Amy Anthoney Border Dances The Legacy of Duncan Mackinnon Research Book

AMY anthoney

border dances 1

CONTENTS 3 INTRO AND CONTEXT 616 MY FAMILY DUNCAN MACKINNON 20 BOB FISH 28 HAWICK KNITWEAR 4256 CHANGING THE BANDS STAGEWEAR 78 COMMUNICATION 2

intro CONTEXT This is a research book created by Amy Anthoney. This research book follows the development of research into Duncan Mackinnon and his work as a music promoter for Border Dances. The book also covers the links between the music scene in the Borders during the 1950s and 60s and the fashion scene, specifically the knitwear industry in Hawick and surrounding Borders towns.

At the start of the project, I was tasked to look at my own family’s experience with music throughout their lives. When doing this research I came across scrapbooks created by my dad that documented his teenage years through to his late twenties, following his time in and out of bands and with friends. This research book has been inspired by these scrapbooks created by my dad and is also aesthetically inspired

by I-D and Tank Magazines.

Before creating my own pieces of work it was crucial to research into the 50’s and 60’s music scene further so that any work I created would be true to its inspiration.

It was so important to have first-hand information from those who lived through these experiences such as Bob Fish, frontman of ‘Johnny and the Roccos’ who gave a detailed telling of his life and his rise to stardom with the help of Duncan. This, along with further researching things such as the knitwear industry, helped garner a greater insight into the fashion scene, something that goes hand in hand with music. Overall, the journey that this project has taken me on has been so inspiring, and enjoyable. It was amazing to hear such passionate stories about music and the joy it brings people and really learn the importance of it.

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A moodboard inspired by the ‘50s

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A moodboard inspired by the ‘60s

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My Dad, Gordon aged 16

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MY family

When researching into the music scene in Scotland in the 50s and 60s it was important to speak to my own family about their experiences. I interviewed my Dad who was born in 1966 about his experience with music, and my granny who was born in 1936. My dad’s life has always revolved around music, it’s his biggest passion in life. He joined his first band ‘Merlin’, aged 14. From there on, my dad has been in bands his whole life- he’s still in one today! During his time in the band ‘Highlander’, my dad played alongside Ted Mckenna, a past member of the Alex Harvey Band- a band Duncan Mackinnon had earlier brought to the Borders. My dad was a selfproclaimed ‘Rocker’, his favourite bands were Def Leopard and Iron Maiden. He tried to emulate this style in his own dress sense. He loved telling me stories of his younger years playing gigs and it was amazing to hear how passionate he is about music. My granny, a young woman in the 50s enjoyed going to dances. She had had an interesting childhood, her father was stationed overseas in Sri Lanka for a good part of her younger years. She then attended an all-girls high school in a convent.

She remembers going to dance halls with her friends from her teaching college.

Although she didn’t meet my grandad at a dance, she recalls enjoying going to them together.

Overall it was amazing to hear first-hand experience from my own family, it gave me a great insight into the music scene and just how fascinating it was.

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“

I WAS A ROCKER

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”

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“

ilotbelieve a of people went to discos to try and look cool.

the main thing was to have fun and

meet”up with pals Gordon Anthoney on going to Discos.

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An interview with my Dad.

and I were influenced by band hairstyles. We all wanted the shaggy perm look which was the in thing in a lot of rock bands back then e.g., David Coverdale (lead singer with Whitesnake)

Did you go dancing back in the day?

We used to go to Sooty’s Disco every Friday night at the Pond Hall in Port Seton. They also occasionally had discos at the local community centre.

What are your memories of going to these places?

What were the venues like? Were they dance halls, clubs, discos?

These were great nights as back then you had a lot of different fashions influenced by music e.g., mods in their boating jackets & parka’s with targets on the back, punks with spiky hair and skin-tight jeans and doc martin boots, New Romantics who tended wear lots of makeup (boys too) like Duran Duran and rockers like us. There would often be a fight at some point during the evening as rival groups clashed but I don’t recall anything serious happening. Rockers & Punks tended to be mainly male whereas Mods & New Romantics were 50/50 male & female.

You did also have quite a few people who weren’t following any trend. They were great days!

The Pond Hall was a pretty big place with a few meeting rooms but one big main hall with a stage where they held the disco.

What did you wear?

I was a “Rocker” and had a sawnoff denim jacket (with the arms cut off) which was also covered in a lot of patches and embroidery of heavy metal band names like Iron Maiden, Motorhead, Saxon & Black Sabbath to name a few. Someone actually offered to buy it from me which shows how revered these types of clothing were back then. I wore a band t-shirt (which was bought at a concert), jeans and black pixie boots which were the fashion at the time.

