Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Mom's Birthday, Belated Telstar Anniversary

As is customary, I take a moment to wish mom a happy birthday on this date. This is mom's first birthday as a retiree, and she is currently gallivanting around Switzerland with my brother Sweetums and his family. Pretty sweet deal, eh? It sure beats being stuck in traffic on Route 66 and not the good one, commuting to the office.

Because I slacked off yesterday, I missed another birthday, the fiftieth anniversary of the launching of Telstar. I really wish I had known this yesterday, because I totally would have posted the retro-futuristic, earnestly nerdy Telstar by The Tornados:






Hat tip to the orange one, and not the bad one.

For some reason, I thought I'd posted a video for Telstar, which teh wiki sez was the first single by a British band to hit #1 on the U.S. record charts, before. Ya gotta dig the soaring, nerdy-yet-cool vibe of the song... it really captures that feeling of optimism and wonder that characterized much of the "Space Age". Unfortunately, composer/producer Joe Meek didn't have such a happy life... here's a 1991 BBC4 documentary about this eccentric, talented figure:


4 comments:

ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© said...

Slacker!

And a Happy B-Day to mom of B^4.
~

mikey said...

If you liked Telstar you're gonna LOVE Curiosity.

The Mars Science Laboratory will try this Rube Goldbergian approach to interplanetary visitation on August 5th...

Big Bad Bald Bastard said...

Slacker!

Hey now, I identify with the bald guy!


The Mars Science Laboratory will try this Rube Goldbergian approach to interplanetary visitation on August 5th...


It's a crazy idea, but it might just work!!!

M. Bouffant said...

And yesterday was Free Slurpee at 7-Eleven Day too! A shame your mother was in Yurp & missed it.