Longtime Companionship, yo.

Longtime Companion - one of the first movies to discuss the AIDS crisis beginning in the 1980s. AIDS, or acquired immune deficiency syndrome, causes severe damage to the immune system. Down from its number one rank in 1995, AIDS in the sixth leading cause of death in people age 25-44 in the United States. HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus, is the cause of AIDS and it attacks the immune system, leaving the body vulnerable to life threatening infections and cancers. People with healthy immune systems are able to fight off the common bacteria, yeast, parasites, infections and viruses whereas all of these may cause fatal illness in people with AIDS. HIV has been found in tears, saliva, nervous system tissue, spinal fluid, blood, semen, pre-seminal fluid, vaginal fluid and breast milk but it is only blood, semen, vaginal secretions and breast milk that generally carry infections to others.

Initially, Kaposi's Sarcoma, a rare form of benign cancer previously only found in older men, appeared in many young gay men from New York. Referred to as a gay cancer or disease, many homosexual couples refused to believe that this cancer had any association with their sexual orientation. Believed to be a result of promiscuity of homosexuals, an overwhelming amount of sickness overcame the gay population. In 1998, a study was done resulting in 54% of people were AIDS were homosexual, and those were only who admitted it. In September of 2010, the AIDS crisis had spread so much that 1 in 5 homosexual and bisexual males in America had HIV and over half of these did not even know it. It has been found that anal sex increases the risk of contracting AIDS, and a study done by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that from 1994 to 1997, the proportion of homosexual men admitting to having anal sex increased from 57.6% to 61.2%.

In the movie, you are able to see the drastic impact that this disease had on not only the people diagnosed with AIDS, but also their lovers and friends. AIDS caused fear and confusion because throughout the 1980s, no one was even truly aware of what was really the cause or side effects. It was first referred to as a Gay Related Immune Disorder because that was the only sense they could make of the disease. Lack of technology and understanding caused many innocent, non promiscuous people to contract AIDS through blood transfusions and body fluid contact. After this, hostility towards homosexuals increased, blaming the disease on them. All in all, AIDS was and still is an issue worldwide and scientists and doctors are desperately searching for a cure.

Pictures:

http://bert-trashboi.blogspot.com/2010/09/longtime-companion-1990.html?zx=7528780bdde0ac97

http://republicofaustin.com/world-aids-days-2009-a-personal-remembrance-from-austin-texas/

Information:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001682/

http://www.avert.org/aids-history-86.htm

http://www.conservapedia.com/Homosexuality_and_AIDS

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001620/

We Are the World, yo.

In 1985, there was a serious crisis in Africa. Famine broke out in Ethiopia as a result of a civil war, and many entertainers around the world wanted to do something to help. In the United Kingdom, a group call Band Aid put together a charity song, "Do They Know It's Christmas," featuring many famous British artists, such as Phil Collins, Bono, and Paul McCartney. After seeing the success of this single, Harry Belafonte decided to do the same, but in America. He put together the United Support of Artists for Africa, better known as USA for Africa, and recorded the hit single, "We Are the World."

Here is the music video for "Do They Know It's Christmas:"


"We Are the World," written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, and produced by Quincy Jones, was one of the greatest selling singles of all time, with over 20 million singles sold. Entertainers of all genres, ranging from Cyndi Lauper to Ray Charles. I think that this is one of the reasons why the single was such a big hit, besides the fact that it benefited a good cause. People wanted to hear all of their favorite artists, like Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Wonder, performing together on one single. There was a little bit of something for everyone. Not only did "We Are the World" sell over 20 million copies, but, along with another charity event call Hands Across America, USA for Africa raised almost $100 million.

Here is the music video for "We Are the World":


Twenty five years later, Quincy Jones came together with Lionel Richie, Wycleff Jean, and Rickey Minor to rerecord the song for the citizens of Haiti. In January of 2010, Haiti was devastated by a 7.0 earthquake. After this happened, artists like Jennifer Hudson and Miley Cyrus came together to perform this song for the people of Haiti. This single was very similar to the original, except for one part that was rapped by artists including Snoop Dogg and Busta Rhymes. The video was also extremely similar to the original video; the only difference is that the new video shows footage of Haiti and Haitians.

Here is the new music video:


Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Are_the_World
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA_for_Africa
http://wearetheworldfoundation.org/the-song/

Bono as a philanthropist, yo.