Was it to meet partners/ see bands/ listen to music?

I believe a lot of people went to discos to try and look cool. The main thing was to have fun and meet up with pals.

How did what you wore to dances differ from what you wore day today?

That’s pretty much what I wore all the time (apart from school) from age 16 to 20.

Is there anything that stands out to you about these days?

The silly thing was that the DJ would mainly play the mainstream hits of the time and you were lucky if they played 2 or 3 heavy rock songs during the whole night, but when they did the floor would quickly clear and all the rockers would start headbanging like mad for the duration of the song. The same would happen with the Mods & Punks. It was bizarre looking back but great memories.

Did any bands influence your style?

Def Leppard definitely influenced me & many others. They generally wore t-short & jeans with black pixie boots Did any hairstyle?

bands

influence

your

Yes...back when I had hair, my friends

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“

MY STYLE WAS VERY ” INFLUENCED BY MUSIC

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“

igoingloved to dance on a friday night at the local dance

hall ”

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Duncan Mackinnon circa 1950’s

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DUNCAN MACKINNON Duncan Mackinnon is the man it’s all about. Duncan was a music promoter who ran the company Border Dances in the Scottish Borders. He managed multiple bands and organised gigs, he was the man who did it all. Duncan was responsible for bringing high-profile acts to the Scottish Borders, the rest of Scotland, and the North of England in the 1950s and 1960s. Some of the musicians and bands he hired to perform in the many venues include; The Ted Heath Band, Aker Bilk, Mick Mulligan, Cleo Laine and Johnny Dankworth The Hollies, The Who, The Pretty Things, and The Kinks. Duncan was a larger-than-life character, he was the man who could make you or break you. Many bands credit their success to Duncan.

Reuben of ‘Rue and the Rockets’ explained “Our popularity in the Borders was down to Duncan Mackinnon who was with the Border Dancers at the time. He got us gigs right across the region in Duns, Kelso, Galashiels, the lot, alongside some top names.”

When researching for the project it was so important to understand the significance of Duncan’s role. Duncan was responsible for putting the Scottish Borders on the music map, he created the music scene and helped aspiring musicians reach their goals by giving them a place to play whilst also giving the people of the Borders a place to let loose and enjoy the music.

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“

what sort

of brain he had. i dont

know how he did it. ”

Bill Pattison on Duncan Mackinnon, Scottish Borders Memory Bank

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The man who brought The Beatles to the Borders.

Duncan’s role as the promoter of Border Dances shaped the Music Scene in the Scottish Borders. He changed how audiences related to the music, whilst also providing support to the bands who would play. Duncan was famously known as the man who brought the Beatles to the Borders. In 1960, Mackinnon promoted the first Scottish tour by the Silver Beetles – later known as The Beatles – when they backed Johnny Gentle, a singer from Liverpool. Duncan’s empire saw many high-profile acts visit the small towns of the Scottish Borders, eager to make their claim to fame.

Duncan Mackinnon was a retired soldier, he had served with the 5th Btn KOSB, surviving some of the most brutal action that took place during the second world war. After being wounded by shrapnel during his service, Duncan was determined to make a success of his life and enjoy it, post-war. In the later years of the 1940s, Duncan set up his company, Border Dances, booking dance halls from Berwickshire to Carlisle. Duncan’s business was a quick success, he had acquired important contacts in London and started by bringing bands from the north of England, many of which went onto become household names.

Duncan Mackinnon’s relationship with Bob Fish began in the 60s when Bob a member of ‘The Diamonds’ played at an audition in Newtongrange. Whilst Duncan wasn’t there, he had been told of Bob’s talent by a colleague, and the next day Bob had booked 3 gigs, all for Border Dances. Duncan told Bob he wanted to give him a chance. Bob was humiliated after the audition, at the lack of experience and equipment his band had. Duncan explained to Bob that he would give him plenty of experience, and with groups, he could learn from. Bob was also instructed to put any money he earned from Duncan’s gigs towards improving his equipment.

Duncan was responsible for bringing loads of up-and-coming bands to the small borders towns and giving them a stage to perform at. Duncan would bring the bands, before they were famous, and have them play for miners clubs, dance halls, and other small venues of the sort. He was responsible for every aspect of the night, including booking the band, the venue, the doormen, making sure the event was advertised, and even making sure there was transportation. Duncan’s job was almost more important than the bands, without him there wouldn’t be a show!

