Black Tom Explosion

Have you ever wondered about the Black Tom Explosion? Wonder no more. 

Dr. Howard Levy

The Court-Martial of Dr. Howard Levy

Bongos, Bass & Bob -- 'Thorazine Shuffle'

A classic. "Used to be a slugger...."

Map of California (circa 1650)

 

"They might very well not change their minds--or their maps--if they were around to survey the present-day topographical and cultural scene."

Ezra Goodman (in 1961)

Ad for Anacin (1952)

"The Anacin ads, he later admitted, 'were the most hated commercials in the history of advertising.' But they increased Anacin sales from $18 million to $54 million per year in an 18-month period. 'Not bad,' Reeves once said, 'for something written between cocktails at lunch.'" (David Halberstam, The Fifties, page 226)

'All This and World War II' (trailer)

Okay, this exists. I grew up with movies and the Beatles and the shadow of WW2 but I don't remember this (that said--is this where Elton John's 'Lucy in the Sky' came from?). And I'm guessing no one else does either. All I found was the trailer, that will just have to suffice. 

(The Original) Bob Roberts -- 'Ragtime Cowboy Joe'

A propos of nothing at all.

Brass Against -- Tool's 'The Pot'

I like Tool just fine (a statement which clearly marks me as not a Tool fan--or certainly not enough) but I think "The Pot" is one of the coolest songs I've ever heard. Transcribing it for horn section just makes it rock even harder. Suddenly I understand what trombones are for! (I thought it was so tuba players would have someone to rag on) Great original song, great re-imagining of the original. Good stuff.

Michael Nesmith -- 'Cruisin' (with Lucy and Romana and Sunset Sam)'

Sometimes you come across a blast from the past. Other times you stumble across something so long forgotten you're surprised it ever existed. But then again, Michael Nesmith actually had a long prodigious career, so perhaps this isn't so surprising. 

Max Showalter - 'I Have an Ear for Love' (from "10")

Kinda amazing, really.