Most people know about the world famous band U2, from Dublin, Ireland. However, many do not know of lead singer Bono's work as a philanthropist. According to Bono, it all started in 1979 when he watched a benefit show called Secret Policeman's Ball for the human-rights organization, Amnesty International. Later, U2 collaborated with Sting to perform in another benefit ball for Amnesty's Conspiracy of Hope. In the past 10 years, Bono has successfully juggled his music with philanthropy. Since 1999, he has focused on raising AIDS awareness in third world countries in Africa. As a result, he was nominated in 2003, 2005, and 2006 for a Noble Peace Prize for his philanthropy. He also shared Time magazine's award for Person of the Year in 2005 with Melinda and Bill Gates.

Interestingly enough, in 2006, he founded the product (RED) organization which works with many companies such as Gap, Apple Inc., Starbucks, Converse, and Nike to name a few. These companies create a project with the (RED) logo on it and sell it; eventually, a percentage of the profits go to the global fund. Gap created an entire line of products and 50% of the proceeds to go the fund. Nike came out with a line of red shoelaces, and Apple came out with special red ipods which can provide over three weeks of medicine for struggling victims.

The goal of the organization is to help raise awareness funds to help eliminate Aids in Africa and so far it has been extremely successful.

Since its 2006 launch, it has raised over $150 million dollars and ,in turn, has impacted 7.5 million lives in Africa.


pictures:
http://www.magnetmagazine.com/2010/08/09/from-the-desk-of-trans-ams-nathan-means-bono-vs-sting-whos-cooler/
http://www.krlx.org/?id=915
http://www.listal.com/list/time-magazines-person-year

sources: http://www.joinred.com/red/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Product_Red
http://www.u2.com/

Bruce Springsteen Yo

Bruce Springsteen was born September 23rd 1949 in Freehold New Jersey. Known as " the boss" started his music career with the release of his first album Greetings, in Asbury park in 1973. He grew up in a middle class family and started fooling around with the guitar during his high school career, Which he later talked about in his song "The Wish". After graduating high school he moved to New York City, where he hoped to start his music career in Folk Music, where he ended up getting no where and moved back to NJ. in 1965 he went to the house of Tex and Marion Vinyard who sponsodred young bands in town. He then became the lead singer of the Castiles, which recorded two original songs at a public recording studio including Cafe what, and Greenwich Village. in 1972 he signed a record deal with Columbia Records, two of his hits were Blinded by the Light and and For You. On August 13 1975 Springsteen and the E Street Band began a give-night, 10 show stand at New Yorks Bottom Line club. This was recorded live and from there on songs like Born to Run, Thunder Road, and Jungleland all received massive airplay, and became a favorite on classic rock stations. Bruce's second album was called The Innocent and the E Street Shuffle. In 175 he bgan recording a new album called the Edge of Town. In 1998 Bruce wasinducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame oon December 8th bruce announced his lost awaited reunion with the E Street Band.

References:

http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/bruce-springsteen-biography/4ee277e17dbce719482568710007ba77

http://springsteeninformationcenter.wordpress.com/

http://www.buyselltix.com/concerts/artistInfo/bruceSpringsteenInfo.php

Steve Jobs booted off the job, yo.

From a garage in Cupertino, California, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak worked for hours on end to create a company that would change the world of technology forever. Previously, computers consisted of circuit boards and switches with flashing lights that were tedious and for the most part, unhelpful. On April 1st, 1976, Jobs and Wozniak's company, Apple, introduced their first system known as Apple I, an encased circuit board computer. This was just one step in the right direction to reach their goal of creating an inexpensive and easy to use system. However, since the Apple I was mostly aimed towards computer hobbyists, "Woz" knew that he must make the design more appealing for average people who were not computer users. So, to make their prize product better, higher resolution graphics were added so that pictures and words could be displayed rather than just words, floppy disc controllers were added for simple data storage, a simple operating system was created and more. The result of all these changes was the more compact and self-contained Apple II, released on June 5th, 1977. With more capability however, became more expenses, especially because of the amount of RAM. Throughout the Eighties and Nineties, the Apple II series became more popular in household and in education, with over 2 million units sold.

Although mainly based on Wozniak's Apple I design, the Apple II had several additions to enhance the operating system. Not only did it have a rare, beige, plastic casing, it had larger ROM and a more expandable RAM with 8 possible expansion slots. It was hard-coded on the ROM for easier programming and included two game paddles and a demo cassette with pricing starting at $1,298. Throughout the 80s and 90s, many more versions of the Apple II were released with faster and more improved enhancements. After the soaring success of the Apple II, Wozniak and Jobs wished to make a more bold and better system - the Mac. However, after a near fatal airplane accident, Wozniak left Apple in 1981 as a result of short-term memory loss. Jobs, left alone with such a daunting task, began working with Jef Raskin and Bill Atkinson. Despite disagreements with Raskin, Jobs was into the Macintosh project full force and the first model was released on January 22, 1984 after a Super Bowl Half-time "marketing blitz".

