The Ladybirds: The world’s first and only all-girl topless band

 
The Ladybirds (also Ladybyrds) hailed from New Jersey in the mid-1960’s and were notorious for performing topless. Their nude shows got them into trouble in Jersey so they moved west and started gigging in Las Vegas and Hollywood’s infamous Blue Bunny Club. They got some international exposure (pun intended) when they appeared in the movie The Wild, Wild World Of Jayne Mansfield…

While they made their rep by being “the world’s first and only all-girl topless band”, they were actually decent (or indecent) musicians. They could play!

Image found at: Early Rock ‘n Psychobilly
Text found at: dangerousminds.net where music movies can be seen as well.

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British Radio In The 60s

Ronan O’Rahilly, who started Radio Caroline, Britain’s first off-shore pirat radio.

Before 1964 there was little British pop radio. The only alternative to the evening broadcasts of the independent Radio Luxembourg, with its firm commitment to pop, and the heavy backing from the record companies which leased air time, was the BBC’s Light Program. An old-fashioned counterpart to the more “serious” Third Programme (classical) and Home Service (non-musical), its content was epitomized by the perennial “Music While You Work”, which featured dance band arrangements of popular evergreens.Read all about it

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Alexis Corner

Number two to day on “From Liverpool to Wembley” is Alexis Corner, one of founding fathers’ of British rock. In early 1950′s Korner’s pioneering created a British audience eager to welcome Muddy Waters, Big Bill Broonzy, John Lee Hooker, Sonny Terry, and Brownie McGhee – until then almost totally ignored outside Black Ghettos in the States.

Read the whole article here

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Jethro Tull

Next out on “From Liverpool to Wembley” is Jethro Tull, here represented by Ian Anderson, the groups carismatic leader.

Read the whole article here

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The Coal Miner That Won 150.000 £

They won 150.000 £ in the football pools. Keith Nicholson was a coal miner and made 25 £ a week and his wife Vivian made 10 working in a factory. They had three children and lived in Yorkshire. It was September 27th 1961 and they hit the jackpot. – Vivian said, we gonna buy, buy, buy and buy they did.

They set up a few hundred pounds in fonds for their children before they hit the stores, estate agents, car dealers, fur shops, tailors, sport stores, the lot. Keith bought seven suits and at least as many cocktail dresses to his wife. They traveled abroad, USA, Spain and Ireland where Keith bought a racehorse.

Some called us irresponsible, but they don’t understand. There’s a lot you have to take when you win money. I didn’t dare go shopping after a while, they always showed me the most expensive they had in the shop. In her boredom she started to take drivers lessons like Keith. Keith passion for fast cars became his destiny. He and Vivian wanted a Rolls, but the settled for a Chevrolet, a Jaguar and an estate.

The "happy" couple. Clothes, clothes, clothes. Vivian shopped like crazy and the shops didn’t hesitate to show her the most expensive they had. The house held a luxury they may have dreamed about, but never thought they would own. The catastrophe hit hard, The news came on a Sunday, Keith was dead.

It was just too much for Vivian as they was handed the check. She broke down in tears. The day after they was given the check they went shopping. 300 £ was gone before the day was over. They bought a house and three cars even though none of them could drive. It was the Jaguar Keith chose when he was to take his uncle Frank Nicholson to the race tracks at Chatterick Saturday October 30th. Early the next morning the police found the Jaguar in a vegetable garden, it was a total wreck. Keith and his uncle was both dead when the car was found. I can’t imagine a future without Keith, Vivian told people after the accident. I’d gladly give back avery penny we won if I could only get him back.

From the Norwegian magazine "NÅ" – No 50 – december 11th 1965

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Operation Paradise – French Police VS Illegal Nudists In St Tropez

It is obvious to all that bathing and enjoying the sun in the nude is both indecent and immoral, even so it is good to know that some still do. It gives the rest of us a chance to display our shocks and to feel offended 
Ted 🙂
Read all about it

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Ted’s favourites 05 – Rover P5b 3.5 liter Coupé

 
Just as I think the series I Jaguar E-Type is the most beautiful sports coupé ever made I think the Rover P5b 3.5 litre coupé is the most beautiful four door coupe ever made.

The final iteration of the P5 appeared in September 1967. Now powered by the 3,528 cc (3.528 L; 215.3 cu in) Rover V8 engine also used in the 3500, the car was badged as the "3.5 Litre", and commonly known as the 3½ Litre. The final letter in the "P5B" model name came from Buick, the engine’s originator. Rover did not have the budget or time to develop such engines hence they chose to redevelop the lightweight aluminium concept Buick could not make successful. They made it considerably stronger which added some weight but still maintained the engine’s light and compact features. The Borg Warner Type-35 automatic transmission, power steering and front Lucas fog lights were now standard.

Output of 160 bhp / 119 kW was claimed along with improved torque. When compared to its predecessor, the aluminium engine enabled the car to offer improved performance and fuel economy resulting both from the greater power and the lesser weight of the power unit.

The exterior was mostly unchanged, apart from bold ‘3.5 Litre’ badging, a pair of fog lights which were added below the head lights, creating a striking 4 light array, and the fitting of chrome Rostyle wheels with black painted inserts. The P5B existed as both the 4-door coupé and saloon body style until end of production. 

One of the curiosities of the P5B is that the nearside trim of the front wing is a different length to that of the offside.

9,099 coupés and 11,501 saloons had been built when the P5 series ended in 1973.

Rover P5 at Wikipedia
Rover P5 at Google
Rover P5 at YouTube
Rover P5 at MotorBase
Rover P5 at AutomobileDeLux

From the Norwegian magazine "Illustrert" – No 46 – 1960

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Two more articles uploaded on The British Invation

To more articles have been added to the “The British invasion” series.

Pt5 – Early British pop
Pt6 – British TV In The 60s

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The British invasion

Right through the 60’s the music scene in Britain was so potent that British bands and solo artist seemed almost like an invasion when they toured other countries. the impact must have been hardest felt in the States as it was there the phrase in the heading was coined.

I put together a series of articles on the subject on Bwaanaman’s World a few years back and as that site is now gone to the eternal website hunting grounds in the sky I thought I might upload the here. And they look better than ever, YouTube videos have replaced the old images.

The British Invation – intro
Pt1 – The merseybeat
Pt2 – British Rythm & blues
Pt3 – British blues
Pt4 – British folkrock

Enjoy
TidiousTed

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