The influence of LA’s popular culture in the early 1970s compares to Paris’ literary world in the 1920s New York’s modern art world in the early 1950s, says Ron Brownstein, author of “Rock Me on the Water: 1974 - The Year Los Angeles Transformed Movies Music, Television and Politics.”
His book features interviews with and stories about 125 celebrities, including Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, the Eagles, Warren Beatty, and Jack Nicholson. It demonstrates how popular culture of their era still shapes American politics to this day.
Ron Brownstein’s new book is “Rock Me on the Water: 1974 - The Year Los Angeles Transformed Movies Music, Television and Politics.” Photo courtesy of HarperCollins.
Also on this podcast, fighting fire with fire worked for Native Americans for centuries until white settlers stopped the practice 100 years ago. Lanya Quinn Davidson of the Northern California Prescribed Fire Council explains how it’s being revived.
She says fire is a natural feature of the California landscape, enhanced by Native Americans, then subjected to repression by developers and timber interests for the last 100 years. But despite careful contingency plans, prescribed fires can get out of control.
She adds that “burn bosses” for state and federal agencies are covered by taxpayer money, but face liability when private property is involved. Legislation has been proposed to protect them.