Although the Macintosh was a more non-computer user friendly version, it was given intense ridicule by "hard-core computer users". Shortly after this, Apple CEO John Scully fired founder Steve Jobs due to the initial decreased Macintosh sales. In addition to their personality clashes, this former president of PepsiCo. felt he knew what was best for the company despite his lack of computer knowledge. With just Scully left to run the company, he later admitted that he felt he made two mistakes. Primarily being that he chose IBM and Motorola with the PowerPC rather than Intel who fought to stay with Apple, only later to the processor to do graphics. Secondly, he waited until years later, when Apple was almost driven into the ground with no promise of selling, to bring Steve Jobs back. By 1992, the amount of inexpensive PC clones drove Macintosh sales into the ground and Steve Jobs returned to save the company in 1997. Without the return of Steve Jobs, Apple would have ceased to be a company however Apple continues to make bold, creative, visionary projects for the use of people worldwide. Needless to say, Apple founder Steve Jobs can never be booted from the job without repercussions, yo.

Pictures:

http://scrapetv.com/News/News%20Pages/Business/pages-5/Apple-still-refusing-to-pay-Steve-Jobs-Scrape-TV-The-World-on-your-side.html

Information:

http://www.geeks.com/techtips/2006/techtips-10aug06.htm

http://www.apple-history.com/

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2010-06-06/why-i-fired-steve-jobs/#

http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-john-sculley-2010-10

Madonna writes for Children, yo.

Everyone knows about Madonna; whether its from recognizing one of her hit songs such as "Like a Virgin" or "Holiday" or from her notable fashion, Madonna, a Michigan native, is the epitome of a pop star. She is what stars such as Britney Spears and Lady Gaga try to emulate and look up to. In addition to being a role model, she also starts and creates many trends such as Kaballah and has become, according to USA Today, the practice's most prominent advocate. Kabbalah users tie a bracelet around their wrists and knot it seven times; it symbolizes the type of Jewish movement and practice. She has wrapped bracelets around Guy Ritchie, Demi Moore, Britney Spears, and the Beckham's. Unlike other stars who write autobiographies about one night stands or rehab, Madonna decided to write a collection of successful Children's books called The English Roses Collection.


Everything Madonna has done in her career was spontaneous and unexpected and writing a collection of children's books was no exception to that. She got the idea from her Kabbalah teacher who thought it would be a good idea to write and share about her newfound religious wisdom. She started reading her rough drafts to her daughter, Lola, at night; if her daughter became restless and sleepy amidst her reading, she would alter the story and this process came to a conclusion a couple of years later. The books deal with envy and jealousy and how those feelings cause unnecessary negative suffering to happen in our lives. The books were released in 100 different languages around the world in September of 2003.

The book is centered around four girls, Charlotte, Grace, Amy and Nicole, and their lives in London. All of them become jealous of a girl named, Binah; they believe her life is perfect and they instantly become envious of it. However, they do not know that her life is far from it. She lives without a mother, lives in a small house, and cooks and cleans for a living. I respect Madonna for trying something new and she despite her controversial past, she is definitely somebody to look up to.




Sources: http://allaboutmadonna.com/madonna-biography-awards
http://www.englishrosescollection.com/
http://www.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/2004-05-25-kabbalah-main_x.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_English_Roses

pictures: http://www.dashusland.com/2008/02/madonna-gucci-a.html
http://articles.nydailynews.com/2009-07-31/gossip/29436148_1_pop-icon-hebrew-name-esther-kabbalah-center
http://coolspotters.com/books/the-english-roses
http://www.businessinsider.com/summer-fridays-10-celebrity-book-deals-that-rocked-the-new-york-times-bestseller-list-2010-7?op=1
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1190968/Desperately-Seeking-Madonna-Peaches-Geldof-steals-Queen-pops-style.html

Bill Gates, yo.

