Silence and the Origins of Modern Remembrance
“Although several people would claim credit for the idea, the suggestion to hold a universal silence came from Sir Percy Fitzpatrick, formerly High Commissioner in South Africa. On November 4 1919 he wrote to Lord Milner suggesting that such a silent pause would be essential for preserving the memory of the war:
In the hearts of our people there is a real desire to find some lasting expression of the feelings for those who gave their live sin the war. They want something done now while the memories of sacrifice are in the minds of all, for there is a dread — too well grounded in experience — that those who have gone will not always be foremost in the thoughts of all and that when the fruits of sacrifice become our daily bread, there will be few occasions to remind us of what we so clearly realise today.
The Amen Break
This fascinating, brilliant 20-minute video narrates the history of the “Amen Break,” a six-second drum sample from the b-side of a chart-topping single from 1969. This sample was used extensively in early hiphop and sample-based music, and became the basis for drum-and-bass and jungle music — a six-second clip that spawned several entire subcultures.
