Author | Lightnews

Bill Bois @billbois.bsky.social · 12h

How young women won the Battle of the Atlantic. tnocs.com/the-girls-wh...

The Girls Who Beat the Germans: How Chalk, War Games, and Wit Helped Win the Battle of the Atlantic

Contributing Author and Historian Bill Bois revisits a forgotten victory, one fought not with torpedoes or tanks, but with chalk lines on the floorboards. It’s a story of intellect over instinct, and ...

tnocs.com

Bill Bois @billbois.bsky.social · 7d

Joey Ramone: American Heartthrob. That's right, he wasn't good looking but he was cooler than you and me put together. I wrote about the duets he recorded with famous and not so famous women at tnocs.com/joey-ramone-...

#joeyramone #ramones #musichistory #punk

Joey Ramone: American Heartthrob

Not traditionally handsome. Not polished. And at first glance, entirely unforgettable: But Joey Ramone proved that charm isn’t a face, it’s a presence. Contributing Author Bill Bois dives into classic...

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Bill Bois @billbois.bsky.social · 14d

I wrote about why I have hope for the future of music -- and the world. tnocs.com/may-you-live...

May You Live (And Have Hope) In Interesting Times

In a time when “interesting” feels like the politest possible word for "chaos," Contributing Author and Historian Bill Bois finds reasons to be hopeful and maybe even grateful for the turbulence. Hi...

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Bill Bois @billbois.bsky.social · 21d

How long should musicians go between albums? How's 50 years? I wrote about the 5 artists with the longest gaps between records at tnocs.com/the-longest-...

#musichistory #alicecooper #mc5 #deangitter

The Longest Gap Between Albums, Part 2

Contributing Author and Music Historian Bill Bois is back with Part Two of stories of extraordinary musical reemergence.. Five more artists who vanished for decades, then reemerged as if no time had ...

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Bill Bois @billbois.bsky.social · 28d

Some bands vanish for years before stepping back into the studio, and the results can be fascinating, funny, or flat-out legendary. Here are 5 artists that took decades between albums.

tnocs.com/the-longest-...

#musichistory

The Longest Gaps Between Album Releases - Part 1

Some bands vanish for decades before stepping back into the studio, and the results can be fascinating, funny, or flat-out legendary. Part One of this sharp and surprising chronicle comes from Contr...

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Bill Bois @billbois.bsky.social · Sep 26

"Turning Japanese" isn't about what you were told it's about, but we love sexy rumors. I wrote about fact vs. fiction at tnocs.com/turning-japa...

"Turning Japanese" Exposed:The Real Truth About The Vapors’ Biggest Song

Pop culture loves a indelicate legend, but Contributing Author Bill Bois sets the actual record straight on “Turning Japanese”, showing how clever hooks and catchy choruses fueled its rise.

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Bill Bois @billbois.bsky.social · Sep 19

What happens when a teenager tunes his guitar incorrectly? He writes a hit! Read about how it happened at tnocs.com/save-it-for-...

#englishbeat #saveitforlater #rockhistory

Save It For Later:The English Beat’s Accidental DADAAD Classic - tnocs.com

Discover how an accidental tuning helped The English Beat’s Save It For Later become a timeless classic admired by Pete Townshend and beyond.

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Bill Bois @billbois.bsky.social · Sep 12

This Friday Sidebar wanders highways, hotel lobbies, and AM radio static in search of something surprising: authentic connection. It's less about politics, and more about people, and a surprise soundtrack to accompany them.

tnocs.com/no-continent...

No Continental Divide: The Red and Blue Gone Missing - tnocs.com

Discover the surprising lessons learned from cross-country travel, where politics took a backseat and real connections emerged. Tune into a different frequency.

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Bill Bois @billbois.bsky.social · Sep 5

There was a time when concerts smelled good. I wrote about it at tnocs.com/music-and-fr...

#concert #musichistory

Music and Fragrance: The Forgotten Multisensory Experience of Baroque Concerts - tnocs.com

Discover how 17th-century concerts fused music and scent for a multisensory experience, from rosewater to ambergris.

tnocs.com

Bill Bois @billbois.bsky.social · Aug 29

I wrote about "Ticket To Ride," my favorite game. 18 million copies sold, so far. Read about its creator and how to play at tnocs.com/the-story-of...

#tickettoride #boardgames #alanrmoon

The Story Of Alan R. Moon And The Rise Of 'Ticket to Ride' - tnocs.com

Discover how Alan R. Moon created Ticket to Ride, the gateway game that reshaped modern board gaming and won worldwide acclaim.

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Bill Bois @billbois.bsky.social · Aug 21

I saw the first show of The Who's last tour. Here's my review. Spoiler alert: they were great.

tnocs.com/concert-revi...

#thewho #thesongisover

Concert Review, Sunrise, Florida: The Who’s 'The Song Is Over' Tour - tnocs.com

A concert chronicle that captures The Who's final bow with candor, wit, and admiration. Contributing Author and Music HistorianBill Bois indeed can explain why after a 60 year career, their music and ...

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Bill Bois @billbois.bsky.social · Aug 15

Did you know the drawing of The Beat Girl is based on a real person? I wrote about her fascinating story here:
tnocs.com/the-beat-gir...

#ska #brigittebond #beatgirl

The Beat Girl: Brigitte Bond and the Untold Story of A Ska Icon - tnocs.com

Uncover the real woman behind Ska’s Beat Girl — Brigitte Bond — a fearless performer whose story is as bold as 2 Tone’s black-and-white style.

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Bill Bois @billbois.bsky.social · Aug 1

The Cramps were wild... and a love story. I wrote about them at tnocs.com/a-legacy-of-...

