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On This Day In 1970 – The Beatles Film “Let It Be” Opened In New York.

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693_let it be_02Let It Be is a 1970 documentary film about the Beatles rehearsing and recording songs for the album Let It Be in January 1969. The film features an unannounced rooftop concert by the group, their last performance in public. Released just after the album, it was the final original Beatles release.

The film was originally planned as a television documentary which would accompany a concert broadcast. When plans for a broadcast were dropped, the project became a feature film. Although the film does not dwell on the dissension within the group at the time, it provides some glimpses into the dynamics that would lead to the Beatles’ break-up.

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The film has not been officially available since the 1980s, although original and bootleg copies of home video releases still circulate. The film’s director Michael Lindsay-Hogg stated in 2011 that a DVD and Blu-ray was possibly going to be released sometime in 2013, but this was not likely given the film’s negative (though accurate) portrayal of The Beatles. John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr collectively won an Academy Award for Best Original Song Score for the film.

Text from wikipedia 

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Filed under: Movies, Music, People, The seventies Tagged: 1970, Beatles, Let It Be, New York

This Week’s Retro Recipe – K C Jelly Roll

This Week’s Retro DIY Project – 16th Century X-Chair

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Plans and description in jpg and pdf format HERE

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Filed under: DIY project, Retro, Retro DIY projects, Retro technology Tagged: Chairs, Do it yourself, Furniture, Woodwork, X-chair

Pommac – Classic Swedish Soft Drink

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My family’s week-end cottage (now mine) is quite close to the Swedish border and we often went to Sweden to do some shopping when I was a Kid (and I still do). My parents always bought Pommac and they found it delicious. As a kid I thought it was awful. Then a few years ago a friend of mine bought an old small farm in Sweden and the previous owner had left a case of Pommac in the cellar. One day we were there it was hot and we had mowed the lawn and had gotten quite thirsty so he went down in the cellar and fetched two bottles as it was the only soft drink there was and to my great surprise we both found it very good. Goes to show ones taste changes through the years – Ted

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Filed under: Advertisments, Ephemera, Food & drinks Tagged: Pommac, Swedish sodas, Swedish soft drinks

Pre-War Classics Of The Road – Part 34

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1929 Lincoln Club Roadster

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The Lincoln company, founded by Henry M, Leland after he left Cadillac, was taken over by Ford in 1922, and the cars were injected with some much-needed style by the gifted Edsel Ford. Originally equipped with a 5.8-litre, V8 engine, the Lincoln acquired a 6.3-litre power unit in 1925. The finest coach builders in America clothed the Lincoln chassis; this 1929 Club Roadster is bodied by Locke.

 

1929 Mércèdes 38/250SS

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The apogee of the Porsche-designed supercharged Mércèdes line was the 38/250SS of 1929, which gave shattering performance, even on the roads of the late 1920s. Its 7. 1-litre, six-cylinder engine would pull a 2.76;1 top gear, and a touring 38/250SS like this one, specially built for Lord Cholmondeley, could achieve an indicated 120mph with the blower in operation. A similar car won the 1929 Ulster TT at 72.82mph.

 

1929 MG Midget

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Britain’s first cheap production sportscar was the MG Midget, which first appeared in 1929, derived from the Morris Minor. Despite its humble origins, the MG Midget was a lively little vehicle and, in 1930, the model took the team prize in the Brooklands DoubleTwelve Race. This is the standard fabric-covered two-seater Midget; in 1931, a Midget-based blown recordbreaker became the smallest car in the world to achieve 100mph.

 

1929 Pontiac Landaulette

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In 1929, the Pontiac was redesigned, with many features in common with the recently introduced Marquette range, including a 3277cc, six cylinder engine. The radiators were similar, too, except that the Pontiac bore a stylised Indian head as a mascot. The Marquette failed to last beyond 1931, however, while the Pontiac 1929 landaulette stayed the course.

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Filed under: Automobiles, Retro technology, Transportation Tagged: 1929 Lincoln Club Roadster, 1929 Mércèdes 38/250SS, 1929 MG Midget, 1929 Pontiac Landaulette

This Week’s Favourite Female Singer – Irma Thomas

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696_irmaIrma Thomas (born February 18, 1941, Ponchatoula, Louisiana, United States) is an American singer from New Orleans. She is known as the “Soul Queen of New Orleans”.

