The Retrospectors

04/02/2024

On this day: Exclusively for 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴supporters on Apple Podcasts and Patreon - Arion, Rebecca and Olly celebrate a significant day in gaming history: the debut of ‘The Sims’ on February 4th, 2000.

Will Wright (‘Sim City’) developed an initial concept which revolved around architecture - but soon the Sims themselves proved to be the most captivating aspect of the gameplay. Unlike other avatars, The Sims lived full lives with jobs, hobbies, relationships, and even their own language, Simlish.

Despite initial scepticism from publisher EA (due to the game’s perceived mundanity and lack of interest to boys) The Sims sold 8 million copies, and millions more in Extension Packs; and, beyond its success, was praised for its humour, soundtrack, and commitment to self-expression.

In this episode, The Retrospectors reveal how same-sex relationships have always been part of the Sims appeal; explain how the game’s sequels pulled off the ultimate in-game meta twist; and uncover how its predecessor Sim City evolved from conventional game design…

02/02/2024

On this day: Long before Bill Murray turned up, Gobbler's K**b, Punxsutawney hosted its first ever Groundhog Day on 2nd February, 1887 - as a day for huntsmen to eat the local rodent.

Over time, the delightful, yet absurd, theory emerged that a groundhog sighting its shadow could predict six more weeks of winter, or herald an early spring. The concept traces its origins to ancient superstitions around Candlemas Day, brought to Pennsylvania by German settlers. But sadly the stats don’t back up the belief!

In the latest episode of The Retrospectors, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how a cheeky newspaper editor first introduced this fun fake news into print; consider the role that booze has always played in this quaint merriment; and reveal just what Punxsutawney Phil gets up to for the rest of the year…

01/02/2024

Today in history: In 1846 Theophile Gautier’s account of ‘green jam’ cannabis consumption at the drug-addled dinner parties of the ‘Club des Hachichins’ - alongside literary figures Alexandre Dumas, Victor Hugo and Honoré de Balzac - was first published in R***e des Deux Mondes.

The Club, founded by psychiatrist Dr Jacques Joseph Moreau to establish the psychedelic effects of eating copious amounts of ma*****na, met in Arab fancy dress; its members mashing their drugs up with with cinnamon cloves, nutmeg, pistachio, sugar, orange juice - and an aphrodisiac derived from Spanish Fly.

In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how Napoleon inadvertently triggered the French trend for w**d that endures to this day; consider the influence of Thomas de Quincey’s ‘Confessions of an English O***m Eater’ on this select group of Romantic literati; and review Charles Baudelaire’s claim that he was merely a spectator and DID NOT INHALE…

31/01/2024

On this day: These Are My Children premiered on NBC in 1949; the world's first televised soap opera. It lasted only four weeks on air, was broadcast live, and had a tiny budget, but influenced the production of the genre for decades.

As dramas primarily created by and for women, soap operas typically attracted sniffy reviews from male critics, yet proved enormously popular with their initial audience of 1950s housewives. Creator Irna Phillips’ own backstory mirrored the dramatic storylines she wrote, and many of the situations she introduced into her productions - illegitimate children, amnesiac medical patients - were TV firsts.

In the latest episode of The Retrospectors, Arion, Rebecca and Olly consider the genre’s clunky transition from radio to TV; explain the difficulties in obtaining quality soap actors; and reveal how Phillips not only pioneered soaps, but also pre-empted the Marvel Cinematic Universe…

30/01/2024

On this day: Revolutionary leader Oliver Cromwell was executed in 1661 - despite having been dead for more than two years. His body was exhumed from its tomb in Westminster Abbey on the instruction of King Charles II, who sought retribution for those involved in the trial and ex*****on of his father, Charles I.

Along with other Regicides, Cromwell’s co**se was disinterred and subjected to public abuse. On the anniversary of Charles I’s beheading, Cromwell’s head was mounted on a spike and stuck on the roof of Westminster Hall - where it remained for thirty years.

