"The Beatles have no future in show business!"
Yes, these words were uttered by Dick Rowe, Head of A&R (artists and repertoire) at British record label Decca Records. It was on January 1, 1962 that the famous British band The Beatles, John Lennon, George Harrison, Paul McCartney and Pete Best (the original drummer), made their way from their hometown Liverpool to London. They travelled over 384 km in the snow to perform 15 songs for their audition. One hour and several nervous moments later, it was clear that the musicians were not in their best shape. Rowe asked for a few weeks to get back with feedback and later, allegedly told them, “Groups with guitars are on the way out", though he continues to deny this. Harsh much?
Pop goes the umbrella
Wigs were a prized possession back in the day, so much so that hairdressers and wigmakers were actually considered no less than artists, and rain was their worst enemy. If you are thinking, 'Why didn't they simply carry umbrellas?' then banish that thought immediately because we are talking about the 1700s and umbrellas were still extremely bulky.
But Parisian merchant Jean Marius, who had earned fame as a renowned purse-maker, was already working to make it lightweight. That's how he went on to invent the folding pocket parasol umbrella, which weighed less than one kilogram and had an opening and closing mechanism similar to what we have today. And on January 1, 1710, he earned a five-year royal privilege for his invention from the king himself. What did this mean? It meant that every umbrella to be manufactured in France for the next five years was to carry his trademark. And this was a first in the whole of Europe!
Many took it forward and made it their own, like scientist Navarre, who presented a design of an umbrella attached to a cane that could be popped open with the help of a button, but really, it was with Jean Marius where it all began.
The last and the final one
Gladiator games in ancient Rome were a way for the aristocrats to display their opulence. Gladiators are armed combats who fight in public arenas. Starting as funeral rites and even a way to appease the Roman gods, soon it became entertainment as criminals, slaves or even prisoners of war began to be involved. But the last gladiator competition was known to be held on January 1, 0404 and that was an end of an era.