Thomas is a contemporary of Aretha Franklin and Etta James, but never experienced their level of commercial success. In 2007, she won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album for After the Rain, her first Grammy in a career spanning over 50 years.

Life and career

Born Irma Lee, as a teen she sang with a Baptist church choir, auditioning for Specialty Records as a 13-year old. By the age of 19 she had been married twice and had four children. Keeping her second ex-husband’s surname, she worked as a waitress in New Orleans, occasionally singing with bandleader Tommy Ridgley, who helped her land a record deal with the local Ron label. Her first single, “(You Can Have My Husband but) Don’t Mess with My Man,” was released in spring 1960, and reached number 22 on the Billboard R&B chart.

She then began recording on the Minit label, working with songwriter and producer Allen Toussaint on songs including “It’s Raining” and “Ruler of my Heart”, which was later reinterpreted by Otis Redding as “Pain In My Heart”. Imperial Records acquired Minit in 1963, and a string of successful releases followed. These included “Wish Someone Would Care” (her biggest national hit), its B-side “Breakaway“, written by Jackie DeShannon and Sharon Sheely, (later covered by Tracey Ullman among others), “Anyone Who Knows What Love Is” (co-written by the young Randy Newman and future country star Jeannie Seely, among others), and “Time Is on My Side” (a song previously recorded by Kai Winding, and later by the Rolling Stones).

Although her first four Imperial singles all charted on Billboard’s pop chart, later releases were less successful, and, unlike her contemporaries Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight and Dionne Warwick, she never managed to cross over into mainstream commercial success. She recorded for Chess Records in 1967/68 with some success, the Otis Redding song “Good To Me” reaching the R&B chart. She then relocated to California, releasing records on various small labels, before returning to Louisiana, and in the early 1980s opened her own club, the Lion’s Den.

Down By Law, the 1986 independent film by Jim Jarmusch features “It’s Raining” in the soundtrack. The film’s actors Roberto Benigni and Nicoletta Braschi, whose characters fall in love in the movie, dance to this song.

After several years’ break from recording, she was signed by Rounder Records, and in 1991 earned her first-ever Grammy Award nomination for Live! Simply the Best, recorded in San Francisco. She subsequently released a number of traditional gospel albums, together with more secular recordings. The album Sing It! was nominated for a Grammy in 1999.

Thomas is still active as a performer, appearing annually at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. She reigned as Queen of the Krewe du Vieux for the 1998 New Orleans Mardi Gras season. She often headlined at her own club, which is now out of business due to the effects of Hurricane Katrina. Thomas relocated to Gonzales, Louisiana, 60 miles (97 km) from New Orleans, after Hurricane Katrina. According to her web site she is now back in her home in New Orleans.

Thomas and her husband owned the Lion’s Den Club near the French Quarter of New Orleans.

In April 2007, Thomas was honored for her contributions to Louisiana music with induction into The Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. Also in 2007, Thomas accepted an invitation to participate in Goin’ Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino where, singing withMarcia Ball, she contributed “I Just Can’t Get New Orleans Off My Mind”.

In August 2009, a compilation album with three new songs titled The Soul Queen of New Orleans: 50th Anniversary Celebrationwas released from Rounder Records to commemorate Thomas’ 50th year as a recording artist.

Thomas was the subject of the 2008 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival poster. She was chosen as the subject before the painting was chosen for the poster. Artist Douglas Bourgeois painted the singer in 2006. In 2010, Thomas rode in the New Orleans parade “Grela”. In April that year, Thomas performed at the Corner Hotel, Richmond.

During Easter 2011, Thomas performed twice at the Bluesfest music festival in Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia. On April 24, she performed on the Crossroads stage, coming on after Mavis Staples; then on April 25, she headlined the Crossroads stage, coming on after Jethro Tull and Osibisa.

In December 2011, Thomas’ track “Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand)” was featured in Charlie Brooker‘s Black Mirror in the second instalment entitled “15 Million Merits”.

