie Casablanca--but its highly flammable tropical-style furniture and decorations made it a firetrap. There were more than 1,000 people inside although the legal capacity was 460. The fire is believed to have started when a busboy attempted to replace a light bulb in the dimly lit Melody Lounge in the lower level. He struck a match to help him see. Shortly thereafter patrons saw the palm fronds from a nearby artificial tree ignite. The fire rapidly spread along the walls and ceiling. Within five minutes the entire nightclub was ablaze. Many patrons attempted to exit through the revolving main door which quickly became jammed. Some secondary doors had been welded shut to prevent customers from leaving without paying their tabs. Other doors swung inward and made escape nearly impossible due to the crush of the crowd. All told, 492 people perished. Among the fatalities were Cowboy movie star Buck Jones and a couple who had been married earlier that same day. Welansky was convicted on multiple counts of involuntary manslaughter.
Tags:
Cocoanut
Grove
Fire
1942
Added: 29th September 2009
Views: 2060
Rating: 
Posted By: Lava1964 |
 
|
 |
The deadliest fire in American history occurred on December 30, 1903 at Chicago's sparkling new Iroquois Theater. The death toll was staggering: 602. The theater had only been open for 37 days and was ironically advertised as fireproof. A huge crowd of mostly women and children were present for a Wednesday matinee performance of a gala show starring Eddie Foy and featuring a cast of more than 500 extras. The fire began when a spotlight shorted out and ignited the ceiling decorations. Most of the cast managed to escape through a large rear door. However, when that door opened, the new cold oxygen source created a fireball that ripped through the rest of the theater. Many people died because they were unfamiliar with the newfangled lock mechanisms on the theater's doors. Other escape routes were blocked to prevent patrons from sneaking down to more expensive seats. An investigation later showed that fire officials had been bribed to overlook safety concerns so the theater could open for business in time for the lucrative winter holidays. The only person convicted of a crime was a lone man who was found guilty of stealing posessions from the dead.
Tags:
Iroquois
Theater
fire
Chicago
Added: 29th September 2009
Views: 900
Rating: 
Posted By: Lava1964 |
|
|
 |
On Sunday, October 30, 1938, a young Orson Welles and his Mercury Theatre On The Air presented their version of H.G. Wells' 1895 science fiction novel 'War of the Worlds' as a radio drama on CBS. About two-thirds of the 55-minute broadcast comprised of faux news bulletins. They began with accounts of a supposed meteorite landing in a New Jersey township which turned out to be a Martian spacecraft. The aliens then began a reign of terror across New Jersey and into New York City, killing everyone with heat rays and poison gas. The show was given an air of authenticity by using interviews with various fictitious officials and a bogus Princeton astronomy professor who speculated on the Martians' strength and motives for invasion. Although the broadcast featured no fewer than four instances when it was declared to be a radio drama, many people did not hear these disclaimers. Civil authorities were inundated by telephone calls. Panic was especially high in some parts of Washington state where a power outage coincidentally occurred just after the part of the broadcast where the Martians began their destructive rampage. It is estimated that six million Americans heard at least a portion of the broadcast, and about 1.7 million of them thought it was real. Still, most radio listeners that night were oblivious to the so-called 'panic.' Welles' broadcast ran opposite the hugely popular Edgar Bergen program on NBC.
Tags:
Martians
radio
Orson
Welles
Added: 22nd October 2009
Views: 700
Rating:
Posted By: Lava1964 |
|
|
 |
At the 1976 Montreal Olympics a scandal enveloped the modern pentathlon competition. It centered around the Soviet Union's team captain Boris Onischenko. Entering the fencing part of the event, Onischenko, a skilled swordsman who had won medals at both the 1968 and 1972 Olympics, was paired against British captain Jim Fox. Fox complained that something was amiss with Onischenko's epee. Officials seized it and determined it had an illegal grip. Onischenko was given another epee and the match continued with Onischenko winning easily. However, further examination of Onischenko's original weapon found it had been electronically altered to register phantom hits. The Soviet team was immediately disqualified. To their credit, the rest of the Soviet modern pentathlon team shunned Onischenko (whom the world media dubbed Dishonest-chenko) for his shenanigans. The Soviet men's volleyball team threatened to throw Onischenko from the highest window of the Olympic village if they encountered him.
