Silver Jumpsuits and Flying Saucers

A series of images from the 1970 Garry and Sylvia Anderson series U.F.O. Arguably, one of the most 'modernist' sci fi tv shows of all.

Kurt's Cameras sign

(photo by Clifton Bertram)

Chrysler 300

(photo by Clifton Bertram)

Space Music: The Vinyl Frontier

by Clifton Bertram

I own a vintage Technics SL-1300 direct-drive turntable -- one of the rare ones with an all-metal chassis -- and I'm constantly scouring vintage record shops and the local Goodwill for the best deals on vinyl. Quite often, I can find incredible albums for as low as $1.00, which makes it more than worthwhile to keep this heavy, ancient beast around.

One classic platter I've owned for over 25 years is the Blade Runner soundtrack by Vangelis. To this day whenever I drop the microgroove stylus onto that record, the music's ambient hum and soaring, pulsating electronic soundscapes immediately transport me to the grimy streets of Los Angeles in 2012.

To me, the Blade Runner soundtrack is the single most paradigmatic example of a genre of music often referred to as 'space music'.

There are dozens of definitions of 'space music' out there, and some purists are literally ready to come to blows over the minor distinctions between space music and ambient, or space music and space jazz. For the purposes of this article, I'll use the broad but useful interpretation provided by
Backroads Music in a July/August 2004 article by Lloyd Barde, Making Sense of the Last 20 Years in New Music:

"Space Music" now defines and describes an entire sub-genre, as a listening experience that evokes the feeling of space -- inner space (floating sensations, opening doorways to internal experiences, stimulating the imagination); or outer space (drifting through weightlessness, passing galaxies, hearing imaginary sounds of space).

Surprisingly for a genre that evokes technical and modernistic responses as effectively as it does, the blueprint for space music was drawn up as long ago as 1877 when Elisha Gray (an inventor whose patent for the telephone was preceded by Alexander Graham Bell's by only one hour), investigating ways to make telegraphic communications more efficient, discovered a method for transmitting music along electrical wires, and built a device he called an Electroharmonium, or electro-acoustic piano.

By the beginning of the 20th century, a general dissatisfaction with status quo across the entire spectrum of the arts world was beginning to manifest. The dynamics that were to culminate in the revolutionary 1913 Armoury Show were already beginning to emerge, as were the roots of new and outrageous movements such as Futurism. The very earliest of the Futurists, presaging even Filippo Tommasso Marinetti, the man who created their manifesto, was a prophetic and prodigal composer named Ferrucio Busoni. In 1907, Busoni wrote Sketch of a New Esthetic of Music , saying:

We must break out of this narrow circle of pure musical sounds, and conquer the infinite variety of noise-sounds...by selecting, coordinating and controlling noises, we shall enrich mankind with a new and unsuspecting source of pleasure".

Thirteen years after Busoni's pronouncement, a device was created that enabled the Futurists' manifestos to become sonic reality. A professional musician, who also happened to be the Diretor of the Technical Laboratory (Vibration Research) at the Physics and Technical Institute of the University of St Petersburg, demonstrated a remarkable device to his colleagues at a conference:

...a small box with two antennae, one on the right and one on the left. Could it be a new type of telegraph? Or an electronic measuring device? [the musician] moved to the front of the machine and began working it. There were no handles or keyboard. He waved his hands above the instrument like an orchestra conductor and seemed to obtain sounds as if by enchantment

.

The man was named Lev Sergeivitch Termen, and the device he demonstrated became known as the Theremin after a gallicized version of his name. Today, many authorities consider the Theremin to be the first electronic instrument.



In 1929, Bell Labs' Homer Dudley developed the vocoder, or voice encoder in an attempt to code speech for transmission. Dudley's device eventually become synonymous with techno and electronic music, providing mechanistic vocals in songs like 'The Raven' by The Alan Parsons Project and
even more recently, 'Sensual Seduction' by Snoop Dogg, but it also provided the theoretical basis for the later development of the synthesizer. We'll come back to the synthesizer in a minute.

By 1948, the first real electronic music was being created initially at two influential sites. In Paris, at RTF Studios, Pierre Schaeffer was developing some radical techniques, and equally groundbreaking work was being done in Germany:

[Schaeffer]...worked with recordings of pre-existing sound which he manipulated and modified in playback, constructing pieces out of chains of noises. The use of natural, or concrete, sound sources caused this style to be named musique concrète. Schaeffer's first compositions, the Etudes, were realized in 1948; with others, including Pierre Henri, he developed a detailed syntax for the genre in the 1950s. At the same time, at the WDR studio in Cologne, Werner Meyer Eppler and Herbert Eimert were developing Elektronische Musik, using test equipment - oscillators as sound sources, modified by filters and modulators - rather than pre-recorded sound.

