Beeswax Vinyl Daily

Non-musical history for today: In 332, Emperor Constantine the Great announced the free distribution of food to the citizens of Constantinople. That was mighty nice of him. He was one of the less arseholish emperors. Notice I said "less" not "un." Music history, album anniversaries, birthdays, and deaths for May 18. Recorded in the Omniverus Podcast Studios at Liberty Plaza. Leave comments at tim@beeswaxvinyl.com or 336-422-NUMB (6862). Tune into Camel City Radio. On Camel City Radio, it's hump day every day!

Non-musical history for today: 1900 – L. Frank Baum's children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was first published in the United States. The first copy was given to his sister. The character Elphaba in Wicked was named that because of Baum's initials. LFB or El Pha Ba. I love The Wizard of Oz and Wicked. Music history, album anniversaries, birthdays, and deaths for May 17. Recorded in the Omniverus Podcast Studios at Liberty Plaza. Leave comments at tim@beeswaxvinyl.com or 336-422-NUMB (6862). Tune into Camel City Radio. On Camel City Radio, it's hump day every day!

Non-musical history for today: 1929 – In Hollywood, the first Academy Awards ceremony took place. I'd actually like to thank the Academy. Music history, album anniversaries, birthdays, and deaths for May 16. Recorded in the Omniverus Podcast Studios at Liberty Plaza. Leave comments at tim@beeswaxvinyl.com or 336-422-NUMB (6862). Tune into Camel City Radio. On Camel City Radio, it's hump day every day!

Several items in non-musical history for today: 1905 – The city of Las Vegas was founded in Nevada, United States. 1940 – Richard and Maurice McDonald opened the first McDonald's restaurant. 2008 – California became the second U.S. state after Massachusetts in 2004 to legalize same-sex marriage after the state's own Supreme Court ruled a previous ban unconstitutional. 2002 — My only child, my baby boy, my world, my son, Trey, was born. Happy solar circumnavigational anniversary day, son! Music history, album anniversaries, birthdays, and deaths for May 15. Recorded in the Omniverus Podcast Studios at Liberty Plaza. Leave comments at tim@beeswaxvinyl.com or 336-422-NUMB (6862). Tune into Camel City Radio. On Camel City Radio, it's hump day every day!

Non-musical history for today: 1953 – Approximately 7,100 brewery workers in Milwaukee performed a walkout, marking the start of the 1953 Milwaukee brewery strike. A. Gettelman Brewing Company, Independent Milwaukee Brewery, Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company, Miller Brewing Company, Pabst Brewing Company, and Valentin Blatz Brewing Company all saw their workforce walk off the job. Valentin (one of the smaller breweries) started negotiating with the unions, which led to the workers eventually winning the strike and the members voting to accept new contracts that addressed many of their initial concerns. This was also the day of the Warsaw Pact being signed in 1955, but I felt beer was more important. Because... beer. Music history, album anniversaries, birthdays, and deaths for May 14. Recorded in the Omniverus Podcast Studios at Liberty Plaza. Leave comments at tim@beeswaxvinyl.com or 336-422-NUMB (6862). Tune into Camel City Radio. On Camel City Radio, it's hump day every day!

Non-musical history for today: 1995 – Alison Hargreaves, a 33-year-old British mother, became the first woman to conquer Everest without oxygen or the help of sherpas. That is impressive. Music history, album anniversaries, birthdays, and deaths for May 13. Recorded in the Omniverus Podcast Studios at Liberty Plaza. Leave comments at tim@beeswaxvinyl.com or 336-422-NUMB (6862). Tune into Camel City Radio. On Camel City Radio, it's hump day every day!

Non-musical history for today: 1937 – The Duke and Duchess of York were crowned as King George VI and Queen Elizabeth of the United Kingdom in Westminster Abbey. George VI is Queen Elizabeth II's father and his wife was known as "The Queen Mother." Music history, album anniversaries, birthdays, and deaths for May 12. Recorded in the Omniverus Podcast Studios at Liberty Plaza. Leave comments at tim@beeswaxvinyl.com or 336-422-NUMB (6862). Tune into Camel City Radio. On Camel City Radio, it's hump day every day!

