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TIL the music genre “shoegaze” got its name from British critics mocking the musicians always looking down at their shoes while playing instead of the audience. In reality, the musicians had to focus on the numerous music effect pedals in their playlist.

6EDEw TIL that The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle, the 1980 movie about the Sex Pistols, has a club scene with a disco mash-up of their songs
RXnj TIL 10% of those conscripted in the UK in WWII were sent to serve not on the battlefield, but in the coal mines that powered the war machine. Some of these soldiers were not released from service until two years after the war ended. They were not formally recognized for their contribution until 1995
a8ARo TIL that Eddie Murphy, Danny DeVito, Chevy Chase, Bill Cosby. John Cleese, John Candy, Steve Martin, Jeff Goldblum and John Lithgow were all considered for the part of Doc Brown in Back To The Future.
LpVp TIL that a book attributed to Penelope Ashe was actually written by a group of 24 journalists. It was designed to be deliberately terrible with a lot of sex, to illustrate the point that American literary culture had become mindlessly vulgar. The book became a bestseller in 1969.
MePVb TIL Las Vegas casino mogul Steve Wynn's daughter Kevin was kidnapped from her home in 1993 with a $2.5 million ransom requested for her return. Instead of reporting the crime, Wynn quickly arranged delivery of $1.4 million in cash from the vault of the Mirage. She was returned unharmed.