JCD666

It was June 1983 that Planet X opened its doors at Macmillans in Concert Square. This was the first of the five venues around Liverpool it called home, later moving to Brady’s in Mathew Street, then Jody’s in Stanley Street, before moving to its own places – first in Temple Street and, finally, in Hanover Street. The Liverpool club added a great deal of color, darkness, and gothic glamour to the city's nightlife scene, living through several waves of the goth movement and was, from its inception, a place that Liverpool’s outsider crowd could call their own. The final night for Planet X came on New Year’s Eve in 1993, though other than the owner, nobody knew it would be the last call for this legendary goth club...

James C. Crow was born in Scotland, and trained in chemistry at Edinburgh in the 1820s. He spent years learning from Scotland's master distillers, before making his way to America in 1835. At Grier’s in Kentucky, Crow applied scientific methods to bourbon production. Using thermometers, hydrometers, specific gravity, and pH balance checks, he standardized the sour mash process, resulting in high quality whiskey. Crow moved on to Oscar Pepper Spirits in 1838, where his whiskey was sold as “Old Crow," and became the bourbon by which all others were judged. The brand remained in the hands of Oscar Pepper after Crow died in 1856, and thankfully, Crow had trained a distiller who continued to make it with his method.

The '70s were packed with concerts of epic proportions. Massive, multi-day events with a veritable who's who of rock n roll. The CaliFFornia World Music Festival was one of these legendary happenings. Held in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and surrounding grounds on April 7th and 8th in 1979. Despite 'world music' being in the name, the festival was entirely focused on rock. With MC duties performed by celebrity stoners, along with parallel entertainment including everything from a battle of the bands, a rock ’n’ roll movie theater, food fair, arts and crafts marketplace, and skateboarding exhibitions, the CaliFFornia World Music Festival was a packed event.

First developed in 1912 in Germany, Methyl​enedioxy​methamphetamine (MDMA), commonly known as ecstasy (tablet form); and molly or mandy (crystal form), is a potent empathogen–entactogen with stimulant and minor psychedelic properties primarily used for recreational purposes. The pharmacological effects include altered sensations, increased energy, empathy, and pleasure. When taken by mouth, effects begin in 30 to 45 minutes and last three to six hours. It was used to enhance psychotherapy beginning in the '70s and became popular as a street drug in the '80s, though the first documented use recreationally was in 1975 on a ferry ride across San Francisco Bay. MDMA is commonly associated with dance parties, raves, and electronic dance music.

There is no better way to come together than being with the one you love... perhaps this is the secret to world peace?

Ernest Holmes Sr. was a mechanic in Chattanooga, Tennessee who is credited with inventing the tow truck in 1916. After helping a friend recover his car using three poles, a pulley and a chain hooked to the chassis of his 1913 sedan, Holmes realized that his contraption could be useful beyond just this one need. After refining his invention, Holmes began manufacturing what we now know as the traditional tow truck or wrecker, receiving a patent on his design in 1918. Holmes sold both turn key tow trucks and the wrecker body as a bolt on unit to auto shops, racetracks, and garages, and went on to design a multitude of tow truck offerings, covering just about every recovery need, including heavy-duty use by the U.S. military.

Power Records released a series of Planet of the Apes stories using their 'Book & Record' format in 1974, each of which covered one of the four films that had been released at the time. Like other Book & Record offerings, the sets included a 45 rpm record and a comic book. The record narrated the comic through sound effects, audio dialogue, and a backing soundtrack. In addition to the 45 rpm versions, a 12" 33 rpm compilation record combining all four Arthur P. Jacobs films adapted by Power Records. Like other Power Records' Book & Record sets, the Planet of the Apes are highly desirable collectables, not just due to their pop culture value, but because complete sets with both the record and comic are hard to come by.

The Stud was a leather and denim cruise bar in Los Angeles, California that was in business from 1974 until 1988. While The Stud may have been relatively short-lived, it was an iconic gay bar during its existence, and not the space's first gay rodeo. The historic building located at 4216 Melrose Ave. was built in 1947, and for decades, housed a bar called Red Rogue owned by gay icon, Judy Garland and her then husband, Sid Luft. The space became The Stud in 1974, then another gay bar, Griff’s, in 1988, and finally, legendary gay bar Faultline in 1994. Faultline operated until its closure in 2021, making it one of the longest running gay bars in Los Angeles.

