Needle Drop Nation

Hi everybody. Welcome to episode 13 of Needle Drop Nation. This episode, vinyl, voltage, and the vibe. We love it. Three V's. My name is Nick Wood. I'm of course joined by my good friend Jody Baras. Jody, I have to say that we're today we're talking about 1976. very very popular year for us in the UK because it was one of the hottest years on record. But u first off mention is that this Saturday coming is I believe your 250th anniversary of Independence Day.
That is correct. 250 years of the United States.
Yeah. Which by by my reckoning and my maths means that in 1976 you were celebrating the 200th anniversary. of
of an independence day. And obviously as a Brit, you know, it wasn't our finest time, but I like to think of it as it might have been like the pain of of child birth, nation birth. You have to go through some pain. So yeah, you won your independence quite rightly. And nice thing is when you think about it, you know, we've had all this history in there. Yeah. To fight to get your independence and yet we're the two closest est nations probably there are on the planet. Maybe Germany and Austria, but no certainly England, England and the US for sure with our special relationship. Like here quick question.
So in the UK we make a lot of play or the politics do of we have a special relationship with the US. Does the US feel the feel the same or is this just like a one-way street we tell ourselves?
No, I feel that US has a pretty strong relationship with the UK. I know that the UK does tend to play um an important role especially with recent events and with our administration on the nature of decisions that were made dealing with the war. So um you know looking up to you know the US in regards to how it upholds its relationships with the UK on several factors when it comes to the entertainment industry. Um you know for a great, you know, work that's been coming out um with um a lot of shows, uh films and of course throughout the years as you and I have discussed with music. Can't beat that, right?
No, it can't beat the musical bond between nations. We got 76 was a a cracking year for for music. But we'll just first of all just uh kick off a little bit if I can just kick off a little bit with with what was happening in the UK or do you want to kick off with what was happening in the US? Then I'll tell you what happened in the UK.
Oh, absolutely. So along with the fact that we were celebrating 200 years of, you know, the United States as a birthday, 200 years, um we also had the uh founding uh with Steve Jobs of Apple.
Wow.
Last week we talked about the founding founding of um Microsoft and now Yeah. You and I both
Yeah. iPhone.
iPhone. My first computer was an iMac. Um So yes, it Apple turns 50.
Wow. This year.
Yeah. You just don't expect it to be 50, do you?
Exactly. And then of course um one of the things that have been like a sign of hope in the mid70s is that Jimmy Carter
was elected in 1976 as our US president again. So we're seeing some a turn for the positive. People were seeing a lot of grim um and a lot of struggle. A lot of struggle under um you know our prior presidents and with involvement.
Yeah.
High inflation. But then of course you know that Jimmy Carter does have his uh work cut up for him and his administration and we'll talk about that in the future episodes as well. But Can we can I got to I I always liked him. I mean I didn't know him personally but I know he was a very great humanitarian.
Yes, absolutely.
But certainly as a 10year-old in 76 all I knew because it was all on the news was that ah Americans have got a peanut farmer president. I was like that was that was what what was his hook. Oh peanut farmer interesting
peanut farmer.
But but hey we can't go we we we're not ones to to complain or compare because uh as seems to be the fashion in these days um we had a prime minister that resigned back in 1976. Yeah, it's not always prime ministers resigning in 2026 or 2022 or whenever it was they all resigned. Um no, we had Harold Wilson who was very very popular um prime minister from the north. Nice uh nice northern man. Uh yeah, he the country at the time was going through a real battle um between super super socialism/communism. Um we were being influenced heavily by the Russians. No change there then in the last 50 years. Um and yeah, so he he had he had enough basically lost the lost the support of his party and they elected in a guy called Jim Callahan who was called Sunny Jim because he used to smile a lot. Um so yeah, so we had him for another another couple of years but of course we still had all these strikes going on. We had inflation running over 20%, when you think I think at one stage it was 26%. And when you think back, Jody, that was, you know, I just cannot imagine inflation running that high. It was a real the real bad thing. And we were the sick man. We really were the UK was a sick man of Europe. We weren't doing well at all because we were forever going on strike. One of the reasons for striking, of course, is we had the most enormously hot summer. In 76 the heat wave lasted months. I said it feels like it was months. Um but all these things they they bottle up and they brew up and unfortunately then that culminated in some riots. We had we had riots in in Brixton in Notting Hill. Um and it wasn't uh yeah it wasn't good. It wasn't good. But of course you know the when you look at the music and check out the playlist guys because it is an amazing playlist. We got some real contrasts. because we got some wonderful like abbera and like I don't know what I called a happy clappy type music. Um but also also in 76 we saw these sex pistols hit the charts uh with anarchy in the UK that was there was a bubbling up an undercurrent of of potential anarchy. It was yeah it was like the establishment the communism the anarchists um yeah it was Revolution was a brewing. Luckily, we avoided it, but it gave us some great uh some great music. So, it's we got it in the in the playlist. So, yeah, some aggressive touchy, you know, in your face punk rock, which is always good to see. I think I quite liked it.
