Description: Bluegrass is a genre of American roots music that developed in the 1940s in the Appalachian region of the United States. The genre derives its name from the band Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys. Bluegrass features acoustic stringed instruments and emphasizes the off-beat. Notes are anticipated, in contrast to laid back blues where notes are behind the beat, which creates the higher energy characteristic of bluegrass. In bluegrass, as in some forms of jazz, one or more instruments each takes its turn playing the melody and improvising around it, while the others perform accompaniment; this is especially typified in tunes called breakdowns. This is in contrast to old-time music, in which all instruments play the melody together.
Description: If you've driven Interstate 29 through Missouri some time in the past 45 years, you probably recall an unmistakable landmark at the Faucett exit - a tractor trailer floating high above the ground. This semi turned sign marks the location of the Farris Truck Stop. First opened in 1976, the traditional mom-and-pop truck stop was a favorite with locals and truckers alike and was a fixture in the small town of just over 800 people.
Description: Crown Electric Company, Inc. of Memphis, Tennessee was an electrical supply business that served the trades. Founded in 1953 at 475 N. Dunlap Street, Crown Electric was a full service supply house that stocked everything a working electrician might need, and even delivered directly to their job sites. By 1956, the business had outgrown their original location and relocated to 353 Poplar Avenue, and while that building no longer stands today, the original Dunlop location does and has been a steel supply business for decades.
Description: On November 8, 1968, classic music station 98.5 FM KXRQ emerged from months of silence as KZAP after being purchased by Lee Gahagan. The new free form radio station quickly found its groove and had an immediate impression on the large college crowd in Sacramento. Playing an eclectic mix of rock 'n roll music, KZAP was a very much a college radio station that appealed to a youth audience that had never really bought into the other commercial stations. The station remained extremely progressive, and was the first station in the United States to air a commercial for condoms and was an early adopter of Stereo Quadraphonic sound technology. When Gahagan unexpectedly died in 1972, KZAP settled into an album-oriented rock format.
Description: "We will not pray for anything. Nor will we seek help from anyone. Never again will we fight under another's flag." - Captain Harlock. As an archetypical romantic hero, a space pirate with an individualist philosophy of life, Captain Harlock (キャプテン・ハーロック Kyaputen Hārokku) is a self-made man, having seen the corruption of Earth's government politicians and their self-indulgence as well as the growing threats that many people refuse to acknowledge. He is as noble as he is taciturn, rebellious, stoically fighting against totalitarian regimes, whether they be earth-born or alien.
Description: Back in the '60s and ’70s, Sam Radoff was one of the best custom car and bike builders in the Midwest, if not the country. Raised in Detroit, Radoff got his start at a young age by pin striping plastic model cars and after a stint in the Army, got himself a motorcycle and of course, did custom paint on it. Fellow bikers loved his style, so he started painting bikes for a living, which blew up in a good way. The next thing he knew, he was welding frames, building tanks, and doing full on custom choppers. Before too long, he was building and customizing hot rods and vans that ranged from mild to wild, but the one common denominator were his wild signature custom paint jobs.
Description: Tarkus is the second studio album by English progressive rock band, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, released on June 14, 1971. Following their debut tour across Europe during the second half of 1970, the group paused touring commitments in January 1971 to record a new album at Advision Studios in London. Side one features the 20-minute conceptual title track, and side two contains six individual tracks. Tarkus went to number one on the UK Albums Chart, becoming the only album by the band to do so. It was a top 10 album worldwide, including the US, where it peaked at number 9. The album reached gold certification in the UK and US, the latter for 500,000 copies sold. It has been reissued and remastered several times, including a 5.1 surround edition
Description: In the Siletz language, Yachats means “dark water at the foot of the mountain,” and the Oregon Coast Range, surging ocean waters, and tide pools sunk in the black basalt of the shoreline make the name altogether appropriate. Located in a very unique spot, Yachats (pronounced YAH-hots) is widely regarded as the 'Gem of the Oregon Coast'. Instead of sandy beaches, much of the coastline near Yachats is composed of rugged black basalt that produces surging sea landmarks like Devil’s Churn, Spouting Horn, and Thor’s Well. Phenomenal views can be seen from Cape Perpetua, the highest viewpoint on the Oregon Coast, located just a few miles south of town. At the 2010 census, the population was 690, and was named one of the "Ten Coolest Small Towns.