In 2013, Thomas was nominated for a Blues Music Award in the ‘Soul Blues Female Artist’ category, which she duly won.

Text from Wikipedia

My Irma Thomas CDs and LPs are still in the all to large stack of record still not ripped to mp3 so you’ll have ti maake do with videos for now – Red


Filed under: Movies, Rythm and blues, Soul music, Videos Tagged: Female singer, Irma Thomas

Indian 1940 Civilian Scout

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Indian is an American brand of motorcycles originally manufactured from 1901 to 1953 by a company in Springfield, Massachusetts, US, initially known as the Hendee Manufacturing Company but which was renamed the Indian Motocycle Manufacturing Company in 1928.

The Indian factory team took the first three places in the 1911 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy. During the 1910s Indian became the largest manufacturer of motorcycles in the world. Indian’s most popular models were the Scout, made from 1920 to 1946, and the Chief, made from 1922 to 1953.

The Indian Motocycle Manufacturing Company went bankrupt in 1953. A number of successor organizations have perpetuated the name in subsequent years, with limited success. In 2011 Polaris Industries purchased Indian Motorcycles and relocated operations from North Carolina, merging them into existing facilities in Minnesota and Iowa. Since August 2013, three motorcycle models that capitalize on Indian’s traditional styling have been built under the Indian name.

Text from Wikipedia

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Filed under: Motorcycles, The forties, Transportation, Traveling Tagged: 1940, Indian Civillian Scout, Indian Scout

Grand-daddy’s Sauce – Part 35

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All posts material: “Sauce” and “Gentleman’s Relish” by Ronnie Barker – Hodder & Stoughton in 1977

Health For All

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Ronnie Barker’s Comment: In 1890, when there was no Trades Descriptions Act, advertisers would claim unlimited powers for their products, both improving and curative. You could grow a hundredweight of hair in three weeks, or put five inches round the bust in a fortnight, simply by rubbing on cream. Soaps were plentiful and varied (Brown Windsor, which is now a soup, was once a soap!) and their advertising artistic rather than down to earth. Here is a  reproduction of one of these advertisements:

Two Girls, in some far wooded chine
(Hush, lest we interlope)
Bathe in the Rhine
Their forms divine
With GOODWIN’S TOILET SOAP

The Summer sun, like golden wine
A sky of Heliotrope
The salty brine –
Her thoughts incline
To GOODWIN’S TOILET SOAP.

The cleansing shower of rain so fine
Umbrellas at the slope –
A bath at nine
That smell of pine!
It’s GOODWIN’S TOILET SOAP.

Make cleanliness your life’s design
(For while there’s life there’s hope)
Come rain or shine
For Auld Lang Syne
Use GOODWIN’S TOILET SOAP.

And since this text is one of the best lures I’ve seen in a long time this add will serve as this weeks “Lure of the Mad Men” post as well – Ted

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Filed under: Advertising, Vintage Tagged: Goodwin's soap

Cheeky Little Sod…

The 1933 Rollfix

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The Rollfix was manufactured from 1933 in Hamburg-Wandsbek. (Germany). Two models were made with a 2-seater vehicle and an estate car.  Interestingly whilst both vehicles were 3-wheelers they used a different wheel configuration. The two-seater had a single rear wheel driven by a 200cc llo engine and the estate version having a rear mounted engine driving two rear wheels. Production ceased in 1936.

Text from 3wheelers.com

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Filed under: Automobiles, Retro technology, The thirties Tagged: 1933, 3 wheelers, Micro cars, Rollfix.mini cars, Three -wheelers

This Week’s Girliemag Article – Eve, Meet A Swedish Beauty

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img_000  We know that you’ll excuse a certain jubilant elation on our part as we point with pride at the standards that we have set for the cover page and centrefold of this the first issue of Eve.  Oh weary traveller down the byways of the world, rest thy orbs on the fairest flower of them all.

