30 Amazing Photos of Bob Marley in the 1970s

Bob Marley (February 6, 1945 – May 11, 1981) was a Jamaican singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, he fused elements of reggae, ska, and rocksteady, and was renowned for his distinctive vocal and songwriting style. In the 1970s, Marley evolved from a local Jamaican musician into a global icon of peace and rebellion. This decade was the most transformative era of his life, defined by his transition from the original Wailers trio to a solo superstar and his deep involvement in Jamaica’s volatile political landscape.

In 1972, Marley and the original Wailers (Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer) signed with Island Records, leading to the 1973 releases of Catch a Fire and Burnin’, which introduced reggae to a global audience. In 1974, the original Wailers (Marley, Peter Tosh, and Bunny Wailer) disbanded. Marley began performing as Bob Marley & The Wailers, backed by the I-Threes (including his wife, Rita Marley) and the Barrett brothers on rhythm.

His global breakthrough came in 1975 with the live version of “No Woman, No Cry.” This was followed by the critically acclaimed album Exodus (1977), which Time Magazine later named the best album of the 20th century.

Jamaica in the 1970s was divided by violent conflict between the PNP (People’s National Party) and the JLP (Jamaica Labour Party). Marley’s influence made him a target. In December 1976, Marley survived a politically motivated shooting at his home just two days before he was scheduled to perform at the government-sponsored Smile Jamaica concert.

Following the shooting, Marley fled to London for two years. This period was incredibly productive, resulting in the albums Exodus and Kaya, which blended political anthems with softer love songs like “Is This Love.” He returned in 1978 for the One Love Peace Concert, where he famously brought rival political leaders together on stage. 

By the mid-1970s, Marley had fully embraced Rastafarianism, and his dreadlocks and “ganja” use became inseparable from his public image as a spiritual messenger. However, the decade ended on a somber note: in 1977, he was diagnosed with acral lentiginous melanoma (a form of skin cancer) under a toenail. He refused to have the toe amputated due to his religious beliefs, a decision that eventually led to his death in 1981.

See more»

Fascinating Photos Capture Street Scenes in Vienna During the Mid-1980s

Street scenes in Vienna during the mid-1980s captured a city caught in a beautiful limbo between its imperial past and a grainy, pre-digital modernity. The streets were defined by the rhythmic clatter of vintage red-and-white trams navigating the Ringstraße, passing by ornate facades that still bore the weathered patina of time. In the cobblestone alleys of the Innere Stadt, the air was a mix of roasting coffee from historic Konditoreis and the faint scent of winter coal.

You would see men in heavy loden coats and wide-brimmed hats walking briskly past shop windows displaying intricate cakes, while a younger generation, influenced by the New Wave movement, brought a touch of leather jackets and bold silhouettes to the plazas.

It was a time of “Gemütlichkeit” (coziness) and understated elegance, where the city’s grand plazas felt like vast, open-air living rooms, largely untouched by the frenetic pace of the coming internet age. From the smoke-filled coffee houses to the cobblestone alleys of the Innere Stadt, these fascinating photos, via Morton1905, capture the soul of Vienna in the mid-1980s.

See more»

Axl Rose Showing Off His New Cordless Phone at the Sunset Grill in Hollywood, 1988

These photographs of a young Axl Rose, captured by the renowned rock photographer Mark Weiss in 1988 at the Sunset Grill in Hollywood, where he seemingly paused for a quick portrait and maybe grabbed a burger after arriving with his then-girlfriend, Erin Everly.

According to Weiss, Guns N’ Roses were off-tour that spring. They arranged a shoot at Sunset Grill—everyone in the band showed up except Axl. The next day, he arrived with Erin Everly, had a quick meal, posed for around 15 minutes, and even showed off a mobile phone, marking Weiss’s first time using one.

“Every time I went to L.A., I would see who is around and what’s going on,” Weiss said. “And I reached out to [Guns N’ Roses] publicist Bryn Bridenthal. I said, ‘Let’s not make this a big photo shoot. They don’t like that. Why don’t we just meet at the Sunset Grill. I’ll buy them some lunch and we’ll just take some photos.’”

“Axl didn’t show up that day, so I shot him the next day by himself. We took some photos in front of the Sunset Grill sign. Just some portraits. And then at the end, he starts making a phone call and he’s like, ‘Mark, check out my phone. I’d never used one of them before.’ ... I don’t think there’s many pictures of him with a beard. They were in between tours or records. It was just very natural. It wasn’t posy.”

Mark Weiss, often referred to as “Weissguy,” is a legendary American rock photographer who rose to prominence in the 1980s. His images defined the look of that era’s heavy metal and glam rock scene, capturing icons like Ozzy Osbourne, Bon Jovi, Metallica, and Guns N’ Roses.

See more»

Captivating Vintage Photos That Define ’30s Street Fashion

Street fashion in the 1930s underwent a dramatic shift from the boyish “flapper” silhouettes of the previous decade toward a more mature, elongated, and feminine aesthetic. Despite the hardships of the Great Depression, style remained a priority, defined by an emphasis on the natural waistline and hemlines that dropped back down to mid-calf or the ankle.