Michael Barrett and Danny Fried opened China Club in the basement of the Beacon Hotel in Manhattan's Upper West Side at 2130 Broadway in the mid-'80s. The club quickly became a music industry hangout, a veritable who's who of musicians that built China Club's reputation for impromptu performances. Aside from the musicians, China Club also regularly hosted its share of actors, athletes, and other celebrities. High on the success of their night spot, Barrett and Fried opened (and closed) China Clubs in Los Angeles, Aspen, Chicago, South Beach, and South Hampton over the years, but none had the staying power of the NYC original. In 1997, the club moved from the Beacon Hotel to West 47th Street in Times Square, thriving until closure in 2010.

Wanting to get in on California's booming petroleum industry, a Canadian man named C.C. (Courtney Chauncey) Julian launched Julian Petroleum Company in 1923 in Los Angeles. Julian's company was little more than a vast Ponzi scheme masked as an investment opportunity, bilking millions from eager investors through aggressive newspaper advertising. As the fraud collapsed in 1927, the appointed as receiver, and created Sunset Pacific Oil Company from the remains of Julian Petroleum Company. Sunset Pacific failed with $12 million in debt to Associated Oil, and was reorganized into Sunset Oil Company in 1934. Long story short, Golden Eagle Motor Oil was one of Sunset's first products, and one that helped make the reorganized company a success.

1967 was the Summer of Love, and San Francisco was the undisputed epicenter. 1968 saw a transition from 'peace, love, and dope' to a focus on social change. Don't worry, though, there was still plenty of peace, love, and dope. 1969 was the year people mobilized to make it happen, and yet again, San Francisco led the way. From the battle for People's Park and the Alcatraz occupation, to the Third World Liberation Front strike and countless antiwar protests, these and more largely student led happenings all took place in San Francisco in an attempt to change the world.

A whole generation of folks probably know Betty Jane Tavern just from the t-shirt worn by camp counselor Gary in the 2001 satirical comedy film, Wet Hot American Summer, but it was an actual place. Betty Jane Tavern existed in Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey, home of the largest freshwater lake in the state, covering about 4 square miles in area. Playing off the heavy influence of the Lenni Lenape tribe of the area, Betty Jane Tavern advertised having the 'best firewater in Lake Hopatcong.' Whether you were looking for a stiff drink or a hot meal, Betty Jane was there for you throughout the '70s and '80s.

The "Great Moscow Circus on Vernadsky Avenue," better known as The Bolshoi Circus (Grand Circus) was built under Leonid Brezhnev, and opened in 1971. Its unique design makes it an exceptional space for all sorts of circus productions, but the crown jewel is hidden — an interchangeable ring system. Sitting on a hydraulic platform that lowers into the basement, the ring can be interchanged with four other specialized rings. Options include a traditional equestrian ring, a water basin ring, a hard floor ring with trapdoors for magic acts, a lighted floor ring with color effects, and an ice ring.

In 1928, the Zellerbach Paper Company merged with the Crown Willamette Paper Company to form publicly-traded Crown Zellerbach Corporation. Headquartered in San Francisco, California, the company had assets of nearly $100 million, over 350,000 acres of timber, and paper mills throughout the Pacific Coast capable of producing 1,450 tons of paper daily. It expanded steadily throughout the '30s and substantially during the second world war, when European paper manufacturers no longer exported to the United States. In 1947, it started producing glossy, coated paper for high-end magazines. In the '50s, Crown Zellerbach was the second-largest landholder in the American West, and in the '60s, they diversified and expanded internationally.

Prudhoe Bay is a census-designated place (CDP) located in North Slope Borough in Alaska. The official population is well under 100, however, at any given time, several thousand workers reside there to support the Prudhoe Bay Oil Field. The airport, lodging and general store are located in Deadhorse, and the rigs and processing facilities are located on scattered gravel pads laid atop the tundra. It is only during winter that the surface is hard enough to support heavy equipment, and new construction happens at that time. Prudhoe Bay was named in 1826 by British explorer Sir John Franklin after his classmate Captain Algernon Percy, Baron Prudhoe. Franklin traveled westerly along the coast from the mouth of the Mackenzie River in Canada.

Black Dragon Records was an independent record label based founded in 1984 by Agnès & Michel Desgranges in Paris, France. Primarily specializing in indie bands in metal genres ranging from black and doom metal to traditional heavy metal, Black Dragon Records put out well over 100 releases throughout the '80s and '90s.

When it comes to old school speed shops, Detroit definitely had more than their share. Of course, that isn't surprising seeing as the city has long been home to the American auto industry, and is known as the 'Motor City' as a result. Custom Speed Enterprises (CSE) is one such shop, and was one of the city's longest running providers of go fast goodies. Unlike some others, the shop was a windowless space, so it was rather dark throughout, and kinda creepy by most recollections. Housekeeping wasn't exactly their forte, as just about everything was covered in dust, but their inventory was second to none, and could be counted on to have whatever you needed in stock.

