70’s

Robert Plant (left) and Jimmy Page (right) of ...
Image via Wikipedia

So what do I remember about the 70’s?

Well 1970 was the year that we left Ceylon, which had just become Sri Lanka by then and I think that’s why we left because we didn’t really like the name! Actually that’s not true but I still often refer to the country of my birth as Ceylon and I always drink Ceylon Tea!

So it was that I arrived back in the UK to attend The King’s School Canterbury renowned for its Cathedral, Choir and Classical Music and what do I first hear? Well it’s Led Zeppelin and I am forever changed, especially after “Stairway to Heaven” that came a little later.

“Whole Lotta Love” had come out in October 1969 with the II Album and, like everyone else in the UK at the time, I was into TOTP big time. I didn’t buy those first albums but instead waited for III and IV which is probably why I still prefer that era.

But there was heaps more crazy stuff going on which kept me away from my studies and was turning me into a regular little rebel. Speaking of which:-

  • David Bowie – Rebel Rebel Your Face is a mess…. Hot Tramp I love you so!
  • Cream
  • Deep Purple
  • Yes
  • The Who
  • Pink Floyd – Echoes;
  • Jimi Hendrix
  • Steely Dan
  • Emerson, Lake & Palmer
  • Jethro Tull
  • The Doors
  • T Rex
  • The Moody Blues
  • Creedence Clearwater Revival – Midnight Special;
  • Santana
  • The Rolling Stones (still)
  • Derek & the Dominoes – Layla
  • The Kinks – Lola!
  • Uriah Heep
  • Robin Trower
  • Hawkwind – remember “Silvermachine“!
  • Oh and what about The Ram Jam Band! – Black Betty

……and all the really really crazy stuff from Woodstock which I know was the decade earlier but only reached my consciousness in the 70’s. And there were some very special memories at The Grange with Richie Havens, Joe Cocker, Ten Years After, Country Joe and The Fish et al. Great Days.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

But there was some hope for me, if David Bowie and Marc Bolan wasn’t hope already, and possibly one of the first real signs that life could be very different as I was also drawn to Dusty Springfield – now there was a sign of things to come!

In the later part of the 70’s my music tastes were influenced by firstly, my love of surfing which brought about an introduction to a lot of West Coast (U.S.A.) bands:-

…damn more bands starting with THE!! What’s going on….did I not realise this at the time!?

Also in the later part of the 70’s, whilst I was at Plymouth Poly with Jon Finelli and Steve White doing our Business Studies HND, my ears were exposed to the wonderful sounds that had been coming out of Detroit – The Motor City: hence “Motown“. And I also dabbled with Jazz Funk and Soul coming out from people like George Benson, Grover Washington, Eric Gale et al., and then of course there was the never to be forgotten Bob Marley. The only Reggae artist that completely convinced me and I guess of course that was because I am totally Middle of the Road! Or, as Rex would perhaps say, “You like Melody”. I’m not arguing anymore and I think I understand why now.

Leave a comment