More about the sixties and music

Uncommon People is a book written by David Hepworth. The uncommon people he is talking about are rock stars. The book scans 40 years and looks at one year at a time and picks one star for every year. For 1959 he picked Buddy Holly: February 3, 1959 is of course the date of Buddy Holly died.  As Don Maclean wrote in his world-wide hit, 'American Pie', it was the day the music died. 

Here is a quote from David Hepworth about Buddy Holly:
"He was the most influential rock star of his time, possibly of all time. Influential is not a synonym for good or successful. It denotes the extent to which other people feel they can pattern themselves off of you. Buddy Holly is where the do-it-yourself ethos of rock ‘n’ roll begins.  He inspired thousands of people to play. There wasn’t a band with an electric guitar in the early 1960's they didn’t play at least one Buddy Holly song."

Nothing emphasizes this more than the fact that 'That’ll Be The Day' is the first song recorded by the Quarrymen who as we all know now is the group that became The Beatles and 'That’ll Be The Day' is of course the first hit by Buddy Holly and the crickets.    

Another track that has a special significance for me  is 'It Ain’t Me Babe' done by Bob Dylan. He has recorded many versions of it over the decades, but one specific release is important to me.

In order to circumvent new rules dictating when music becomes a part of the public domain, Dylan‘s record label is releasing masses of recordings that they have in the vault. There is a new CD just released in July 2018 but it covers a series of live recordings done in the mid 1960's. It Ain’t Me, Babe was recorded on 17 May 1964 at the Royal Festival Hall on London's Southbank. I was at that concert when this was recorded. Listening to it now brings memories flooding back. The images of that day are still very firmly rooted in my brain. My friend and I looked like the schoolboys we were, (actually, just finishing High School,) while most of the other people in the audience looked as if they were auditioning for a part in a movie of "On the Road"! I have been a lifelong Dylan fan after seeing him then. Listen out, I think you can hear me clapping at the end.  

 I also recently read a reprint of  The Longest Cocktail Party by Richard DeLilo. He worked at Apple HQ in Saville Row from 1968 to the early 70's. He was an assistant press officer for Apple corp. An American working in London in that time. He was affectionately referred to  as the House Hippie, He chronicles what was going on at that time. One of the significant aspects of those dates is that in mid-1968  Apple Records was launched. The first tune the Beatles released on Apple Records was Hey Jude.  Of course, it has gone on to become one of the giant iconic tunes of the sixties. 

Another of the first releases on Apple Records was James Taylor's  self-titled LP which included Carolina on My Mind and that became the first single released from the album. It features Paul McCartney on Bass & background vocals. When I saw James in Halifax a few years ago, he introduced this song with a chat about the recording of it. Speaking of how crazy in was in those days of Apple's beginnings and the sentiments in the song are very much how he felt back in 1968. He missed America greatly. You can feel it in these lyrics.

Another of the first Apple Records releases which went on to be a huge worldwide hit. 'Those Were the Days' sung by Mary Hopkins and produced by Paul McCartney. Within a few weeks, Apple Records had the No.1 & No.2 hits in pop charts everywhere. A pretty auspicious start to a fledgling record company.

 Playlist :  That'll be the Day - The Quarrymen/ It Ain't Me, Babe (Live) - Bob Dylan (at the Royal Festival Hall, May 1964) / Hey Jude - The Beatles/ Carolina on My Mind - James Taylor/ Those were the Days - Mary Hopkins

Greyhound Bus in Chattanooga, Tenn.

When I was travelling in the USA in the summer of 1966, I got a charter flight from London to JFK, planned to spend time in New York City and then travel down to Florida. I expected to spend most of the summer with my Aunt and Uncle in Gulfport, Florida; It is completely surrounded by St. Petersburg. I read that one could buy a Greyhound ticket that permitted the traveler unlimited mileage, as long as one did not double back on one's journey. It cost $99 and could only be bought outside the USA. It could not be acquired after I landed in New York. There was a Greyhound Office on Regent Street, so I found my way there and purchased said ticket.
I traveled south on a Greyhound route that basically followed US Hwy 1. It clung to the Eastern Coast. It was great. For the return to New York, I took the greyhound bus from my aunt and uncle’s place in Florida back to New York City. I picked a route that deliberately took me inland away from the Atlantic Seaboard and arrived in Chattanooga Tennessee. As a long time fan of Glenn Miller I wanted to go and see the railway station . It was in the early hours of the morning and I stopped and shaved and did my teeth in the washroom of Chattanooga railway station humming that song to myself, Chattanooga Choo-Choo. It was a special moment.

Playlist -
Chattanooga Choo-Choo. Glen Miller & his Orchestra

Chattanooga Choo-Choo. Bill Haley & the Comets

Carnaby Street

I was still at school in 1963 when my friends and I discovered Carnaby Street, a small street back then, behind Regent Street and known especially for trendy shirts, even some special made too order ones. In no time at all, by early 1964 it was booming with boutiques specializing in all manner of "Mod clothing" not just shirts.

It was the summer of 1966 which I spent in America traveling around, but spending a lot of  time with my Aunt & Uncle in Florida.  My Aunt worked part-time in downtown St. Petersburg, and I would go with her we so could have lunch together;  the rest of the time I would wander around the shops. One day that August 1966, I was in the downtown Sears department store and went to the youth department. They were doing a promotion for a line of clothing that was being touted as straight from Carnaby Street. It was from Lord John boutique. I was intrigued by the activity and stood in the sidelines. I noticed the only other guy in the department with long hair sitting on a chair looking bored, so I went and sat beside him.
Somewhat surprisingly, I took the initiative and started chatting. I asked him if you knew what was going on. That was when I discovered it was a promotion and the Lord John connection. Getting all excited I told him "well, my friends and I go down to Carnaby Street all the time and I shop at Lord John’s frequently."
He smiled and shook my hand and said hello he is Lord John.
It was on a promotional caravan going across America stimulating interest in Carnaby Street fashion.
It’s amazing who you run into when you’re on holiday thousands of miles away from home. You are away from your usual shopping habits, and then you run into the owner of one of your favourite shops!

Paint it Black

The Caldwell-Hill house is located on Robie Street in Halifax. Near the junction with Jubilee Road. It has some spooky tales concerning its 'black window'. The window is on the side of the house facing Jubilee Road.  
The story I heard was that a woman had been killed in there and after the house was sold, people on the outside could see a ghostly image of a woman inside the home. The house was sold again and the subsequent owners painted the window black so no-one could look in and see a ghost,  but the window cracked; every time it was replaced and painted black, it cracked. So eventually, the glass was removed and boarded up with the board being painted black.
There are a range of stories some involving a man who hung himself on the tree outside and witches dancing on the veranda!
The house is referenced on Wikipedia too.
Every time I drive past it I hum Paint it Black by The Rolling Stones!