Tags:
fencing
Boris
Onischenko
cheater
Olympics
Added: 29th October 2009
Views: 1088
Rating:
Posted By: Lava1964 |
|
|
 |
Here is the main song from the soundtrack "Cobra". The unforgettable looking bass musician is Jean Beauvoir, a notable talented soundtrack composer amongst his other titles. For the past decades, Jean Beauvoir has been often invited into recording studios to lay down tracks for various popular groups. Ongoing, Jean was mostly asked about his multi-talents in the studio, including the ability to involve himself with great work in the production end of recordings. The thing about his talents on various instruments, he never fails to meet the expectations of his services. Jean Beauvoir has added his "oldschool" work on more than 99 studio sessions, including his own rock albums. Most, if not all his five solo albums were for sale only in the European music market. However, there was more to him than that though; he is now a singer to a rock group called Crown of Thorns; and continues as a Presidential CEO of his own recording company in the entertainment industry, and this includes two other well-known companies in the same position. Beauvoir maintains a strong attachment as a major figure in the music business world, and keeps close to business ventures with a few "business-type" musicians, including Little Steven Van Zandt from Bruce Springsteen's group. Comparatively against other musicians from the eighties, Jean Beauvoir has kept his full-time career with the business of music. Today, the man has changed his appearance to that of the traditional shaven-head acceptable look.
*E*
Tags:
KISS
Radio
Film
80s
Australia
New
York
Added: 13th November 2009
Views: 634
Rating:
Posted By: Electricland |
|
|
 |
What is love? Do you remember Howard Jones? Do you still remember 1984? Do you remember what you had for lunch last Monday?
Do you remember the whole second British Invasion?
Huh? Remember the "New Wave" of music that took over the radio and television in the eighties?
Hard to avoid any of it.
Once a resident of Canada in his younger days,this Welsh born singer came out with a great song then titled 'New Song'; ironically enough in the year 1984. This was from the hit album "Human's Lib". Howard's album sold better than most other bands these days, due to its strong promotion from those behind him. In the 80s, Howard Jones was a pop music star thanks to the albums success.
At that time, television was showing tune filled clips almost every hour on various programs everywhere. This was what enabled him to become more than he could ever think of.
I remembered recently, I was spending a great deal of time in Britain then, so I had heard all this British 80s music before it went overseas in 1984.
With North America, Howard Jones went into radio play during the summertime of 1984; 'What Is Love' hit the all-important pop sales chart thanks to the catchy lyrics. Much of the success to this album was thanks to the production duties from producer Rupert Hine. Check the album credits of your favorite vinyl for his name.
In the early eighties, Howard Jones influencial look became cool for many teens, and this gave Jones the opportunity to play various cities with all the other trendy groups that came out of Britain at the time.
These days, Howard Jones still devotes his life towards the music he has performed in the past years.
You still like him? Howard has just recorded new music for 2009. Catch him on tour. *E*
Tags:
TV
Valentine
My
Motto:
I
am
only
going
to
increase
the
awareness
and
interest
in
popular
culture
for
the
masses
to
reflect
upon.
Added: 15th November 2009
Views: 784
Rating:
Posted By: Electricland |
|
|
 |
If a company has money to advertise, then spend it. This is how you get your product out to the audience and consumer who were eager to buy, buy, buy new technology for home use. After seeing this, many were probably headed to their favourite department store. Until 1986, the RCA Corp. were a huge television and electronic manufacturer that had a high standard product to sell with a major difference. The RCA name is still used today, after so many years of successful production in high quality useful advancements. The company began its successful history in nineteen-nineteen. Its three Big letters insisted that it was a good product for years of enjoyment. You can still see the RCA logo in various places, as it is under a new owner of French origins, Thomson SA. The name is used as well by other umbrella companies that have asked to use the name with special permissions. In regards to the interesting commercial, since 1953, RCA's colour television knowledge was accepted as "standard" for American colour broadcasts for 1960s television. The "National Television System Committee" accepted this as the main technology used for all network associated affiliates. RCA were the best on the market, this was until competition came along and tried to get in other sales action. The commercial was just one that showed the advancement of RCA's new television system in full colour. Hard not to ignore this kind of catchy ad. *E*
Note: For more of a full explantion on the history of home entertainment read below.
