Almost L.A.

The Monkees aired on September 12, 1966 and by the next summer America was in full Monkeemania. The show was a sitcom about 4 “insane” boys who wanted to be like The Beatles, but never became successful. Davy Jones, Mike Nesmith, Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork played in a fictitious band called The Monkees who got caught up in some zany 1960’s fun in each episode while randomly breaking out in song.  

Elizabeth Short briefly lived at Mark Hansen's bungalow behind his nightclub Florentine Gardens off and on in October and November of 1946. On January 21, 1947, 6 days after Elizabeth's mutilated body was discovered in the Leimert Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, her killer mailed her personal belongings to the Los Angeles Examiner. Among her items was an address book with Mark Hansen's name on the cover. Hansen quickly became one of Elizabeth Short's prime suspects. Unfortunately, The Black Dahlia case would not be his last scandal. 

JPL's founder and Aleister Crowley follower, Jack Parsons and Scientology's founder L. Ron Hubbard performed so many rituals at The Parsonage on Pasadena's Millionaire's Row that the house was said to be haunted by ghosts and screaming banshee's. Parsons and Hubbard's Balalon Working rituals in 1945 may have caused the UFO crash near Roswell, NM and ultimately the Apollo moon landing. This Halloween, on the 80th anniversary of JPL's first rocket launch attempts we discuss how Pasadena became the hub of sex magic, satan  and rockets. 

On a summer day in 1937, 3 young girls went missing from Centinela Park in Inglewood. After an extensive search with roughly 500 volunteers, the bodies of the girls were found 2 days later in a Baldwin Hills gully. Eventually, Albert Dyer was convicted and hanged for the crime. Some think his confession was coerced by police and Dr. J. Paul De River. A similar double murder in 1924, may make Dyer a serial killer. Or maybe the wrong men were hanged in both cases.  Warning: This episode has disturbing content. 

On December 27, 1924, the new Mulholland Drive opened to a multi town celebration with an estimated 32,000 people driving the scenic highway on the first day. Unfortunately, the winding road with hairpin turns called, The Snake, Deadman's curve, and The Sweeper left a graveyard of autos at the bottom of many of Mulholland's deep ravines. The remoteness of  Mulholland and its nearly unpopulated hills made it a prime dumping ground for murderers and serial killers as well. This week, we get into some sad stuff as we discuss Mulholland Drive's name sake and the curse he left behind on this long and twisty road high above the Hollywood Hills.    Warning: This episode includes content that some may find disturbing at 25:33.

Before 90210 was even a town, Beverly Farms (its original name) opened in 1912, catering to Hollywood stars like, Rudolph Valentino and Mary Pickford. Known today as the "Pink Palace", numerous power lunches have taken place at the Polo Lounge and many of Hollywood's most famous affairs within its 23 bungalows. 

In part 2, we discuss the epic Hotel California album and the band's 14 year vacation. 

Formed in Los Angeles in 1971, the Eagles settled on their band name when a majestic Eagle flew over the founding members during a peyote trip among the Joshua trees.  The band's country rock sound and superb harmonizing led to them having 2 of the best-selling albums in the United States. 

On Friday, January 3, 1992, Darren Stroh's Toyota Corona broke down a few hours north of Los Angeles. Good Samaritan David Scott Baker stopped to help and wound up dead. Police eventually caught up with Stroh in L.A., where he was chased by police and eventually killed. All the drama unfolded on live television. Oh, and we talk about that OJ Bronco chase. Remember that??  

Welcome to our first LA Short. This week we discuss LA’s iconic Googie architecture. LAX’s Theme Building, The Chemosphere House and Norms on La Cienega were all inspired by John Lautner’s 1949 Googie Cafe.  

In 1929, theatre mogul Alexander Pantages was accused of rape by 15 year old vaudeville dancer Eunice Pringle. When the Hollywood Pantages Theatre opened on June 4, 1930, Pantages was listening to the news coverage of the opening from his jail cell. This week we discuss the rise and demise of Alexander Pantages and The Hollywood Pantages Theatre, the last theatre he built for the vaudeville Pantages Theatre Circuit.  

L.A. has its own sordid mob history. From its humble beginnings as Italian street gangs called Black Hands to Mickey Cohen’s “Sunset Wars” with Jack Dragna, L.A.’s  Mafia grew to have immense power during the Prohibition Era. The Sunset Strip became the mobster’s playground with its black tie supper clubs, like Cafe  Trocadero and Ciro’s, which had plenty of bootlegging, illegal gambling and many mob hits thanks to the rise of hometown mobster Cohen and transplant Ben “Bugsy” Siegel. 

The 27 Club -- The most unfortunate club in the music business. This week we discuss the untimely and tragic deaths of musicians, who all died at age 27. Robert Johnson, Jesse Belvin, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, Mia Zapata, Amy Winehouse......