Description: One of the rarest Challengers of all time is without question the 1970 R/T SE which was officially a one-year-only option, just 3,979 SE-optioned R/T hardtops were built. When you look into the combination closely, it's actually rather intriguing. The SE package is a styling and convenience group with a vinyl roof incorporating a smaller rear window opening with external bright moldings. Integrated with the R/T package, with a big-block wedge, you've got yourself an uncommon muscle car that is both stylish and ready to duke it out on the strip.
Description: Swan Song Records was a London-based label that was launched on May 10, 1974. The logo that adorned the label's record center stickers featured an Icarus symbol. This was heavily based on a drawing done sometime around 1870 by American painter, William Rimmer. Rimmer’s drawing is called Evening (The Fall of Day), and is said to be a depiction of the God Apollo, though others have considered it to be a depiction of Lucifer, or Icarus. Unfortunately, nobody can ask him, so it's anybody's guess. Regardless, Swan Song ceased operations in 1983, and the label's catalog was absorbed by a larger label.
Description: This one is another mysterious design with little to no background other than FZ wearing one in the studio in 1969 which makes it cool on its own. The source material was so trashed, that identifying the graphic was impossible, so it could be a picture of the camp, a worm coming out of an apple, or a frog jumping out of a pond? WTF knows!? Whatever the case, you’ll be a walking Rorschach Test in this extra thrashed design, wonky lettering and all.
Description: Gallagher is an American comedian who became one of the most recognizable comedic performers of the '80s for his prop and observational routines that included the signature act of smashing a watermelon on stage with a comically large sledgehammer. For more than three decades, he did 200 shows a year, destroying tens of thousands of melons with the sledgehammer he called the "Sledge-O-Matic." Aside from his signature comedy club performances, Gallagher is credited with having the first stand-up special on cable TV, and for largely shaping the genre.
Description: The Beastmaster is a 1982 sword and sorcery film. Loosely based on the 1959 novel. The Beast Master, by Andre Norton, the film is about a man who can communicate with animals, and who fights an evil wizard and his army. Commercially, The Beastmaster was not considered a box office success during its original cinematic run, but later received extensive television exposure and success on cable TV. The original film spawned two sequels, as well as a syndicated television series that chronicled the further adventures of Dar.
Description: Charlie Columbus McNally founded The original Mesquite Rodeo in 1946, which was a permanent location and did not move town to town. It was held at the Charlie McNally's Arena which was located on Hickory Tree Road, a little to the north of the present Rodeo Drive location in Mesquite, Texas, which is just a 15-minute drive from Dallas.
Description: The Kansas City Southern Railway Company (reporting mark KCS) was an American Class I railroad. Founded in 1887, it operated in 10 Midwestern and Southeastern U.S. states: Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. KCS had the shortest north-south rail route between Kansas City, Missouri, and several key ports along the Gulf of Mexico. The focus of the routes was the fastest way to connect Kansas City to salt water ports as it was 800 miles from Kansas City to the Gulf of Mexico compared to 1,400 miles between Kansas City and the Atlantic Ocean ports. KCS operated over a railroad system consisting of 3,984 route miles that extend south to the Mexico–United States border.
Description: The Iroquois Brewery was successor to the Jacob Roos Brewery, originally founded in 1842. Much of the Iroquois advertising that appeared after prohibition cites this 1842 date as the brewery's founding. The brewery was located between Hickory and Pratt Streets in Buffalo, N.Y. It was operated by Jacob Roos and, after his death, by George Roos, until 1892, when it was sold to Leonard Burgwerger. Burgwerger razed the buildings and built a new brewery on the site. This was the start of the Iroquois Brewing Company. Iroquois survived prohibition by brewing soda and near beer, and reopened shortly after prohibition ended in April 1933. Iroquois grew and prospered after prohibition and became the largest brewer in Buffalo.
