Brierly Hill 90210

The year started with something I'd avoided to this point; I came down with COVID the first week of the year. I was very poorly for 24-hours but quickly recovered after that. Others have not been so fortunate.

As is always the case as the calendar turns a page to January, one's never sure what kind of year it's going to be. I don't think any of us were expecting what 2022 would throw our way.

It's hard writing the introduction for an episode when you know a major news story will dominate it. While the focus will inevitably be on events in Dallas in November, there are other things happening in 1963, some significant, some less so.

While the US has had a presence in Vietnam for the last few years, a coup changes the political complexion in that part of the world. At the same time, but much closer to home, Americans hear wise words in the race for civil rights.

There's also a bunch of firsts in the race to conquer space. While, closer to the ground, listen out for the introduction of the Hillman Imp, Vauxhall Viva, Ford Anglia.

Musically, there is no question that the “sounds of the 60s” arrive with a bang. A 4-piece beat combo from Liverpool are set to have a break-out year. So, with no further ado, welcome to the 1960s. Welcome to 1963.

As a new year begins, the US continues to ramp up it's presence in Vietnam. But Americans are looking closer to home.

The previous year had seen the failed invasion of Cuba by former exiles of that country. The invasion, though it wasn't known at the time, has been funded by the US government. Their response to this failure would be a trade embargo of Cuba early in 1962.

Let's see how all these twists and turns pan out. Welcome to 1962.

As a new year begins, tensions are rising between the US, led by newly elected President John F Kennedy, and Cuba, two years after the revolution that installed Fidel Castro as it's leader.

On the other side of the world, pressure is also building as communism spreads in south-east Asia. The United States is keeping it's finger in that pie as well.

Musically, while I didn't expect there to be the flick of a switch to turn off the rock 'n' roll of the 50s and turn on what we think of as the “sound of the 60s”, I did expect a gradual fade of one into the other. But what I hadn't thought through was a musical revolution occurring between the two. R&B artists such as Etta James, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Roy Orbison and The Shirelles were recording hit records that certainly stand-up better today than the awful “bubblegum rock” that it was competing with.

That continues into 1961 but, while Johnny Kidd & The Pirates were already, in my opinion, way ahead of their time, there's a single by Tony Sheridan in 1961 that went almost unheralded in the UK but that is of incredible significance in predicting what is to come. If you know your musical history, you already know what I'm talking about. But, if not, listen out for the pieces falling into place and I'll reveal all at the end of this show.

Something that's struck me throughout this series is the evolving use of language through the decades. It's a fascinating insight into trends and attitudes present in general society of the time. There's a real contrast from the language used in 1960 news reels and even in the TV news of race riots in the late 70s and early 80s to what you're likely to hear as you tune in for information in the 21st century.

As this episode unfurls, listen out for some choices of words which wouldn't be considered acceptable today. Ironically, you'll also hear famous words describing a “wind of change”.

Welcome to a new decade. Welcome to 1960.

I noticed a musical trend starting in the previous episode. The earnest beginnings of rock n' roll were joined by novelty songs in 1958. You may recall songs about lollipops, splish-splashing and yakety-yakking. Do you see parallels to later musical movements; earnest angst to begin, novelties soon follow but then more serious musicians shape the period after that?

I'll leave you debating that one and whether it really matters as you listen to the sounds of 1959.

I was born in 1966, 3 years before man first walked on the moon. I have a vague recollection of my dad getting me out of bed to watch some of those Apollo missions. So it's interesting to hear the prelude to those memories, forged 11 years earlier from America's fear of the Soviet Union.

Also aligned to the fear of communism is the west's fear of Arab nationalism. This creates new tensions in the middle-east and elsewhere.

Sit back and enjoy these and other historically significant moments while global and musical revolutions continue apace. Welcome to 1958.

As I work on this series, I'm still fascinated by the highs, lows and lulls that are outside of my control. The working title of the series was “chronology” and, as much as possible, I let that tell it's own story. The music, news and entertainment timelines drive the narrative.

While there is still excitement and a newness to the music of 1957, worldwide events seem to be taking a pause, to catch their breath after the upheaval of 1956 and social change coming in the 1960s. That's not to say there aren't some significant headlines in 1957. But it still feels like a “filler year” between what came before and what's still to come.

See if you agree as you sit back and let the sounds of the year wash over you. Welcome to 1957.

Historical! Montgomery, Suez, Hungary, Eurovision and Bert Trautmann. Musical! Little Richard, James Brown, Johnny Cash and Gene Vincent.

There wasn't a specific date when rock 'n' roll started. As mentioned in earlier episodes, it had been a term used since the 1940s. DJ Alan Freed had used it as early as 1951 and rock 'n' roll recordings had occasionally charted since 1953. But there was an event that happened in 1955 that put rock 'n' roll in the headlines and firmly on the map. That event was the movie Blackboard Jungle. So listen out for that as the rock 'n' roll story kicks up a gear

This is a series about music. So I mostly introduce each episode with a musical bent. I'll sometimes tie those musical stories to events happening at the same time. But there is a commentary bigger than music and mere “stories” that I'm equipped to capture through an introductory sound-bite.

I'll say no more as bigger stories unfold. Welcome to 1955.