It's a three-fer this week!

First, in the summer of 1970, you couldn't pass through the un-airconditioned parts of Los Angeles without hearing radios blaring "Viva Tirado," the groundbreaking hit from El Chicano ... an East LA band who were the first Latino group to play The Apollo. We get the story from band member Bobby Espinoza. 

Then, as KPCC's Adolfo Guzman Lopez works on his new podcast, The Forgotten Revolutionary - the new season of Imperfect Paradise from LAist Studios - we listen back to an early instance of Adolfo talking about his background on KPCC ... the occasion being the time he was name-checked on "The Simpsons." 

And finally, we listen to the trailer for The Forgotten Revolutionary, which is about Oscar Gomez, a tragic star of the Chicano rights movement, whose radio show used "Viva Tirado" as its theme song. It's also about Adolfo's history as an activist, which he is revealing for the first time as he explores what happened to Gomez.

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live; and bythe Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

(Off-Ramp theme music by Fesliyan Studios.)

With Governor Newsom contemplating mandatory water restrictions - because we are actually using MORE water this year, despite his warnings - it seems like a good time to bring back the time Sanden Totten, now the host of Brains On, took a timed Navy shower back in 2015 ... on the radio.

The Navy shower is a strategy for getting clean when you're on a boat with limited freshwater, and lots of sweaty seafarers in line behind you. (People in the Navy apparently call landlubber showers "Hollywood showers.")

In this episode, Sanden also chats with an astronaut about how they use and reuse water in space. And drink what used to be pee. You have been warned.

Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live; and bythe Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

(Off-Ramp theme music by Fesliyan Studios.)

Martin Mull's "Split Infinitives" exhibit opens in Santa Monica ... Frank Stoltze and Brian Watt say, "Send us your tired, your huddled donations, yearing to be free." ... Hard Times in SoCal ... The Best of Off-Ramp ... Dinner Party Download makes life better and you more interesting ...

Hal "Raindrops Are Falling on my Head" David, 89, sings at the Grammy Museum ... Homeless in Hard Times ... CyberFrequencies ... the Philippines' national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal.

Filmmaker and author RH Greene presents "Vampira and Me," a special documentary for Off-Ramp that tells the story of Maila Nurmi, creator of the cultural icon Vampira.

Off-Ramp's John Rabe and Kevin Ferguson talk with a baker's dozen of the 45 artists chosen to be in OCMA's 2010 California Biennial.

Stories from the Recession Front in new series, "Hard Times" ... Dan Savage's "It Gets Better Campaign" to fight gay teen suicide goes viral ... CyberFrequencies ... Songwriters Hall of Fame at Grammy Museum ... Remembering Tom Bradley campaigner & press secy Bob Kholos, witness to history of LA ... Mark Peel explains why your restaurant meal is late ... EatLA's 2011 guide is out ...

RH Greene on the Walking Man of Silverlake ... Dinner Party Download ... Cooking for 5,000 aboard the USS George Washington aircraft carrier ... Upton Sinclair Reconsidered ... Todd Carpenter - a real painter of light, in the dark.

Home Movie Day arrives in LA ... Mark Peel dispenses food wisdom ... Santa Clarita: cuisine destination? ... Athol Fugard's new play, "The Train Driver" ... Arthur Fiedler throws parsley, Mark Peel is surprised ...

LACMA's huge new Resnick Pavilion ... Lou Adler on The Painted Turtle and his talent ... muralist Siqueiros did landscapes, too ... skeletons in the closet? a German baron has mummies in his crypt ... meet This Old House, finally coming to LA ...