Description: In the early 20th century, drivers came to prove their prowess in Daytona Beach and several land speed records were set in the process. This eventually led to some loosely organized races, though the first “official” race on Daytona Beach took place in 1936. The track ran due south for two miles on A1A, which runs parallel to the ocean. Drivers then accessed the beach at the South Turn, went two miles on the hard-packed beach surface, and turned away from the beach at the North Turn (now the location of a great restaurant). It sounds crazy to hold stock car racing events on the beach nowadays, but for about two decades, it was THE place to race if you were an up-and-coming racer wanting to rub wheels with the big boys.
Description: Vanlife T-Shirt Rollin’ Rooms Van and Custom of San Bernardino was a preeminent custom van builder that was on the front end of the custom street van craze of the '70s. From mild to wild, Rollin’ Rooms turned out some of the era’s most amazing vans, while also applying their trade to a few custom cars and motorcycles. This design celebrates a time when tricked out vans ruled the streets and includes a tricked out van and vanner girl on roller skates along with bitchin’ retro typography and simulated metal flake paintwork.
Description: King Cobra was a stand-up roller coaster located at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio. Other stand-up roller coasters that preceded King Cobra were sit-down models later modified to accommodate stand-up trains, so King Cobra was the first in the world to be designed from the ground up as a stand-up roller coaster. After the coaster's Japanese manufacturer, TOGO, went out of business in 2001, parts for the ride became more expensive and harder to find, so following the 2001 season, King Cobra was dismantled and put it up for sale. When the ride didn't sell, the track was scrapped and the train's common components were used as spare parts for other rides.
Description: The original company that made Johnson inboard motors and outboard motors was the Johnson Brothers Motor Company of Terre Haute, Indiana. They started building inboard 2-cycle marine engines in 1903 in a barn behind the house, along with matching boats. By 1908, they were making V4, V6, V8, and V12 aircraft and marine engines. In 1910, they built the first U.S. monoplane to exhibit their aircraft engines. Starting in 1922, they designed and built a radical new, lightweight outboard made largely of aluminum. By the mid-1920s, they were dominating the outboard racing scene, and continued to innovate and produce amazingly powerful and reliable outboards. The company was acquired by Outboard Marine Corporation (OMC) in 1935
Description: Smash It Up is a song by The Damned, released as a single on 12 October 1979 on Chiswick Records that would go on to be considered the band's unofficial anthem. The single was the second release from the Machine Gun Etiquette album, where it was listed as Smash It Up (Part II). The B-side of the single was Burglar. The track is structured in two-part form: a melodic instrumental introduction that segues into an energetic pop-punk song. The song's lyrics criticize those who indulge in hippie culture (referring to "blow wave hairstyles" and "Glastonbury hippies") instead of advocating for political revolution. The perceived anarchic lyrics resulted in the track being boycotted on British radio.
Description: Opryland USA (later called Opryland Themepark and colloquially "Opryland") was a theme park in suburban Nashville, Tennessee. It operated seasonally (generally March to October) from 1972 to 1997, and for a special Christmas-themed engagement every December from 1993 to 1997. During the late '80s, nearly 2.5 million people visited the park annually. Billed as the "Home of American Music," Opryland USA featured a large number of musical shows along with typical amusement park rides, such as roller coasters. Opryland became very successful during the mid-1970s. By the 1977 season, the park was the most popular tourist attraction in Nashville, drawing nearly two million guests annually, mostly from Tennessee and adjoining states.
Description: Founded in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1975, Choo Choo Customs started out by creating luxurious van conversions with high-end interior and exterior options that made other rolling room builds look second rate. Eventually, the company began customizing full size pickups with all the upgrades from their vans, plus extended cabs that otherwise wren't available from the factory. At the request of the manufacturer, Choo Choo Customs began building El Camino SS conversions in 1983 and ran with them until the El Camino left production in 1987. America entered a recession in 1990 and van conversion companies were hit hard, so Choo Choo Customs went bankrupt in 1991, leaving a legacy of amazing custom vehicles that are still sought by collectors.
Description: The London Monarchs were a professional American football team in the Europe League as well as its predecessor league, the World League of American Football (WLAF). The Monarchs played their final season in 1998 as the England Monarchs and in 1999, they were replaced by the new Berlin Thunder.