One of the world's most successful entrepreneurs, Bill Gates, was born and raised in Seattle, Washington. Gates grew up in an upper middle class family, son of a prominent lawyer and a school teacher. From an early age, Gates had a love for computers. At only 13, Gates began to take an interest in computer programming, using the programming language, BASIC, along with his friend, Paul Allen. Gates and Allen actually developed their own computer for the city of Seattle, called the "Traf-o-Data," that could monitor the traffic patterns in Seattle. They sold it to the city for $20,000. Gates and Allen wanted to start their own company, but Gates' parents would not let him until he finished high school and college. Gates continued to study computer programming, and, after scoring a 1590 out of 1600 on his SATs, he pursued his passion at Harvard University. This is where his career took off.

At Harvard, he met two people who helped his career the most, Steve Ballmer, who later succeeded Gates as CEO of Microsoft, and his old friend, Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft.
When Gates was a sophomore, he and Allen designed the first software program for microcomputers. They used BASIC, a programming system mainly used on large computers, and adapted it for microcomputers. The program was a success. During his junior year, Gates dropped out of Harvard and started his own company with Allen, Microsoft. Many people would say that Gates was in the right place at the right time. The microcomputer industry was young and in need of intelligent people who could write code for hours and develop new programs. At 23 years old, Gates was the head of a company that had grossed 2.5 million dollars. Gates really hit it big when he teamed up with an American institution, IBM.

IBM, or "Big Blue," as it is often referred to, was one of the biggest companies in America, and they wanted a piece of this new industry. In 1980, IBM had created their own personal computer, or "PC," and needed a software program for it. Gates offered them a new programming system, Microsoft Disc Operating System, or MS-DOS. Gates completely manipulated IBM, making it so Microsoft would be the only company that IBM could buy programming from. After many disputes with IBM, Gates was onto bigger and better things, Microsoft Windows.

Microsoft Windows was a program that people with PCs could use that was very similar to the Apple personal computer. It made the PC more user friendly, and allowed people with PCs to have the same luxuries as Apple users. Apple sued Microsoft, claiming that Gates stole Apple's ideas. Overall, Microsoft won in court because they could prove that even though the operating systems had many similarities, the individual functions were different.

With the development of Windows, Gates and Microsoft had more money than they could have ever imagined. Bill Gates is America's richest man, worth over 56 billion dollars, according to Forbes Magazine. He put his money to good use, however, by developing the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, an organization dedicated to enhancing health care, reducing extreme poverty, expanding educational opportunities and access to information technology.

Sources:
http://www.biography.com/articles/Bill-Gates-9307520?part=3
http://www.forbes.com/profile/bill-gates
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/billg/?tab=biography
http://school.eb.com/eb/article-9036187?query=bill%20gates&ct=

70's fashion yo.

When thinking of the 70's you picture people with bell bottoms and platform shoes. At the beginning of the 70's the shoes had a small slim sole which gradually moved up to be an inch to four inches turning them into platform shoes. By the mid 70's platforms were our and running shoes were in.

Because the 70's were a big time for Disco, "disco clothes" were a big thing then. Meaning people would wear stretch clothes and light fabric to reflect under the colored disco lights. The reason this dress became popular was because there was a sort of "dress code" that you had to follow to be allowed in the clubs, like satin jackets, and medallions.

The 70's was a time where women were able to start choosing their own clothing, and decide what they wanted to wear on their own. Popular clothing for women were old style granny dress's, halter dress', hot pants, and mini skirts. Granny dress were normally worn with a high neck. Sometimes the stand neck was pie-crust frilled, or lace trimmed. Often they were made from a floral print design in a warm brushed fabric or viscose rayon crepe which draped and gathered well into empire line styles.

The 70's were a time for people to wear what they want and to start new ideas and new fashions by just wearing something that people haven't seen before. For the first time people weren't afraid to wear something that other people weren't already wearing.

During this time a commonly used name for this style, was a Hippy. A hippy is defined as someone who rejects the established culture; advocates extreme liberalism in politics and life style.

http://www.70sfashion.org/disco_fashion_of_the_70s.html

http://library.thinkquest.org/04oct/00816/fashion.html

http://www.70sfashion.org/70s_fashion_pics/70s_fashion_5.jpg

http://hdtvconsumer.com/1/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/fashion-of-the-70s-2310.jpg

http://www.mvhsdrama.com/Research/70sFashion_files/image002.gif

http://www.shefinds.com/files/70s_cast_max.jpg

Anti-War songs, yo.

When the Vietnam War came to middle America, family communities and college campuses were erupting in anger and rage. In order to direct their anger and discontent with war, people looked to music to express their feelings. Protest music had been popular in America long before the Vietnam War and began with stringed instruments and troubadours. However, the anti-war music during this time period took protest music to a different level. This generation of people took the initiative to express their unhappiness about the lies the government were telling them about the war in Vietnam. Combat veterans were coming home before the end of the war, revealing what truly happened in the war and what the government hadn’t been telling American citizens. Messages were found in lyrics of protest songs about the “barbaric and unjust war” that the government was simply brushing off, calling it a “conflict” or an issue easily solved by police action.

