“Make it last all night…” (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, 1978)
Happy Monday, musical maniacs. Here’s a good one. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers performing “American Girl” live on the UK’s Old Grey Whistle Test in 1978.
“American Girl” was recorded on July 4th, 1976, the American Bicentennial, and appeared on Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ self-titled debut L.P. of November ’76.
Previously, on Music for Monday: The Rolling Stones, ‘It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll’ (live ’75)
Inspector Lewis Erskine in action on ‘The FBI.’ (1972)
“Efrem Zimbalist Jr. stars in ‘The FBI.'”
Here’s an action-packed Daily 70s Spot for the start of a new week. Check out an ABC promo for the TV series “The FBI.” The detective series ran from 1965 to 1974. This particular commercial aired on New Year’s Day, 1972.
Previously, on Daily 70s Spot: Pepsi ‘Live!’ (1973)
ABBA’s Agnetha Fältskog returns with a new album in 2013
The 1970s-related news stories have been piling up over the past weeks – so let’s get right to it. First up, comes the news that ABBA’s Agnetha Fältskog has released a new single and an album is due May 13th. “When You Really Loved Someone” is the name of Fältskog’s single and you can take in the official video below. For more info hit stories at The Guardian and Billboard and Agnetha Fältskog’s Web Site.
‘OMG! The cellphone turns 40’
London UK, a model demos a new mobile phone, 1972. (Photo: Getty Images/CNN)
Next up, mobile communication is celebrating a milestone as the cellular phone turns 40-years-old. Doug Gross at CNN has a story about the first mobile handset making its debut on April 3, 1973.
More 1970s-related stories you may want to ingest:
The Bay City Rollers Did NOT Suck… (HuffPost)
Cheryl Tiegs Lists L.A. Mansion For Sale (HuffPost)
Voyager Solar System ‘exit’ debated (BBC)
‘Dark Side of the Moon,’ ‘Saturday Night Fever’ Added to National Recording Registry (Time)
‘Big Bang Theory’ cast members find their inner ‘Rocky Horror’ (L.A. Times)
Barbara Walters to retire in 2014 (EW)
Steven Soderbergh’s Liberace Movie Looks Glorious (Slate)
Jane Fonda Calls Vietnam Photo ‘An Unforgivable Mistake’ (HuffPost)
Valerie Harper reunites with co-stars (USA Today)
25 Terrifying Characters From Your Childhood (Babble)
Recent passings of 1970s-era notables
Milo O’Shea – Actor
Roger Ebert – Film Critic
Jane Henson – Co-Creator, The Muppets
Phil Ramone – Record Producer
Harry Reems – Pornography Actor
James Herbert – Horror Author
Frank Thornton – ‘Are You Being Served?’ Actor
Bobbie Smith – Spinners Singer
Previously, on 70s stories in the news: Star Wars, Willie Tyler & Lester, recent passings
Pepsi adds…live? (1973)
“You’ve got a lot to live – and Pepsi’s got a lot to give.”
Time to drink up your Daily 70s Spot. Here’s Pepsi Cola with an ad in their “Live!” campaign. I suppose this was Pepsi’s answer to “Coke adds life,” but I can’t attest to the timing of the competing soft drink campaigns. Commercial aired in February of 1973.
Previously, on Daily 70s Spot: Poulan Chainsaws (1978)
The Muscle Car of chainsaws. (Poulan, 1978)
“For over 30 years they’ve been mispronouncing our name.”
Our Daily 70s Spot is something you don’t see everyday – an ad for Poulan Chainsaws. Heck, I can’t remember seeing any recent chainsaw commercials either. Apperently, Poulan is still going strong today. Spot aired in November of 1978. Cut that sucker down.
Previously, on Daily 70s Spot: Time Magazine (1977)
Pink Panther and pal in ‘Pinky Doodle,’ 1976
Happy Funshine Friday, funky folks! Here’s a complete Pink Panther cartoon, Pinky Doodle, which originally aired in May of 1976. Befitting the Bicentennial fever years, Pink is a Blue Coat warring with devilish Red Coats in 1776. Light it up.
Previously, on Funshine Friday: ‘Around the World in Eighty Days’ (animated series, 1972)