Recalling Mackinnon’s early influence on his career, Bob explained “He took me from being a bedroom ‘wannabe strummer’ with wholly unrealistic aspirations, to enabling me to go out in the world and find what life was really all about on the road, and for that, I am eternally grateful. A solid grounding in the school of life thanks to Duncan’s early encouragement.”

Duncan’s success lied mainly in the fact that he booked rising pop idols of the time to make sure his evergrowing circuit featured cream-of-thecrop acts and worked with artists such as Acker Bilk, who gave him the credit for launching his career and putting him on the road to stardom.

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Bob on the Cover of the ‘Johnny And the Roccos’ CD

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BOB FISH

On Monday the 18th of January 2020, Bob Fish, former band member of ‘The Diamonds’ and ‘Johnny and the Roccos’ gave our class a guest lecture on his life in Hawick, his start in the music industry, and his relationship with Duncan Mackinnon.

From Bob’s talk, I personally feel like I gained a lot, especially a better insight into life in the 50s/ 60s, and specifically the music industry. I found it extremely interesting to hear how passionate he was about his stories and his music and thought it was amazing that he could remember such vivid details about his stories. I particularly found it interesting when he spoke about breaking into the music industry and how different it is to today. Bob’s life experience is immense, he seemed to have a story for everything, something I found very entertaining. I particularly liked when he spoke about fashion, what he was interested in and the trends back then, with references to old tv programmes he used to watch and old Hollywood stars.

It was so important to hear this information from Bob himself to gain a better insight into why primary sources are so important. No google search could provide as much information as a person who has lived something first-hand, it’s given me a lot to think about and a lot to draw inspiration from for this topic. I think it’s extremely important when researching a subject to speak to people who actually experienced it. First-hand information from someone that has lived through the subject you are researching is the most valuable source. It provides small details, memories, and feelings towards the subject that information from a book or online resources may not provide. It was important to hear opinions and anecdotes from Bob that are personal to him and the fond memories he has looking back on his life.

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“

may the lord

lord have mercy

on your black

money grabbing heart” Duncan Mackinnon to Bob Fish

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The story of Bob Fish.

Billy managed to get Bob and his band an audition at a miners club in Newtongrange one night. It was the first time Bob had been to Newtongrange and up Edinburgh way. When he arrived at the club he remembers being in awe. The club was filled with pictures and posters of Cliff Richard, loads of professional musical instruments including fender guitars and amps. Bob was very nervous to do the audition, the group that went on before them were amazing and professional. Bob remembers them wearing Gold Lame suits and having fancy guitars. Luckily The Blue Streets had a female singer, Edith, which was an asset. “Edith was a great mover,” said Bob, “she had great stage presence”. The band performed a song called ‘Let’s have a party. The club was absolutely packed with miners. Edith did her thing, and the crowd went crazy. However, Bob wasn’t amused and was humiliated by the band’s lack of gear and professionalism. He told Billy Richardson that he quit playing.

However, Billy told Bob that the club owner, Duncan Mckinnon, had heard about the band’s performance and had booked them for 3 gigs in the next week.

Bob Fish was born in 1945 in a small town called Hawick, in the Scottish Borders. He was introduced to music by his cousin who would take him to a local cafe to listen to the jukebox.

He would look at pictures of American artists and how they dressed and aspired to be like this one day.

He watched programmes like ‘Champion the Wonder Horse’ and dreamed of owning a pair of Levi jeans like the main character. He saw movie stars like Marilyn Monroe in Hawick twin Cashmere sets from Pringle and was in awe.

Bob’s father played the ukulele and taught Bob how to play the guitar after swapping a Christmas present for one with a classmate. Bob began to hang out with his mother’s cousin’s band, ‘The Angels’, and later formed his own band called ‘The Blue Streaks’. Bob’s band began playing at the bridge cafe. They had a 20-minute spot on a Wednesday night with ‘The Angels”.

It was his first public performance. He then began playing at the local youth club. Bob would learn songs from the TV shows he had taped and play them at the youth club the same night. Bob was then offered a job at the Hawick Express as a journalist, although he wasn’t particularly interested in it.

Hawick was known for rugby and knitwear and neither interested Bob. Rock n Roll was going to be his life, so he quit his job without telling his parents. He got another job to make money to buy clothes and music gear, to further his career. At this job he met Billy Richardson who told him that he would help Bob get gigs at a local dance competition, he attended each week.