In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly track the illustrious history of Cromwell’s head from that date forth; consider whether the crowd in attendance at the ‘ex*****on’ really hated their former Lord Protector as much as their jeering suggests; and explain how the intervention of a future Prime Minister prevented Cromwell’s relic being put on public display as recently as the 19th Century…

29/01/2024

Today in history George W. Bush gave his controversial State of the Union address in 2002 - it saw the introduction of the phrase ‘the Axis of Evil’.

Speechwriter David Frum had initially grouped Iraq, Iran and North Korea together as an ‘Axis of Hatred’ - but Bush himself chose to replace the word ‘hatred’ with ‘evil’, a choice viewed by most Americans as striking the right tone, but many international commentators as a stepping-stone to indiscriminately invading Iraq.

In this episode Arion, Rebecca and Olly consider how Bush’s pivot to ‘evil’ opened up numerous sticky diplomatic questions for his administration; reveal which countries Republican hawk John Bolton felt were the next-most-evil nations; and explain how Frum took inspiration from FDR’s reaction to Pearl Harbour…

25/01/2024

Walking down the aisle to Wagner’s ‘Here Comes The Bride’ and departing to Mendelssohn’s ‘The Wedding March’ remains a popular choice at wedding ceremonies - a precedent established by the Princess Royal Victoria and Prince Frederick of Prussia, who married at St James’s Palace on 25th January, 1858.
Unfortunately for Mendelssohn, he’d been dead eleven years by the time his tune became a viral hit - but he treasured his patronage by Victoria and Albert, once describing Buckingham Palace as “the only really nice, comfortable house in England.”
In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how ‘The Wedding March’ had its origins not in Church, but Paganism; reveal how Frederick and Victoria’s union influenced American troops in the Second World War; and, with grim inevitability, give yet another airing to Arion’s execrable Queen Victoria impression. Brace yourself…

24/01/2024

California Gold Rush was ignited by James Marshall’s discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill on January 24th, 1848. The news led to a lawless and chaotic surge of wannabe prospectors heading to the State, enduring perilous journeys to do so.

Over 300,000 people arrived in just seven years, transforming a region previously inhabited by just 8,000 white settlers. But not everybody struck it rich, and, despite owning the land the gold was found on, the discovery dashed John Sutter’s dreams of establishing a water mill bearing his name.

In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explore how ‘the 49ers’ laid the template for California rushes yet to come, in the form of Hollywood and Silicon Valley; reveal how Levi Strauss used the gold rush to grow his burgeoning fashion business; and ask how, exactly, normal people knew how to verify the gold they’d found in a river, in the days before YouTube…

12/01/2024

On January 12, 1959, Berry Gordy, Jr. founded Tamla Records in Detroit, paving the way for the legendary Motown sound. Home to artists like The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, and The Jackson 5, Motown's unique approach to talent development, mirroring a car production line, was groundbreaking.

Gordy's transition from boxer and jazz record store owner to songwriter and producer demonstrated his keen sense for what the public wanted. The distinctive 'Motown Sound', designed for broad appeal, revolutionised music genres.

In this episode, Arion, Rebecca, and Olly delve into Gordy's visionary production style, the label's evolution in the 70s and 80s, and the unexpected rise of Martha Reeves from secretary to lead vocalist.

11/01/2024

On January 11, 1569, England held its first national lottery at St Paul's Cathedral, with Queen Elizabeth I's backing and a £5,000 top prize. The draw, lasting four months due to low ticket sales, required prize division among fewer winners.

Arion, Rebecca, and Olly discuss the high entry cost, equivalent to a labourer's annual salary, and the organisers' strategies to boost sales. They also ponder whether this event, despite seeming failure, laid the groundwork for modern state-funded lotteries.

10/01/2024

On January 10, 1971, The Open University, a revolutionary educational concept initiated by Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson, opened its doors to students. However, there was no traditional Fresher's Week, as this institution was designed for mature students to pursue higher education remotely, without setting foot on a campus.

