For the Record: The 70s

"Baby, if you ever wondered, wondered whatever became of me, I'm living on the air in Cincinnati, Cincinnati WKRP." In this episode, WKRP in Cincinnati proves that a sitcom can be more than laughs—it can capture a cultural moment. Through sharp writing and memorable characters, the show explores the intersection of music, politics, and culture through the power of radio. In this case, it was a fictional radio station on a sitcom that aired from 1978 to 1982. However, even though it was fictional, it felt real to its fans and even to record labels, who appreciated its authenticity and its cultural reach.    

Television. The Ramones. Patti Smith. The Talking Heads. Blondie. These bands and more used the iconic club, CBGB, as their proving ground, giving rise to punk and new wave rock. The environment might have been dicey, but hey, what's a few weird smells and maybe a rat or two when you have the chance to listen to some of the most unique live music the 70s had to offer!

Americans watched a lot of television in the 70s and talk shows were among the most popular shows to watch. Talk shows were the true intersection of music, politics, and culture. This episode will examine some of the most popular talk shows of the 70s including "Dinah!" "The Mike Douglas Show," and, of course, "The Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson. Its hard to discuss 70s politics without Richard Nixon entering the fray, which he does in his attempts to deport Mike Douglas's co-host, John Lennon, and by using the power of the presidency to threaten "Soul!" and other public affairs programming on PBS.

The heartland is an American region, but heartland rock is not regional. In fact, it can be argued that it is more of a culture than a sub-genre of rock. This episode discusses the origins of heartland rock and the themes that attracted fans to it, which are far more universal than record companies and music executives of the 70s and 80s would have liked to admit. Artists such as Bob Seger, Bruce Springsteen, and John Mellencamp created music that touched on feelings and issues that many people could relate to, whether they lived in the American heartland or not.