Brightwell’s Top 10: 1972

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1972 was a turbulent year. The violence of the Troubles peaked, claiming the lives of more than 500 people.Though comparatively ignored in the west, the Burundian Genocide also began, which claimed the lives of over 500,000. Ferdinand Marcos placed the Philippines under martial law. Black September invaded the Olympic Village and murdered eight Israeli athletes in Munich.  Members of the German Red Army Faction were arrested in Frankfurt. The Asama-Sansō Incident took place in Japan. Native Americans from the The Trail of Broken Treaties took over buildings belonging to the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Angela Davis was found not guilty of murder. Missouri‘s notorious Pruitt–Igoe projects were demolished. Health officials admitted that blacks had been used as guinea pigs in a study of untreated syphilis. Shirley Chisholm became the first black candidate for US president although the American people instead choose to re-elect fascinating nutjob Richard Nixon.

Outside Earth, humans visited the moon for the last time. The Space Shuttle program began. Mariner 9 became the first artificial satellite to orbit another planet (Mars). The Pioneer 10 launched from Cape Kennedy and would become the first human-made object to leave the solar system. In art, Andrei Tarkovsky‘s science-fiction masterpiece Solaris debuted and although perhaps not masterpieces, Eolomea and Silent Running entertained. With all of that space travel its no wonder it was glam rock‘s’ annus mirabilis. Capitalizing on the space craze, David Bowie‘s 1969 song, “Space Oddity” was re-released and Elton John, doing his best Bowie, released “Rocket Man” (which was later covered byWilliam Shatner which was later covered by Chris Elliott).

 

In technology and entertainment news, HBO was launched, Atari was founded and released Pong. The first scientific hand-held calculator, the HP-35, was introduced for the price of $395 (about $1,750 in 2015 dollars). Bands including Creedence Clearwater Revival, Jefferson Airplane, Martha and the Vandellas, MC5, Them, and The Velvet Underground all called it a day. ABBA, Cockney Rebel, Devo, The Jam,Mama’s Pride, The Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Rockets, Rufus, Van Halen and many other bands formed. It was a great year for music, with Neil Young, The Sweet, The Four Tops, Mott the Hoople, Yes, Big Star, Townes Van Zandt, Gentle Giant, Marvin Gaye, Genesis, Lieutenant Pigeon, Lou Reed, Curtis Mayfield, Roxy Music, and Hawkwind all releasing amazing songs that barely missed my Top 10.

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10. Bee Gees – Run to Me

9. Hot Butter – Pop Corn

8. The Raspberries – Go All The Way

7. Bread – Guitar Man

6. Manu Dibango – Soul Makossa (Funky Soul Makossa)

5. Chicory Tip – Son of My Father

4. David Bowie – Starman

3. T. Rex – Metal Guru

2. The Dramatics – In The Rain

1. Al Green – I’m Still in Love with You –

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Eric Brightwell is an adventurer, writer, rambler, explorer, cartographer, and guerrilla gardener who is always seeking writing, speaking, traveling, and art opportunities — or salaried work. He is not interested in writing advertorials, clickbait, listicles, or other 21st century variations of spam. Brightwell’s written work has appeared in Amoeblog, diaCRITICS, and KCET Departures. His work has been featured by the American Institute of Architects, the Architecture & Design Museum, the Craft & Folk Art Museum, Form Follows Function, Los Angeles County Store, Skid Row Housing Trust, and 1650 Gallery. Brightwell has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, Huffington Post, Los Angeles Magazine, LAist, Eastsider LA, Boing Boing, Los Angeles, I’m Yours, and on Notebook on Cities and Culture. He has been a guest speaker on KCRW‘s Which Way, LA? and at Emerson College. Art prints of his maps are available from 1650 Gallery and on other products from Cal31. He is currently writing a book about Los Angeles and you can follow him on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

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