The West Side Flume & Lumber Co. was founded in 1898 to log 55,000 acres of land outside of Tuolumne, California. A 10-mile narrow gauge railroad was laid into the woods east of the town to haul timber down the mountain to the newly constructed lumber mill, as well as to carry loggers to the work sites. In 1900, the lumber company incorporated their railroad as a common carrier called the Hetch Hetchy & Yosemite Valley Railroad, hoping to offer passenger service to the Hetch Hetchy Valley, and on to Yosemite National Park. The passenger trains were operated twice-weekly, and later three times a week, but ridership remained low. In 1903, West Side was sold, and the name was shortened to West Side Lumber Co.

The '80s weren't all neon ridiculousness... there was a whole casual California surfer theme that became quite popular, primarily through graphic t-shirts and patterned Hawaiian style shirts. This mid '80s inspired design captures the vibe of the era.

Long before streaming movies and online shopping was a thing, you had to hunt and peck for hard to find movies on VHS, especially those in the horror genre. If you were lucky, you had a mom and pop video store in your neighborhood that shared an interest in obscure cinema and carried stuff that the chain video rental places didn’t. For most of us, this meant finding a distribution company that sold direct via mail order, and Midnight Video was one such distributor. Midnight Video specialized in hard to find movies on VHS, most of which were horror films. They sold through ads in the back of horror magazines and comic books, so Cinephiles would send off a check or money order, and wait for their tapes to arrive.

Launching to great fanfare in 1995, the San Francisco Spiders only lasted one year, folding shortly after a season of lackluster ticket sales and shortsighted front office decisions. But they did everything else right, signing an all-star player, ponying up for a cup-winning coach who led the team to a miracle playoff berth, and most importantly, reminding people what a great game hockey is. The mascot is something else they totally nailed — a grimacing red spider clutching a yellow hockey stick, looking like he's ready to bash the windshield of a pest control van. It's an example of glorious mascot work that still holds up today Sadly, hockey never returned to SF, but the Spiders still hold a place in the hearts of many Bay Area denizens.

The 'skateboarding is not a crime' motto has become one of the most famous expressions — and stickers — in skateboard history. Skateboarding has always been a city sport that interacts with architecture, buildings, urban objects, landscapes, and spaces. As skateboarding increasing in popularity, skateboarders faced curfews, prohibitive legislation, and bans from public areas. Soon, tickets and fines were soon being issued across America and Europe, and police officers and security guards quickly became skateboarders' worst nightmares. After the introduction of no skateboarding legislation, skateboarders were suddenly regarded as common criminals, getting harassed and having their boards confiscated.

Long known as the craziest restaurant in Spokane, Washington, Cyrus O'Leary's might be best described as a restaurant disguised as an antique menagerie. Established in 1980 on the corner of Main and Stevens in the heart of Downtown Spokane, the restaurant's interior was adorned with hundreds of antiques, curiosities, oddities, and one of a kind, original sculptures. Of course, decor can only take a place so far, but thankfully for Cyrus O'Leary's, their kitchen turned out an expansive menu that kept folks coming back for decades. It also didn't hurt that their top shelf bar offered over 300 specialty drinks and hosted a regular late night happy hour.

Silent Night, Deadly Night is a 1984 American slasher film that was one of the most controversial films of the '80s due to its advertising campaign that made significant emphasis on the killer being dressed as Santa Claus. The film had to be submitted four times to secure an R rating for theatrical release, but when it came out on home video, the full unrated version was used. The plot focuses on a boy who sees his parents murdered in front of him, a young boy spends most of his life in an orphanage, where he is abused by the mother superior. As a young man, he gets a job as a toy store Santa, but seeing two coworkers having sex in the store brings on flashbacks, and his turmoil leads him to become a Santa Claus serial killer.

Meadowbrook Meat Co. was founded by J.R. Wordsworth in 1947 as a pork processor catering to the local market in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. By 1966, Meadowbrook had expanded into a range of fine meats and was a top regional supplier thought the south. The company continued to grow, becoming a leading food service distributor, providing supply chain services to thousands of national and regional chain restaurants across the continental United States. By the time the company was sold in 2012, it was operating 35 distribution facilities with over 3,300 employees nationwide.

Having been under the control of three nations over the centuries, Monterey Harbor and the surrounding area retain the charm of each era, making it a unique region unlike many others. While commercial fishing put Monterey on the map, the Harbor remains a central part of the community today, as tourists flock to the area to experience its beauty and extensive wildlife. The modern wharf that stands in the harbor today wasn't constructed until the early 1900s, when the city began expanding the wharf to provide more services to the fishing fleets and the freight industry. By 1920 Monterey Harbor's wharf served as location for warehouses, nearly 20 wholesale and retail fish outlets, a marine service station, and a restaurant.

