1960's V 1970's

Somebody once asked me... "If you had to choose, which decade of the 20th Century would you live through?"
My answer, unequivocally, has to be the 1960's. While he tends to debate the merits of the 1970's, pointing out the "funky" music, I have to say the 1960's wins hands down. Everytime.
The reasons for this are plentiful, and although music provides a soundtrack for this decade, and for my choice, it is by no means the deciding factor.
Music was an expression of the times, from the wistful sounds of Dylan and his "Times they are achangin" to the Buffalo Springfield's "For What its Worth... the zeitgeist of the time was felt through the music. But it is this "Zeitgeist" which intrigues me the most. This sense of Uprising, and social change. The casting off of the "traditional values" and the opening up to the idea that, Hey, there might be a different way to live. Although many just saw this as "irresponsible excess" and called for a "return to old fashioned values"
Take America, 1950's.... the roles of men and women were set in stone, the "place" of black/mixed race people unchallenged. Women were portrayed in adverts being spanked by their husbands for making the wrong coffee and Black people were made to sit, eat, shop and study separately.

The 1960s came around and across the world a gentle buzz of change was felt. This little buzz which began as a "counterculture" progressed and eventually rose to a crescendo and its ripples were felt across the world. From the Cuban revolution (technically 1959, but still) to The Chinese revolution. From the Anti War protests that highlighted the monstrosity that was Vietnam, to the Uprisings in France in '68. Martin Luther King and his infamous and inspirational 1963 "I have a dream" speech. To the eventual signing of the Civil Rights Act in '64. It was also a time of unrest in communities traditionally expected to exist in poverty and discrimination and suffer in silence and many riots broke out in cities across the U.S.

The "swinging Sixties" is also the home decade of the "sexual revolution". This can be attributed to many factors, such as the large number of women who gained financial independence through entering the workplace during the Second World War, and the advent of "TV" which brought with it new "modern" ideas to the masses within an instant. Then came the advancement of Obstetrics and the advent of the "pill", which gave women a control over their bodies and reproductive system which allowed more freedom in many ways. Without the fear of unwanted pregnancies, women were able to express themselves sexually and this, coupled with the breaking of taboos occurring in so many other areas, changed attitudes toward sex and sexuality beyond recognition.

Words like Liberation, Freedom, Equality, Feminist and Unifying became part of the Lexicon of the masses and it became socially unacceptable Not to challenge "the man". From the Sexual Revolution to the Underground Press, the 1960's saw a massive social upheaval which has shaped the society in which we live today.
The freedom and open-minded attitudes that came along with this sociological change gave rise to the popular culture with which the 1960s is synonymous. I am of course referring to Flower Power, Hippies, Summer of Love, Woodstock and Psychedelia. Music was the soundtrack to this generation and still today the voice of Hendrix, Beatles, Janis Joplin, Bob Dylan and many others evoke mental images of miniskirts, flares, paisley patterns, VW camper vans, Pot smoking festival goers and the peace sign.
Festivals such as Woodstock and Monterey showcased some of the finest artists of the time including those mentioned above. Many of my favourite musicians came to consciousness in the 1960s, such as Jimi and Joni, The Rolling Stones, Jefferson Airplane, Sly and the Family stone, Love, Simon and Garfunkel, Neil Young, Jefferson Airplane, to name but a mere few!
So of course, for the chance to see, in my opinion, the most talented musician of the past hundred years, Jimi Hendrix, the 1960s would win as my decade of choice based upon that alone!
Of course 1967, the Summer of Love, is probably one of the most famous "events" of the time. and put San Fransisco and Haight Ashbury on the world map as the "home of the hippy". The wonder of such a social phenomenon and how the times changed and the atmosphere of the time, could lead to such a cultural and political rebellion without and real organisation is ultimately fascinating to me. Of course at this time, hippies gathered in their masses in many places, and indeed some of the worst riots occurred during this summer, but a change was made at this time, and not just at the site of this movement in SF, but in cities across the world as those who had flocked in their masses returned home with new ideas and expectations from their own societies. The Flower Children, as they named themselves, are responsible in many ways for creating social responsibility for ourselves and others with their ideas of free food, free love and free clinics. After all are we not still seeing people desperate to push through a free health care system for America today?

Indeed what this decade and generation brought into public consciousness and the Legacy it left behind was felt throughout the ensuing decades. Right up until today. The fashions, ideas and most importantly the achievements of this time have changed the way we live our lives in ways we must all be mindful and grateful for.
And, add the music this period brought to us to that.... and I'm doubtful anyone could dare challenge my perspective : )

I heart Toxteth

I love my city, but particularly my Toxteth. It's grandeur cannot be 
matched by any other area. From the tree lined Avenue of Princes, reminiscent of a Parisian boulevard, to the Georgian splendour of Falkner Square and beyond.
In terms of architecture, it is unrivalled.
I could wax lyrical all day about the shabby splendour of Princes Park , which still stands proud next to it's much larger sister-Sefton, and I could celebrate the decaying magnificence of buildings such as St
James church, Toxteth Town Hall and The Ancient Chapel. Not forgetting the charming,
evocative and more than adequate Victorian housing, worth so much a mile down the road and yet which local residents have had to fight so hard to save and preserve from the bulldozers and butchery of Liverpool City Council.
But more than just architectural finery, Toxteth Is a place of soul, of heart, of family and of (sadly declining) community.
A microcosm of Toxteth life exists in Lodge lane and for many, remains a totally uncelebrated city gem. While people are still flocking to lark lane in search of it's mythical bohemiency, one of the City's most multi-cultural, atmospheric, vibrant lanes is  being completely overlooked! Where else can you find a Kurdish deli 
serving decadent after dinner delights such as Gulab Jaman? Authentic 
Caribbean Cuisine cooked fresh daily, or 3 continental supermarkets, a 
Middle Eastern restaurant, and an authentic African food store! All on 
the same street, set amongst many beautiful old family houses and a 
spirit of community found nowhere else in the city.
Another amazing adventure lies in the walk through Toxteth Park 
Cemetery. Entering the beautiful but foreboding Victorian cast iron 
revolving gates at Arundel Avenue, one can feel a magical 
ethereal air here. Amongst the bare trees, and raised upon a hill, sits an ancient Gothic church, lording over the masses of gravestones that lie beneath its shadow... This splendour is much more than just an oasis from the traffic and roads, and people all around, it is also the home of the resting place of some of Liverpool's most important forefathers, not to mention that certain stillness and calm, to be found nowhere else in Liverpool.
I have recently come to refer to my beloved Toxteth as a mini Africa, you might think because of the reputed significant Black presence in the area throughout history. But its much more than that. As those of us who live here know, the population is far more diverse than one or two continents!
No, I named it this, Firstly in recognition of its forgotten beauty. And then in honour of its difficulty in others accepting its true boundaries (Toxteth was originally Toxteth Park and extended from Parliament st to Otterspool and up to Smithdown road and beyond. Yet now Toxteth is not deemed worthy to house even Sefton Park, which lies at the foot of Lodge Lane! Just as Africa has had to argue that advanced countries and cultures exist within its boundaries, a perfect example-Egypt) And finally, as a nod to Africa's struggle to gain credit for its achievements,or to be celebrated for its struggle, and for its triumphs in the face of adversity. 
I have spent over 10 years living in Toxteth, by chance and then by 
choice and I'm so proud of my place. We talk about the world in one 
city... More like the world in one "ward".