And here in the US, we had the Ramones and um you know, in the circle of um punk rock, you know, they were you know, perceived as happy golucky, but also said screw what's going on within screw what's going on and and with you know Blitzcre pop you know that's on the playlist by the Ramones you know like hey ho let's go let's have some fun you know and I'll tell you punk rock was also an emerging scene here in the United States especially in major cities here in New York and literally in downtown at CBGBs you're going to see more artists um the punk rock scene as well Iggy Pop Patty Smith you know we'll be discussing that more as we come along in 1970 7.
Yeah, when we think about it, they kind of came, but they kind of burnt out quite quick as well. As you say, we we'll come to that in in later years. So, almost uh I'm not going to mention David Bowie. I'm actually going to mention Paul McCartney,
Paul McCartney, and Wings. They were they were hitting their heights in 76. Silly little love songs, I think.
Oh, yes. Great song. largely I can't remember them lots of I can't think of what the album was called now big album
I think it was their top their top album and because they were really um you know going through um a struggle in the beginning in their history and then um around this time 767 they actually um Paul McCartney Wings performed at Madison Square Garden and lo and behold uh former uh co um excoal um Ringo Star went to go visit him which was really amazing.
Yeah, but I must say um you know that's Silly Love Songs is actually one of my favorite uh songs from um that album and uh yeah definitely something to um celebrate as far as the music that was kind of make you feel happy and have a sign of hope that we had in a way with um you know a change and I think we're going to see a change starting from it started from 75, but if you're going into 76 um even in the world of songwriting um on vinyl and in the airwaves we had um the Evils Hotel California.
Oh, classic.
Um we had ELO, their album, you know, with Evil Woman and Living Thing. And uh we also had Chicago, you know, um you're talking about um song and that were actually, you know, in in our lifetime as kids literally, you know, you would hear on the radio daily and our parents would love to listen to that, you know.
Exactly. I have to I have to say, I mean, you know, we are now entering the the realm of Yes, we actually remember the songs the first time they came out.
Exactly.
Yeah. Certainly Hotel California. Had no idea what the hell that was about, but
Oh, yeah.
tune. And then one of my other favorite tunes of this of this year. Play that funky music, my boy. It was
absolutely it is a brilliant baseline to it. And
yes,
there just there's just something about it. You don't get more funky than that tune to be honest. It is absolute
absolute classic. And uh I love it. I played I remember playing it a couple years ago with my niece Grace when we were when she was giving me her online bass playing lessons. Um yeah, we play that together. That was just It is just such a cool song.
Oh, yeah. And it's something that, you know, even as a little kid, I used to like dancing to when I would turn it on on the radio. And, you know, again, we're talking about music that really lifted up your spirits. And some of the things that I remember from 1976 was tunes from Stevie Wonder's album, Songs from the Key of Life, which was an incredible album. Um, I think I've been blessed as a child being raised around that time. Great songs that came out of there was As and then I Wish, you know, and uh you know, Riven in the Sky. I mean, talking about one of the most beautiful songs ever written and which won a lot of awards. Um and we're talking about Stevie Wonder coming from a period where um beforehand, you know, he had um some concerns about his health um and uh you know after a while and then when it came I mean he had several albums prior to that that uh won Grammy um you know we talked about that and now this album comes about and I think it's about being mindful and celebrating and you know sharing emotions and really rejoicing and I think this is and and being very contemplative every I knew that all my classmates majority of the parents had that album in their living room in their collection. My babysitter had it too. So, you know, and also like my my dance teacher, after school dance teacher when I took a class literally had us perform uh to, you know, Suk. I mean, it's like songs of a cute life 1976. That was, you know, an album that reminded me of that year. And then also there was Rupus and Chakan uh with the best song. Love to listen to it on amazing
Saturday. Sweet Thing. Yes. And I've heard several renditions, but nothing beats the original with um
You can't beat that.
