En su libro «London calling, A countercultural History of London since 1945» Atlantic Books), Barry Miles recorre la historia underground de la capital británica desde el final de la Segunda Guerra Mundial hasta hoy día, o sea del jazz hasta la house music, más o menos. Un viaje que es también un recorrido por la nocturnidad de una ciudad que ha sido un hito fundamental en la segunda mitad del siglo XX en cuanto a transformaciones artísticas, musicales y literarias.
Para hacerse una idea certera de lo ocurrido, basta seguir las pistas indicadas por el periodista y biógrafo inglés, pues abundan los personajes, historias y anécdotas menos conocidas pero que desvelan el sabor de una época. Desde luego no es un libro de memorias, ni de historia cultural, sino un compendio de muchas cosas y en el que se reconstruye la evolución de la bohemia artística londinense. Así vemos aparecer la fascinante figura de Tambimuttu y su revista Poetry London, el legendario escritor bohemio Julian Maclaren Ross o la denominada “BBC bohemia» (Hugh MacDiarmid, WH Auden, Robert Graves, Laurence Durrell y Muriel Spark) que se reunían en el George de Great Portland Street.
Miles nos cuenta la posición de cada personaje en el mundo del arte y de las ideas, y también nos guía por bares, comunas, librerías y sitios claves como el Club Groucho, frecuentado por Francis Bacon. Pero que duda cabe que el corazón del libro son los años 60 y 70 del siglo paado y su inolvidable escena musical, y que Miles conoce por haber sido un testigo de primera fila, lo que se nota en la escritura, más ágil y fresca.
Miles focaliza en el West End el centro de aquella «contracultura» y nos presenta a personajes como Dylan Thomas, Lucien Freund, los Beatles, Rolling Stones, los Fool, Viviene Westwood, David Bowie, Boy George, Damián Hirst y Charles Saatchi, William Burroughs, Brion Gysin, Gilbert y George, Mary Quant, Colin MacInnes, JG Ballard…, al igual que otras decenas de personas, sin olvidarse de la influencia del sexo, las drogas, la alienación, el egoísmo extremo, el fervor revolucionario… lo que a veces convierte su libro en una crónica exhaustiva y agotadora.
Miles es un testigo despierto de todo lo que pasó a su alredor que fue mucho. Claro está que el contar todo de todos le hace perder a veces el hilo narrativo. En él predomina el observador natural de lo que le rodea, y como hizo un poco de todo en aquellos años (fue, entre otras cosas, cofundador de una librería alternativa y un periódico clandestino, organizador de la célebre sesión de poesía de 1965, en el Albert Hall, gestor de Zapple Records…) no se le escapa nada.
Pero si tenemos que hacer algo de historia o sociología, el verdadero cambio en la vida nocturna y contracultural de Londres ocurre en los años 60, con los coffee bar, los jeans, los jukeboxe y el rock. Digamos que estamos en la antesala de la eclosión que se producirá a finales de esa década con los mod, los hippies y los ímpetus revolucionarios, y que seguirá su marcha triunfal en los setenta con el punk, la new wave y se prolongará en los ochenta con la cultura del éxtasis y la house music. «No estábamos allí para vender ropa de moda sino para convertir, educar y liberar… Queríamos hacer vivir a todos, hasta el fondo, las fantasías mas salvajes» dice Miles que dijo Vivienne Westwood refiriéndose a las tiendas de ropa, clubes, bares, librerías, sedes de radios y casa editoras y que hicieron de Londres un faro de la creatividad internacional.
Junto a Michel McLaren, inventor de los Sex pistols, Vivienne abrió al final de los
años 60 el mítico Sex en el King’s Road, que mas que una boutique fue el verdadero punto de referencia para la generación punk. Así como lo fueron el Club
Eleven para el jazz, el Scene club para el mod, el Speakeasy para los hippys y el Roxy Club para los punk.
años 60 el mítico Sex en el King’s Road, que mas que una boutique fue el verdadero punto de referencia para la generación punk. Así como lo fueron el Club
Eleven para el jazz, el Scene club para el mod, el Speakeasy para los hippys y el Roxy Club para los punk.