Bob spoke very highly of Duncan Mckinnon, he credits the majority of his success to Duncan’s help. “May the Lord have mercy on your black moneygrabbing heart” was a joke between the men, that Duncan would say to Bob when he paid him after every gig. With the money Bob earned from Duncan, Bob was able to buy new and better music equipment, something Duncan told Bob that was vital to his success.

Bob’s bands grew in success. They played all over the world. Everywhere he went, Duncan’s name came up in

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conversation. In one instance, Bob remembers the time the band played in Scandanavia. The famous band ‘Slade’ were also playing during the time they were there. One night at the hotel bar, they were in conversation with the band, when Noddy Holder of Slade asked where they were from. Slade had played for Duncan McKinnon in Hawick in their early years. Bob met numerous influential people during his time, many with connections to Duncan. Duncan was responsible for bringing some incredible bands to the borders, Bob explains. Duncan owned over 200 venues and had bands such as ‘The Who’ and ‘Slade’ perform.

Bob’s band made the transition to rock music by accident one night. they had been booked an extremely last minute gig one night, and desperate for a gig and some money they drove miles to the venue. When they got there they realised there had been a mix-up and the promoter thought the band was a rock band. Unamused by the fact that Bob’s band were in fact a traditional dance band, the promoter told them they needed to come up with something on the spot. The venue was a working men’s club and they were told the crowd would not be amused if traditional music was played. So bob

and his band improvised, the crowd loved the music, and the promoter told Bob not to waste any more time with the trad music and get on the Rock scene.

Bob Fish has had an extremely influential life within the music industry.

He’s met some iconic music figures such as Billy Lee Riley, Jerry Lee Lewis. Bob and his band even ended up backing Billy Lee Riley during an American tour.

Bob credits his music success to his humble beginnings in his small Scottish hometown but most notably to Duncan Mckinnon.

A gig poster advertising ‘Johnny and the Roccos’ supporting Billy Lee Riley

Bob Fish in his first band, ‘The Blue Streaks’

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“

He took me from being a bedroom wannabe strummer wtih wholly unrealistic aspirations, to enabling me

to go out in the world and find out what life was really all about ”

Bob Fish on Duncan Mackinnon

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American Influences.

During Bob’s talk, he spoke very passionately about the American influences in his life during the ‘50s and ‘60s. He remembers seeing pictures of American artists and how they dressed and decided he also wanted to dress like them. His favourite programme on TV was ‘Champion the Wonder Horse’. He dreamed of owning the famous jeans the main character wore.

Bob was obsessed with American fashion culture. He recalls seeing Marilyn Munroe in pringle and being amazed that a Hollywood star was wearing a piece of knitwear from his small hometown of Hawick. At age 11, Bob’s love for American fashion became a reality when he finally had his own pair of Levi’s jeans.

His favourite outfit to wear was his denim jeans turned up, a white Lyle and Scott T-shirt, A Harrington jacket, argyle socks, and dexter loafersthe creme de la creme.

When Bob was a little bit older he heard Elvis Presley’s ‘Heartbreak Hotel’, it was his first record and his favourite song. Bob credits his interest in music sparking from Elvis. He loved how Elvis dressed, with his American style Box jackets and he aspired to this look. Bob’s love for American culture and fashion influenced him throughout his career, particularly in his own style.

Left: Elvis Presley, Jail House Rock Film, 1957

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the king 27

Ballerina, Margot Fonteyn wearing Pringle in the 1950s

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HAWICK KNITWEAR During Bob’s talk, he spoke very passionately about the knitwear industry in Hawick, his hometown. Hawick a town in the Scottish Borders, is famous for its knitwear, with companies such as Lyle and Scott, Pringle of Scotland, Johnstons of Elgin, Hawick Cashmere, and Barrie all having manufacturing plants in Hawick, producing luxury cashmere and merino wool knitwear. The woolen industry in Hawick dates back to the 18th Century, with the manufacturing of undergarments. Pringle founded their enterprise in 1815 and other manufacturers followed. Each brand bears individual family names, reflecting pride in the quality of the product. The manufacturing of undergarments grew into outerwear, including pullovers, cardigans, and the famous twin-set.

Hawick has a long association with fashion designers from all over the world, including Dior, Bernat Klein, Vivienne Westwood, and Chanel. Today, couturiers and designers from Italy, France, London’s Savile Row, and Highland estates are still regular visitors to Hawick’s mills.

