Word: stiffness
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Dates: during 1930-1939
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Because of Britain's liquor-curbing early closing laws, extra-late London night life has for years been an affair of "bottle parties" -i.e., the guests either bring their own liquor, paying a stiff "corkage charge" or they leave advance orders at the club to have it sent in from wholesalers and "stored" until the guest arrives. The cheapest wine comes to $4 per bottle by this system, the cheapest whiskey $5. In the World War II bottle party boom, Mayfair clubs are now offering elaborate and sexy floor shows (see cuts), causing some wonder at London...
...stiff, lustrous hostess coat from natural gas, coal oil, salt...
...radio-telephone first: to check on connections, atmospheric conditions, whether the correspondents are ready with their stuff. One morning last week, Berlin came through crisp and clear. "B-r-r," said a Nazi voice in inspired English, "it's colder than hell over here." Then his accents froze stiff. "Sorry, gentlemen," said he, "I shouldn't have said that. It might give aid and comfort to the enemy...
What the good relaxed band does it just the opposite of the stiff band. They depend on the ear of the listener to hold the idea of a steady beat and then they begin go play behind it. This is the famous "colored lag," that which takes years to develop, and which most white bands never...
Many bands either drag when they try it, or think that the nervous excitement resulting from the "stiff" drive style is better. Goodman used to think so, and things like "Sing, Sing, Sing" resulted. But people soon tire of the constant pound of the style and grow sick of the dearth of ideas in the music. So Goodman is trying to shift his band to the other style. Whether he will succeed is a moot question...