This is the House of the Future (or Plastic House of the Future) at Disneyland, California circa 1957 – where you could get a glimpse of what the future held in technology and comfort in the year 1986. Look at all those fancy buttons all over the place, I crave more buttons in my apartment too! Many things would probably be regarded as somewhat retro-future kitschy today, but one gadget that was eventually invented was the microwave oven. The house was open until 1967 when the it was demolished to make room for other projects. Parts of the construction was so sturdy seeing it was rated for earthquakes it was impossible to remove it and couple of the remaining pillars for the house can now be seen in Neptune’s Grotto. One more video after the jump. (Via)
By Chris
June 30th, 2009
Imagine the following. Late 1960s, gorgeous models moving in slow motion, cutting edge fashion, the city pulse, pans around various locations in what looks like a European city in either northern Italy or Germany Place de la Concorde in Paris. Everything accompanied to beautiful dreamy strings, do-do vocals and a groovy beat with a phaser effect. The song is Across the Universe performed by Sounds Galactic (John Keating) from the 1971 album An Astromusical Odyssey. Hope this will start off your week in a great way! (Via)
By Chris
June 29th, 2009
Ultra Swank – Your one stop blog for retro living, style and design
Ultra Swank takes you back in time into the kitsch, chic and swank living of the 50s, 60s and the 70s. We mainly focus on the design, architecture and the lifestyle of the happy-go-lucky and space-age-living mentality of that era – but also on the music and movies that takes you back to happier times. Ultra Swank is run by Chris, a Swede born in the wrong decade that currently resides in Barcelona. Read more
Subscribe and follow Ultra Swank
I wish there were more expositions like the one held in Seattle in 1962. Going under the name Century 21, it showcased the best, brightest and most future minded technology available at the time – including pagers, exciting cars that looked like they could fly, various satellites and the NASA Mercury project to name a few. The grounds of the fair were divided into different areas for easier navigation with names such as World of Science, World of Century 21, Show Street, Gayway, Boulevards of the World, Food and Favors and so on. I love how the photos below bring out the innocence and positive future thinking from that time, something that the world needs more of today I think. Additional Century 21 goodness after the jump.
By Chris
June 26th, 2009
For those of you who missed the first show, the next Swank Pack Show is due on July 2 at the Pasadena Jazz Institute in California. Tickets start at $20 if you book in advance. For more information and bookings, visit pasjazz.org.
Straight from their smash opening on June 4, Douglas Roegiers and Dave Cox are back to dazzle and enchant with their classic brand of musical and magical entertainment, this time with special guest, LA’s jazz diva deluxe, Suzy Williams. Taking their cues from the swinging big bands and the crooning Rat Pack, Roegiers and his band perform numbers taken right out of the Great American Songbook in a manner of which Sinatra himself would be proud. Likewise, Cox delights audiences with his unique style of comedy and magic. In short, the Swank Pack delivers an old school, Las Vegas-style variety show, the likes of which one would be hard-pressed to find even in Las Vegas nowadays.
By Chris
June 24th, 2009
For those of you who have tried downloading Shaft: Shut Your Mouth! lately it seems that the file hasn’t been working very well. So today I have uploaded a new copy of it so you can enjoy the compilation again! Also for those who are wondering about future compilations, yes there are two more in the works which will be released very soon. Both of them are actually continuations of two of my ongoing series of cocktail and bachelor pad music. More on that in a future post.
By Chris
June 22nd, 2009
One of my all time favorite John Barry scores is the one from British movie Follow Me! (also known as The Public Eye). Released in 1972 and set in London it portrays the story of a wealthy jealous banker hiring a eccentric and strange private detective played by Topol to follow his wife, played by Mia Farrow around London in a cat and mouse type of game. Not only does London play a big part in the movie, it is almost a character on its own and it is really thrilling to see it come alive in the early and some what gloomy 1970s post flower-power era. More info and a clip from the movie after the jump.
By Chris
June 19th, 2009
American jazz vocalist Shaynee Rainbolt contacted me a while back having seen one of my compilations which features songs by legendary musician and composer Russell Garcia. It turns out that she is not only a fellow fan of his but also worked with him on her latest album entitled Charmed Life: Shaynee Rainbolt Sings Russell Garcia. Russell, now 92 years old have been living on New Zealand with his wife since 1971 where Shaynee traced him and not only convinced him to arrange and conduct her album but also add his Four Trombone Band to the recording session. The result is a elegant, sexy and dreamy 16-track album with laid back jazz rhythms, swingin’ melodies and fast paced scat-singing which will with no doubt add the perfect mix to any cocktail gathering and let you be a part of a more elegant era.
By Chris
June 17th, 2009