When researching the music scene in the Scottish Borders, it was important to understand the culture of living in the Borders. Most people worked in the woolen mills, it was the centre of the economy and where most of the jobs were. Bob’s fond memories of the knitwear industry were very insightful. He remembers seeing Marilyn Monroe wearing a Pringle twinset, she started fastening them up the back (back to front) which soon caused a trend to do this. His own style was influenced by the industry, with most of his outfits being completed with a pair of argyle socks and a Lyle and Scott white t-shirt.

It was amazing to learn more about the knitwear industry was in the Borders, as a current resident and just how influential it was, especially to the people of Hawick.

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A model posing in a Cashmere set in the 1960s.

An illustration of Pringle Knitwear, featured in the New York Times in 1966

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A model posing in the Pringle showroom at 12a Saville Row during the 1950s.

pringle 31

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lyle and scott

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Left/Right: Adverts for Lyle and Scott knitwear, circa 1950-1960

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Barrie Vintage 1950’s Lilac Cashmere Cardigan

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An advert for Barrie Knitwear, circa 1950s.

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The Bands Duncan Mackinnon brought to Border Dances.

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THE BANDS

When researching Duncan and his impact on the music scene, it was extremely important to research into what bands he brought to the Scottish Borders. Duncan was responsible for bringing lots of high-profile acts to the small towns of Hawick, Carlisle among others. Often these acts were just starting out in their careers and had not yet achieved the high amount of success they would later on, for example, ‘The Silver Beetles’ who later became The Beatles, the most famous band to exist.

Some of the bands Duncan brought to the Borders in the ‘50s were; The Ted Heath Band, Aker Bilk, Mick Mulligan’s Magnolia Jazz Band, George Melly, Cleo Laine, and Johnny Dankworth.

He later brought some of the rising stars from the ‘60s including; Johnny Kid and the Pirates, The Hollies, The Who, The Pretty Things, The Kinks, Long John Baldry and Rod Stewart, The Yardbirds, The Spencer Davis Group, Johnny Gentle backed by the Silver Beetles, Robert Plant’s Band of Joy, The Walker Brothers, The Troggs, and The Alex Harvey Band.

This research follows each band/musician’s style when performing, the themes of their songs, and their relevance to today’s society.

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MICK MULLIGANS

MAGNOLIA JAZZ

BAND SONG - SAVOY BLUES

• MICK MULLIGANS MAGNOLIA JAZZ BAND WERE VERY SMARTLY DRESSED, WEARING SHIRTS AND SUITS TO PERFORM IN • THE BAND ALL HAD SMART AND NEAT HAIR, SHORT IN STYLE AND COMBED INTO PLACE • THE ‘SAVOY BLUES’ IS A VERY TYPICAL TRAD JAZZ/SWING PIECE OF MUSIC FROM THE 50’S • THIS MOVEMENT OF JAZZ CONTRIBUTED TO THE REVIVAL OF JAZZ POST-WAR THAT REACHED OUT TO A WIDE AUDIENCE WITH ITS EARTHINESS, HUMOUR AND THE FORTHRIGHT PASSIONS OF THE BLUES

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• THE BAND’S STAGE PRESENCE WAS MOST-LIKELY UPBEAT AND FUN, MATCHING THE NATURE OF THE MUSIC THEY PERFORMED • WHILST THIS STYLE IS NOW UNCOMMON FOR CURRENT ARTISTS, IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR BIG BANG PERFORMERS TO DRESS LIKE THIS

• CLEO LAINE AND JOHNNY DANKWORTH WERE A MARRIED PERFORMING DUO, PERFORMING JAZZ AND POP • CLEO WAS POPULAR FOR HER SCAT SINGING • THE TWO PERFORMED IN DANWKWORTHS SMALL GROUP, ‘THE DANKWORTH SEVEN’ WHICH LATER BECAME HIS ORCHESTRA IN 1958 • CLEO LAINE HAD FAMOUSLY CURLY RINGLETS IN AN AFRO LIKE CUT • SHE WORE DRESSES TO PERFORM IN WHILE JOHNNY WORE SMART SUITS • ‘WOMEN TALK’ IS ABOUT THE IDEA THAT WOMEN TALK ABOUT THE TRIVIAL ACTIONS OF MEN AND THAT WOMEN SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES, WOMEN TO WOMEN • THE STAGE PRESENCE OF THE TWO WAS ROMANTIC • CLEO’S SULTRY VOICE WAS CAPTIVATING AND SHE CLAIMED ALL ATTENTION • THE PAIR WERE HUGELY INFLUENTIAL TO THE WORLD OF JAZZ