This music served as a cause for action and a cry for an end and the government just wasn’t listening. Feeling disenfranchised, Americans became united by this kind of music, similarly to how the blacks felt with the music during the civil rights movement. Vietnam was on everyone’s minds. It was talked about in the newspapers, radio, television, movies, magazines and even in normal conversation. Young men under the age of thirty were scared that they may be drafted for the war because they did not wish to die for a cause undefined to them and that would not effect the freedom of the United States. The Vietnam War was not a solution to world problems and soldiers did not feel as though their service was justified.

In the late 1960s, soldiers began waiting to be stationed in Vietnam. Although many may have been young and naïve, they were not stupid and questioned the United States involvement in the war. Scarred by the images and experiences of warfare, soldiers expressed this fear with their families and friends. As the war continued on, protest music became more meaningful and thought provoking. This kind of music inspired and energized soldiers in the war in hopes that their messages would be heard and a change would be made. “I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-To-Die Rag” by Country Joe McDonald and the Fish was one of the most popular anti-war anthems. On May 4, 1970, the shootings at Kent State University amplified the problems with the United States’ involvement in Vietnam. Soon after, anti-war songs such as Chicago’s “It Better End Soon”, Edwin Starr’s “War” and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young’s “Ohio” emerged, inspiring Americans all over.

Pictures:

http://unit8catherinej10.wikispaces.com/

http://web.mit.edu/drb/Public/PhotoThesis/

Information:

http://www.jwsrockgarden.com/jw02vvaw.htm

http://folkmusic.about.com/od/toptens/tp/Top10Protest.htm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4498011.stm

Glam Rock, yo.

Glam Rock, as known as glitter rock, was a form of rock music that evolved out of England in the 1970s. Glam rock was a new type of music that incorporated rock and pop music. What made glam rock so different from regular rock and roll was not just the fact that it had a more poppy sound, it was the outrageous costumes and make-up that the performers wore. Glam rock artists were all about the performance. Many of them wore women's clothing, and/or accessories. The so called father of glam rock was Marc Bolan and his band T.Rex. After Bolan, artist David Bowie revolutionized glam rock.

David Bowie was famous for his androgynous lifestyle. He was very comfortable coming out as a bisexual, and his whole attraction was that he had this confusing lifestyle. He actually had an alter persona, Ziggy Stardust, that put on these flamboyant performances. This alter ego had such an influence on his life that he once said, "Offstage I'm a robot. Onstage, I achieve emotion. It's probably why i prefer dressing up as Ziggy to being David." Musically wise, however, Bowie played music like a typical rock and roll artist. His biggest influences were Little Richard and Elvis. Bowie is a great example of the whole glam rock genre; he played almost normal rock and roll music, but performed in ridiculous costumes that made him unique.

Glam rock mainly occurred during the early to mid 1970s, although most people think that it continued into the 1980s. Besides David Bowie, many other artists, such as Alice Cooper, Elton John, and Queen made it big in the glam rock scene. The movement carried over into the 1980s, influencing many artists, such as Motley Crue and Kiss. But it did not stop there. The glam rock era influenced many popular artists and musicians today, like Lady Gaga and Jeffree Star.



Here's a video of David Bowie performing one of his first big hits, "Starman":


Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glam_rock
http://www.allmusic.com/explore/style/glam-rock-d388
http://school.eb.com/eb/article-9110274?query=glam%20rock&ct=
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Bowie

John Amos has a Good Time with Roots

John Amos, who acted as the father in the popular 1970s TV Show "Good Times", furthered his career after being killed off in the show.
During the last season of the show, Alex Haley wrote a partly autobiographical book titled "Roots". Instantly, it became a huge success; it spent 46 weeks on the New York Times Bestselling List with half of those weeks being in the top spot. Many people around the world praised Haley for his work.

As a result of the immediate and quick success of the book, it was turned into a mini series for TV. It aired over 8 consecutive nights on ABC. The story is about Kunta Kinte, an African American, who is captured as a teenager and sold into slavery; it continues to tell the stories of all of Kinte's ancestors and it ultimately leads back to the author, Haley. Just after John was fired from "Good Times" because he was a "disruptive factor", he was cast as the older version of the main character, Kunta Kinte. He was satisfied with this role unlike the unfulfilling role he had on "Good Times" and eventually won an Emmy for his role.