Read the whole article and see
the naughty pictures HERE

Warning: Nudity do occur in this article. If you are under age or live in a country where watching images of nude women for some reason  are against the law  I take no responsibility if you click the link above. In other words you’re flying solo from here on – Ted ;-)

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Filed under: Article, Glamour, Models & starlets, Nudes, Pinups, The sixties Tagged: 1962, Eve Magazine, Girliemags, Glamour models, Marlena Loren

The Sunday Comic – A Hopeful Explorer

Aunt Mabel Pub-crawling In The Old Country

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Aunt Mable on a pub-crawl with her travelling companions on a trip to England. She was obviously proud of her new bloomers and saw no reason not to show them to all and sundry. Her friend Mrs Poddington seams to think it a smashing idea and is about to show her own undergarments. To their defence it might be said that it looks like the whole travelling party is pretty under the weather. Just the travelling party for aunt Mabel in other words – Ted

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Image found at The Abbeville Blog

Aunt Mabel when she realised they didn’t serve tea in England heavily laced with vodka like she did at home – Ted

Image found at Film As Sport

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Filed under: Humour, Photography Tagged: Aunt Mabel, Pub-crawling, Tea

Sometimes Aunt Mabel…

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bathing in blueberries

… get real tipsy, put on her tiara and take a bath in gin and fresh blueberries. She claims it does wonders for her complexion and makes her skin smooth as silk. Besides she says, it taste deliciously. Young Johnny loves to eat it right out of her……well, enough of that – Ted

More from aunt Mabel:

Dancing With Aunt Mable
Aunt Mabel – Part 2
Breakfast At Aunt Mabel’s
Aunt Mabel At Work
Aunt Mabel Pub-crawling In The Old Country


Filed under: Humour, People, Photography Tagged: Aunt Mabel, Bathing, Blueberries, Gin

What Those Stupid Segways Should Have Looked Like From The Start

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Welcome the "Vespa Segway", a daring and extremely cool idea coming from Spain. The name says pretty much everything about this contraption: we’re dealing with a Segway-like personal transportation electric vehicle which uses all the design cues of the popular scooter brand.

It looks like Bel & Bel’s effort could bring a new twist to the history of the Segway, at least in this ultra-modified form.

While the original vehicle was not the extraordinary hit its creator hoped it would be, marrying the self-balancing convenience, economical usage and fun factor of the Segway with the time-approved classic lines of the Vespa could bring in more customers.

The Vespa Segway has been manufactured by hand using original Piaggio parts and can be further customized upon desire. It can carry a load up to 180 kg (397 lbs) and can climb 30-degree slopes.

It comes with dual 1.34 hp electric motors, and a full charge is good for 30-35 km (18.6-21.7 miles) with a top speed of 20 km/h (12.4 mph).

Not sure how happy Vespa is with this scooter, but it is already selling for €2,899 ($3,925) in limited quantities and with 15 days needed to make one. Instead of bashing the creator, I guess Vespa should hire this chap or pay him big time for the patent.

Text and image from
autoevolution


Filed under: Transportation, Traveling Tagged: Segways, Vespa

This Week’s Retro DIY project – A Small Colonial Bench

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A sturdy bench was a commodity much valued in the American colonies. It provided a welcome place to rest weary legs after a long day of hard work. Most early homes enjoyed several benches.

Back then, country cabinetmakers found benches quick and easy to make, which
probably explains a good deal of their popularity. Well, not much has changed in
the last 250 years or so. Today, a bench like this can still be made with a minimum of time and effort. And while it may not be as comfortable as your favourite reading chair, it offers optional service as a plant stand or portable table.

Plans and descriptions in pdf format HERE

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Filed under: Article, DIY project, Retro DIY projects Tagged: Furniture making, Hobby projects, Woodworking

This Week’s Retro Recipe – Mocha Devil’s Food Cake

Coles Phillips’ Illustrations For Holeproof Hosiery

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Clarence Coles Phillips (October 1880 – June 13, 1927) was an American artist and illustrator who signed his early works C. Coles Phillips, but after 1911 worked under the abbreviated name, Coles Phillips. He is known for his stylish images of women and a signature use of negative space in the paintings he created for advertisements and the covers of popular magazines.

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Filed under: Advertising, Art, Illustration, Models & starlets Tagged: Coles Phillips, Holeproof Hosiery

The Tatra 49

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Tatra 49 is a model of vintage motor tricycle made by Czech manufacturer Tatra. It was manufactured between 1929 and 1930.

