The Roland TR-808 is a drum machine introduced by the Roland Corporation in 1980. Discontinued in 1983, it remains in use around the world. Launched at a time when electronic music had yet to become mainstream, the 808 was a commercial failure, but attracted a cult following for its affordability, ease of use, and idiosyncratic sounds, particularly its deep, booming bass drum. It became a cornerstone of the emerging electronic, dance, and hip hop genres, popularized by early hits such as Marvin Gaye's "Sexual Healing" (1982) and Afrika Bambaataa and the Soulsonic Force's "Planet Rock" (1982). The 808 is completely analog, meaning its sounds are generated by hardware rather than prerecorded. Only around 12,000 units were built, but the 808 was eventually used on more hit records than any other drum machine. Its popularity with hip hop artists in particular has made it one of the most influential inventions in popular music, comparable to the Fender Stratocaster and its influence on rock.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_TR-808
_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:
1346:
King David II of Scotland, under the terms of the Auld Alliance with France, led an invasion of England during the Hundred Years' War, but was captured in the Battle of Neville's Cross. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Neville%27s_Cross
1660:
A series of executions concluded, where of the 59 commissioners who signed the death warrant for Charles I of England, nine were hanged, drawn and quartered for treason. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_regicides_of_Charles_I
1931:
American gangster Al Capone was convicted on five counts of income tax evasion. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Capone
1964:
Prime Minister of Australia Robert Menzies opened the artificial Lake Burley Griffin in the middle of the capital Canberra. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Burley_Griffin
2000:
A rail accident at Hatfield, Hertfordshire, UK, caused the collapse of Railtrack and the introduction of widespread speed limit reductions throughout the rail network. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railtrack
_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:
broadcast: 1. (transitive) To transmit a message or signal through radio waves or electronic means. 2. (transitive) To transmit a message over a wide area; specifically, to send an email in a single transmission to a (typically large) number of people. 3. (intransitive) To appear as a performer, presenter, or speaker in a broadcast programme. 4. (transitive, agriculture, horticulture, archaic) To sow seeds over a wide area. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/broadcast
___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:
The Crucible became by far my most frequently produced play, both abroad and at home. Its meaning is somewhat different in different places and moments. I can almost tell what the political situation in a country is when the play is suddenly a hit there — it is either a warning of tyranny on the way or a reminder of tyranny just past. --Arthur Miller https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Arthur_Miller