Kicking off the week with instrumental legends The Shadows, who were the mainstays and pillars of Rock in the UK from the early 1960's on. Strangely, they were huge in Europe and Japan, but not very well known here in the U.S. Not really a lot of good reasons as to why, but the suspicion is, The Shadows came along at a time when Surf was just getting going in the U.S. and bands like The Ventures, The Challengers, The Tornadoes, The Marketts, Dick Dale and The Deltones and a flood of others dominated the airwaves and left little room for imports, no matter how good they were.

So a lot of good and memorable material went mostly unnoticed over here, and only lately has it been re-examined and re-discovered by collectors.

Tonight it's their 1964 single, which was a hit in the UK and issued here in the U.S. on Atlantic without much success, The Rise And Fall Of Flingel Bunt.

Here's what you might have missed the first time around, unless you weren't around, and then it's something you might not be familiar with.

(FDR - taking the right-wing brickbats in stride)

From April 28, 1935, his seventh Fireside Chat since taking office in 1933. FDR took the opportunity to lay out his plans for Social Security and Unemployment Insurance. The Social Security plan hadn't been voted on yet and was about to be introduced, along with a flood of relief and New Deal legislation. In 1935 these were new ideas that hadn't flown before.

FDR: “The program for Social Security that is pending before Congress is a necessary part of the future unemployment policy of the government. While our present and projected expenditures for work relief are fully within the reasonable limits of our national credit resources, it is obvious that we cannot continue to create governmental deficits for that purpose, year after year after year. We must begin now to make provision for the future. And that is why our Social Security Program is an important part of the complete picture. It proposes by means of old age pensions to help those who have reached the age of retirement to give up their jobs, and thus give to the younger generation greater opportunities for work. And to give to all, old and young alike, a feeling of security as they look towards old age. The Unemployment Insurance part of the legislation will not only help to guard the individual in future periods of layoff, against dependence upon relief, but it will by sustaining the purchasing power of the nation, cushion the shock of economic distress.”

Then, as now, any sort of social legislation that involving the common good was viewed with skepticism by the right-wing. This one was no different. Charges of Socialism popped up in the media, not to mention to aborted takeover attempt of the government by business and Wall Street interests in 1934.

FDR had his hands full. But he was able to weather the storm and the pundits and create many Programs that are in place today (although, it should be pointed out that a number of programs, including Social Security have withstood attempts at gutting during the Reagan years). Not listening or caving in to special interests or the hysterics proved to be the wise choice in the long run. The interests of the American people were what concerned him.

Something we could use a bit more of, especially today with the Health Care battle raging.

May 14, 1978 saw the world in a state of threatened discontent. There were grumblings of a war developing between Ethiopia and Somalia. Border clashes between China and Russia brought a call from Beijing for intense training of its armed forces, citing a war between the two Communist powers was inevitable. Three Cambodian soldiers were killed in a clash with Thai Border police. And Yassar Arafat let everyone know Cuba offered to send troops to Lebanon if the PLO asked.

Meanwhile, a group of military experts was slated to accompany National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski on his upcoming trip to China. It was viewed as a slap in the face to Taiwan and further evidence the Taipei government was losing favor with the White House.

Speaking of Capitol Hill; the big push was on to win over votes in the Senate for Jimmy Carter's F-15 Fighter jet sales package to Israel, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The bill was in threat of being vetoed and Carter pledged to override the veto if push came to shove.

A Russian language newspaper published in Manhattan was bombed by a Pro-Israeli group calling themselves The Jewish Resistance. No injuries, but a lot of damage, and phone calls claiming credit also demanded Russian Jews be allowed to emigrate to Israel.

In Zimbabwe Rhodesia. Abel Muzorewa threatened to pull out of the bi-racial transitional government of Ian Smith over the recent dismissal of a Black judge.

And American companies operating in Iran were told to restrict the movements of their employees because of intensified anti-government violence against the Shah.

Supposedly a quiet news day, since May 14th in 1978 was a Sunday.

All that, as reported by Neil Strawser on the 7:00 am (PDT) CBS Hourly News.

Taking it down several notches and heading into Electronic territory with Carbon Based Lifeforms, an Electronic duo from Sweden consisting of Johannes Hedberg and Danel Segerstad.

Tonight it's a track off their fourth album, Twentythree, which came out in 2011. The album, and their others are available, as well as a lot of other Electronic/experimenta/Ambientl gems via Ultimae Records, and it would be a great idea to check out their website to see what else they have.

Somewhere In Russia is an ethereal and rich soundscape that lends itself very nicely to zoning out and meditating.

So, for the next 8 or so minutes . . . . .

(Yella Pessl - Bach would owe her a debt of gratitude if he could)

The first of what I hope will be a weekly series of historic commercial recordings, mostly all classical and all from the vault.

I'm starting off the series with the sadly neglected harpsichordist Yella Pessl performing Bach in a recording made around 1938.