Within the next decade, the first occurrence of what can be called 'space music' by today's definition, was born when the soundtrack for the 1956 sci-fi classic Forbidden Planet was created:

Louis and Bebe Baron created the soundtrack for the "Forbidden Planet" movie by constructing little cybernetic brains, each one making their own noise. They spliced it all together to create what is still today a thoroughly enjoyable soundtrack.

Technical wizardry was soon to beome less critical, however. Those who wanted to spent more time playing their instruments and less time with a soldering iron were about to take a giant leap into the future.

Inspired by time spent building Theremin kits, inventor Robert Moog designed and built the first real musical synthesizers in 1964, in collaboration with composers Herbert Deutsch and Walter Carlos. Carlos' album 'Switched-on Bach', released in 1968, became a monster hit and the first classical album to go platinum, and it generated intense interest in the world of pop music, immediately finding its way into the repertoire of the leading bands of the day, including the Beach Boys, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, and influencing such seminal albums as 'Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hears Club Band'.

By the early 1970s, Germany's Elektronische Musik movement had evolved in what is called the Berlin School, or more colloquially, krautrock, with bands like Can, Kraftwerk, Popul Vuh,Tangerine Dream, and Ash Ra Tempel leading the way.

By the mid-seventies, synthesizers were so commonplace as to be attainable by even tyro garage bands, and electronic music had become widely internalized in the pop music scene through its wide usage in both the glam rock (for example, David Bowie) and progressive rock (King Crimson, Alan Parsons Project) genres. That broad famiiarity, coupled with the evolution of computer memory, combined to ensure that the 1980s would see a renaissance of electronica. In particular, bands like Devo, Thomas Dolby, Orchestral Manouevres in the Dark, Shriekback, and the early Human League, among others, all demonstrated a particularly intense form of technophilia that would soon become one of the hallmarks of space music.

It was also at around this time that the term 'New Age Music' was coined by radio stations and marketers to describe a variety of non-mainstream music, often incorporating animal and nature sounds, world music instruments, electronic instruments. The 'relaxation' aim of much New Age combined with the swooning strings of some of the electronic music of the day and with cosmically themed imagery to coalesce into what we consider today to be space music.

By the 1990s, something of a nostalgia craze --tinged with just a hint of irony -- began when hordes of young and hipper-than-thou music fans -- who by then had become a generation for whom there was no "time before electronica" -- began to search back into the early days of the genre for nuggets of new music. Numerous revivals occurred, one of the most notable of which was the popularity experienced by Juan Garcia Esquivel, a relatively unheralded pioneer who suddenly found himself the darling of the anthologists.

...in 1993, Esquivel enjoyed a tremendous revival in the last decade of his life. Indeed, it could be argued that he was more famous after he was "rediscovered" than when he was at the height of his creativity. Several CD compilations from his RCA material were released, followed by the reissue of most of his RCA albums on now out-of-print BarNone label CDs. Then in 1996, tracks from one side of an RCA Christmas LP (the other side coming from Ray Martin) were packaged, along with Esquivel's spoken intro and farewell and new recordings of his arrangements by Combustible Edison on Merry Xmas from a Space Age Bachelor Pad.

Today, the lines between space music, techno, trance, drone, ambient, electronica and a galaxy of other splintered sub-genres are relatively tangled. There have been numerous attempts to define boundaries for each of them, but as so often takes place in the art world -- and particularly in the music world -- each attempt to create a boundary results in that boundary being smashed until today you are just as likely to find Portishead performing rockabilly tunes and a CGI Johnny Cash collaborating with the Chemical Brothers.

Perhaps thankfully, though, these endless mutations on the space music theme are not likely to find their way into my local Salvation Army, so they're not likely to find their way onto my SL-1300, either.

Habitat 67

And best of all, it appears that the Habitat 67 units are available for sale or rental:

Those who choose Habitat 67 as their main residence create their own world to their image, within a complex of a remarkable unity.  

The sense of innovation, the charm, the good taste and the diverse countries of origin of the residents are such, that Habitat 67’s interiors and private terraces gladly compete.  

Circled by an exceptional environment, Habitat 67 is a community undeniably contemporary, admirable by the fact that singles, families, couples and retired people all meet with the same happiness.  

Click here for more information.

The Coke Fairy Grows Up

When I first saw the vintage Coca-Cola ad from 1952 (second image, below), something about it nagged at me, but I couldn't figure out what it was. Then I recalled the Coke ad from much earlier that featured the lovable little 'Coke Fairy' - a snowy little character who is almost certainly an allusion to the soft-drink's cocaine-fuelled early days (I mean, c'mon, check out the little bugger's eyes. He's clearly jacked up.)

But Mr. Refresh Yourself, who seems to be a grown-up, suburban version of the Coke Fairy, is creepier by far, IMHO.

