Awesome 1970’s

Many of today’s popular toys are pretty different from those sold in the 1960s and 1970s. But in this video from Rhetty for History, you’ll see for as many things have changed, classics like NERF, Hot Wheels, and LEGO are still selling well today. And then there’s the Pet Rock.

(Spoilers) Since Andor takes place a few years before 1977’s Star Wars: Episode IV, it only stands to reason that the TV series should have come out in the mid-1970s. Auralnauts created this retro-style TV intro based on the Disney+ show about the reluctant hero who would rise to become a hero of the Rebellion.

These days, the military uses powerful computers and high-end graphics cards to simulate missions. But in the 1970s, one of the ways to simulate driving a tank was using a miniature city, a motion camera rig, and a remote screen that displayed the first-person perspective to the pilot. Tom Scott took this vintage sim for a ride.

From the 1960s through the early 1980s, department stores played mellow instrumental music that was supposed to encourage shopping. Fardemark compiled nearly 90 minutes of this vintage stock music and recorded it onto an old cassette tape to best evoke the sounds of a bygone era. If you need more, here’s part one.

rerunthe80s takes us back in the time machine to remind us of sounds most of us haven’t heard in decades. From analog televisions to VCRs to video game systems, see how many of them you can guess with your eyes closed. We scored 15 out of 19.

Heavy metal musician Leo Moracchioli busts out the banjo and euphonium for this oompah-rock cover version of Mungo Jerry’s classic skiffle track In the Summertime. The only thing Leo neglected to do was grow out some epic sideburns like Mungo lead singer Ray Dorset wore.

Watchmaker Armitron continues to build out its Retro Collection with a blue version of their Griffy LED watch, which was previously only available with a red display. Ther 1970s-inspired watch has stainless steel case and link band, and its screen remains black until you push a button on its side.

Techmoan looks back at a popular toy sold from the 1960s to the 1980s. Made by General Electric, and later by Gabriel Toys, the Show ‘N Tell combined a record player with a filmstrip projector. As kids played the “PictureSound” records, the film strip moved through the light path, casting images onto a rear-projection screen.

Hyundai’s N performance division looks to the past for its future. Premiering alongside its RN22e concept, the N Vision 74 has a wedge-shape reminiscent of Giugiaro’s BMW M1 Procar and Hyundai Pony Coupe. It’s powered by a hydrogen-electric drivetrain that sends 670+hp to the rear wheels. We want one right now.

In 1977, this unusual helicopter appeared on the cover of Popular Mechanics. To lure in high-end customers, Winnebago worked with a small aviation company to create the Heli-Home, a complete mobile home that could take to the skies. Calum has the full story behind this fascinating flying machine and the man behind its creation.

The rock group Heart is known for its memorable melodies, awe-inspiring vocals, and killer guitar riffs. While Luna Lee’s gayageum version of Crazy on You has us missing Ann Wilson’s powerful lead vocals, it’s still a fantastic cover version.

Sesame Street has been a kids’ institution since 1969. This clip of a song called Fat Cat comes from a 1973 episode and reminds us just how brilliant the show can be with its rhythms and rhymes. Jim Henson played both the orange-haired Bip Bippadotta and the lavender singer, while Frank Oz was the blue guy, and Jerry Nelson was green.

The movies Saturday Night Fever and its sequel Staying Alive are so indelibly intertwined with the music of the Bee Gees that we can’t imagine them any other way. But the guys at Auralnauts like to subvert expectations, so they edited John Travolta’s big strut scene at the end of the movie, removing the trio’s trademark disco sound.

This exquisite hand-stitched leather bag from Bexar Goods Co. is embellished with a tri-color stripe with a cool 1970s vibe. Each one is crafted from 9 oz. harness leather with solid brass hardware. Harkening to a simpler time, it has a single main compartment that holds a laptop, a change of clothes, and everyday essentials.

Inspired by Star Trek: The Animated Series, Gazelle Automations created their own cartoon version of Star Trek: The Next Generation. The fan-made animation does a great job capturing the art style of Filmation’s series, melded with dialogue from our favorite Trek characters. Set headphone volume to Seven of Nine! Engage!

Etsy artist Thunktronix makes all kinds of fun pop culture figures cut from sheets of Plexiglass. Fans of the 1970s Schoolhouse Rock educational cartoons will love these designs based on I’m Just a Bill, Interplanet Janet, Verb, Suffragette Sarah, and the Conjunction Junction conductor.

With locations in Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia, the Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines is filled with vintage arcade machines that date back to the Soviet era. Incredibly, the machines have all been restored and are playable. Baklykov. Live takes us on a tour of the museum, its machines, and other artifacts.

French watchmaker YEMA takes us on a trip back to the 1970s with its retro-futuristic LED watches. They feature a boxy steel case with a segmented red display which tells the time only with the push of a button. Available in brushed stainless steel or goldplate finishes.

Today, the Las Vegas Strip is an ever-changing landscape of mega-resorts. This footage from the Kino Library gives us a glimpse at the Strip as it appeared in 1975. While Caesars and the Flamingo live on, most other properties on display have since been bulldozed. Though you can still find their signs at The Neon Museum.

Cup Noodles (aka Cup O’ Noodles) have been filling bellies on a budget for 50 years. To celebrate, Nissin has released a series of limited-edition retro t-shirts celebrating the early years of instant ramen. There’s a classic Japanese 1971 tee, a psychedelic ’70s tee, and a neon ’80s tee.

For those too young to remember, Leo Sayer was a maestro of disco-pop music in the 1970s. To make things interesting, mashup artist Bill McClintock melded the pop sounds of You Make Me Feel Like Dancing with Metallica’s Sad But True for a combination as delicious as chocolate and peanut butter.

If you haven’t seen Edgar Wright’s The Sparks Brothers yet, what are you waiting for? During production of this most excellent documentary, Wright convinced “Weird Al” to perform an accordion cover of Sparks’ track This Town Ain’t Big Enough for Both of Us from their 1974 classic album Kimono My House.

One of the more popular things to do with footage from the classic Peanuts cartoons is to edit them dancing and singing to make them look like they’re performing a different song. Garren Lazar’s latest edit has the gang tackling the 1971 Yes track Roundabout, and it’s quite perfectly synced up with the prog-rock masterpiece.