Non-musical history for today: 1997 – Deep Blue, a chess-playing supercomputer, defeated Garry Kasparov in the last rematch game, becoming the first computer to beat a world-champion chess player in a classic match format. Music history, album anniversaries, birthdays, and deaths for May 11. Recorded in the Omniverus Podcast Studios at Liberty Plaza. Leave comments at tim@beeswaxvinyl.com or 336-422-NUMB (6862). Tune into Camel City Radio. On Camel City Radio, it's hump day every day!

Non-musical history for today: 1497 — Amerigo Vespucci allegedly left Cádiz for his first voyage to the New World. As you probably know, America is named after Vespucci. Music history, album anniversaries, birthdays, and deaths for May 10. Recorded in the Omniverus Podcast Studios at Liberty Plaza. Leave comments at tim@beeswaxvinyl.com or 336-422-NUMB (6862). Tune into Camel City Radio. On Camel City Radio, it's hump day every day!

Non-musical history for today: 1662 – The figure who later became Mr. Punch made his first recorded appearance in England. Not saying this was his first-ever appearance, just the first one to be documented. I never knew what Punch and Judy meant until I was today years old. I had heard it but didn't know what it was. Color me intrigued. Music history, album anniversaries, birthdays, and deaths for May 9. Recorded in the Omniverus Podcast Studios at Liberty Plaza. Leave comments at tim@beeswaxvinyl.com or 336-422-NUMB (6862). Tune into Camel City Radio. On Camel City Radio, it's hump day every day!

Non-musical history for today: 1886 – Pharmacist John Pemberton first sold a carbonated beverage named Coca-Cola as a "temperance drink" (for non-alcoholic purposes) and patent medicine. It was named after the two main ingredients: coca leaves, which can yield the alkaloid, cocaine, and kola nuts, a source of caffeine. Music history, album anniversaries, birthdays, and deaths for May 8. Recorded in the Omniverus Podcast Studios at Liberty Plaza. Leave comments at tim@beeswaxvinyl.com or 336-422-NUMB (6862). Tune into Camel City Radio. On Camel City Radio, it's hump day every day!

Non-musical history for today: 1994 – Edvard Munch's painting The Scream was recovered, remarkably undamaged, after being stolen from the National Gallery of Norway in February. In January 1996, four men were convicted in connection with the theft, including Pål Enger, who had been convicted of stealing Munch's Love and Pain in 1988. I guess he just had a thing about Edvard Munch. The perps were released on appeal on legal grounds: the British agents involved in the sting operation had entered Norway under false identities. Music history, album anniversaries, birthdays, and deaths for May 7. Recorded in the Omniverus Podcast Studios at Liberty Plaza. Leave comments at tim@beeswaxvinyl.com or 336-422-NUMB (6862). Tune into Camel City Radio. On Camel City Radio, it's hump day every day!

Non-musical history for today: Mais oui!!!  1889 – The Eiffel Tower officially opened to the public at the Universal Exposition in Paris. Music history, album anniversaries, birthdays, and deaths for May 6. Recorded in the Omniverus Podcast Studios at Liberty Plaza. Leave comments at tim@beeswaxvinyl.com or 336-422-NUMB (6862). Tune into Camel City Radio. On Camel City Radio, it's hump day every day!

Non-musical history for today: 1987 – Start of Congressional televised hearings over the Iran–Contra affair in the United States of America. I would walk home from school and lie on the couch and watch the hearings. I didn't know what it was about (still don't, mostly) and was just fascinated by them. And, in 1989, again for Winston-Salemites, there was an F5 tornado that came through town. I was in the (now defunct and demolished) Hanes Mall Theaters watching Pet Sematary with a future girlfriend and her friend. The lights went down just as "Church" startled Louis. If you know, you know. Anyway, we didn't know what was going on, but the ride home was eerie. Hardly any lights and a lot of downed trees. And it's Cinco de Mayo (which is NOT Mexican Independence Day). Music history, album anniversaries, birthdays, and deaths for May 5. Recorded in the Omniverus Podcast Studios at Liberty Plaza. Leave comments at tim@beeswaxvinyl.com or 336-422-NUMB (6862). Tune into Camel City Radio. On Camel City Radio, it's hump day every day!