& clEo laine johhny dankworTH SONG - WOMEN TALK

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LONG JOHN BALDRY

&

ROD STEWART

• LONG JOHN BALDRY & ROD STEWART PERFORMED TOGETHER IN THE BAND ‘LONG JOHN BALDY AND THE HOOCHIE COOCHIE MEN’ • THE 3 MALE BAND MEMBERS WORE SMART SUITS, OFTEN WITH A FASHIONABLE STRIPED PRINT • SHE ALSO HAD A FASHIONABLE 60’S BOB • THE FEMALE MEBER • WHILST THE MEN HAD RELATIVELY SHORT OFTEN WORE A LONG HAIR, IT WAS DEEMED LONG AT THE TIME DRESS • THE SONG ‘UP ABOVE MY HEAD’ IS ABOUT ENJOYING THE MUSIC AN THE EUPHORIC FEELING THE LISTENER EXPERIENCES

SONG - UP ABOVE MY HEAD

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• THE KINKS WERE EXTREMLY HIP AND FASHIONABLE DURING THE 60’S • THE BAND OFTEN WORE MATCHING OUTFITS WITH BRIGHT COLOURS

THE KINKS SONG - SUNNY AFTERNOON

• THEIR LONG HAIR WITH LONG SIDE BURNS WAS ALSO QUITE FASHIONABLE FOR THE TIME • THE KINKS WERE A BAND RECOGNISABLE WITH MOD-CULTURE • THE SONG SUNNY AFTERNOON REFERENCES THE HIGH LEVELS OF TAX TAKEN BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT • ITS LYRICAL FOCUS WAS PART OF A STYLISTIC DEPARTURE FOR THE BAND • THE KINKS HAD A CAPTIVATING PRESENCE ON STAGE, BUT NOT WITHOUT ITS DOWNSIDES • THE BAND WERE BANNED FROM PLAYING IN THE USA AFTER AN ONSTAGE FIGHT BETWEEN THE MEMBERS • THE KINKS ARE REGARDED AS A CULT BAND WITH MANY OF THEIR SONGS THEMES STILL RELEVANT TO TODAYS SOCIETY

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• THE TROGGS WERE A FOUR PIECE BAND FROM HAMPSHIRE • THE TROGGS ARE WIDELY SEEN AS A HIGHLY INFLUENTIAL BAND WHOSE SOUND WAS AN INSPIRATION FOR GARAGE AND PUNK ROCK • THE BAND MEMBERS ALL HAD QUITE LONG HAIR FOR THE TIME, WITH LONG FRINGES GIVING THE APPEARANCE OF A BOWL-CUT HAIRSTYLE • IN THE MUSIC VIDEO FOR ‘WILD THING’ THE BAND ARE WEARING MATCHING WHITE STRIPED SUITS WITH BLACK TURTLE-NECKS

• THE THEME OF THE SONG FOLLOWS THE ENJOYMENT OF HAVING SEX WITH SOMEONE YOU WILL NEVER SEE AGAIN • THE BANDS STAGE PRESENCE WAS ENERGETIC AND CAPTIVATING • THE RELEVANCE OF THE SONG TODAY IS STILL PRESENT WITH MANY CHART TOPPERS FOLLOWING SIMILAR SONG THEMES

THE TROGGS 48

SONG - WILD THING

• THE WALKER BROTHERS WERE AN AMERICAN POP GROUP WHO AFTER MOVING TO BRITIAN IN 1965, HAD A NUMBER OF TOP TEN ALBUMS AND SINGLES • ALONG WITH THE GROUPS RELOCATION CAME A CHANGE IN IMAGE, ABANDONING MATCHING SUITS AND POMPADOURS IN FAVOUR OF THE MOP TOP HAIRCUTS AND CASUAL ATTIRE TYPICAL OF BRITISH POP STARS • THEY WERE SEEN AS HEARTTHROBS IN THE UK SONG - THE SUN AINT GONNA SHINE

THE waLker brothers

• THE THEME OF ‘THE SUN AIN’T GONNA SHINE’ IS ALL ABOUT A HOPELESS FEELING THAT COMES WITH THE LOSS OF LOVE • THE BANDS STAGE PRESENCE WAS IMPRESSIVE • SCOTT WALKERS VOICE CAUGHT THE ATTENTION OF A YOUNG DAVID BOWIE • BY 1967 THE BANDS POPULARITY WAS THREATENING THEIR LIVES WITH SCREAMING GIRLS REGULARLY MOBBING THE GROUP

