The sixties is my time. This was the period I grew up in and am spiritually attached to. For me it was all new and sparkly.
At the age of ten and eleven it was all Buddy Holly, Little Richard and Eddie Cochran for me. Then I discovered the joys of Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry.
When the Beatles and Stones stormed on to the scene in 1963/4 I was right into it. This was my music. Nobody had ever done anything like it. Every week seemed to bring a totally new sound – The Who – ‘I Can’t Explain’, The Smallfaces – ‘Whatcha Gonnsa Do About it’, Kinks – ‘You Really Got Me’ – Downliners Sect ‘Little Egypt’, Yardbirds – ‘I Wish you Would’, Them – Here Comes the Night/Gloria’. It went on and on. New sounds. New bands. It was endless.
Then there was the Blues with Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, Elmore James and Sonny Boy Williamson and seeing the great Son House play live.
There was Folk with Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs and Buffy St Marie raising the sensitivities to Civil Rights and anti-war.
Then the end of sixties and the Underground. The sixties for me wasn’t the swinging England of Carnaby Street, the mini-skirts and dandies, it was the idealism and politics of the counter-culture and the music that was the backdrop to it – Hendrix, Cream, Captain Beefheart, Roy Harper, Country Joe & the Fish, Doors, Buffalo Springfield, Traffic, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Love, Pink Floyd, Family, Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, John Mayall, Fugs, Jefferson Airplane, Byrds, and Grateful Dead.
The creativity, range and ideals were soaked up and invigorated me. The sheer range of new sounds was incredible. It was a million miles away from the Pop of popular culture on the telly. The media’s stereotyping of ‘hippies’ and swinging sixties was a million miles away from the reality.
These were the fires that forged my character. I fed off the ideals of equality, non-violence and creativity. I still believe in justice, fairness and a sustainable life-style.
The sixties spawned the women’s movement, green groups and civil rights. It gave rise to the questioning of authority that has won numerous rights for people.
The sixties wasn’t a fashion or style, a stereotyped look to ridicule; it was a period of great innovation and a time when the establishment was rocked.
The establishment is now back in control. The rebellion of the sixties and Punk have been bought up and sold for profit. I see the styles and fashions all mocking the reality. It’s bought and sold.
Where’s the sanity coming from now? Or are we destined to keep on down this path of mindless growth and economic madness towards Armageddon? Is the world of fashion, games, distraction and mindlessness ruling forever?