Students engaged in their studies through a unique blend of mailed correspondence materials and early-morning lectures broadcast on BBC TV and radio, which had to be watched live in the pre-VCR era.

In their latest episode, Arion, Rebecca, and Olly explore the initial skepticism towards The Open University, even within Wilson's own administration, discuss its adaptation to the rise in tutorial fees, and recount the week of revelry available to those who made the trip to Milton Keynes.

09/01/2024

On January 9, 1806, Horatio Nelson, a revered naval commander, received a historic honour as the first non-Royal to be granted a full British state funeral. The event drew tens of thousands, including his former foe, French admiral Pierre-Charles de Villeneuve, to the streets of London.

This grand funeral, coming two months after Nelson's death at the Battle of Trafalgar, was a focal point of national pride.

In their latest episode, Arion, Rebecca, and Olly discuss the significance of 'Kiss Me Hardy', Nelson's defining victory at the Battle of the Nile, and the unique memorabilia that commemorated him, from flags to anchor earrings

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05/01/2024

January 5th 1886: Robert Louis Stevenson's iconic gothic novella 'The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde' was published in the USA. Originally slated as a Christmas horror release the month before, its initial draft had reportedly so disturbed Stevenson's wife, F***y, that she urged him to burn it.

The novella, delving into the duality of human nature and the perils of unchecked scientific experimentation, quickly captivated readers, outliving its initial critics and marking Stevenson's first major commercial success, even though he had already penned 'Treasure Island'.

In their latest episode, Arion, Rebecca, and Olly explore Stevenson's resistance to psycho-sexual interpretations of the book's metaphors, uncover how he spent his newfound wealth, and delve into the bizarre circumstances of his untimely demise, allegedly linked to a bowl of mayonnaise.

04/01/2024

January 4th 1936: A landmark moment in music history occurred. Billboard launched the first-ever pop music chart. Initially catering to jukebox operators rather than the general music audience, this chart, featured occasionally in the magazine, compiled top tracks from major record labels based on a mix of criteria including sheet music and record sales, requests from band leaders, and mail-in requests to radio stations.

During its early years, Big Band music reigned supreme on the chart, which later evolved to include black music with the introduction of the 'Harlem Hit Parade' and country music with the 'Most Played Juke Box Folk Records' in the 1940s, as the record industry recovered from the Depression.

Join Arion, Rebecca, and Olly in this episode as they explore the role of music pluggers in chart manipulation, dissect how Natalie Imbruglia’s 'Torn' prompted a major re-think in chart compilation during the 1990s, and reveal the most popular title for a chart hit through the years.

03/01/2024

January 3rd 1911: A dramatic standoff in the East End of London as Metropolitan Police confront Latvian anarchists. Two men, suspects in a jewellery heist and police murders, face an armed siege.

As tensions rise, Winston Churchill, then Home Secretary, escalates the situation by deploying a significant military force to Sidney Street. The anarchists, heavily armed, engage in a fierce gunfight, attracting onlookers, reporters, and even Churchill himself.

In this episode, Arion, Rebecca, and Olly revisit this critical moment in British history. They explore its role in fueling anti-immigrant sentiment, its influence on the debate over traditional policing methods, and a curious fact: why securing a morning drink was a challenge that day.

02/01/2024

Flashback to January 2nd 1967: Ronald Reagan, once an actor and SAG President, took his first major step in politics as Governor of California. This marked the start of a journey to the Oval Office.

Dive into our latest episode where Arion, Rebecca, and Olly unravel Reagan's political odyssey - from a liberal Democrat to a conservative icon. Discover how his famed 1964 speech 'A Time for Choosing' set the stage for his anti-communist, small government, and freedom-loving stance.

🎙️ Learn how Reagan's adaptability and charm, coupled with a surprising use of astrology, helped him connect with the masses and outshine Jimmy Carter.

20/12/2023

20/12/2023

Victorian music hall star Dan Leno created Widow Twankey and Mother Goose, and was born in 1860.

A child prodigy of the stage, Leno was poached to play Dame Durden in ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ at Drury Lane - a success so immense that he played the role for 15 years.

