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Archive for March, 2010

Where can I find birth, marriage, death, and burial records for Switzerland?

March 30th, 2010 No comments

My great grandparents immigrated from Sevelen, St. Gallen, Switzerland and some ancestors I believe lived in Berne, Switzerland also. I’m trying to find out how to access public records, such as birth, marriage, and death records. If anyone could help me it would be greatly appreciated.

Hey Swissdece…,

Here is some information, you will have to read it and do what it says to do.

Categories: Public Death Records Tags:

Why would a woman who had two previous serious "drugged driving" offenses be allowed to continue to drive?

March 30th, 2010 2 comments

" Springdale Township woman who died in a crash while driving the wrong way on the Pennsylvania Turnpike was awaiting trial on two cases involving drugged driving, according to court records"

Her son, Aiden Baker, 2, who was strapped into a child seat in the SUV, escaped with a bruised left cheek, police said.

The Allegheny Medical Examiner’s Office ruled Baker’s death accidental and concluded she died from blunt force trauma to the abdomen and legs.

Toxicology results will be available in three to four months, a medical examiner said.

The truck drivers were not injured.

State police are still investigating why Baker was traveling in the wrong direction. A toll ticket found in her vehicle shows that she may have entered the turnpike at the Allegheny Valley interchange in Harmar.

Court records show Baker was cited twice in the last year for driving in the wrong lane.

Other citations from police in Springdale, East Deer, West Deer, Tarentum, Pittsburgh, North Versailles and Edgewood include careless driving, reckless driving, running a stop sign and ignoring a traffic control device.

Allegheny County Judge Jeffrey Manning had issued an arrest warrant for Baker because she failed to appear July 15 for a hearing on drugged driving charges filed in April by Monroeville police. Baker was found at about 1:40 a.m. April 26 in a sport utility vehicle that was hanging over the edge of a hillside, according to a police affidavit.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/valleynewsdispatch/s_634961.html

"…awaiting trial on two cases of drugged driving according to court records."

There is the key. Awaiting trial means she has not yet been convicted of these offenses, she is only accused of committing them. Her driving privileges would have been suspended or revoked if she had lived long enough to be tried, if she were convicted of the offenses.

Even though drugged driving is a serious offense, and a hazard to all of the other citizens in the communmity … she was still entitled to due process.

What really killed Mozart?

March 30th, 2010 8 comments

Strep throat may have killed Mozart

NEW YORK (Reuters) – The death of composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart at the age of 35 may have been caused by complications stemming from strep throat, according to a Dutch study published on Monday. Since the composer’s death in 1791, there have been various theories about the cause of his untimely end, from intentional poisoning, to rheumatic fever, to trichinosis, a parasitic disease caused by eating raw or undercooked pork.

On his death certificate it was officially recorded that the cause of death was hitziges Frieselfieber, or "heated miliary fever," referring to a rash that looks like millet seeds.

But researchers from the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands said studies on his death have generally been based on less-than-reliable evidence, like accounts from people who witnessed Mozart’s final days, written decades after his death.

Their new study, reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine, was based on information from official death registers for Vienna in the winter of 1791 that places Mozart’s death in a wider context. He died in Vienna.

"Our findings suggest that Mozart fell victim to an epidemic of strep throat infection that was contracted by many Viennese people in Mozart’s month of death, and that Mozart was one of several persons in that epidemic that developed a deadly kidney complication," researcher Richard Zegers, of the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, told Reuters Health.

Zegers and his colleagues said this "minor epidemic" of step throat, or streptococcal pharyngitis, may have begun in the city’s military hospital.

According to witness accounts, Mozart fell ill with an "inflammatory fever," which is consistent with strep throat, Zegers and his colleagues wrote in their report.

The composer, who wrote more than 600 works during his life, eventually developed severe swelling, "malaise," back pain and a rash, consistent with a strep infection leading to kidney inflammation known as glomerulonephritis.

