Divine Randomness: October 2011

Friday, October 28, 2011

The 1970s

TGIF everyone! In this stop in the Decade Spotlight series, we highlight the "decade that taste forgot" the 1970s! Ah yes, the era of leisure suits and peacock fashion for men, hotpants, feathered hair, and platforms for women. The war in Vietnam finally ended, Title IV and Roe Vs. Wade became law, and the feminist movement hit its zenith. Then there was the debacle known as Watergate caused our president to resign for the first time in history. Musically, rock became more divided and bigger, disco and punk hit the airwaves, and Elvis permanently left the building (or did he? Muahahaha!). We also lost three of rock's biggest stars when Jimmi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison checked out way too soon. This is the decade that brought us something that would change our lives forever as Bill Gates brought us Microsoft and the now late Steve Jobs brought us Apple:

Other things that pop into my head when I think of the '70s? Pet rocks, mood rings, the continuation of lava lamps (hey, I love mine!), roller discos, and, oh yeah, this baby:

Any other thoughts, or stories? Share them below!

Peace and Love '70s Barbie

Celebrate, Disco Doll! Barbie

70s Cher

Kelly as Charlie's Angels

Farrah Fawcett

That's all for this time folks! Next up, oh lordy, the 1980s!

Julie series

September 1-mid September, 1975

Autumn, 1975

December, 1975-February 14, 1976

April 4-May 1, 1976

June 13-July 4, 1976

Autumn, 1976

June, 1976

November 14-25, 1976

February 4-12, 1977

March 6-20, 1977

April 9-16, 1977

Late summer, 1977

Music Links

Accuradio.com: 1970s stations

Class of 1975 playlist

Class of 1976 playlist

Class of 1977 playlist

Buy

Recommended nonfiction:

Friday, October 21, 2011

The 1960s

It's decade spotlight time again, this time probably one of the best eras of the last century: the 1960s! And where do we even begin? Pillbox hats and sheaths, mods and hippies. Camelot and Jackie. The first man on the moon, the civil rights movement carried on and became more militant at decades end bringing us the Black Panthers. Student and anti-war protests, and the assassinations of the Kennedy brothers and Martin Luther King Jr. Musically, this is the era where things got more splintered: folk, psych, and acid covered the rock end, and as the decade progressed, it also became more politically aware. Motown, bubblegum, girl groups, and country satiated the Am palette. Then there was a little group called The Beatles that straddled the whole thing like some sort of deity. Art went pop and technicolor:

"Tune in, Turn On, and Drop Out" became the mantra of the emerging counterculture, as did smoking large quantities of pot, dropping acid, and many other assorted drugs as a way to "enlighten" oneself. During the "Summer of Love", Haight Ashbury in San Francisco became mecca for dozens of "flower children" then, just as quickly, most returned home and it disintegrated. Vietnam tore the country apart. And while the decade changed us forever, we remained strong and didn't break. Stranger days lay ahead however...Any thoughts or fave books about the 60s? Please share in the comments section!