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It was developed with an aim to offer a commercial car at as low cost as possible. It shared some parts with Tatra 12and with Tatra 30. However the motor tricycle wasn’t a commercial success and only about 200 of them were made. A few cars of the type had also carrossery similar to the one of Tatra 12.

Engine

The car had Tatra 49 engine. It was four stroke spark ignition air cooled one cylinder based on Tatra 12 engine (basically a Tatra 12 engine cut in half). The power output was 5 kW (7 PS; 7 hp) at 2500 rpm.

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Chassis

The central bacbone tube is supported by stiff front axle from Tatra 30, while the engine and transmission box is bolted at the rear end. The freight version uses the central tube as exhaust muffler, while the personal motor car has standard extra exhaust muffler. The rear wheel is driven. The chassis weights 325 kg (717 lb).

Text from Wikipedia 

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The Tatra 49 was available as a sedan as well and I must admit I fell a little bit in love with it, but then my fascination with Tatras should be well known to those who have followed my blog for some time – Ted

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Filed under: Automobiles, Retro technology, The thirties, The twenties, Transportation, Traveling Tagged: 3 wheeler bikes, 3 wheelers, Tatra, Tatra 49

On This Day In 1968 – Manchester Utd Win European Cup

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Manchester United have become the first English club to win the European Cup beating Portuguese side Benfica by four goals to one. Ten years after the Munich air crash, which killed eight of Matt Busby’s young team, Manchester United have reached the pinnacle of European football.

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Celtic became the first Scottish and British club to win the cup the previous year. United’s star player, George Best, was named European Footballer of the Year – just a fortnight after being named the football writers’ Footballer of the Year.

Massive Crowd

Tonight’s match at Wembley was watched by a crowd of 100,000 and an estimated 250 million TV viewers. It was the biggest television audience since the World Cup final two years before. As both teams wear red kit, United opted to play in their blue away strip for the game.

The first half passed in a flurry of fouls before Bobby Charlton headed the opening goal in the second half to make it 1-0. With only 10 minutes left to go, Benfica scored the equaliser – and very nearly won the match when their feared striker Eusebio broke away from Nobby Stiles, the player tasked with marking him, and blasted the ball towards the net.But it was saved by keeper Alex Stepney and the game went into extra time.

Winning Goal

Two minutes into extra time Best put United ahead again, slipping round the keeper and gently tapping it over the line.It was followed by two more United goals, from 19-year-old Brian Kidd and captain Bobby Charlton, taking the final score to 4-1.Manager Matt Busby said: "They’ve done us proud. They came back with all their hearts to show everyone what Manchester United are made of. This is the most wonderful thing that has happened in my life and I am the proudest man in England tonight."

Busby was seriously injured in the crash which claimed the lives of his so-called Busby Babes and there was speculation at the time that the club had been so badly damaged it would have to fold.But they struggled on to complete the 1958/59 season and when Busby returned to the manager’s role the following season he began the task of rebuilding the side.The club won the league in 1965 and 1967, but today’s win marks the pinnacle of the club’s achievements.Charlton and Bill Foulkes were the only survivors of the crash who played in today’s final.

In Context

The European Cup marked the highlight of Matt Busby’s long career at Manchester United and he later received a knighthood. He retired after the following season to become the club’s general manager.

716-manu_03For George Best it was the highlight of his footballing career. The same year he was also named European Footballer of the Year. He was regarded by many as one of the greatest footballing talents in the world, ranked alongside the Brazilian great Pele. He was the first footballer to gain superstar status – but his fame led him into a life of womanising and alcohol. By 1972 he had announced his retirement from the game – he returned to United a year later but by early 1974 he had left for good. In 2002 he had a liver transplant. He died in November 2005.

Bobby Charlton had a distinguished playing career for England and Manchester United. He scored 48 goals for England, a record which still stands. He was knighted in 1994.

Text from BBCs OnThisDay


Filed under: Article, Facts, The sixties Tagged: 1968, BBC, European Cup, Manchester United, Manchester Utd
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