Description: Pic 'N' Save Corporation (later MacFrugals) was at one time the second-largest closeout retail chain in the United States. William Zimmerman founded Pic 'N' Save Corporation in 1950 in Culver City, California. By 1985, it operated 90 stores in California and six other U.S. states. In 1991, the company changed its name to MacFrugals. It later expanded to the Southwest and into the South, but left both markets in the late '90s. In 1997, Consolidated Stores Corporation bought out the remaining MacFrugals stores for $995 million in stock and slowly began converting them to their closeout retail store brand.
Description: Red Ball Motor Freight Co. was founded in 1928 by Henry English in Lufkin, Texas and had an original service area encompassing Lufkin, Houston, and the towns along the route. Through a series of mergers and acquisitions over the years, Red Ball Motor Freight Co. expanded to become the sixth-largest common carrier trucking company in the nation. Like many of the great carriers of that era, Red Ball failed to meet the demands of a deregulated trucking industry after the Motor Carrier Act of 1980 was signed into law by President Carter, and filed for bankruptcy in April 1982.
Description: Le Voyage dans la Lune (A Trip to the Moon) is a 1902 French adventure short film directed by Georges Méliès. Inspired by a wide variety of sources, including Jules Verne's 1865 novel From the Earth to the Moon and its 1870 sequel Around the Moon, the film follows a group of astronomers who travel to the Moon in a cannon-propelled capsule, explore the Moon's surface, escape from an underground group of Selenites (lunar inhabitants), and return to Earth with a captive Selenite. Its ensemble cast of French theatrical performers is led by Méliès himself as main character Professor Barbenfouillis. The film features the overtly theatrical style for which Méliès became famous.
Description: The Muscular Dystrophy Labor Day Telethon was an annual event held over Labor Day Weekend in the United States to raise money for the fight to cure childhood muscular dystrophy. The show was hosted by comedian, actor, singer, and filmmaker Jerry Lewis from its 1966 inception until 2010, and raised $2.45 billion for from its inception during his tenure. Lewis became so tightly associated with the cause, that the children he helped became known as 'Jerry's Kids.' The first telethon was held the weekend of September 4th and 5th, 1966, and proved the doubters wrong as the event was so successful that Lewis had to climb a ladder and paint a seventh digit, a '1,' on the six-digit tote board when the final total reached $1,002,114.
Description: The Bowtie 327-cubic inch V8 originated with the small-block family of engines that first appeared in 1955 with a 265 cubic inch power plant. Following with a 283 cubic inch version that appeared in 1957, the mighty 327-inch small block made its debut in 1962. Although the 327 was eventually superseded by the 350 across the entire product line, the intermediate displacement 327 was used in just about every model on the market between 1962 and 1969. During its eight-year run, the potent 327 became known among small-block aficionados as the “mighty mouse" as it was extremely compact, highly efficient, and very powerful.
Description: In 1936, Dick Cantlay and Joe Tanzola's trucking company purchased Western Truck Lines which allowed them to move into dry freight and then 20 years later, the purchase of Gillette Motor Freight had them changing names to Western Gillette Motor Freight and reaching all the way to Chicago and serving 1,400 cities in between. By the ’70s, the company had over 2,000 employees operating out of 52 company terminals in 15 States and a fleet of over 1,000 trucks. Cash flow problems started to rear their heads and in 1976 the company was sold to Roadway, marking the untimely end of Western Gillette Motor Freight.
Description: If you were a tween in the '90s, you're probably no stranger to All That, and making sure you didn't miss the new episode each week. The pilot was originally shown as a special "sneak peek" on April 16, 1994, with the show officially debuting as a regular series on December 24 the same year. The series featured original short comedic sketches and weekly musical guests aimed toward a tween audience. Its sketches parodied contemporary culture, and the series received widespread acclaim for its diverse cast and overall impact on children's television.
Description: The US Festival (US pronounced like the pronoun, not as initials) was the name of two early '80s music festivals held in San Bernardino, California. Created by Steve Wozniak, who believed that the '70s were the "me" generation, he intended the US Festivals to encourage the '80s to be more community-oriented and combine technology with music. The first event was held over Labor Day weekend in September '82, and the second was less than nine months later, over Memorial Day weekend in May '83. The '82 event had a mix of bands slotted over the three-day event, but '83 added themed days. May 28 was New Wave Day, May 29 was Heavy Metal Day, and May 30 was Rock Day. A Country Day was added that was held the following weekend on Saturday, June 4.