19/12/2023

Christmas was cancelled, to all intents, in 1644.

The backlash to England’s Puritan Parliament (which attempted to purge Christmas of Catholic influences) led to the Plum Pudding Riot of 1647, when 10,000 men in Kent signed a petition declaring they would rather see the King back on his throne than forego Christmas celebrations - a message future ‘Merry Monarch’ Charles II certainly noticed!

18/12/2023

FLOP! The premiere of Tchaikovsky’s seminal ballet ‘The Nutcracker’, in 1892, was not a hit.

The composer, who thought the Alexander Dumas source material was slight and childish, only agreed to write the piece if it was shown in a double-bill with his opera, ‘Iolanta’. He certainly didn’t want to repeat the critical failure of his earlier work: a certain ‘Swan Lake’.

15/12/2023

The Spice World premiere in 1997 was at the peak of Cool Britannia, and included future King Charles III and their on-screen co-stars included Meat Loaf, Richard E Grant, Roger Moore, and Elton John.

Discover the story behind the film on today’s (history, no really) podcast

13/12/2023

The undisputed viral hit of Christmas 1852 was the country dance ‘Pop Goes The Weasel’.

the craze was first documented, at a party in Ipswich, where it was declared “one of the most mirth-inspiring dances which can ever be well imagined”.

BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN? We try to work it out on today’s show…

12/12/2023

FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS

That's what Prince Charles of Provence did when he ordered an excavation that uncovered a sarcophagus believed to contain the remains of Mary Magdalene in 1279.

The evidence presented included a papyrus note, a sweet rose fragrance filling the air, a wax-covered tablet proclaiming Mary’s identity, and even a piece of skin where Jesus supposedly touched her after his resurrection.

11/12/2023

This conman, Victor Lustig, had scammed people including Al Capone, and famously sold the Eiffel Tower - but came unstuck in 1928.

Yet even when sent to Alcatraz, he was still ready to outsmart the authorities.

04/12/2023

An incredible quartet spent the day making music together at Sun Studios, Memphis , 4th December, 1956.

Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash and Carl ‘Blue Suede Shoes’ Perkins quickly reverted to gospel, bluegrass, blues, and country in a jamming session that gave birth to “The Million Dollar Quartet“.

28/11/2023

Did we hit Peak , in 2018, with the birth of the Lincoln Chimes? This warning system replaced the synthetic sound of in-car emergency alerts with a blend of violin, viola, and marimba played by The Symphony Orchestra.

27/11/2023

: 27th November, 1809, a respectable house on the well-to-do Berners Street in London became ground zero for one of the most disruptive practical jokes in history: the Berners Street Hoax.

First a chimney sweep turned up at the address, then another and another, then cake makers, surgeons, lawyers, physicians, obstetricians, butchers, priests and more. The archbishop of Canterbury also showed his face, as did the Governor of the Bank of England, the chairman of the East India Company, and even the Duke of York.

Why did it happen? And is the true hoax if it happened at all?

20/11/2023

Ill-fated whale-ship The Essex was rammed by an 85-foot s***m whale on 20th November, 1820. The incident inspired Herman Melville’s sea-faring novel, Moby Dick.

Left to fend for themselves in tiny whaling boats, the young crew had to make terrible choices in order to preserve their own survival - including how and when to eat each other.

17/11/2023

Stephanie Marrian was the first 'page 3 girl' - or 'The Birthday Suit Girl' as it was launched - in 1970.

Within a year, the paper’s circulation had nearly doubled to 2.5 million. It was intended to be wholesome and clean, skating on the edge of what was acceptable in a family newspaper... but by the 80s, Editor Kelvin Mackenzie had introduced raunchier shots, to compete with a resurgent Daily Star.

15/11/2023

in 1979: Margret Thatcher outed Soviet spy Sir Anthony Blunt, esteemed art historian and a favourite of the Royal family.

He had been part of the "Cambridge Five", a group of double agents who secretly passed sensitive information to the Soviet Union.