Non-musical history for today: 1957—Walter O'Malley, the owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers, agrees to move the team from Brooklyn to Los Angeles, a move that still causes great pain to the residents of Brooklyn. The Dodgers played their last game at Ebbets Field on September 24, 1957, defeating my Pittsburgh Pirates 2-0. They began playing in Los Angeles in April 1958. Music history, album anniversaries, birthdays, and deaths for May 3. Recorded in the Omniverus Podcast Studios at Liberty Plaza. Leave comments at tim@beeswaxvinyl.com or 336-422-NUMB (6862). Tune into Camel City Radio. On Camel City Radio, it's hump day every day!

Non-musical history for today: 1536 – Anne Boleyn, Queen of England, was arrested and imprisoned on charges of adultery, incest, treason, and witchcraft. All of which was bullshite. Henry VIII just wanted rid of her so he could move on to his next victim, or wife, Jane Seymour. Anne was convicted (despite unconvincing evidence) and beheaded 17 days later. It was because of Anne, or rather Henry wanting Anne and with him unable to get rid of Catherine of Aragon, that England broke away from the Catholic Church, and the Church of England was established. Music history, album anniversaries, birthdays, and deaths for May 2. Recorded in the Omniverus Podcast Studios at Liberty Plaza. Leave comments at tim@beeswaxvinyl.com or 336-422-NUMB (6862). Tune into Camel City Radio. On Camel City Radio, it's hump day every day!

Non-musical history for today: 1931 – The Empire State Building was dedicated in New York City. While I didn't officially visit the building this past September, I did touch it. To me, that counts. Music history, album anniversaries, birthdays, and deaths for May 1. Recorded in the Omniverus Podcast Studios at Liberty Plaza. Leave comments at tim@beeswaxvinyl.com or 336-422-NUMB (6862). Tune into Camel City Radio. On Camel City Radio, it's hump day every day!

Non-musical history for today: 1492 – Spain gave Christopher Columbus his commission of exploration. He was named admiral of the ocean sea, viceroy, and governor of any territory he discovered. Apparently, even those he didn't "discover." Music history, album anniversaries, birthdays, and deaths for April 30. Recorded in the Omniverus Podcast Studios at Liberty Plaza. Leave comments at tim@beeswaxvinyl.com or 336-422-NUMB (6862). Tune into Camel City Radio. On Camel City Radio, it's hump day every day!

Non-musical history for today: 1770 – James Cook arrived in Australia at Botany Bay, which he named. There is some debate on why he named it that, but it seems that Sir Joseph Banks and Dr. Daniel Solander, both either botanists or naturalists had discovered many varieties of plants. True? Meh, who knows? Music history, album anniversaries, birthdays, and deaths for April 29. Recorded in the Omniverus Podcast Studios at Liberty Plaza. Leave comments at tim@beeswaxvinyl.com or 336-422-NUMB (6862). Tune into Camel City Radio. On Camel City Radio, it's hump day every day!

Non-musical history for today: 1789 – Lieutenant William Bligh and 18 sailors were set adrift, and the rebel crew returned to Tahiti briefly and then set sail for Pitcairn Island. So, yes, the Mutiny on the Bounty really did happen. It wasn't just a fictional novel or film. It's an interesting piece of history. Music history, album anniversaries, birthdays, and deaths for April 28. Recorded in the Omniverus Podcast Studios at Liberty Plaza. Leave comments at tim@beeswaxvinyl.com or 336-422-NUMB (6862). Tune into Camel City Radio. On Camel City Radio, it's hump day every day!