On February 25, 1942, American military units unleashed a barrage of anti-aircraft fire into the L.A. skies at multiple unidentifiable aircraft during the Battle of Los Angeles. Was it another Japanese threat, a weather balloon or a UFO? This week, we discuss LA's UFO history, Tom DeLonge, and experience the 7.1 earthquake in real time.   

50 years ago this month the Stonewall riots ignited LGBTQ movements across the country. This week we discuss Los Angeles's own violent past between the police and the LGBTQ community and the history behind the first Christopher Street West pride parade in 1970. Happy Pride Month!

For 6 nights in August of 1970, Elton John made his American debut at the legendary Troubadour club in Los Angeles. He became an overnight sensation and his career skyrocketed. For more than 60 years, the Troubadour has been THE "hang" for musicians, comedians and industry suits looking for that overnight  Hollywood success story like Elton John's. 

This week we cover the "The Most Dangerous Band in the World," one of L.A.’s most legendary rock bands. Canter’s, The Troubadour, Slash's top hat, Axl's snake dance and of course booze, drugs and riots!  

This week, we cover the first rock and roll Latin star, Ritchie Valens, and the plane crash that cut his life tragically short on The Day The Music Died. 

This week, we cover the history of Watts, a neighborhood in South Central L.A. and one of its most famous musicians, Charles Mingus. Mingus grew  up in the shadow of the  Watts  Towers and played at some of Central Avenue's most notorious Jazz clubs. We discuss how Watts went from a ranch community in the early 1900's, to a working class African-American neighborhood in the  40's and how this  community ended up rioting or revolting depending on which side of the trenches you were on in August of 1965. 

Richard and Karen Carpenter were the brother/sister music duo known simply as the Carpenters from 1969 until Karen's death in 1983 from cardiac arrest due to anorexia nervosa. The Carpenters were the epitome of American wholesomeness until the stress and pressure of perfect fame gave way to quaalude use and an eating disorder. We are joined again by Ellie this week as we also discuss body image in L.A., Aidan being broke and the fast food empire of Downey, CA. 

This week we are joined by Ellie, who is studying music production in L.A. We talk about how she is the only woman with about 20 men in the first year production classes. She tells us how she grew up in a small mid-west town and ended up at an L.A. music school after studying pre-med and math and how far she's come in just a few months. We also dive into the history of a few female pioneers of music production. Respect to the past! We wrap up with a shout out to some amazing websites that support female collaboration and community in the music industry. 

On the 25th anniversary of Kurt Cobain's death, we discuss his life and music. 

In Part 2 of our Topanga Canyon series we talk about Dennis Wilson's involvement in the Family, we play Manson's creepy song and go through a "are you in a cult?" checklist. 

In Part 1 of Topanga Canyon, we discuss the hippie enclave's history, the band's that thrived at the Topanga Corral like Canned Heat and one that didn't, Charles Manson's short lived band "Milky Way". Step into the Snake Pit if you dare!

Bust out your razor blade choker! Audra and Aidan cover the L.A. punk scene between 1977 and the early 80's. We discuss the documentary The Decline of Western Civilization and highlight the bands, Germs, X, Alice Bag Band, Catholic Discipline and the Go Go's (not in the doc, but punk girl power). We also talk about L.A.'s smog, The Masque, and Slash magazine. 

Put on your best sequin cape while we discuss Glitter Rock, groupies and the Rainbow platform. In this week's episode, we cover the ultimate male groupie, Rodney Bingenheimer, his English Disco and all the raunchy fun times of Glitter Rock. Glam Rock for you Brits!

Warning: This episode contains sensitive topics involving children that may be triggering.  This week we discuss the undeniable superstar Michael Jackson and the controversy that plaques his legacy.  Please use the links below if you or someone you know needs help with Child Abuse. http://www.missingkids.com http://www.rainn.org http://www.talkspace.com      

Part 2 of our Laurel Canyon 1960's folk scene episode. We discuss Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young's rock & roll escapades. All the drama, music and love!

Welcome to part 1 of our 2 part series on Laurel Canyon. In this episode, we cover the 1960's hippie village also known as Laurel Canyon and the rise of Los Angeles's singer songwriter era. The Doors, Joni Mitchell, David Crosby and more!

In this episode, Audra and Aidan take a break from music to honor the Academy Awards by recounting a brief history of Hollywood and Highland, the historic corner and current home of the Dolby Theatre. We discuss "The Mother of Hollywood", the original Hotel Hollywood and Babylonian sets.

On this week's episode, Audra and Aidan discuss River Phoenix's band, Aleka's Attic, and the history of the Viper Room.   

Hear all about Aidan's Grammy adventure. Party flannels, women swinging from palm trees and face tattoos. 

This week we discuss, Phil Spector, the Lana Clarkson murder at the Pyrenees Castle and more Dorothy Ricker. 

Audra and Aidan discuss the Zoot Suit Riots of 1943. Dorothy Ricker dating advice and downtown apartments.