Women’s daywear often featured floral prints, puffed sleeves, and the iconic “bias cut,” which allowed fabric to drape elegantly over the body’s curves. For men, the “Superman” silhouette became the gold standard, characterized by wide-shouldered double-breasted suits, high-waisted trousers, and the indispensable fedora.

It was an era of “glamour on a budget,” where clever accessorizing with hats, gloves, and furs allowed ordinary people to emulate the sophisticated screen stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age.

Step back into a decade where elegance met resilience. These vintage photos capture the essence of 1930s street fashion, a time when style shifted from the rebellious flapper spirit to a more sophisticated, elongated silhouette.

See more»

40 Photos of a Young and Beautiful Jennifer Jason Leigh in the 1980s

Jennifer Jason Leigh (born February 5, 1962) is an American actress. She began her career on television during the 1970s before making her film breakthrough in the teen film Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982). Her portrayal of Stacy Hamilton remains one of the most authentic depictions of 1980s adolescence. Unlike the glossy teen archetypes of the time, Leigh brought a vulnerability and awkwardness to Stacy’s sexual awakening that felt painfully real. It established her as a performer who wasn't afraid to lean into discomfort.

Her career in the 1980s is a masterclass in the “Method” approach, as she quickly transitioned from teen roles to becoming one of the most respected, and daring, young actresses in Hollywood. While many of her peers were chasing “Brat Pack” stardom, Leigh was often gravitating toward darker, more psychologically complex territory.

Leigh’s 1980s era was defined by intensity. She often chose roles involving extreme emotional or physical duress, working with directors who pushed boundaries. While she wasn’t a “tabloid” star, she was a “critic’s” star—someone who was clearly building the foundation for a long-term, serious career.

See more»

The Legal Battle of Robert Kearns, Who Invented the Intermittent Windshield Wiper, vs. Ford Motor Company

In 1963, Robert Kearns, an engineer with a PhD, invented the intermittent windshield wiper. Inspired by the human eye—which blinks only when necessary rather than staying open or closed—Kearns designed a system that allowed wipers to pause between swipes, a feature that didn't exist in the vacuum-powered or constant-motion wipers of the time.

He installed the device in his Ford Galaxie and demonstrated it to Ford executives. Ford expressed interest, and Kearns shared his schematics and prototypes, believing they were negotiating a licensing deal or a partnership to manufacture the parts.

Instead of licensing the technology, Ford (and eventually the rest of the “Big Three”) rejected Kearns’ proposal. However, in 1969, Ford introduced its own intermittent wiper system in its Mercury line. Upon inspecting the Ford part, Kearns discovered it was an exact copy of his patented design, utilizing the same transistor-capacitor timing circuit.

Kearns filed suit against Ford in 1978. The litigation was grueling and took a massive toll on his life. Ford argued that Kearns’ patent was invalid because it was “obvious,” it used standard electronic components (off-the-shelf resistors and capacitors). Kearns successfully argued that while the parts were standard, the combination of those parts to create a new, functional system was a “flash of genius” that was not obvious to others at the time.

The stress of the 12-year battle led to a mental breakdown and the dissolution of Kearns’ marriage. He eventually fired several law firms and represented himself for much of the trial to ensure his principles weren't compromised for a quick settlement.

Robert Kearns’ patents

In 1990, a jury found that Ford had indeed infringed on Kearns’ patents. While Kearns had originally sought over $300 million (based on a per-unit royalty for every car sold), the court awarded him $5.2 million. To avoid further appeals and another round of litigation, Ford eventually paid Kearns a total of $10.2 million.

Following the Ford case, Kearns successfully sued Chrysler, winning an additional $18.7 million in 1992. Despite his financial victories, Kearns remained bitter that he was never allowed to manufacture the wipers himself as he had originally intended. He died in 2005 from Alzheimer’s and brain cancer.

Unique Portraits of the Sámi People by Roche/Bonaparte From the 19th Century

In 1884, Prince Roland Bonaparte led an anthropological expedition to Northern Norway (Finnmark) and Sweden to document the Sámi people. The majority of the photography for this project was executed by his expedition photographer, G. Roche.

Unlike contemporary photographers who captured candid lifestyle shots, Roche and Bonaparte used the “en face” (frontal) and profile formula. This was a standardized, quasi-scientific method designed to document physical traits.

The collection includes over 100 portraits of Sámi individuals. Many of the subjects are identified by name in the archives, such as Jol Andersen (a Sea Sámi man from Finnmark), Anna Hurri, and Niels Larsen Pilto.

Subjects often wear traditional gákti (Sámi clothing) but are placed against neutral backgrounds or within rigid frames. Some portraits even include “number plates” or height scales, reflecting the era’s obsession with racial categorization.

While the portraits are the most famous, the expedition also captured Sámi dwellings (lavvu), boats, and the Arctic landscape, providing a broader context of 1880s Northern Norway.

See more»