Smokey and the Bandit II is a 1980 American action comedy film sequel to 1977's Smokey and the Bandit. In this one, it's been a few years since Bo "Bandit" Darville and Cledus "Snowman" Snow made their famous 28-hour run from Atlanta to Texarkana and back with 400 cases of bootleg beer. We find that Bandit is now a washed-up has-been living in the past, until Big Enos and Little Enos make him another offer: Transport a live Elephant across country in 3 days or less. Despite receiving almost completely negative reviews from critics who felt that it suffered badly in comparison to the original, Smokey and the Bandit II grossed $10,883,835 in its opening weekend, the second highest ever at the time, and also set a record for an opening week.

Lee Triemert opened Lee's Liquor Lounge in Minneapolis in the late '50s, and ran it with his wife until he passed away in '76. Lou Sirian bought the bar in '77, but continued to call it Lee's, because Lou is the kind of guy who likes to keep things the way they are. That model seemed to work for Lou, as Lee's remained a mainstay of the city’s historically working-class North Loop neighborhood for decades. Housed in a 125-year-old former warehouse, Lee's was the go-to watering hole for blue collar employees for generations, but as the factories left, so did many of the customers. Lou brought in live music in the mid '80s, and this is when Lee's got its second wind as a music venue, with sort of a honky tonk dive bar vibe.

There's not a lot of people who skate in jeans, but then again, Rad Rabbit isn't a people, now is he?

1000 Smiling Knuckles is the fourth studio album by Seattle grunge band Skin Yard that was released in 1991. The first single was the title track, for which a video was shot. Skin Yard was formed in January 1985, playing their first official show on June 7, 1985, opening for the U-Men. While Skin Yard may not have received the kind of national recognition many of their contemporaries did, their Pacific Northwest following was huge, and are considered one of the heaviest grunge bands of all time.

For decades, Chicago-based Spector Freight System's red, white, and blue trucks were a ubiquitous sight on the highways and byways of the Midwest. At one point, Spector was the nation's 10th largest truck line, with dedicated routes and terminals covering all of the Midwest from north to south and beyond.

Back in 2011 when Astro Coffee's doors opened in Corktown, it marked one of the earlier 'third wave' coffee shops to enter the Motor City. It was a café that not only emphasized the quality of its beans, baked goods, and incredible array of gourmet egg sandwiches, but also felt like a local bar in many respects for the regulars who frequented the place. In 2017, they began roasting their own beans in its new roastery in Core City, which only upped the quality of Astro Coffee and their signature flavor.

The Motocross des Nations is an annual motocross race held since 1947. Great Britain, Belgium, and Sweden dominated the racing series in the early days, but just like the "Miracle on Ice" shocked the hockey world in 1980, the U.S. team turned motocross upside down at the 1981 des Nations event. The U.S. had never won or even come close to winning, and with such a bad record, assembling riders for a team was tough to say the least. It was so tough, that the U.S. didn't even send teams in '79 and '80. 1981 was a different story, as America showed up, and when the flag dropped, Team U.S.A. shocked the racing world as they won Trophée des Nations. The 1981 event was the start of a winning streak at des Nations that lasted until 1994.

While the summer of love may have been over, the peace movement was just getting started in 1969. Fueled by the war raging in Vietnam, the number of people calling for peace and love to triumph over war and hate grew day by day. The movement continues and peace remains elusive and fleeting at times, but when you really think about it, peace is natural.

On August 23, 1946, Rodney and Helen Graves opened their doors to the steak loving public of Williams, Arizona. Little did they know at the time that they were creating a main street institution that would not only become a Route 66 landmark, but carry on the old Arizona feel for decades. The Graves sold Rod's to a long time employee in 1985, and the new owner ensured the longtime favorite of locals and tourists alike remained just as they liked it. Rod's menu straight forward menu stayed largely the same over its 75-year run, something that few other restaurants can claim, and what customers counted on — a place where they could pull off the highway and have a really great steak.

While record labels were scouring the Pacific Northwest for every band with the 'Seattle Sound,' Diamond Fist Werny was doing their own thing, and doing it better than anyone else with the gravitational pull of a stellar black hole. An indie band with ethereal, Indian vibes coupled with quirky, sparing guitar rhythms, DFW took fans on a trip with their blurry grooves, breaking the boundaries between musical genres. And just as fans had been lulled into a sense of space though their succulent sound, churning, aggressive guitars worked to accommodate the swaying motions of the crowd, quickly reminding them that they were listening to a rock band. If you haven't heard them, you are missing out to say the absolute least.