I have a new appreciation for the mid-60s ...
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Born Too Late
- Thread starter mikewalker
- Start date
It was an exciting time to be alive..If you could avoid the draft. 
I really don't think a lot of people understand what it was like having that hanging over your head as a teenager. Back then, if they picked you up in the draft, you WERE going to Vietnam.It was an exciting time to be alive..If you could avoid the draft.
True. We were worried about it a great deal. I was extremely relieved the draft ended not long before I turned 18.
You had to live through it to truly appreciate how that impacted life; wondering if you’re going to get a high or low lottery number, what the call up quota was going to be month-by-month, etc. I’m happy that younger people don’t have an understanding of it.
I’m old enough to remember Shindig. There was a lot of great music that came out of those times. Hugely influential on me and my desire to play music. I feel fortunate to have experienced it in real time.
I watched so much 80s TV, saw so many 80s movies, and listened to so much 80s music that I have 80s nostalgia. Even though I never lived a day in thay decade.
Durable media does strange things.
Durable media does strange things.
My brother was drafted in 1970. He ended up in South Korea as an MP. A couple of his classmates were not so lucky.
By the time I was up, the draft had just ended, but they still drew lottery numbers. I got lucky #4, but went off to college, where quite a few of the people I met were Vietnam vets on the GI Bill.
I had four brothers go to Vietnam, the last one drafted. I was lucky, a high draft number.My brother was drafted in 1970. He ended up in South Korea as an MP. A couple of his classmates were not so lucky.
By the time I was up, the draft had just ended, but they still drew lottery numbers. I got lucky #4, but went off to college, where quite a few of the people I met were Vietnam vets on the GI Bill.
I knew a guy who was a conscientious objector. The people running the draft didn't care. He was assigned to the Navy, so he thought he'd get to spend his time operating a boat and not fighting. Not to be. When his ship got to Vietnam, they gave him a rifle, kicked him off the boat, and sent him with the Marines to fight in the jungle.
By the time I knew him his resentment had faded mostly, but it still effected him.
So Anyway, I was 13 and watched it every week. Had a crush on the blonde with the big glasses.
I still remember the time the camera panned over to the house band, and I thought 'I'd like to do that'.
Took a while to get some bass gear, but it finally happened.
I still remember the time the camera panned over to the house band, and I thought 'I'd like to do that'.
Took a while to get some bass gear, but it finally happened.
My father was drafted into the Korean war. As he tells it, he was in Japan boarding a ship for Korea, when a jeep drove up and a sargent asked if anyone could type. My dad raised his hand, and was told to report to a base nearby for testing in two days. He ended up serving as a clerk in MacArthur’s Tokyo HQ.
Oh, and he couldn’t type. But he located a typewriter and taught himself to type before the test. Fast learner. (Not to mention motivated.)
+1
The draft was a biggie. I had a major leg injury at age 16 resulting in a steel plate in my shin, so I wasn't too worried - then ended up with a high draft number. I was in college so I had three things going for me.
The music was fantastic - we're still listening to it, and that's enough evidence to support that statement.
During my junior year I took a radio newswriting class and found that hunt-and-peck couldn't get the copy written fast enough. During spring break I took a few days off, and using an old typing book my mom had and practicing on an old portable typewriter, I learned how to type (everything but the numbers) in one week. Went back and finished the class easily.
The music was fantastic - we're still listening to it, and that's enough evidence to support that statement.
During my junior year I took a radio newswriting class and found that hunt-and-peck couldn't get the copy written fast enough. During spring break I took a few days off, and using an old typing book my mom had and practicing on an old portable typewriter, I learned how to type (everything but the numbers) in one week. Went back and finished the class easily.
No autotune, no backing tracks, no samples,...just talent.
This old TV special brings back some great memories from my childhood..... although today I look at the shots of the audience and don't see much diversity, which is something I never questioned back then — although I would often look closely at the screen and wonder why I saw no instrument cables or amps.
Midnight Special has a YouTube channel. All kinds of cool stuff from the seventies.
Shindig was in good company on TV when I was a kid.
We also had Hootenanny, Where The Action Is and The Steve Paul Scene, among others.
Along with Beatles cartoons on Saturday morning. "Luhk, Paul - guhrls! Ooo."
The Monkees came along with their own weekly show.
And in the summer of '68, there was a weekly musical talent show whose grand prize winner was a stunner.
After they were handed the grand prize, they were asked to play for the crowd.
What followed was elemental and unprecedented "family entertainment".
I was mesmerized. My parents couldn't take it and left the room.
"That's some groovy bread".
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUE6vVVbjvQ
The video may be blocked from being viewed on other sites.
If the link doesn't work, search YouTube for: "Sly & The Family Stone Live Showcase 1968".
We also had Hootenanny, Where The Action Is and The Steve Paul Scene, among others.
Along with Beatles cartoons on Saturday morning. "Luhk, Paul - guhrls! Ooo."
The Monkees came along with their own weekly show.
And in the summer of '68, there was a weekly musical talent show whose grand prize winner was a stunner.
After they were handed the grand prize, they were asked to play for the crowd.
What followed was elemental and unprecedented "family entertainment".
I was mesmerized. My parents couldn't take it and left the room.
"That's some groovy bread".
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUE6vVVbjvQ
The video may be blocked from being viewed on other sites.
If the link doesn't work, search YouTube for: "Sly & The Family Stone Live Showcase 1968".
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Shindig was fun so was Hullabaloo.
I remember the draft and my father telling me I needed to think about it because my time was coming up. The draft ended when I was 17. I eventually served, voluntarily. Thank you to all who served.
I remember the draft and my father telling me I needed to think about it because my time was coming up. The draft ended when I was 17. I eventually served, voluntarily. Thank you to all who served.
It was a great time to be a teenager, and if you played an instrument, a literal schoolroom of how to play it, and look cool. Of course, the really big thing at that time was the "British Invasion". But actually, there was also a huge movement of other music like, Soul Music and Motown. The greatest thing about Shindig was you got to see it all, mostly live.
Shindig was mandatory viewing in our house in Melbourne Australia way back then. Hullabaloo was too. The anticipation every weekend was a big deal. The black acts were always my favourites. There was nowhere else we could see them back then. My wife - who's from Sydney, told me it was exactly the same for her. There was also a half hour radio show from Casey Kasem that was never missed. They were great days indeed.
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