Zegers said it was also possible that Mozart had scarlet fever, which, like strep throat, can be caused by infection with streptococcal bacteria, but this was less likely because witnesses said Mozart developed a rash near the end of his illness and with scarlet fever, the rash appears early on.

Another theory, might be likely, might not be. Streptococcal infection, rheumatic fever, tuberculosis, rubella, smallpox…. among the many estimated variants. I’m much more interested in his music than his death!

ARE YOU SICK & TIRED TOO?

March 30th, 2010 4 comments

Worth the read!
"I’m 63 and Im Tired"
by Robert A. Hall

I’m 63. Except for one semester in college when jobs were scarce and a six-month period when I was between jobs, but job-hunting every day, I’ve worked, hard, since I was 18. Despite some health challenges, I still put in 50-hour weeks, and haven’t called in sick in seven or eight years. I make a good salary, but I didn’t inherit my job or my income, and I worked to get where I am. Given the economy, there’s no retirement in sight, and I’m tired. Very tired.

I’m tired of being told that I have to "spread the wealth" to people who don’t have my work ethic. I’m tired of being told the government will take the money I earned, by force if necessary, and give it to people too lazy to earn it.

I’m tired of being told that I have to pay more taxes to "keep people in their homes." Sure, if they lost their jobs or got sick, I’m willing to help. But if they bought McMansions at three times the price of our paid-off, $250,000 condo, on one-third of my salary, then let the left-wing Congress-critters who passed Fannie and Freddie and the Community Reinvestment Act that created the bubble help them with their own money.

I’m tired of being told how bad America is by left-wing millionaires like Michael Moore, George Soros and Hollywood Entertainers who live in luxury because of the opportunities America offers. In thirty years, if they get their way, the United States will have the economy of Zimbabwe , the freedom of the press of China, the crime and violence of Mexico, the tolerance for Christian people of Iran, and the freedom of speech of Venezuela.

I’m tired of being told that Islam is a "Religion of Peace," when every day I can read dozens of stories of Muslim men killing their sisters, wives and daughters for their family "honor"; of Muslims rioting over some slight offense; of Muslims murdering Christian and Jews because they aren’t "believers"; of Muslims burning schools for girls; of Muslims stoning teenage rape victims to death for "adultery"; of Muslims mutilating the genitals of little girls; all in the name of Allah, because the Qur’an and Shari’a law tells them to.

I’m tired of being told that "race doesn’t matter" in the post-racial world of Obama, when it’s all that matters in affirmative action jobs, lower college admission and graduation standards for minorities (harming them the most), government contract set-asides, tolerance for the ghetto culture of violence and fatherless children that hurts minorities more than anyone, and in the appointment of U.S. Senators from Illinois.

I think it’s very cool that we have a black president and that a black child is doing her homework at the desk where Lincoln wrote the Emancipation Proclamation. I just wish the black president was Condi Rice, or someone who believes more in freedom and the individual and less arrogantly of an all-knowing government.

I’m tired of a news media that thinks Bush’s fundraising and inaugural expenses were obscene, but that think Obama’s, at triple the cost, were wonderful; that thinks Bush exercising daily was a waste of presidential time, but Obama exercising is a great example for the public to control weight and stress; that picked over every line of Bush’s military records, but never demanded that Kerry release his; that slammed Palin, with two years as governor, for being too inexperienced for VP, but touted Obama with three years as senator as potentially the best president ever. Wonder why people are dropping their subscriptions or switching to Fox News? Get a clue. I didn’t vote for Bush in 2000, but the media and Kerry drove me to his camp in 2004.

I’m tired of being told that out of "tolerance for other cultures" we must let Saudi Arabia use our oil money to fund mosques and madrassa Islamic schools to preach hate in America, while no American group is allowed to fund a church, synagogue or religious school in Saudi Arabia to teach love and tolerance.

