Of the rail lines created at the turn of the 20th century, in order to build interurban links through Southern California communities around metropolitan Los Angeles, the Pacific Electric grew to be the most prominent of all. The Pacific Electric Railway is synonymous with Henry Edwards Huntington, the capitalist with many decades of railroad experience, who formed the "P. E." and expanded it as principal owner for nearly its first decade. Huntington sold his PE holdings to the giant Southern Pacific Railroad in 1910, and the following year the SP absorbed nearly every electric line in the fourcounty area around Los Angeles in the "Great Merger" into a "new" Pacific Electric. Founded in 1901 and terminated in 1965, Pacific Electric was known as the "World's Great Interurban."
During the first six decades of the Twentieth Century, Southern California boasted a comprehensive network of suburban electrically powered trains and trolleys. Known as the Pacific Electric, it was the world's largest interurban electric system. In their bright red livery, the Red Cars went everywhere. Lines extended along the beaches from Balboa to Santa Monica Canyon; from the cool snow covered alpine heights of Mount Lowe to the hot dry sandy desert of the San Fernando Valley; and from Los Angeles to the rural orange groves of Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. At its peak, Pacific Electric operated 6,200 trains daily over 1,061 miles of track. Raphael Long was there at mid-century photographing the system during its final years under Pacific Electric management. Presented here are 230 images from Mr. Long's private collection. Red Car Era is filled with memories of a Southern California and Pacific Electric Railway that once was and will never be again.
The Pacific Electric Railway originally provided reliable transportation across more than 1,000 miles of track. Postwar society's affair with the automobile led to the loss of an infrastructure that could have formed the basis for an enviable modern light-rail system, one that current society would be happy to utilize. Authors Steve Crise and Michael Patris look back at the railway and its landscape today. Both serve on the board of the Pacific Electric Railway Historical Society, from whose archives most of these images are taken.
As the turbulent 60's began to fade into the calmer 70's, a coterie of young singers, songwriters, musicians, artists, and poets began to congregate, musically on the stage of The New Bijou Theater - the Springfield, Missouri nightclub that would become the loose-knit group's home. What started as an informal weekly gathering, quickly morphed into a formal band. Dubbed the Family Tree, they became a favorite of the local counter-culture, as well as a continuation of the tradition-rich, Springfield music scene - which, until recently, included the Ozark Jubilee (the nation's first televised country music show). Though unprofitable at the time, they stuck to their guns and their original songs. When a rough tape of an early Bijou gig caught the ear of music mogul, John Hammond, it culminated in a 26-song studio demo, which caught the ear of A&M executive, David Anderle. The group signed with the label, changed their name to its present moniker, and whisked off to London to record their debut album under the tutelage of Glyn Johns. The album contained "If You Want to Get to Heaven". Their subsequent album, recorded in rural Missouri, contained "Jackie Blue". Both songs remain staples on 'classic rock' radio. By the early 80's, the Ozark Mountain Daredevils found themselves right where the Family Tree had stood a decade before - in Springfield with no record deal. They did, though, find themselves with legions of loyal fans around the world. Amidst personnel changes, personal turmoils and a cornucopia of tales from the rock-n-roll highway, the next twenty years were spent 'on the road'. Though continuing to write, they could garner little interest among the rapidly modernizing music industry - a situation many long-haired, long-named hippie bands of the 70's find themselves in. Their music, though, lives in the hearts of their fans.
CMJ New Music Report is the primary source for exclusive charts of non-commercial and college radio airplay and independent and trend-forward retail sales. CMJ's trade publication, compiles playlists for college and non-commercial stations; often a prelude to larger success.
Ian Anderson started recording music when he was thirteen and launched his own successful label, Afternoon Records, in 2003, when he was just eighteen. Now this wunderkind of the indie music scene has written the ultimate guide for all those aspiring to a career in the record industry.Here Come the Regulars covers territory ranging from a label's image to its budget, focusing on the importance of blogging culture and how to use new media like MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, and iTunes to the best advantage. Aside from its essential advice—including a truthful account of the role of attorneys, contracts, and record deals—this accessible guide also contains key practical information ranging from sample legal agreements and press releases to actual figures illustrating how much money to spend on what (promotion, tour expenses, even T-shirts), all specifically geared toward the young upstart with very little in the bank. As the front man for the indie-pop band One for the Team and the editor of the music blog MFR, Anderson demonstrates how an energetic and persevering small label can thrive in an era of big box stores and homogenized radio stations. Showing how to start with $500 and an office that's the size of your bedroom closet because it is your bedroom closet, Here Come the Regulars will become the dog-eared, underlined bible on your nightstand. C
This one-of-a-kind reference investigates the music and the musicians that set the popular trends of the last half century in America. Many rock fans have, at one time or another, ranked their favorite artists in order of talent, charisma, and musical influence on the world as they see it. In this same spirit, author and music historian David V. Moskowitz expands on the concept of "top ten" lists to provide a lineup of the best 100 musical groups from the past 60 years. Since the chosen bands are based on the author's personal taste, this two-volume set provokes discussion of which performers are included and why, offering insights into the surprising influences behind them. From the Everly Brothers, to the Ramones, to Public Enemy, the work covers a wide variety of styles and genres, clearly illustrating the connections between them. Entries focus on the group's history, touring, membership, major releases, selected discography, bibliography, and influence. Contributions from leading scholars in popular music shed light on derivative artists and underscore the overall impact of the performers on the music industry.
"[W]ill command the rapt attention of casual fans and scholars alike." Booklist, Starred Review From Prince's superstardom to studio seclusion, this second book in the award-winning Prince Studio Sessions series spotlights how Prince, the biggest rock star on the planet at the time, risked everything to create some of the most introspective music of his four-decade career. Duane Tudahl takes us on an emotional and intimate journey of love, loss, rivalry, and renewal revealed through unprecedented access to dozens of musicians, singers, studio engineers, and others who worked with him and knew him best—with never-before-published memories from the Revolution, the Time, the Family, and Apollonia 6. Also included is a heartfelt foreword by musical legend Elton John about his time and friendship with Prince.