Like any television show, there is always drama. Alex Haley was sued by another author of a similar book, Harold Courlander, because he believed that Haley copied parts of his book and used them in his story. Courlander's book was published 9 years before in 1967. Despite Haley's admittance to plagarizing parts of his book, many researchers believe that he successfully traced his ancestors back through slavery. The book and the television mini-series sparked interest around the world regarding genealogy and ancestry and caused many people around the world to be interesting in their background as well. Altogether, John Amos made the right decision to leave "Good Times", yo.

Sources:
http://www.rootsthebook.com/praise.html
http://www.tvparty.com/70good2.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roots:_The_Saga_of_an_American_Family
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0025309/bio

Pictures:
http://chexydecimal.blogspot.com/2010/02/lapd-and-da-eff-it-up-again.html
http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2007/06/roots_anniversary_edition_plag.html
http://929thelake.com/page/8/

Motown infused LMFAO, yo.

Berry Gordy, born November 28, 1929 in Detroit, was Berry and Bertha Gordy's seventh child. Gordy Jr. had always been interested in music. His song "Berry's Boogie" even won a talent show! In the eleventh grade however, Gordy dropped out of school to become a professional boxer. Although he fought on the same card as the great Joe Louis, he ended his boxing career in 1950. Gordy found himself in Korea serving in the army from 1951 to 1953. Finding his true calling, Gordy opened a 3-D Record Mart: House of Jazz, however it went bankrupt since he refused to stock the Blues music the people were craving. After the closing of the record store, he worked at an assembly line for Ford's Lincoln-Mercury plant. In 1957 however, his passion for music resurfaced and he became a professional songwriter. Decca Records bought many of his songs including "Reet Petite" and "Lonely Teardrops" but Gordy quickly realized he could make much more money by owning them. It was then that he decided to borrow 700 dollars from his friend William "Smokey" Robinson to form his own company, making and selling records. Beginning with a house on Detroit's West Grand Boulevard where Gordy slept on the second floor and made records onthe first, Motown Records quickly spread throughout nine buildings on the same street.

LMFAO, an American "electro hop duo" consisting of Redfoo and SkyBlu. Redfoo, also known as Stefan Kendal Gordy, and SkyBlue, also known as Skyler Gordy, formed LMFAO in 2006. They call their music style "Party Rock" and all of their albums are a spin off of this style; they even have a clothing line known as Party Rock Clothing! Both Redfoo and SkyBlu grew up in Los Angeles in the Pacific Palisades. The group's name originates from a conversation that SkyBlu was having with his grandmother in which he told her that they were going to name their group the "Sexy Dudes" and she responded with LMFAO, standing for "Laughing My F*cking Ass Off." These accomplished DJs, rappers and clothing designers released their first major album in 2008, featuring the hit song "I'm in Miami B*tch." Party Rock music generally consists of 128 beats per minute, is melody-rich and is full of sing-song rap.

How, you may ask, does Motown have anything to do with the modern LMFAO? If it has not

clicked as of now, Stefan Gordy and Skyler Gordy are the son and grandson of Berry Gordy Jr.,

founder of Motown records. Stefan Gordy especially, was exposed to the Motown style on a daily basis. In an interview with the Detroit Free Press, Stefan Gordy said that although he wasn't there while the Motown was truly developing, "hearing the stories live from [his dad], and then reading the book ["To Be Loved"], and then seeing the footage, [he has] a pretty good idea how [Motown] was...even though [he] wasn't there during that time." During the '80s, Stefan Gordy was exposed to Rick James, the Commodores, Teena Marie, Marvin Gaye, Jackson 5 and many more by working with his mother in the video department at Motown and with his father doing some DVD work. Motown made dance songs and the LMFAO duo feel like their music is highly interactive and that is how they are related. LMFAO use a "Berry Gordy formula" when writing songs - known for their upbeat music while also incorporating heavy subjects. LMFAO even derives their style from Motown based upon the suits of the Temps and the Tops and the sparkly dresses from the Supremes. The Gordys dress how the music makes them feel and they think that this has made all the difference.

All-in-all, Motown has had a huge impact on LMFAO although sometimes we don't take the time to make the connection. Now, everytime I listen to a song by LMFAO, I think about all the Motown aspects that have influenced their music writing.