I’m tired of being told I must lower my living standard to fight global warming, which no one is allowed to debate. My wife and I live in a two-bedroom apartment and carpool together five miles to our jobs. We also own a three-bedroom condo where our daughter and granddaughter live. Our carbon footprint is about 5% of Al Gore’s, and if you’re greener than Gore, you’re green enough.

I’m tired of being told that drug addicts have a disease, and I must help support and treat them, and pay for the damage they do. Did a giant germ rush out of a dark alley, grab them, and stuff white powder up their noses while they tried to fight it off? I don’t think Gay people choose to be Gay, but I damn sure think druggies chose to take drugs. And I’m tired of harassment from cool people treating me like a freak when I tell them I never tried marijuana.

I’m tired of illegal aliens being called "undocumented workers," especially the ones who aren’t working, but are living

Yes sir I am. The problem is there are to many Americans wanting a free handout and the government is using those idiots to get elected so they can destroy our country. You are lucky to have seen America in the "good ole days" and I am sorry it is what it is today. I’m 33 and will fight socialism till my death and hope other young people see whats really going on. I completely understand your point of view and I believe your comments will help. Keep voicing your opinion. You are what I consider to be a true American.

Do you say you want a Revolution?

March 30th, 2010 3 comments

Okay, take two on this question. Some Blue Meanie, Holy Roller had my question deleted. Reason- insulting to others and a rant. How so? Honest to God, if there even is one, I really don’t see why. Christ, you know it ain’t easy, you know how hard it can be, and the way things are going with the Beatles bigger than Jesus, they’re gonna crucify me.
Do you say you want a Revolution?
I was in Naples, Florida a few weeks ago. I was in an Irish pub, McCabe’s and they had a singer/guitarist there. The audience requested a few Beatles songs but the musician wouldn’t play most of the requests. Finally he settled on "Revolution." That was a great song, Revolution. John had been involved with Yoko Ono and he was really starting to come out as far as speaking his mind about politics. John had been chiding the late Beatle manager Brian Epstein about speaking out against the Vietnam War during their last tour. Brian told them not to comment on it. John was in enough trouble about his Jesus comments. "The Beatles are bigger than Jesus now." And then he said "Jesus was all right but his disciples were thick and ordinary." The Ku Klux Klan sent the Beatles a death threat to their hotel. At a concert down South, Memphis I believe, John and George winced when a boy lit off a pack of firecrackers at a Beatle concert. They looked at each other to see if one of them had been shot. George said "America was mad. It had only been a few years since Kennedy was killed." Revolution was recorded in several forms. At George’s home in Esher, a demo was recorded with John singing double tracked and playing on an acoustic guitar. George had a four track recorder so a few overdubs were done. For the most part, this first version of Revolution had a very homey feel to it like the Beatles were jamming in your living room. So cool. Later on the White Album "Revolution 1" was recorded. It first it was much longer. Yoko was reading a passage. John added in sound effects that he later transferred over on to "Revolution 9." He can be heard vomiting, having orgasms, doing primal screams, and all such audio avante garde influenced by Yoko Ono and her conceptual performance art. This extended version of Revolution was hated by the other Beatles. Paul was doing multiple takes of "Obla Di, Obla Da" as well as writing songs and producing demos for Mary Hopkin and a group he reformed called Badfinger. For Mary Hopkin, Paul produced a demo called "Goodbye." For Badfinger he produced "Come and Get It." The song writing credits were to Lennon and McCartney but Paul wrote and produced the songs for his new found talent.
John was not sure how he wanted go with the intention of his Revolution. He sang "don’t you know that you can count me out-in!" He didn’t know if he was for or against a Revolution. He was very much involved with Yoko at the time. He came back from India disillusioned from the Maharishi. He suspected the Indian guru of trying to seduce some women in the Beatles entourage. But if the truth be told, he was using that rumor as an excuse to get back to London to be with Yoko and take drugs. He had been experimenting with LSD and he missed the trips. Yoko was taking heroine and soon John would be showing up at Beatles recording sessions in a lethargic state. Paul would try in desperation to rally the Beatles to do the next take of Obladi Oblada and John would simply smile at him and laugh and as soon as he had the chance would go off with Yoko. Yoko would follow John into the bathroom. She never left him alone. She was sick and put a bed in the recording studio. The other Beatles were livid. Before Yoko, the Beatle wives and girlfriends were never allowed in the recording studio. Now here was Yoko, not only present in the studio, but sleeping in the studio and making critical comments. "Beatles do this. Paul play piano like this." Paul was shocked. Here was John’s bird telling him how to play music.
Later on, when Paul recorded "Hey Jude" as a new Beatles single. John decided to re-record "Revolution" on the other side of the single making the disc a Double A single. Two hits on one disc. Paul’s Hey Jude on one side. John’s Revolution on the other side. He brought in Nicky Hopkins to play piano. Special care was taken to produce the lead guitar that was recorded directly into the mixing board. John overloaded the circuits and created a distinctive distortion sound. The opening machine gun sounding guitar riff is his signature. John Lennon was breaking the studio rules again. Many of the recording artists of that late 1960s time period were producing loud distorted guitar sounds. Eric Clapton. Jimi Hendrix. Now John was adding his own sound. He would produce a similar sound with "Cold Turkey" as a solo artist with Yoko and then aided by Eric Clapton, a friend of John and George. But here in "Revolution" the sound is John’s sound. It is the machine gun of a Revolution, loud and violently abrasive. It was the perfect backdrop of student anti-war