Yep.
That's that's brilliant. And we we talked about the the beginnings of ABBA last time.
Dancing Queen. One of their massive bits came out. Yeah. Dancing Queen. And of course, we can't not mention him, but one of my favorite Bowie songs, Golden Years. Golden Years,
Golden
But started to become even just when you thought he couldn't get any cooler than he was. He comes and uh brings out that his time in Berlin.
Well, I'm going to tell you something. Even though he did that in Berlin, he performed live on national television in Soul Train, that track.
Oh.
Just wanted to share that with you.
Oh, that's Oh, nice. I have to go. I might have to go and look that up. It will be on YouTube. All these things are
It is actually on YouTube, by the way.
Is it on YouTube? I'm gonna go I'm going to go track it down. Yeah. Absolutely brilliant songs. We got the BGs on the playlist as well. There some papers. And
And again, in the 70s, you know, it's the BGs were disco. That was that was it. We were never playing. It was like, man, get your light jacket, your light trousers, get your disco gear on, and uh and get on down the disco. Um, what else was happening in in 76, Jody? What can we talk about? Ah,
what was at the movies? When you told me this earlier,
I was stunned that it was 1976. It's insane because I was only 10 and yet I feel I've seen this movie so many times, but obviously not at the cinema. And that was Sylvester Sloan and Rocky. I mean, Hey, what a phenomenally good movie it was. But as you say, he had to he directed it, he wrote it, he did the screenplay,
everything because he couldn't get people to to make it for him, so he made it himself and starred in it
just cuz you can. And uh and yeah, what a fantastic story. Fantastic story of the underdog gets given a chance, you know, almost blows his chance. Uh but then as all Hey If you've seen Von Rocky film, you've seen them all. You know
that's true.
You know he comes back. He comes back strong. But
and this was I think the piece of genius about it. He doesn't win. And that as an ending is like wow, you know, yeah, he took him all the way, but he he doesn't actually win. Of course, he's perfectly open for a sequel or a few sequels. Um but yeah, that was when I remember when I first saw it, I didn't I was like Damn, he didn't win cuz you're you're cheering you're cheering him on and he's running through Philadelphia.
The kids were chasing him and
what a good feel. Good film. It was Yeah. Brilliant. Love it. Love all these films.
No, it's great because it is one thing I must say about Rocky is that you know as a child watching that film for the first time, it really is provides a it's a storytelling of somebody's starting and how he got to a place of really, you know, building his confidence, his gusto to get onto the ring. And that final um that fight, you know, it was like everybody was hoping that he would win, you know, it was incredible. But um it also gives a lesson to, I guess, for children or adults about like how life moves on. how life continues, you know,
even after a defeat, a crushing defeat that we see at the end of the film. Um, but I definitely, you know, it's one of those films that are legendary. Definitely legendary.
It is. I seem to seem to recall, didn't he have a detached retina or something? Is that
that got that got brushed over in all the other films? It's like, you can't do it. You're going to go blind. Nah, don't worry. I'll It's a franchise. I'll just do it for God knows how many more years
or you thought he was going to die for heaven's sakes. There were such brutal shots of him getting knocked out and everything. You thought he was going to die. Not only did you think he was going to, you know, like he was just he lost of course, but with all the injuries and that you thought he was going to die, you know.
Yeah.
Hey, that's Hollywood for you.
Great screenplay, great cinematog. graphy.
Yeah, definitely.
He must have won an Oscar or two, I think, on that one. Yes. Might have to check that out. Um, but also, but yeah, as you say, and teaches kids that, hey, even though you might put all that effort in, doesn't guarantee you success, but there working hard, if working hard was all you needed, then we'd all be millionaires. Let's be honest. So, we know we got tough stuff in life we have to deal with,
but it's a bit deep for for our podcast. But what it also does, it leads us on to there's also things going on in in in the world of TV where there were some very very powerful role models for women in 76.
When we look through that list, Jodie, there's a lot of very powerful women in there.
