Back in 1978, on 25 November, pioneering Japanese group, Yellow Magic Orchestra released their influential, eponymous, debut full-length. The album and group are widely credited with being very influential on the development of several music genres, including ambient, chiptune, electro, hip hop, house, J-pop, synthpop, and techno, to name a few. The band (also known as YMO) were … Continue reading Piko Piko – A look at Picopop on the 34th birthday of Yellow Magic Orchestra’s debut
Month: November 2012
Nobody Drives in LA — Silver Line Stroll from Union Station to El Monte
With bicycles, buses, ferries, planes, rideshares, sidewalks, subways, taxis, and trains at Angelenos’ disposal, why would any sane person choose car-dependency? Nobody Drives in LA celebrates sense and sensibility in transportation. ***** The Metro Silver Line opened on 13 December 2009, more than four years after the Orange Line, Metro's only other Metro Transitway (or Metro Liner). Despite its silvery paint … Continue reading Nobody Drives in LA — Silver Line Stroll from Union Station to El Monte
Nature’s a language, can’t you read? — Seasons in the Southland
A FEW GENERALIZATIONS ABOUT ANGELENOS While I caution anyone attempting to make generalizations about a group as diverse and large as the 13 million or so people known as “Angelenos,” I have nonetheless made a couple of observations about a much smaller subsection, my Los Angeles friends, that I have to assume share more widely-held views with … Continue reading Nature’s a language, can’t you read? — Seasons in the Southland
My maiden voyage on the RMS Queen Mary
The other day I went to the RMS Queen Mary for birthday drinks for Lynn Garrett’s birthday. Lynn is the founder and head honcho at Hidden Los Angeles. As the name suggests, Hidden Los Angeles is a highly useful guide to Los Angeles for Angelenos and visitors who presumably have no interest in (or interests … Continue reading My maiden voyage on the RMS Queen Mary
California Fool’s Gold — A San Fernando Valley Primer
WHERE THE WEST BEGINS AND THE SUNSET ENDS -- THE VALLEY There are numerous valleys in Los Angeles County: the Antelope, Crescenta, Hungry, Peace, Pomona, Puente, San Gabriel, Santa Clara River, and Santa Clarita, to name a few of the better known ones. However, when one hears mention of The Valley it is almost universally recognized as a … Continue reading California Fool’s Gold — A San Fernando Valley Primer
Eric Brightwell 