Shot

On July 13th, 1977,  lightning struck an electricity transmission line in New York City, causing the line's automatic circuit breaker to kick in. The electricity from the affected line was diverted to another line. This was fairly normal and everything was fine—until a second bolt of lightening struck.
Electric lines started shutting themselves off. As more and more lines were shut off, the system started to shut itself down. Eventually, the largest power generator in the area, known as Big Allis, turned itself off.
And then all of New York City went dark.
On that evening, DJ Grandmaster Caz, a Bronx native, was spinning records in a park. Caz recalls the evening: "The record just started slowing down, you know what I mean? So, quite naturally, we thought, it was us. We thought we had drained too much power and we shorted out the electricity. So we're frantic, we're looking around, we're checking buttons, were checking switches, we're seeing what's up."
"It was chaos that night," says Grandmaster Caz. "And it was exciting afterwards. But while it was going on, it was scary."
But Caz also believes that the the 1977 blackout may have accelerated the burgeoning Hip Hop movement. His theory: the looting that occurred during the blackout enabled people who couldn't afford turntables and mixers to become DJs

99% Invisible-136- Lights Out

Sleep Rules Everything Around Me

Get it on iTunes: http://smarturl.it/quinine / Amazon: http://amzn.to/2ay5m0W / Spotify: http://spoti.fi/2b7c8KQ

Dessa just released a brand new single called "Quinine"!!! The track was produced by Paper Tiger with co-production by Lazerbeak and additional production from Dessa herself (shout out to that sweet marimba). A true family affair and ultimate collabo heat knocker in every sense. This is the first new bit of recorded music that Dessa has released since 2013's Parts of Speech album and hints at way more to come.

Written and performed by Dessa
Produced by Paper Tiger
Co-produced by Lazerbeak
Additional production by Dessa

Mixed by Joe Mabbott at the Hideaway
Mastered by Bruce Templeton at Microphonic

Photo by Bill Phelps

Quinine

Quinine - Single

Buy on iTunes

Dessa "Quinine"

A collection of every #1 song on Billboard's Hot Modern Rock Tracks (now known as "Alternative Songs"), from Siouxsie and the Banshees' "Peek-a-Boo" to Of Monster's and Men's "Little Talks" -- which became the 300th #1 on the chart in July 2012.

5 Seconds of Every #1 on Billboard's Hot Modern Rock Tracks (1988-2012)

E-flat major: Master of the Universe

A tiny radio show about design, architecture &amp; the 99% invisible activity that shapes our world.

http://99percentinvisible.org/

New episodes every Wednesday.

On the radio on 91.7 KALW in San Francisco. Fridays at 7:35am and 4:30pm, Saturdays at 8:35am.  And public radio stations across the country.

Created by Roman Mars.


99% Invisible-136- Lights Out

Roman Mars

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