I think in 1976, we've seen a surge of shows that were the male I mean, the fe the the main character was a woman. I mean, we're going to talk about, you know, starting off with comedy. You've got Leverne and Shirley, you've got Roa, and you've got Phyllis, who were the friends of Mary Tyler Moore in the Mary Tyler Moore Show. All right. Then you also got um talking about an incredible shortlived show, The Bionic Woman with Lindsay Wagner.
Yeah. So,
I think there was only two seasons. was good.
It was They're still memorable, the episodes. And then
also what's going on was um you still Yeah. Charlie's Angels, right?
One Day at a Time. Yes. So again, we're seeing a surge of um you know, women as the main central character in these shows. And
there were I mean certainly in the UK, as I said to you earlier, yes, I remember Rhonda absolutely living in her New York apartment. Uh cuz I used to watch that with my great aunt. Her great aunt came to live with us in 1976 and so that was she used to watch that so I used to watch that with her. Um and then of course yeah Charlie's Angels. We had that in the UK. Absolutely massive. Um yeah who was your favorite angel? I mean tough pick I have to say.
And everyone would always go for Farah Forcet. But actually I like Jackie Smith. I thought she was
Oh she was gorgeous. Jacqueline Smith was the beautiful one and uh Farrah Faucet was the wholesome vivacious
one and then
she was only there for two seasons but everybody remembers Farah Faucet over Chery lad up to this day and was Charlie's Angels for quite a long time but again it goes back to you know the topic of female centered characters in in in in television shows so I salute to the mid70s for that.
Exactly. And of course, I know we've not didn't have it in our little show notes today, but I'm sure uh 76 would was the share show going on there. Must have been I guess it must have been.
And again, back in the UK, I had no idea just how big as a star Sher was, you know, when I when I was growing up, you know, I'd heard of I Got You, Babe, and you know, then I'd seen her in Moon Struck and as an actress, not realizing just, you know, what an amazing ing singer she was how how popular she was in the UK in the US with her huge
can I tell you Sher is so big especially for me as a child because um uh my first favorite show remembering my earliest days of watching television prime time television um as a baby to be quite honest um was the Sunny and Shar show and yes and I loved I was always fascinated by what Sher was for the costumes, the gowns, and you know, she was she had a little um rebellious streak about her that I love that was really interesting. One thing for sure is that there was a paternal thing about her because every time at the end of the Sunny and Shear show, they would bring her daughter then known as Chastity now known as he's known as Chase. So, um you know, and that and that was something that was really uplifting and especially you're talking about like a 2-year-old child like me in the early 70s watching this and then you know of course you follow her story she and Sunny divorce and then you know she has her show the share show and you know she also gets involved in Mary's um Greg Almond from the Almond Brothers and uh of course one of my favorite episodes from the share show was when uh David Bowie was a guest on the show and he actually sang Fame and that was the very first time I actually saw Bowie.
Wow.
Was on television.
That's another one I'm going have to go find on YouTube.
The song was fame. The song was fame. Yeah.
I I I saw I I Reggie popped up on my feed her and the Jackson five which is which was just great. What amazing music we have lived through.
Yes, it really is. And 76. What an incredible year. Now what 77 next episode we're going to be talking about there's going to be more punk rock. There's going to be a lot of stuff. There's going to be some mods. The mod father
and we we'll tell you about how Paul McCartney's uh wings and their mullin tire held back the tide of punk rock. I think he actually I think I'm right saying I'll have to check the next But I think he kept God Save the Queen off number one in 1977.
That's a very interesting point. And also, we're going to talk about the pinnacle point, the rise in the 70s of the band with their one of the best albums ever made, complete with Mac.
That's amazing. Love it. Jody, I'll leave the last words for you. Times fly time flies when we chat about music. Oh yes. And I just uh wanted to take a moment to thank everybody who have been following us, listening to our shows and you know and actually um wanted to say let's continue to build this dialogue in regards to what you want to hear on the episodes to come. Next episode will be featuring 1977. Um and also comment, you know, subscribe, tell your friends. Um take a moment to listen to this episode and just, you know, breathe because it is a celebratory um this podcast is meant to be a love letter to us Gen Xers, you know. Yeah.
In a celebration of music. So, yes, I just wanted to thank you all and uh definitely look forward to seeing you all um you know, on the next episode.
Yeah. So, do get your requests in, guys. And as always, Jody, you're the best. You're the best.