You say you want a revolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world
You tell me that it’s evolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world
But when you talk about destruction
Don’t you know that you can count me out
Don’t you know it’s gonna be all right
all right, all right

You say you got a real solution
Well, you know
We’d all love to see the plan
You ask me for a contribution
Well, you know
We’re doing what we can
But when you want money
for people with minds that hate
All I can tell is brother you have to wait
Don’t you know it’s gonna be all right
all right, all right
Ah

ah, ah, ah, ah, ah…

You say you’ll change the constitution
Well, you know
We all want to change your head
You tell me it’s the institution
Well, you know
You better free you mind instead
But if you go carrying pictures of chairman Mao
You ain’t going to make it with anyone anyhow
Don’t you know it’s gonna be all right
all right, all right
all right, all right, all right
all right, all right, all right

I need Don Francisco address or e-mail to tell him my story about obtaining my US passport ?

March 30th, 2010 1 comment

I was born in Mexicali, Baja California Mex. in 47 but got my US citizenship through my father. In 1967 I received a US ID from the American Consulate here in Mexicali. Now they no long make them so I just pass the border saying US CITIZEN have been doing so for the past 43 years of have been living here in Mexicali and cross to Calexico, Ca. Where I use to work, took care of my parents till their death. Now that I need a US PASSPORT the American Consulate in Tijuana says I have to prove my dad’s citizenship through my grandmother who was born in the 1880’s and died in the 1950’s. I never new her but I found out while searching Ancestry my dad’s WW1 DRAFT REGISTRATION CARD OF 1918 where it has that my grandmother was in the STATE HOSPITAL PHOENIX, MARICOPA ARIZONA IN 1918. I called the hospital but all those records are long gone. Mr Wallace there told me to check with the VITAL RECORDS in PHOENIX to find her birth and death certificate. It’s been 6 months and so far they have found out nothing yet. I’m am very worried because a custom officer said my ID from the American Consulate will not be accepted in January 2009. I don’t know what to do next year I’ll be able to get my social security check but in november on my 62nd birthday what will happen with the money I worked hard for my old age.??????
Please a friend told me Don Francisco knows a Lawyer that could inform me what to do. They say (US CUSTOM) "That it’s a privilege to get a passport to cross the border". But I think "It’s more an HONOR being a US CITIZEN and having a US passport to prove it:"I am 61 year old and I am fighting for my right’s as a citizen which I believe to be. So please if I may have Don Francisco’s address or E-mail I will greatly appreciate it. Sincerely yours, Cecilia Cisneros Davis

You have the necessary US ID issued by an embassy to prove your citizenship. Nothing is more acceptable than that. You have worked and paid taxes (I presume) through all those years. You have an ssn card. What else do they need? Get an immigration lawyer to help you out.