He seems to be a real smarty.
Very cool.
Tags:
TV
Added: 18th November 2009
Views: 906
Rating:
Posted By: Electricland |
|
|
 |
Back in the mid eighties, this Ridley Scott movie "Legend" starring Tom Cruise was brought theatrically to cinema screens. "Legend" is a fantasy involving a beast and a beauty that had changed from its original concept visually and musically; whereas it was reworked right after crutial feedback did not return in the way top executives were hopeing for. The movie was way too long, and the feature was given a redone completely new soundtrack; creating a unique odd ambience by the instrumentation's of German group Tangerine Dream. Well-known musicians that had seen numerous changes since their inception in the late 1960s.
"Legend" was a unique picture at the time, and it had a lot of financial box office hope for the studio that was backing it up. There was just one thing about it, the composed score needed to be adjusted immediately; on par with something that teenagers could relate too.
True, there were problems with the soundtrack when shown at the 1st preview screening the studio had set-up. It wasn't cool enough for the teen audience it was going to be aimed at. Lots of production financing was spent for the Ridley Scott movie, including the planning of the marketing campaign that Cruise was starring in. Changes occured swiftly with asking Yes, the rock group headed by Jon Anderson to join for the addition of "Loved By the Sun"; and in this familiar clip you can see "Is Your Love Strong Enough?", a great composition by Bryan Ferry of UK's Roxy Music; which was promoted as the motion picture single. The recording was actually a leftover from a previous album from the popular 70s group Bryan Ferry had left in 1983. The guest guitar player is Pink Floyd musican David Gilmore.
Amazingly, this was all just put together in twenty-one days, just after the well-known studio passed over the movie score by famous composer Jerry Goldsmith. It just didn't fit to the satisfaction of the studio. Goldsmith was known in the television/movie composer community since the early 1950s. Goldsmith recently passed on leaving a career of scores and themes behind.
When released overseas, "Legend" was intact with the rejected original Goldsmith score. In the end,"Legend" did not re-coop its money back in its initial first-run. The fantasy flick over the years though has picked-up worldwide fans who have become familiar with the images being presented here.
Bryan Ferry has since regrouped with Roxy Music for ongoing soldout concerts.
*E*
Tags:
80s
Tim
Curry
England
Added: 5th December 2009
Views: 568
Rating:
Posted By: Electricland |
|
|
 |
Something that brought attention to the "Philly" lady back then, originally done in the late Nineteen Sixties from Tommy James and the Shondells. Remember him? The thing about the significant other one is that, it really went to the lower bottom of No. Eighteen - then went right out off the chart. Kinda a wonder how that happened so fast? Big one week, practically gone the following. Tommy and the Shondells percussion player put, both together, really made the effort to make a great sounding composition unlike anything they did prior; perfecting the steady number lyrically and instrumentally. The update had a harder edge than the '68 one. It was from an album that really showed how strong she is in the field. The release was a success for weeks. The updated one, it climbed up to the seven spot. The woman had a tough time getting a deal at first though. How many don't know that? In the end, she really proved herself with so many cover sleeves. And, you can really feel her coming off the disc. The lady was really influenced by what she saw on a trip to the United Kingdom, then did her best to project the appeal to the people she was trying to capture with her solid sound. She is still on the live circuit. And she inspired women globally with the actual fact that if she could do it, then they could do it too. Many of them became interested in her for this reasoning. This prompted the woman to continue on with what she does best worldwide. *E*
Tags:
Radio
USA
Added: 10th December 2009
Views: 894
Rating:
Posted By: Electricland |
|
|
Pages: 2 3 4 5 6 7 [8] 9 10 11 12 13 14 of 14 | Random |
|
Sponsor Links