Pictures:

• http://bestofmichaeljackson.jclondon.com/2010/05/03/photo-before-motown-berry-gordy-was-a-professional-boxer/
• http://freshnewtracks.com/2010/12/31/electro-lmfao-party-rock-anthem/
• http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-supremes-p5563

Information:

• http://www.freep.com/article/20110414/ENT04/104140349/0/NEWS01/Motown-rooted-LMFAO-ready-party-rock-Meadowbrook?odyssey=nav%7Chead
• http://www.starpulse.com/Music/Lmfao/Biography/
• http://www.notablebiographies.com/Gi-He/Gordy-Jr-Berry.html

THE FLINTSTONES :)

YABBA DABBAAA DOOOOOO!.

The 1960's was a big time for television because it was the main entertainment for the people. When I was younger I used to watch the Flintstones all the time, and had no idea they started in the 1960's. The show was known for the wacky prehistoric adventures of Fred Flintstone and his neighbor Barney Rubble in the town of Bedrock. The homes were made of stone and their garbage disposals were animals that sit under the sink and eat the garbage when its pushed into their mouths. Their cars were foot-powered and their aircrafts were live pterosaurs with seats strapped to their backs. The main characters were Fred Flintstone, Wilma and Pebbles Flintstone, Betty and Barney Rubble, Bamm Bamm , Dino, and Mr. Slate. The show lasted for six seasons with 166 episodes all together.

The show had a theme song that almost every body knew the lyrics to.

Flintstones. Meet the Flintstones.
They’re the modern stone age family.

From the town of Bedrock,
They’re a page right out of history.

Let’s ride with the family down the street.
Through the courtesy of Fred’s two feet.

When you’re with the Flintstones
you’ll have a yabba dabba doo time.
A dabb-a-doo time.
You’ll have a gay old time.

The Flintstone's effected the 1960's mainly because people were able to connect with the show. The gender roles in the show were exactly how the 1960's portrayed them. With Fred going off to work and Wilma staying home with the baby, and Fred cooking on the barbeque grill while Wilma took care of the child. Wilma even dressed properly of the time era with short hair, a clean cut white dress, and pearls on her neck, she fit the perfect 1960's women. The Flintstones also taught people values such as hard work, and showed how this work payed off in the end, and helped those who could relate to the characters realize that life is good.

LINKS:

http://otal.umd.edu/~vg/mssp96/ms14/project2/project2.html

The "Dreamgirls" are bigger than Detroit, yo.

It all started during a talent show at the Detroit Theatre in 1962 when a used car salesman, Curtis Taylor Jr. met Effie White, Deena Jones, and Lorell Robinson who called themselves the "Dreamettes". After they performed, he saw their potential and he was hooked. He appointed himself their manager and ultimately closed his Cadillac dealership down and turned it into his own record company, Rainbow Records. The Dreamettes found stardom after going on tour with Jimmy Early as backup singers. As their fame rose, Jimmy Early's faded and he ultimately struggled with alcohol and drugs to deal with his emotions.

Filled with scandal, heartbreak, and tons of music, this musical turned movie was a critically acclaimed hit. It's not completely fictional, however. Each character in the movie is loosely based off of real people who lived during the Motown Era. Curtis Taylor Jr, played by Jamie Foxx, is based upon the founder of Motown, Berry Gordy Jr. Deena Jones, played by Beyonce, is based off of Diana Ross. In the beginning of the movie, the group is called "the Dreamettes" and Deena is originally a backup singer. In the middle of the movie, she is promoted and takes Effie White's position as lead singer; they become known as " Deena Jones and the Dreams" This same thing happened with Diana Ross and the Supremes. Jimmy Early, played by Eddie Murphy, was inspired by many Motown singers of the time such as Marvin Gaye and James Brown. Throughout the entire movie, there are various other performances that allude to singers and groups of the 60s such as Tiny Joe Dixon who is inspired by B.B. King and the Campbell Connection based upon "The Jackson Five".






In addition, "the Dreamettes" songwriter C.C. white, alludes to Motown songwriter Smokey Robinson and it sparked some controversy. Late in 2007, Smokey Robinson saw "Dreamgirls" and was upset by the portrayal of Gordy Jr.; he expressed his negative opinion of the film in an interview with Access Hollywood and demanded that Paramount apologize to Gordy. Just weeks before the Oscars, Paramount and Dreamworks publicly apologized to Gordy and other Motown artists stating "Dreamgirls' is a work of fiction" and that it "is vital to the public to understand that the real Motown story has yet to be told."