Random Saturday Retro Links

New York World's Fair Smorgasbord

The Disneyland Hotel - Early Years

Classic Wood Cottage Gets Concrete Underground Addition

Prefab Studio Sheds Flourish in Boulder

The Lounge King

Photo Gallery: Deserted Resort Village of San Zhi, Taiwan

The full story of this deserted village is not fully known but many have speculated that it was built to be an exquisite and futuristic holiday village on the water. However, its construction was plagued with problems and was eventually haunted. The strange fiberglass shells of its smoothly circular structures have slowly weathered and in many cases fallen off. Local culture believes that the place may be haunted and locals avoid it.

(Text Source: Weburbanist)

Dennis Hopper, 1936-2010

Dennis Hopper, whose portrayals of drug-addled, often deranged misfits in the landmark films “Easy Rider,” “Apocalypse Now” and “Blue Velvet” drew on his early out-of-control experiences as part of a new generation of Hollywood rebel, died at his home in Venice, Calif., on Saturday. He was 74.

See the original article at the New York Times here, and the NYT obit here.

Fave Modernist Galleries No. 1 - The WAG

From the luxe rooftop sculpture garden to the too-comfortable swivelling chairs in the Muriel Richardson Auditorium, the Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG) cuts through 19th century downtown Winnipeg like a nuclear-powered icebreaker.

The fact that the permanent collection is home to works by iconic Canadian modernists such as Lawren Harris and Emily Carr is a further bonus awaiting those able to make it to Portage and Memorial to visit this outstanding Canadian institution.

(Next in this series: Museum London)

Post-Century Modernist House in London

This just went up last year in London's Old South, on Baseline Road. Nice to know that people still know how to build something other than McMansions and starter castles.

(Photo by Clifton Bertram)

Desert Modernism

Architects in southern California and the American Southwest adapted ideas from the European Bauhaus movement to the warm climate and arid terrain.

Desert Modernism was a mid-twentieth century approach to modernism that capitalized on the sunny skies and warm climate of southern California and American Southwest. With expansive glass and streamlined styling, Desert Modernism was an regional approach to International Style architecture. Rocks, trees, and other landscape features were often incorporated into the design.

Characteristics of Desert Modernism:

- Expansive glass walls and windows
- Dramatic rooflines
-Wide overhangs
- Steel and plastic combined with wood and stone
- Open floor plans
= Outdoor living spaces incorporated into the overall design

Architects Associated With Desert Modernism:

-William F. Cody
- Albert Frey
- John Lautner
- Richard Neutra
- Donald Wexler
- E. Stewart Williams

(Text Source: About.com: Architecture)

(Image: adobe desert modern home in the Nob Hill section of Albuquerque, NM; photo by Clifton Bertram)

Vintage Cocktail Drinks From the 1950s

Along with tasty Hors D' Oeuvres and swinging Night Clubs, came the cocktail.

So darken your smoke filled rooms, open the bottles, shake the ice, put on some Cuban mood music, and let your swinging cocktail party begin.

The cocktail era from 40's, 50's and 60's..

Unlike then, now you may not drive while drinking or else, you'll take little ride "up the river"! Taxi please...........

Served below are the best cocktail mixers and Hor d'Oeuvres for your Bridge Party to please every palate.

These tasty cocktails will work well for any vintage festive occasion celebrating the 1940's, 50's, and 60's

Singapore Sling

Prepare and serve in 10 oz glass
Fill 1/2 full shaved ice. Place sliced red and green cherries alternately around inside of blass.
Add juice of 1/2 lime or 1/4 lemon
1 jigger Distilled Dry Gin
Fill balance of glass with shaved ice.
Add 1/2 jigger Cherry Liqueur
Add dash of Benai Liqueur
Garnich with slice of Torange, Cherry, and peel of cubumber

Serve with straws. Do not stir, or shake.
Drops of vanilla extract, or a little all-spice, may be added to the batter to suit individual taste.

Stinger

Fill shaker 1/3 full shaved ice
1 jigger Brandy
1 jigger Creme De Menthe, White
Shke well.
Serve in No. 9 or 10 glass

Rainbow Liqueur Tray

A delightful surprise created for your dinner party.

On a silver tray place a given number of liqueur glasses.

Into each glass pour a different color cordial as green creme de menthe, yellow charnette, creme de cocoa, sloe gin, apricot brandy, triple secorano, benai and brandy.

Each guest will select his or her favorite color.

The above tray may also be carried out for birthday parties by serving the ordials to match the birthstone color.


To read more of this content at retrovintagecollectibles.com, click here.

