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Contributing Author Bill Bois examines a Music Row murder shaped by corruption, fear, and the quiet mechanisms that once powered an entire industry. His account traces the long arc from a single night’s violence to the slow, uneasy unraveling of a system that preferred its shadows intact.
In this week’s dispatch, Contributing Author and historian Bill Bois introduces us to a man who heard a weird noise on Radio Moscow and thought, quite reasonably, that his radio had finally given up. Instead, it turns out Paul Pena was just warming up for his eventual career as Tuva’s most improbable “Earthquake,” proving once again that the universe rewards curiosity—and occasionally, bathroom acoustics.
Richard Feynman, a Nobel-winning mind used curiosity, clarity, and a bit of showmanship to change history. In a piece that captures that rare mix of brilliance, mischief, and pure joyful curiosity, Contributing Author and Historian Bill Bois delivers a wonderfully bright portrait of the physicist who treated the universe like a favorite percussion instrument.
In a world that often mistakes volume for power, Estonia quietly proved otherwise: sometimes all you need is 100,000 people singing in tune and refusing to go home. In this remarkable piece by Contributing Author And Historian Bill Bois, we revisit the nights when a nation found its courage not behind barricades, but behind a melody.
Contributing Author and Historian Bill Bois revisits a forgotten victory, one fought not with torpedoes or tanks, but with chalk lines on the floorboards. It’s a story of intellect over instinct, and of a handful of women who used strategy, not strength, to turn the tide at sea.
Not traditionally handsome. Not polished. And at first glance, entirely unforgettable: But Joey Ramone proved that charm isn’t a face, it’s a presence. Contributing Author Bill Bois dives into classic duets from Punk’s dorkiest hero, who still had everyone swooning from the hey, ho get-go..
What recordings—musical or otherwise—should be preserved as part of the nation’s collective memory? In this sharp and entertaining roundup, Contributing Author Ozmoe makes the case for 30 recordings—from “As Time Goes By” to “Uptown Funk”—that prove culture, history, and rhythm are inseparable.
The Forgotten Multisensory Experience of Baroque Concerts
From rosewater to ambergris, music once came with its own fragrance, equal parts artistry and atmosphere.
Contributing Author and Music Historian Bill Bois traces the fascinating history of concerts that engaged more than just the ears.
He doesn’t just punch your ticket, he upgrades you to first class. Contributing Author and Historian
Bill Bois tells the history of the board game classicTicket to Ride in a fast-moving journey of wit, insight, and rail-bound suspense. Read it, and you’ll never look at El Paso → Dallas the same way again.
Music Helps Keep the Lights On
A wistful, sharply observed journey through the barely-beating heart of a roadside Vegas satellite where Latin Pop and “The Price Is Right Live” might be the future.
Contributing Author Alex Chrisman captures the crumbling charm and improbable resilience of Primm, a place where the bugs still flock, the dice still roll, and the music—just barely—plays on.
It’s The Hits Of July-ish 1925!
From the cutest story ever to come out of the Georgia legislature, to a sultry dance craze that rattled the moralists, this piece has it all: politics, pianos, and not a small amount of pelvic motion.
Contributing Author DJ Professor Dan masterfully unpacks the untamed energy of 1925 with humor, detail, and the quiet resignation of someone who’s read all 2,700 pages of Ben Bernie’s joke file.
The Surprising Origin of the Word “Cocktail”
Contributing Author Bill Bois uncorks a fizzy pour of facts and fables in this delightfully twisted tale of where the word “cocktail” might have come from.
Whether you sip slowly or shoot it back, you’re in for a ride; historical speculation has never gone down so smoothly.
The Life And Legacy Of Leo Fender
Contributing Author Bill Bois reveals the fascinating paradox of Leo Fender – a man who transformed popular music forever despite never learning to play the instruments he created. From a farm boy tinkering with radio parts to the genius behind the Telecaster and Stratocaster, this is the story of how pure innovation and relentless curiosity built the foundation of modern music.