60s – Page 5 – Five Miles Out

Life has begun

When I was a child and early teen I only read Science Fiction, even diversions into fantasy were a bit dubious. I bought most of my books second hand, which is why the books were skewed towards the science fiction of the 1940s and 1950s (actually that turned out fine as the 1960s New WaveContinue reading “Life has begun”

Do get ready, ‘cause here I come

I was born in 1966 and my first political memories are of the Vietnam War and the 1973 oil shock. I remember the two elections of 1974 (two days off school), but the first one where I had some understanding of was 1979. Thatcher. Capitalism. Capitalism was the answer to everything, the market would alwaysContinue reading “Do get ready, ‘cause here I come”

And sleep out in the rain

This is about my friend Diane – don’t read anything into the title of the song we are, and have always been, just friends. When I interviewed for the job at NewVic we were shown the room that we would work in and there was Diane. She looked up in bewilderment as this motley groupContinue reading “And sleep out in the rain”

Take me if you please

We had a head boy (plus a deputy) and a head girl (plus a deputy) in our sixth form. These were chosen by staff, and as there were only 31 of us it was not a big pool. I was not chosen, which was fine by me – it seemed like a problem with noContinue reading “Take me if you please”

Now if I appear to be carefree it’s only to camouflage my sadness

Now if I appear to be carefree it’s only to camouflage my sadness Smokey Robinson is a genius. Songwriter, singer, producer and one of the two men who created Tamla Motown. Somehow his legacy and influence remains under estimated. Without him (and Berry Gordy) would there have been the Four Tops? The Temptations? The Supremes? Continue reading “Now if I appear to be carefree it’s only to camouflage my sadness”

Count the days into years

When you reach a certain age mortality looms larger and larger in your life. My generation are seeing the passing of their icons, like David Bowie and Prince, as they are years older than we are. Death is not fair. I have been undergoing treatment at the London Hospital for Integrated Medicine since 2016. ThisContinue reading “Count the days into years”

I’ll Try Not To Sing Out of Key

The Wonder Years was an American sitcom (with dramatic elements) set in the late 60s and early 70s. It was the story of Kevin Arnold growing up in turbulent times. One of the signature things about the show was the use of contemporary music to ground it in the period. This made it difficult toContinue reading “I’ll Try Not To Sing Out of Key”

And I dreamed I saw the bombers

It is John Bonney’s fault. Introducing me to a brilliant author who tanked his career so badly he stopped writing novels. For a while. He lent me Fevre Dream. A novel about 19th century vampires on a Mississippi riverboat. He was totally right, it is a great novel. It was before the Vampire explosion thatContinue reading “And I dreamed I saw the bombers”

I saw a welcoming light

How real is the world we see? I mean how much of it have we really experienced and how much have we experienced only via television or cinema? When I was a child the sight of Spider-man swinging past the Statue of Liberty was not incongruous. At ten years old New York City was justContinue reading “I saw a welcoming light”

I Just Can’t Believe It’s True

I Just Can’t Believe It’s True My first school was Icknield Walk. Named after the Roman road that ran through Royston. It was run incredibly strictly by Miss Bull, who had been headmistress since it opened. I actually found it idyllic, of course I did not realise that at the time. I spent four yearsContinue reading “I Just Can’t Believe It’s True”