Now how can you say you don’t believe in God and the bible?

March 30th, 2010 20 comments

I know this is very long but it is really worth reading!!!

Signs of the Last Days
Events of the twentieth century alerted Bible students to the tremendous potential for fulfilled prophecy, and many students of the Bible and eschatology recognize the events continuing to unfold in the world today as signs of the last days.

The signs are visible all around us.

" wars and rumors of wars" – Matthew 24:6

Endless war seem to rage in Iraq and Afghanistan and the war on terrorism is spreading to nearly every corner of the globe. Since 2000 alone, America has been mired in conflict in Sierra Leone, Yemen, East Timor, Afghanistan, Philippines, Cote d’Ivoire, Iraq, Liberia, Georgia, Haïti, Pakistan, Lebanon, and Somalia.

"Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom." – Matthew 24:7

Other conflicts are raging in Darfur, Saudi Arabia, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Thailand, Chad, Gaza Strip and the West Bank in Israel, Niger and Mali, Kenya, and Sri Lanka.

"There will be famines and earthquakes in various places." – Matthew 24:7

Every year, earthquakes cause thousands of deaths, either directly or due to the resulting tsunamis, landslides, fires, and famines.

3,000 people died in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.
Around 110,000 were killed in the 1948 earthquake in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.
More than 5,700 deaths were reported following the strongest earthquake ever recorded in 1960 in Southern Chile.
While only 15 people died in the 1964 Prince William Sound in Alaska quake itself, 110 more people were killed in the resulting tsunami.
66,000 were killed off the western coast of South America in the 1970 Peru earthquake.
Between 250,000 and 655,000 died in the 1976 China earthquake that struck Tangshan, then a city of one million people.
63 people were killed in the 1989 Loma Prieta quake — which struck the San Francisco area.
60 people were killed in the 1994 Northridge quake in Southern California.
More than 5,000 were killed the 1995 Kobe, Japan earthquake.
230,000 (and perhaps as many as 290,000) people in 12 countries — including about 168,000 in Indonesia alone were killed in the 2004 earthquake just off the west coast of the island of Sumatra, and the tsunami that followed.
More than 80,000 people were killed in the 2005 Pakistan earthquake.
More than 69,000 people died in the 2008 Sichuan China earthquake.
We’re hearing of an increasing scarcity of food on a worldwide scale, due to increased consumption in growing countries such as China and India and rising fuel costs. These shortages have caused riots in some places and some predict the future outbreak of wars fought over increasing food scarcities.

Change

The twentieth century was an unprecedented period of change and the twenty-first century is proving to be even more dramatic. At no time in history have more changes occurred in science and in the political structure of the world.

More changes occur in science in a single year than formerly occurred in a century.

The world’s brightest beacon of liberty has been corrupted by immoral bankers and is now quickly becoming one of the greatest forces of evil in the world.

With Israel restored as a nation in 1948, the panorama of end-time prophecy came into a focus in which Israel will be a prominent player.

The introduction of the concept of a world government, made real by the United Nations paints a scenario that is in harmony with prophecy concerning a future world government.

The wholesale collapse of ethical and moral values throughout society and government. Children are killing their classmates, employees are killing fellow employees, and government leaders are promising change.

Is civilization coming to an end?