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“

believe it or not,

at the time we

were the only band with stage lights so we d be ledning them ’

to the likes of the spencer davis group ”

Rueben of ‘Rue and the Rockets’ on Border Dances

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THE HOLLIES • THE HOLLIES ARE A BRITISH ROCK GROUP FORMED IN 1962 AND KNOWN FOR THEIR DISTINCTIVE 3-PART VOCAL HARMONY STYLE • THE BAND ROSE TO FAME IN THE LATE 60’S

• THE BAND WERE FAMOUS FOR WEARING MATCHING SHARP SUITS, OFTEN WITH CONTRAST PIPING • THEY ALL HAD SIMILAR HAIRCUTS, ALTHOUGH THE STYLES VARIED SLIGHTLY • THE SONG ‘CARRIE ANN’ IS ABOUT THE BRITISH SINGER ACTRESS MARIANNE FAITHFULL WHO DATED HOLLIES SINGERGUITARIST ALLAN CLARKE FOR A SHORT TIME • ‘MARIANNE’ WAS CHANGED TO ‘CARRIE-ANNE’ SO IT WOULDNT BE TOTALLY OBVIOUS • THE WHOLE BAND WERE GREAT ENTERTAINERS • WHILST THE HOLLIES FASHION STYLE IS NO LONGER CURRENT, THE THEMES OF THEIR MUSIC ARE STILL RELEVANT SONG - CARRIE-ANNE

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JOHHNY KIDD & THE PIRATES • ENGLISH ROCK AND ROLL GROUP • LED BY SINGER/ SONGWRITER JOHNNY KIDD • SCORED NUMEROUS HIT SONGS FROM 1950S TO EARLY 60’S • THEATRICAL STYLE • WORE FULL PIRATE COSTUMES • KIDD WORE AN EYEPATCH AND A CUTLASS

SONG - SHAKING ALL OVER

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• INSPIRED ALICE COOPER AND DAVID BOWIE • THEIR STAGE PRESENCE WAS UNMATCHED, KIDD DEVELOPED A VISUAL SHOW • THE SONG ‘SHAKING ALL OVER’ WAS A TOP HIT, IT EXPLAINS THE FEELING YOU GET NEAR A GREAT LOOKING GIRL • THE BAND THEMES ARE STILL RELEVANT TODAY HOWEVER THE THEATRICAL NATURE OF THE BAND IS UNCOMMON

• BUS STOP WAS WRITTEN BY SONG-WRITER GRAHAM GOULDMAN • THE IDEA CAME WHILST HE WAS RIDING HOME FROM WORK ON A BUS • THE SONG IS ABOUT A COUPLE WHO MEET ONE RAINY DAY AT A BUS STOP. • LOVE BLOOMS WHEN THEY SHARE AN UMBRELLA • THE SONG WAS A TOP HIT FOR THE BAND

THE HOLLIES • THE BANDS STAGE PRESENCE WAS FUN AND UPBEAT, MUCH LIKE THEIR SONGS • THEIR RELEVANCE TO TODAYS SOCIETY IS HUGE • THE BAND WAS ONE OF THE BEST AND MOST COMMERCIALLY SUCCESFUL POP/ROCK ACTS OF THE BRITISH INVASION • THE HOLLIES DIDNT BREAK AMERICA UNTIL ‘BUS STOP’ AND SOON SUCCESS FOLLOWED • THE THEMES OF THE SONGS ARE STILL PROMINENT IN MUSIC TODAY

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SONG - BUS STOP

THE TROGGS • THE TROGGS LEAD SINGER REG PRESLEY WROTE THE SONG ‘LOVE IS ALL AROUND’ IN ABOUT 10 MINUTES • HE WAS INSPIRED BY THE JOY STRINGS SALVATION ARMY BAND HE’D SEEN ON TV • THE SONG IS A GENTLE FOLK BALLAD AND A FAR CRY FROM THE TROGGS PREVIOUS HIT RECORD ‘WILD THING’ • THE SONGS RELEVANCE IS STILL VERY PREVALENT TODAY • THE SONG HAS BEEN COVERED BY WET WET WET AND MADE VERY FAMOUS • A PARODY OF THE SONG APPEARED IN THE FAMOUS CHRISTMAS FILM, ‘LOVE ACTUALLY’ SHOWING HOW POPULAR THE ICONIC SONG STILL IS SONG- LOVE IS ALL AROUND

