Billy Joel’s Piano Man was inspired by playing at a bar in Los Angeles. Two classic piano bars from that era, Nye’s Polonaise Room in Minneapolis and The Red Fox Room in San Diego continue to thrive after more than fifty years in business.
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In the 1990s, Chicago indy label bands like DragKing would sell their discs on consignment at Ajax Records, Dr. Wax, Wax Trax, Tower, and Reckless Records. The last of these is the only one still in business.
Comic Books
The first comic books were just collections of the cartoons from the Sunday funny pages. The 1930s saw the origins of superheroes and then crime, horror and romance that contained explicit sex and violence until the Comics Code forced a move to mostly kiddie comics in the 1950s.
Just Rambling
The Chicago International Film Festival claims to be the longest running film festival
in North America. Three years before it began, The University of Chicago’s Documentary Film Group put on its own festival.
It’s Robin
Trixie Records was a Chicago based label that released eight records in the early nineties, including by DragKing and Sabalon Glitz.
Paul Mason Fotsch 