Tuesday 1 September 2015

Making pop history

I had a lovely email via this blog from a researcher working on a new project from BBC Four, she thought some of the posts here would make suitable stories for it and asked if I'd like to contribute. The project has such a relatable and appealing theme - The People's History of Pop - so I was intrigued.  At the moment it's a crowdsourcing website, in partnership with Historypin, collecting anecdotes and associated memorabilia from all aspects of people's pop music experiences (not just meaning 'pop' music, but all genres).  The plan is for a BBC Four TV series to be made around it next year... sounds interesting!

Anyway, the PHOP site is welcoming more contributions:  photos, ticket stubs, teenage diary entries, video clips, etc. etc. - any memorabilia that you've kept and that helps to tell the history of popular music via your own experiences.  Go on... I bet there's something or other you still have that you could show (and as for you over there, I know you have!).  In some ways I'm wishing I'd kept more now, but I'm always clearing stuff out and mostly only retain the memories...  All those t-shirts, badges, diaries... all gone.  Still, even if you don't have yours either, the website is definitely worth a visit and the TV series should be fun.

Here's the link:  The People's History of Pop  (and I took up the suggestion and added a few little pieces to it too, which you may have seen before here or on my other blog).


The perfect lyrics!

13 comments:

  1. Great concept going on there. Will check out. Fab song, of course.

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    1. I hope they get a good response. There must be so much out there, if enough people can muster up the enthusiasm, it could sort of be like an online museum (in the best possible way).

      I had to listen to the whole of Words And Music again after I'd picked this out. Such a good album - always makes me feel like I'm in good company because of the sentiments - and I actually have you to thank for me getting it because it was after I'd listened to a track you'd put on GUB that I investigated the rest.

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  2. Looks good C. Will have to check it out in more detail.
    Swiss Adam

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    1. Yes seems like a nice idea, worth a look and would be lovely if more people contributed too.

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  3. Sounds interesting. I'll be keeping an eye on this as it develops.
    (I can't believe you threw out your diaries!! Think of the raw material you'd have for the blog if you hadn't...)

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    1. I was wondering if (and hoping!!) you might contribute... :-)

      To be honest, I was never much good at keeping diaries. But yes, I threw what I did write away and have had to rely on my memories. I think that's partly why I record a lot of them here, in case there comes a time when I can't remember them at all!

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    2. That's exactly why I do it! When the memory finally goes, I'll be able to re-live at least some bits of my life via the blog. As long as I actually remember that I wrote a blog I suppose.
      I'll certainly have a thorough look at the PHOP and think about adding something - thanks for the nudge.

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    3. PS. I saw this and thought it'd be up your street, if you haven't seen it already. I love the serious guy with the 'tache playing tennis!
      http://www.voicesofeastanglia.com/2012/07/groove-is-in-the-art-1960s-and-1970s-clip-art.html

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    4. Thanks, those pics are great, and even look a little familiar, perhaps just due to growing up surrounded by those illustration styles. Didn't the tennis chap go on to do the 118 118 adverts?

      And it would be great if you decided to contribute something to PHOP!

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  4. sadly any remaining physical evidence has been confiscated by the authorities, lost, discarded or plane forgotten about.

    I have some memories like Samson's only appearance with two guitarists at the Nags in Rochester but as I say no real evidence.

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    1. You can't keep everything, can you? I never thought to hang on to those bits of ephemera at the time.... in a way, why would we? We never saw a time in the future when we might want to refer back to them. Now I suppose you can just keep a digital archive of everything if you dispose of the physical evidence.

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  5. Over The Border is superb in how it taps into a feeling of anything is possible and nostalgia. Easily the best song on the album. Agree the lyrics are perfect.

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    1. Thanks for coming by and commenting Chris. It is a great song, isn't it? The lyrics say everything!

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