Music and Audio

I Remember: 1981

Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher had been in office for two years in 1981; policies to push privatisation of state-owned industries and utilities and the reform of the trade unions, combined with mass closure of heavy industry and factories contribute to the highest postwar levels of unemployment and a year remembered for a summer of civil unrest as the spending cuts and monetary policy bite deep.  100,000 people from across Britain march to Trafalgar Square in London for the TUC's March For Jobs.
After racial tension builds up, riots break out in Brixton, Peckham, Toxteth and Handsworth and by the end of summer riots against police occur in many towns and cities.

"Ghost Town" by The Specials hits number one in the UK charts, capturing the political mood of the summer.
John Lennon spends 6 consecutive weeks at number one with "Imagine" spending 4 weeks at the top, to be replaced by "Woman"; Adam and the Ants also have two number ones with "Stand and Deliver" and "Prince Charming".
Bucks Fizz win the Eurovision Song Contest for the UK with the song "Making Your Mind Up".
MTV hits the airwaves for the first time, Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star" is the first song to be played.

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18/08/2011

I Remember: 1980

1980, unemployment is on the rise, reaching a postwar high of over 2,000,000 and the country slides into recession.
26 people are taken hostage after a group of six armed men stormed the Iranian embassy in South Kensington.  After six days and the death of a hostage the SAS end the siege by storming the building, killing another hostage and all but one of the gunmen.
Philips and Sony launch the Compact Disc, although it is several years later before Audio CDs hit the stores and several years after that before the phrase "B side" is confined to history.

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20/07/2011

ION Vertical Vinyl Wall Mounted Retro Turntable

Hear your music from another angle!

Catch the eye and ear of everyone with Ion Vertical Vinyl, a wall-mountable turntable. Vertical Vinyl is a fun, new way to experience your records - you can listen to them whilst they literally hang on the wall.

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13/06/2011

80's A-Z : A

The 80's, 10 years condensed to 26 blog posts in bullet point format...

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20/10/2008

Brick USB Memory Stick

It looks like a keyring-friendly version of the world's favourite plastic play brick, but it's also a funky USB memory stick.

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30/09/2008

iBlocks - iPod Speakers

I can't get enough accessories for my iPod. So that’s exactly why we loved iBlocks when we clapped eyes on these pocket sized speakers. iBlocks are basically lego building bricks with built in speakers that attach to the bottom of your iPod. The sound is pretty impressive for something so small.
 

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21/09/2008

Mini Boombox MP3 Dock

As far fetched as it may seem the Mini Boombox by Suck UK is actually made from cardboard, but has styles to look like a retro ghetto blaster from 80's yesteryear!

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15/09/2008

Stones' Tongue Sold to Victoria and Albert Museum

The original black and white artwork for The Rolling Stones' iconic lips and tongue symbol has been bought by London's Victoria and Albert Museum.

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02/09/2008

James Brown's 'Relics' Auctioned

Possessions belonging to late, great James Brown - including iconic stage capes and jumpsuits - have raised $800,000 (£400,000) at under the hammer.

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18/07/2008

Sgt Pepper Drum Under The Hammer

Amongst other rock and roll items, Beatles memorabilia went up for auction at Christie's yesterday.

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11/07/2008

Sleeveface

Check out your vinyl, or if your music collection is solely CD, use this as an excuse to go out and get some.

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26/06/2008

Oldest Recorded Computer Music

The BBC has unearthed the what is thought to be the oldest recordings of computer-synthesized music, recorded on a Ferranti Mark 1 computer, at the University of Manchester in Autumn, 1951.

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20/06/2008

USB Mix Tapes

Remember in the days before digital music and MP3 players? If you do, then you probably made compilations of all your favourite music, to share with your friends and loved ones, on good old fashioned blank cassette tapes.

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12/06/2008

Blake's 7 Audio Adventures Box Set

The much loved TV science fiction series BLAKE'S 7 returns, re-imagined as a series of all-new audio adventures.

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10/06/2008

Win A Camper Van - The Who's Magic Bus

The Who - in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust - is currently running a competition to win The Who's Magic Bus - and it is a real bus, an original, customised Volkswagen T1 panel van from 1965.

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28/05/2008