#thecramps #psychobilly #luxinterior #poisonivyrorschach

A Legacy of Psychobilly Love: Lux, Ivy, And The Cramps - tnocs.com

Explore the story of The Cramps—how Lux and Ivy fused punk, horror, and rockabilly into a love story unlike any other in music history.

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Bill Bois @billbois.bsky.social · Jul 25

Where does the word "cocktail" come from? Probably not the animal you think.

tnocs.com/horses-hooch...

Horses, Hooch, and Hearsay:The Surprising Origin of the Word “Cocktail” - tnocs.com

The origin of the word “cocktail” is more complex than a martini—feathers, horses, and urban legends all swirl into the story. Here's what history really says.

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Bill Bois @billbois.bsky.social · Jul 19

Stephen Colbert has a routine bit called The Colbert Questionnaire. One of the standard questions is "You get to listen to one song for the rest of your life. What is it?"

My answer becomes more appropriate every day.

youtu.be/_NzLs-xSss0?...

Won't Get Fooled Again

YouTube video by The Who - Topic

youtu.be

Bill Bois @billbois.bsky.social · Jul 11

The understated brilliance of the man who went from studio technician to unlikely pop star. Read my article about Hurricane Smith at tnocs.com/from-emi-eng...

From EMI Engineer to Unlikely Pop Star: The Norman “Hurricane” Smith Story - tnocs.com

Discover the unknown and extraordinary story of Norman “Hurricane” Smith, the Beatles engineer, Pink Floyd producer, and surprise chart-topping star.

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Bill Bois @billbois.bsky.social · Jul 4

On this Independence Day, take 10 minutes to read the Declaration.

declaration.fas.harvard.edu/resources/text

Text of the Declaration of Independence

declaration.fas.harvard.edu

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Bill Bois @billbois.bsky.social · Jul 1

Not only does Canada have the best flag, its anthem is beautiful, too. Here's an article I wrote last year about how the anthem came to be. Happy Canada Day, everybody!

www.tnocs.com/what-you-nev...

#ocanada #canadaday

What You Never Knew About O, Canada! - tnocs.com

Take off to The Great White North, for this fascinating combined music-and-history lesson... done as only Contributing Author Bill Bois can.

www.tnocs.com

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Bill Bois @billbois.bsky.social · Jun 27

Strawberries and noodles, a contradiction in flavor terms but give it a chance. 37 million Poles can't be wrong.

tnocs.com/strawberries...

#polishfood #makaronztruskawkami #comfortfood

Strawberries and... Noodles? The Unexpected Polish Comfort Food You’ll Love - tnocs.com

Discover the surprising Polish dish of strawberries and noodles—sweet, tangy, and savory, it’s a nostalgic summer classic with an unexpected twist.

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Bill Bois @billbois.bsky.social · Jun 20

Some gritty reading for your Friday morning. Remembering Wendy O. Williams, the confrontational artist who fought consumerism and fascism in a repressed America.

tnocs.com/a-punk-nonco...

#plasmatics #wendyowilliams #punk #metalmusic #musichistory

A Punk Nonconformist Who Never Sold Out: Remembering Wendy O. Williams - tnocs.com

From punk stage explosions to personal battles, Wendy O. Williams challenged norms, made history, and left behind a legacy as fierce as her voice.

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Bill Bois @billbois.bsky.social · Jun 13

Leo Fender's guitars changed the world for the better. Read about how the boy born in a barn became one of our greatest musical innovators, despite not playing guitar.

tnocs.com/bill-bois-mu...

#fender #leofender #musichistory

Bill Bois' Musical Inventors #17:The Life And Legacy Of Leo Fender - tnocs.com

The story of Leo Fender: How a one-eyed farm boy who didn't play the guitar revolutionized music with the Telecaster and Stratocaster.

tnocs.com

Bill Bois @billbois.bsky.social · Jun 6

Is it the dumbest crime in Tennessee history? Could be! Read how three nincompoops tried blowing up a dam to rob stores at tnocs.com/an-absurd-id...

#nashville #dumbcriminals #percypriestlake

An Absurd Idea, Shallow Waters, And Deep Trouble:The 1978 Failed Nashville Underwater Jewelry Heist - tnocs.com

Discover the bizarre 1978 plot to bomb Nashville's J. Percy Priest Dam to flood downtown for an underwater jewelry heist that spectacularly failed.

tnocs.com

Bill Bois @billbois.bsky.social · May 30

The story of an obscure musical oddity and unlikely feminist anthem from Anchorage that blared across scattered radio stations, defying geography and logic in the pre-internet age.

tnocs.com/guys-are-not...

#anemicboyfriends #punk #alaskamusic

"Guys Are Not Proud":The Anemic Boyfriends: Remembering A Regional Cult Hit - tnocs.com

A lost punk gem from Anchorage finds its way to radios across America in 1980. Discover the wild, unlikely tale of The Anemic Boyfriends.

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Bill Bois @billbois.bsky.social · May 23

Two concert reviews in one: Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Evening and Ex-TC. There's a difference between a tribute band and a nostalgia act.
tnocs.com/nashville-co...

#ledzeppelintribute #xtc @extc.official_ @jblzeofficial

Nashville Concert Reviews: Jason Bonham And Ex-TC - A Tale of Two Tribute Acts - tnocs.com

Concert review of Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Evening at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium and Ex-TC at City Winery. A detailed comparison of tribute bands versus original members, exploring musical preser...

tnocs.com

Bill Bois @billbois.bsky.social · May 18

A trip to Iceland and Ireland helped me make a very big decision. Read about it here: tnocs.com/lost-luggage...

Lost Luggage, Good Friends, and Hidden Emerald Isle Gems: Our Iceland-Ireland Adventure - tnocs.com

Join us on a journey through Iceland’s volcanic landscapes and Dublin’s historic streets, where lost luggage, friendships, and adventure await!

tnocs.com