"Armageddon is now near not because of this event or that event which may, in isolation, look like a prophetic fulfillment. Rather, it is because of the very nature of what causes Armageddon, coupled with the fact that our world today is rapidly assuming, on a global scale, the characteristics of that which underlies Armageddon." [William R. Goetz, Armageddon Next]

Malcolm Muggeridge suggested, "The basic condition for a civilization is that there should be law and order. Obviously this is coming to an end. The world is falling into chaos, even perhaps especially our western world… There are many other symptoms. The excessive interest in eroticism is characteristic of the end of a civilization because it really means a growing impotence, and fear of impotence. Then the excessive need for excitement, vicarious excitement, which of course the games provided for the Romans and which television provides for our population. Even the enormously complicated structure of taxation and administration is a symptom of the end of the civilization. Above all, there is this truly terrible thing which afflicts materialist societies – boredom, an excessive bored
please read part two and three also

This is your opinion and I respect it..but my opinion is that there is
NO GOD…please respect my right to my belief..

Free Reverse Cell Phone Lookup Websites – Do They Exist?

March 30th, 2010 No comments

Running a free reverse cell phone lookup online is no longer an anathema in this time and age. It is undeniable that scammers who develop websites which promote swindling activities have fooled thousands of internet users. Buying products or services that do not exist is one racket that has tricked many online buyers. However, it has to be said that cell phone lookup does not fall in to this category of online cheating.

Now, are you familiar or have you heard of a reverse phone number lookup? It is a process where you verify who a specific phone number belongs to giving the complete address by using a search service. Instead of mistakenly calling another person with that number, you can verify it first. If you have important numbers from people in your past and require tracing them back, a reverse phone lookup will do that for you. Websites offering such service also includes toll free number search usually on land lines, residential, and business numbers. There are sites that require payment, but a number of websites offer a free lookup service – this will be explained further on.

Cellular phone numbers, nevertheless, are not offered by reverse lookup websites. You may encounter problems if you try a cellular number because these numbers are not available in free directories. Fax numbers cannot be searched as well because these are controlled and withheld by telecommunication carrier services. I bet you are wondering whether in reality these claimed data entries are present and can be accessed for free.

In a nut shell, if you want to perform a reverse phone lookup on a mobile phone, you will have to be prepared to pay a small fee. To obtain this information, payment is required for the access; there are two main payment types. Companies offer various payment methods, some offer ‘per search’ whilst others offer a subscription (one time fee). Other sites also offer a lower rate with the condition of limiting the search information returned.

Information such as name of the owner, past and present addresses, details of the carrier service, and phone connection category is what many typically want to achieve. Because every website with this kind of service uses diverse databases, eventually the search result may vary. However, mentioned services are warranted to be confidential and within the legal bounds of their database subscription.

Customers wanting more detailed information such as backgrounds, people locator, database, economic conditions, liens, public records including birth dates, death, marriages, and other forms of public records that affect the individual you are searching would have to opt for the enhanced service. As stated before most reverse phone search websites offer a ‘premium’ or enhanced service which may require a membership or one time. This usually grants access to the above more detailed information

It has to be noted though, that some sites who advertise free cell phone lookup never provide the information you need, instead just leading you to paid reverse sites. There are even some who genuinely conduct the search but end up not revealing the result unless you pay their minimum fee. In this day and age, it’s rare you get useful and unique services for free. Especially ones that have a big impact such as a reverse cell phone lookup.

If you need to use a reverse phone service, the best thing is to acquire information from paid reverse websites. As websites advertising totally free reverse cell phone lookup is simply not true. If you want to obtain information for your own gain, paying for it will be a fair trade.

Andrew Braithwaite
http://www.articlesbase.com/computers-articles/free-reverse-cell-phone-lookup-websites-do-they-exist-673494.html

Fuck The Facts @ MDF2007 1/3

March 29th, 2010 No comments

Fuck The Facts live at Maryland Deathfest 2007

set list:
1. The Sound Of Your Smashed Head
2. La Derniere Image (first part only)
3. The Burning Side (first part only)
4. Dead In The Ruins Of Your Own City (end only)

Duration : 0:9:59

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Categories: Maryland Death Records Tags:

Shop Assistants – Train From Kansas City (The Shangri-Las Cover)

