This week, From the Vault continues with Part 2 of a special conventions documentary…

“This documentary sets a new high water mark for the preservation of informative insights. Like Pacifica’s history, it shines on the front line of freedom.”
~Molefi Kete Asante – Author of Erasing Racism and The Survival of the American Nation

The various political parties of the American political system are rallying this summer to officially announce their nominee for President of the United States. This week on From the Vault, we present Part Two of an award-winning 2004 documentary A Passel of Pomp and a Circus of Circumstance, produced by the Pacifica Radio Archives, that explores the history of the national political party conventions, and the mission dynamics that set Pacifica Radio’s coverage apart from mainstream media — coverage that remains today an inspiration for independent, progressive journalists everywhere.

Listening to A Passel of Pomp and a Circus of Circumstance, you will travel from the formal speeches of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1936, to the battles inside and outside the Chicago 1968 convention and the radical sounds of Rage Against the Machine in the streets of Los Angeles in 2000. Every historic recording is quintessential Pacifica; highlights are drawn from both Republican and Democratic conventions over the years, as well as the Mississippi Freedom Party convention in the 60’s, the Shadow Convention of 2000, and the 2004 Boston Social Forum. This special production showcases Pacifica Radio’s innovative reporting at its most daring.

From the Vault is proudly presented as part of the Pacifica Radio Archives Preservation and Access Project.

Archival recordings used in this week’s episode, A Passel of Pomp and a Circus of Circumstance, Part Two:

PZ0595.01-02 A Passel of Pomp and a Circus of Circumstance (ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARY) MORE INFO

Click here to purchase a copy of this program or learn more about and purchase copies of the historic archival recordings used within this episode. To purchase a CD copy of this program by phone, please call Pacifica Radio Archives at 800.735.0230 x 262.

Click here to send an email to From the Vault.

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“This documentary sets a new high water mark for the preservation of informative insights. Like Pacifica’s history, it shines on the front line of freedom.”
~Molefi Kete Asante – Author of Erasing Racism and The Survival of the American Nation

The various political parties of the American political system are rallying this summer to officially announce their nominee for President of the United States. This week on From the Vault, we present Part One of an award-winning 2004 documentary A Passel of Pomp and a Circus of Circumstance, produced by the Pacifica Radio Archives, that explores the history of the national political party conventions, and the mission dynamics that set Pacifica Radio’s coverage apart from mainstream media — coverage that remains today an inspiration for independent, progressive journalists everywhere.

Listening to A Passel of Pomp and a Circus of Circumstance, you will travel from the formal speeches of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1936, to the battles inside and outside the Chicago 1968 convention and the radical sounds of Rage Against the Machine in the streets of Los Angeles in 2000. Every historic recording is quintessential Pacifica; highlights are drawn from both Republican and Democratic conventions over the years, as well as the Mississippi Freedom Party convention in the 60’s, and the Shadow Convention of 2000. This special production showcases Pacifica Radio’s innovative reporting at its most daring.

From the Vault is proudly presented as part of the Pacifica Radio Archives Preservation and Access Project.

Archival recordings used in this week’s episode, A Passel of Pomp and a Circus of Circumstance, Part One:

PZ0595.01-02 A Passel of Pomp and a Circus of Circumstance (ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARY) MORE INFO

Compact disc duplicates of the recordings listed above may be purchased online with a credit card or PayPal account by clicking on ‘MORE INFO’ next to the title.

Click here to purchase a copy of this program or learn more about and purchase copies of the historic archival recordings used within this episode. To purchase a CD copy of this program by phone, please call Pacifica Radio Archives at 800.735.0230 x 262.

Click here to send an email to From the Vault.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

“Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes. You are free.”
~Jim Morrison (1943-1971)

This week we’ll get a little better acquainted with the short life of rock star, poet, and icon Jim Morrison with the help of a beautiful radio documentary called Artist in Hell, produced by Clare Spark in 1971. Of course, it would be easy to focus on Morrison’s wild antics and excess, as that kind of behavior always leaves a high water mark on someone’s life for the ages to see, but instead, we’ll hear his closest friends describe the life of a tortured genius, a man with not nearly enough names for all of the colors he wished to paint. The Doors band members Robbie Krieger and Ray Manzarek speak candidly about their close friend, as do producer Paul Rothchild; while David Birnie, Digby Deal, Harvey Purr and others read from Morrison’s poetry and his Lord’s Notes On Vision.

In the second half of From the Vault, we’ll hear The Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek speaking at The Midnight Special Bookstore in Santa Monica on September 12, 1998. Manzarek speaks on The Doors and Morrison, reading selections of Morrison’s poetry, and sharing his insights and recollections on the transformation of four normal guys who met in Venice, hung out on the beach, and became one of the most legendary rock-n-roll bands the genre has yet seen.