In 2007, "Dream Girls", directed by Bill Condon, received 8 nominations at the Academy Awards which included Best Supporting Actor by Eddie Murphy, Best Supporting Actress by Jennifer Hudson, and three nominations for "Best Song". Jennifer Hudson won the oscar which was very uncommon because it was her debut performance in movie and she deserved it. Her performance, among others, in Dreamgirls was exceptional. If you haven't seen it, you really should.




Sources: http://www.dreamgirlsmovie.com/site_curtis.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreamgirls_(film)
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/17303554/ns/today-entertainment/

Pictures: http://www.amazon.com/Dreamgirls-Henry-Krieger/dp/B000J103YI
http://apps.detnews.com/apps/history/index.php?id=26
http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/slideshow/People-Diana-Ross-422.php
http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20311937_20343562_20577403,00.html
http://concreteloop.com/2006/10/rumor-diana-ross-to-sabotoge-beyonce

In One Door, Out the Other, yo.

Berry Gordy, founder of Motown records, created his record company with one goal: that a person could walk in from the streets and come out a star. This dream came from his experience working on an automobile assembly line in Detroit. He was amazed that cars started off as just a frame, but were created into something incredible. He wanted the exact same thing for his clients, which is why he gave them everything from dance to etiquette lessons. One main part of why he wanted his clients to act properly was to appeal to a white audience. All of this paid off. Berry Gordy knew that Motown hit it big when a song by one of his biggest stars, Smokey Robinson, sold over one million copies.

Smokey Robinson is a prime example of Gordy's dream. William Robinson, his real name, was a teenage boy fresh out of high school when he met Gordy. Robinson joined a group that Gordy wrote for, The Miracles. Smokey Robinson and The Miracles put Motown on the map. Robinson's musical talent was quickly discovered after he joined the Miracles. He was a brilliant song writer, and gave popular groups like the Beatles a run for their money. Robinson's career took off. He became such good friends with Berry Gordy that Gordy named Robinson vice-president of Motown Records. Smokey Robinson also became a talent scout for Motown Records. Out of the numerous acts that he found, Diana Ross and The Supremes were the most famous.



Diana Ross and the Supremes, formerly known as The Primettes, were another example of Gordy's dream. A local group from Detroit, The Primettes main goal was to get a record deal. Diana Ross, the front runner of the group, decided to contact her old neighbor, Smokey Robinson, to see if he would be able to help. Robinson got them an audition, but Gordy encouraged the girls to finish high school. After months of persistence, however, Gordy agreed to sign them on one condition: that they change the name of their group. The Primettes chose the name The Supremes. Their first few years at Motown were not so successful, but they hit it big in 1964 with their single "Where Did Our Love Go."



Berry Gordy created legends, along with a legendary sound, all with an 800 dollar deposit, and a dream.

Sources:http://www.notablebiographies.com/Gi-He/Gordy-Jr-Berry.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smokey_Robinson
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Supremes

Videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59AjRuRaC34&feature=fvst
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjy8HqrcYys

Ringo Starr Yo,

Ringo Starr was born July 7th 1940in liver pool England. He was english musician who ended up being a drummer for the band The Beatles. Ringo was the oldest Beatle of the group. Before his big break with the Beatles, Ring formed a group called the Eddie Clayton Skiffle Groupd in 1957. In 1959 he moved on to the Raving Texans led by Rory Storm. With all of these bands he became a great drummer. Ringo got his nick name because of the numerous rings he wore on his pink and ring finger, but his real named was Richard Starkey. The name Starr was chosen by part of his last name, and it just sounded catchy. Rory Storm changed his band name to the Hurricanes and they became a big deal in Liverpool and Germany. In 1962 Ringo met his fellow Beatles and decided to join the band .

Ringo had major health problems throughout his career starting with him having his tonsils out. once this was dealt with the Beatles were on their way to fame. He always sat in the back because of him playing t he drums, and this caused him to be considered the least important Beatle. He wasn't a strong vocalist and he wasn't one of the main writers but without him the band wouldn't have been what it ended up being.

Ringo has the motto of " peace and love" to the world and was kind and honest and just as important as any of the other Beatles.

Ringo was married twice once to Maureen Cox in February 1965. They then divorced in 1975 and sadly Maureen died of Leukemia. He then married Barabra Bach who he met on the set of Cavemen.

Ringo had multiple solo efforts with hits such as " photography, " back off boogaloo", " you're sixteen", and " it don't come easy".

Ringo Starr was a huge part of society and is loved by many, his efforts in the Beatles made them known as big as they are throughout the world,and without him this possibly never would have happened.

http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Ringo_Starr.html

http://www.nndb.com/people/071/000023002/