March 29th, 2010 No comments

The Shangri-Las were an American pop girl group of the 1960s.
Between 1964 and 1966 they charted with often heartbreaking teen melodramas, and remain known for “Leader of the Pack” and “Remember (Walkin’ in the Sand)”.
In April 1964, when the girls were still minors, their parents signed with Red Bird Records; Mary was 15, Betty was 17, and the Ganser twins 16. Having been hired by record producer George “Shadow” Morton, they had their first success with the summer hit, “Remember (Walking in the Sand)” (U.S. #5, UK #14). Billy Joel, a then-unknown working as a session musician, played on the demo of “Remember (Walkin’ In The Sand)”.[4] The demo was nearly seven minutes long, too long for Top 40 radio. Morton had hired the group to perform on the demo, but Red Bird released a re-recorded version. Morton faded the new version out around 2:16.
The recordings for Morton featured lavish production with heavy orchestration and sound effects, and their next and biggest hit, “Leader of the Pack” (U.S. #1, UK #11), climaxes with roaring motorcycles and breaking glass. UK re-issues peaked at 3 in 1972 and 7 in 1976. The song epitomized the “death disc”; other examples include Ray Peterson’s “Tell Laura I Love Her”, Jan and Dean’s “Dead Man’s Curve”, J Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers’s “Last Kiss,” and Twinkle’s “Terry”.
By the end of 1964 the group was an established act. They performed with the Beatles, toured with R&B artists such as The Drifters and James Brown (who, according to Mary Weiss, was surprised to discover the girls were white), and Cashbox magazine listed them as best new R&B group. They also promoted Revlon cosmetics. In March 1965 they toured the UK with Dusty Springfield and The Zombies.[Because Betty did not tour until 1966, and because she often did not appear in photos, many fans believed the Shangri-Las were a trio.
The group alternated between touring with their own band and local bands. Among the latter were the Sonics, as well as the Iguanas, featuring a young Iggy Pop.

The Shop Assistants were an indie pop band from Edinburgh, Scotland, formed in 1984, initially as Buba & The Shop Assistants. The original line-up was Aggi (Annabel Wright, later of The Pastels), on vocals, David Keegan (guitar), Sarah Kneale (bass), Laura MacPhail (drums) and Ann Donald (drums). This line-up released one single, the now highly-collectible ‘Something to Do’ which was produced by Stephen Pastel. Stephen Pastel also contributed backing vocals.

Aggi left to be replaced by Alex Taylor. Soon after, the name shortened to simply ‘Shop Assistants’ and the first release under their new name was the Shopping Parade EP in 1985 on The Subway Organization, whose track All Day Long was described by Morrissey as his favourite single of that year. Ann Donald left round about November 1985 and was briefly replaced by Joan Bride (possibly a pseudonym!). Shopping Parade was followed in early 1986 with Safety Net, the first release on Keegan’s 53rd & 3rd Records, which topped the UK Indie Chart, and the band recorded a national radio session with Janice Long and a second John Peel session, both of BBC’s Radio One. The exposure they gained from the sessions enabled the group to have two songs to be voted into John Peel’s Festive Fifty in both 1985 and 1986.

In 1986, they were featured on the NME’s compilation C86 with one of their slower songs, It’s Up To You, taken from Shopping Parade EP. Also in that year, they signed to Chrysalis Records’s sublabel Blue Guitar for another single, I Don’t Wanna Be Friends With You as well as their first and only LP album, The Shop Assistants. This spent one week at number 100 in the UK album charts, which gives the band the distinction of being the (joint) least successful act ever to hit the national charts. The LP album was re-released on CD in 2001, although it is now very hard to find.

The band split early in 1987, when Taylor left the group to join The Motorcycle Boy. After a two-year hiatus, the band reformed without Taylor in 1989 with Kneale on vocals and MacPhail on bass and the addition of Margarita Vasquez-Ponte of Jesse Garon And The Desperadoes on drums. With the new lineup they released Here It Comes and Big ‘E’ Power in 1990 before splitting again, Keegan joining The Pastels.

Duration : 0:3:42

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