From the Vault is proudly presented as part of the Pacifica Radio Archives Preservation and Access Project.

Archival recordings used in this week’s episode, Jim Morrison, Poet:

BC0338a-d Jim Morrison: Artist in Hell MORE INFO

PZ0300.71 Voices of Pacifica: Ray Manzarek / Patti Smith MORE INFO

Click here to purchase a copy of this program or learn more about and purchase copies of the historic archival recordings used within this episode. To purchase a CD copy of this program by phone, please call Pacifica Radio Archives at 800.735.0230 x 262.

Click here to send an email to From the Vault.

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This week on From the Vault, we celebrate the 90th birthday (July 18th) of Nelson Mandela by paying tribute to three prominent South African leaders.

Rhodesia came into existence as a colonial slave state, established during the halcyon days of the British Raj. A quick glance at a modern world map, however, attests that the powerful colony would eventually assert the right of self-rule… that from the belly of Rhodesia, the independent nation of South Africa would be born.

National independence, however, is not synonymous with freedom. Was it possible that the oppressed could set a new standard for freedom-fighters the world over? In the face of modern technological warfare, could they succeed? And if so, how without the gutters of Johannesburg running red with blood?

Stephen Biko, a soon-to-be martyred activist, Desmond Tutu- a catholic priest from a township parish, and Nelson Mandela, and imprisoned social activist, would inform history of a new process of emancipation. Together they would prevail upon the state and the world to recognize humanism as the true basis for national sovereignty, and demonstrate a method whereby, for the first time in history, the slaves would free their masters.

This week, From the Vault explores the stories of three heroic South African leaders, woven together by the songs of Mama Africa, Miriam Makeba, and the recollections of Pacifica’s own Eva Georgia and Bridgette Ramasodi, women who grew up in South Africa under Apartheid.

From the Vault brings you the inspiring story of South Africa’s struggle for freedom and social justice – South Africa: A Lesson of Freedom

From the Vault is proudly presented as part of the Pacifica Radio Archives Preservation and Access Project.

ORIGINAL SOURCE RECORDINGS:

PZ0163 Mandela at the Oakland Coliseum: His Speech MORE INFO

PZ0164 Mandela at the United Nations, 1990 MORE INFO

KZ2080 The Miracle Dream Comes True: Nelson Mandela is Elected in South Africa / Desmond Tutu MORE INFO

PZ0223 The Need for Immediate Change in South Africa / Nelson Mandela MORE INFO

KZ1576 Miriam Makeba at the Coconut Grove MORE INFO

RELATED MATERIALS:

PZ0686a-c Remembering South Africa Box Set 3 CD MORE INFO

Click here to purchase a copy of this program or learn more about and purchase copies of the historic archival recordings used within this episode. To purchase a CD copy of this program by phone, please call Pacifica Radio Archives at 800.735.0230 x 262.

Click here to send an email to From the Vault.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

“The day I graduated from high scool I was asked what I wanted to be and I said a clown… I was saying a great truth because I think there is a lot of the clown in me… to laugh at yourself is a great thing.”
~Henry Miller (1891-1980)

Henry Miller is best known for his novels Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn, as well his controversial reputation for writing about sexual experiences in explicit detail. But perhaps few would ever consider this great American author’s creativity to be rooted in humor… recently remastered recordings from deep within our vault may change that perception.

Here at Pacifica Radio Archives, we are fortunate to have numerous documentaries on Henry Miller, each with extensive interviews with and recordings of Miller speaking with friends and reading from his work. What emerges from this historic audio is a surprising portrait of an incredibly funny man with living in the company great friends, abound with tales of adventure and wild drunken nights. In the episode of From the Vault, we’ll get to Henry Miller on a very personal level through intimate conversations with the author himself.

In the second half of From the Vault, we turn to an interview with Henry Miller conducted in 1956 by Ben Grauer. The interview covers everything from Miller’s happiest memories to why he admired French prostitutes so much. Throughout the interview, we’ll also hear excerpts from a variety of Miller’s works. This is Henry Miller as true as can be!

From the Vault is proudly presented as part of the Pacifica Radio Archives Preservation and Access Project.

Archival recordings used in this week’s episode, Henry Miller:

BC1105 Henry Miller: Finding His Voice in Paris MORE INFO

AZ0949a-b A Tribute to Henry Miller MORE INFO

BB0566 In Honor of Henry Miller’s 80th Birthday MORE INFO

KZ1306 The Miller-Durrell Correspondence MORE INFO

Click here to purchase a copy of this program or learn more about and purchase copies of the historic archival recordings used within this episode. To purchase a CD copy of this program by phone, please call Pacifica Radio Archives at 800.735.0230 x 262.

Click here to send an email to From the Vault.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download