Most people these days take the whole period instrument-baroque period music genre for granted. But in the early part of the 20th century, Bach and his contemporaries were pretty much forgotten about in the larger world of music. Some stabs had been made in Europe with people like Wanda Landowska and Nadia Boulanger. And certain very small labels were issuing, in some cases first recordings of pieces we've come to know very well. But for the most part, Bach was relegated to partial obscurity (I know - hard to imagine, but true) and academic dissection.

Pessl was Viennese by birth and emigrated to the United States (real name Gabriella Pessl). She became part of small group of musicians dedicated to the work of early composers and did a lot, via concerts and radio broadcasts, to promote the cause of Bach, Vivaldi, Couperin, Scarlatti and countless others.

Sadly, she didn't record very much commercially - a few 78 sets for Victor (of which this is one), Columbia and some smaller labels and a handful of lp's in the early 1950's.

She's largely forgotten today, save for the academic world which she spent the majority of her life working in. There were the reported rumors she suffered from bi-polar disorder which hampered her performing career and led her in and out of several mental institutions during her life.

But what little she did record has been sought after by collectors over the years and this is one example of why she became known as The First Lady of The Keyboard.

Here is Bach's English Suite Number 6 from Victor set M-443 recorded in 1938.

(Birdland on 52nd Street - A hotbed of Jazz activity in the 1950s)

A live set from July 3, 1952 featuring Arnett Cobb and his Orchestra and The George Shearing Quintet at Birdland on 52nd Street in New York.

NBC radio, throughout the 1940s and 50s did weekly live sets from Birdland, as did all the other networks from various clubs and ballrooms around the country. Live music on the radio was a nightly embarrassment of riches with bands, small groups, singers - just about everybody with a union card, getting their 15 to 90 minute musical messages across to millions of interested listeners.

And this was one of those nights.

If you missed Coachella this year, I think it's safe to say it kicked off what will be a very interesting and exciting Summer Festival season. And this weekend's post will be starting up with concerts going on, hopefully until the end of Summer.

First up is Arctic Monkeys from the first weekend (April 13th) and one of their typically high-voltage sets.

Here's what you'll be hearing:

1. Brianstorm
2.This House Is a Circus
3.Still Take You Home
4. Don't Sit Down 'Cause I've Moved Your Chair
5.The View From the Afternoon
6.I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor
7.Pretty Visitors
8.Evil Twin
9.Brick by Brick
10.Teddy Picker
11.Crying Lightning
12.Fluorescent Adolescent
13.R U Mine?

Turn it up, kick back and relax. Try and hit a festival this year if you can, there's a lot of them. Nothing beats live music anywhere, anyhow. But since you can't be everywhere, we'll fill you in on what you're missing.

Fair 'nuff?

In case you missed the fundraiser earlier and still want to contribute to keep the archive and Newstalgia up and running. Anything is appreciated and its gratefully received.

In May 1970, with our invasion of Cambodia, the protests and deaths at Kent and Jackson State, opposition to our involvement in Southeast Asia hit an all-time high, and calls for ending our seemingly endless and pointless military engagement in Vietnam grew very loud.

On May 12, NBC aired a broadcast of a discussion with five Senators who were in support of Amendment Number 609, of The Amendment To End The War.

The Senators taking part in the discussion were: Sen. George McGovern (D- S. Dakota), Sen. Harold Hughes (D-Iowa), Sen. Mark Hatfield (R-Oregon), Sen. Frank Church (D-Idaho) and Sen. Charles Goodell (R-N.Y.).

Interesting that it took this long to get to the point where an Amendment was introduced. Even more interesting that it was so popular on both sides of the isle.

Yes, those things did happen in the old days . . . .

Here is the complete broadcast as it happened on May 12, 1970.

Even though the fundraiser is over and the emergency has been met, your support is always needed. So if you haven't yet and feel inclined, I cannot thank you enough to help keep the Archive and Newstalgia up and running.

Ending up the week in some familiar territory. Sly & The Family Stone were huge right out of the starting gate in the mid-1960's. With a roll of hits that didn't let up until the 80's, they've gone down as one of the premier Funk outfits that paved the way for a lot of other bands to follow suit since.

Tonight it's the B-side of their 1969/1970 hit Thank You (Fallettinme Be Mice Elf Again), Everybody Is A Star, which also became a hit on its own.

I thought I'd take it down a few notches for the weekend this time.

It's a little hard to imagine this radio address is actually from 1948. The problems Progressive Party Presidential Candidate Henry Wallace discusses during this campaign talk are somewhat eerie in their similarities to our current situation.

Political corruption, the over-bearing influence of Wall Street and the Banking system over elected officials. The manufactured prices, the hysteria and the fear mongering - it's all there. Only it's 1948.

Henry Wallace was an ardent New Dealer and Secretary of Agriculture before becoming vice-President during FDR's third term. After FDR's death, Wallace broke with the party and clashed with Truman over domestic and foreign matters. Wallace was repeatedly smeared by both Democrats and Republicans as being pro-Communist, and the fact that he enjoyed a cordial relationship with Moscow probably didn't help matters any.

But he did speak about things that have come back to haunt us now.

So here, in its entirety, is Henry Wallace's Campaign address from July 29, 1948.

And keep reminding yourself of that as you're listening.