Two Architects Have a Meeting of the Minds at a Texas Museum

It’s fair to ask if Renzo Piano was fully sane when he agreed to design the addition to Louis Kahn’s Kimbell Art Museum.
Related

Kahn occupies a privileged place within the pantheon of America’s great architects, and the Kimbell in Fort Worth, completed in 1972, is his masterpiece. Adding to the pressure, major museum expansions were increasingly coming under fire as wasteful expressions of gilded-age hubris. Mr. Piano is likely to be vilified by both architecture fans and art world purists no matter what he comes up with.

To read more of this content at the New York Times, click here.

Architecture History: 50 Years of Brasilia

April 21st 2010, Brasilia - Brasil's capital - celebrated 50 years. A revolutionary project of a city built in only 4 years. Counting with talented hands from Oscar Niemeyer and Lucio Costa, the city became a landmark for brazilian architecture.

In 1956, Juscelino Kubitschek - the president back then - started a plan to build a new city for Brazil's government. With the goal to plan and execute the construction were Oscar Niemeyer, the mind who would give forms and curves to official buildings, and Lucio Costa, the man with the 'airplane shape' urbanist plan.

And incredibly, in only 4 years, the city was inaugurated. Many buildings were only skeletons, but the candangos (name of the first inhabitants of the new city), were celebrating the new political city in Brazil.

To read more of this content at Abducted by Design, click here.

Obit: Rosamind Julius

In the years after the Second World War, British designers had a welter of original ideas, but few retailers ready to buy them. Rosamind and Leslie Julius, almost alone among British furniture makers, gave modern design the commercial backing it needed to succeed. Guided by their belief in the freshness and potential of contemporary styles, they committed themselves and their company, Hille, to introducing Britain to innovative design.

With public taste initially resistant to the contemporary look, Julius realised that architects and their clients had to be convinced of its merits. Pitching to them directly — a bold move at the time — she successfully sold Hille designs to the new public spaces of the postwar reconstruction, from the Festival of Britain to Gatwick airport. There can be few who grew up in the 1950s and 1960s who have not sat on something made by Hille.

To read more of this content at The Times Online, click here.

Curtis Jere

I think nothing symbolizes current trends in interior design more than the return to prominence of Curtis Jere.

Curtis Jere actually wasn’t a person. It was the name chosen by a design team composed of Curtis Freiler and Jerry Fels, who marketed their works between 1963 and 1972 through the company Artisan House.

Their aim was to produce quality works for the masses. And they did – from the slightly rustic to the truly glamorous, the quality of Curtis Jere always shines through.

To read more of this content at The Blog @ Century Finds, click here.

Modernist Beach Pad

My favourite of all the beach houses lining Edith Cavell Street in Port Stanley.

Much more modernist beach pad inspiration can be found in this list of Top Ten Coolest Beach Houses for Sale, at the website for TopTenRealEstateDeals.com.

Photo by Clifton Bertram

Aztec Motel

Sign from the Aztec Motel in Nob Hill, Albuquerque, NM.



The Aztec Motel is the oldest surviving Route 66 motel in New Mexico. Beginning as the Aztec Autocourt in 1931, it changed hands a number of times over the years. It had become a haven for prostitutes and drug dealers when the Mohamed Natha family bought it in 1991 and worked to restore the Aztec's family atmosphere, along with the physical plant. The Aztec's unique decor is courtesy of Phyllis Evans, a retired professor who lives there part-time.

(Text Source: Legends of America)

(Photo by Clifton Bertram)

Medway Stationers

Medway Stationer's sign. I've been meaning to capture a pic of this sign for ages now, and I'm glad it's still there and hasn't been 'updated'.




(Photo by Clifton Bertram)

Starburst Wall Clock

I've had this Starburst wall clock for about 10 years. I believe it's an Elgin, aka from Elgin Clock and Home Products Co., out of Chicago, Ill. Prior to the advent of atomic clocks, Elgin actually built and maintained an observatory they used to gauge correct time using the stars, and then broadcast via shortwaves to those who owned their clocks and watches.

Your humble narrator circa 1972 or thereabouts. Dig the collar, man.

Major Matt Mason

Mattel's Man in Space. These pics come from a Big Little book I had when I was about six, called Moon Mission.

Christmas morning, 1967. Young boys all over America unwrapped packages and were transported to a whole new world. Major Matt Mason, Mattel’s Man in Space had arrived. The product line was a frequent holdiay gift during its short lifespan from 1967-1970. Most of us have vivid memories of the Space Crawler, Space Sled, or best of all, The Space Station.
In the first year, Mattel offered Major Matt Mason on a card, packaged with the JetPack and Space Sled. He was also available on the Moon Suit Card, which many recognized from a 1962 cover of Life Magazine. In fact, the early vehicles and suits for Matt Mason were all based on NASA prototypes. For many boys, this was an important element in making the toy so popular. We all dreamed of being astronaut heros and Major Matt Mason made it possible.

(Text Source: Keith Myers' The Space Station - Major Matt Mason HQ)

The Mustang Drive-In, London, Ontario