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THE SPENCER DAVIS GROUP SONG - KEEP ON RUNNING

• THE SPENCER DAVIS GROUP WERE A BRITISH ROCK BAND FORMED IN BIRMINGHAM IN 1963 • • AT THE END OF 65’ THEY GAINED THEIR FIRST NUMBER ONE SINGLE WITH “KEEP ON RUNNING” • • THE BAND HAD AN ECLECTIC STYLE, STRAYING FROM THE POPULAR NOTION OF MATCHING OUTFITS • THEY EACH WORE THEIR OWN • THING INCLUDING PATTERNED

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SHIRTS, FLARED TROUSERS, CORD JACKETS THEIR HAIRCUTS WERE LONG SHAGGY MOP TOPS WITH LONG SIDEBURNS THE SONG ‘KEEP ON RUNNING’ WAS A SKA TRACK ORIGINALLY BUT THE GROUP TRANSFORMED IT INTO A FIERY MIXTURE OF ROCK AND R&B THEIR STAGE PRESENCE WAS ENERGETIC AND UPBEAT

George Harrison, 1968

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changing stagewear Fashion has always played a huge role within the music industry. As Jon Batiste once said: “People see you before they hear you and when they look at you, it’s got to sound like something.” Having a strong image can help a musician or band to stand out among their peers and convey a certain message. Listeners are also inclined to dress a certain way to adapt to their music taste, people like to dress like those who share the same taste and interests.

Legendary artists almost always have a distinctive ‘image’ associated with them, from David Bowie’s extravagant Ziggy Stardust outfits to Prince’s purple suits. But these fashion legends of the 70s and 80s weren’t the first rock stars to wear crazy, recognisable outfits on stage. The stars of the 50s and 60s were the pioneers of music and fashion. The 50s were the beginning of teen pop fashion, with music stars such as Elvis Presley creating fashion waves. He was known for wearing Cuban shirts, which soon became a menswear must-have after he started wearing them. The 50s preceded the bigger fashion revolution of the ’60s, with The Beatles phenomena.

The fashion influence of The Beatles was profound and second to none – as much as their musical works evolved, so did their outfits and impact on the fashion trends.

The ’60s are commonly associated with 3 main fashion trends, Hippies, Mods, and Rockers. The Mod’s fashion started in the ‘50s when Londoners were listening to a modernised version of jazz music and calling themselves “modernists”. The musical side eventually expanded to ska, R&B, and soul during the ’60s, while maintaining the bohemian lifestyle of the Beatnik generation. The hippie movement started as a peaceful yet visually striking reaction to the Vietnam war. Lyrics started to deal with the reality of things, both in a positive and negative connotation, while the LSD and drug popularity rise contributed to the formation of new sounds.

It was extremely important to look at the changing stage wear of some of the most influential bands and musicians of the 60s when researching for this project. It’s so amazing to see the development of each band’s own unique style and how this relates to their evolving music.

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the beatles 58

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the rolling stones 64

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the kinks 70

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rod stewart 74

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Donyale Luna, The first Black Supermodel on the phone

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COMMUNICATION It was important to understand how much communication has changed over the decades and how this would impact things such as organising gigs and meeting up with friends. There was no internet with social media, online shopping, and endless knowledge, there was no texting, facetime, or zoom.

People wrote letters to each other, that was the norm. There was so much more thought into how we communicated, it was not as simple as sending an instant message to someone in seconds, with the help of spell-check. There was no copying and pasting, there was so much thought that went into each letter. When writing letters there was much to consider, the paper, the receiver’s address, a stamp, and most importantly- what you were going to write! Writing letters is a much more personal way of communicating. Having a physical copy holds much more sentimental value than a virtual message. You can keep it for years to come, it can save as a reminder for a certain period of time. It can hold feelings and memories, bad or good.

Communication was also a lot harder for organising things like music gigs and so word of mouth and posters were extremely important. It was crucial for music promoters like Duncan to spread the word of which bands were playing and when by communicating through the use of posters and or newspaper advert. This proves how important his role was as his organising was crucial to the success of the night.

I was tasked with sending a letter to a peer, to discuss how I was getting on with the project. It was lovely to receive a physical handwritten letter, something I don’t get very often. It had personal stories and little drawings and it was refreshing to see some handwriting. I really enjoyed the letter exercise, it made me appreciate the sentimental value these things hold.

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afrom letter annie 80

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