Lo interesante es comprobar como cualquier movimiento siempre surge de un pequeño grupo de gente, donde la mayoría son extranjeros, y que se reúne en un bar de mala muerte, un club o edita una revista que apenas se vende aunque sea la mítica (ahora) New Worlds, cuyo consejo de redacción incluía a JG Ballard y se reunían los jueves por la noche en el White Horse en Fetter Lane.
Pero lo que si abunda en el libro, como no puede ser de otra manera con la contracultura, es el desafío a las actitudes tradicionales hacia el sexo. Algo que conlleva continuas “batallas” en contra de la policía, obsesionada por la «obscenidad» e «indecencia» de esas nuevas costumbres. Lo policías son vengativos e incluso destruyen las oficinas de revistas underground, pero sobretodo corruptos, pues al mismo tiempo se dejan sobornar por los pornógrafos del Soho.
En cualquier caso, y aunque se hicieron muchas tonterías y se creyó en numerosos ídolos de barro, el caleidoscopio de imágenes de aquel tiempo permanece en el imaginario social: la revolución de los estudiantes, las barricadas, las nuevas libertades, el verano del ’67, el sexo, las flores, el idealismo, y el comienzo de la globalidad. Tiempos donde el arte no era una mercancía y las agencias de publicidad y las empresas de relaciones públicas no dominaban el Soho y Fitzrovia. Mas todo esto queda atrás y actualmente la escena artistica se ha movido hacia Brick Lane, Shoreditch y Spitafield. Pero esta zona, escribe Miles con nostalgia generacional, carece de la secular historia de acogida y cruce de culturas del West End.
Los tiempos han cambiado, pero la llamada de Londres lo mismo que la frase empleada por la BBC durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial al empezar sus emisiones y que da título a este libro: London calling, “Aquí Londres” y que también sirvió de título al tercer álbum de la banda británica de punk The Clash, sigue atrayendo a gente de otros sitios para dar rienda suelta a una nocturnidad creativa con más o menos alevosía.
In his book «London Calling, A
countercultural History of London since 1945» Atlantic Books), Barry Miles
traces the history of the underground in the British capital since the end of
World War II until today, or, in other words, from jazz to house music. He
gives us a nocturnal tour of a city that was a milestone of the second half of
the twentieth century in terms of artistic, musical and literary
transformations.
countercultural History of London since 1945» Atlantic Books), Barry Miles
traces the history of the underground in the British capital since the end of
World War II until today, or, in other words, from jazz to house music. He
gives us a nocturnal tour of a city that was a milestone of the second half of
the twentieth century in terms of artistic, musical and literary
transformations.
To get an accurate idea of what happened,
just follow the clues given by the English journalist and biographer, as they
are full of characters, stories and lesser-known anecdotes that reveal the feel
of an era. It’s certainly not a memoir, or cultural history, but a compendium
of many things that reconstruct the evolution of London’s artistic bohemia. In
it we see the fascinating figure of Tambimuttu appear along with his magazine
Poetry London, the legendary bohemian writer Julian Maclaren Ross and the so
called «BBC bohemia» (Hugh MacDiarmid, WH Auden, Robert Graves,
Laurence Durrell and Muriel Spark) who would meet at the George on Great
Portland Street.
just follow the clues given by the English journalist and biographer, as they
are full of characters, stories and lesser-known anecdotes that reveal the feel
of an era. It’s certainly not a memoir, or cultural history, but a compendium
of many things that reconstruct the evolution of London’s artistic bohemia. In
it we see the fascinating figure of Tambimuttu appear along with his magazine
Poetry London, the legendary bohemian writer Julian Maclaren Ross and the so
called «BBC bohemia» (Hugh MacDiarmid, WH Auden, Robert Graves,
Laurence Durrell and Muriel Spark) who would meet at the George on Great
Portland Street.
Miles positions each character in the world of
art and ideas, and also guides us through bars, communes, bookstores and key
sites such as the Groucho Club, frequented by Francis Bacon. But without doubt,
the heart of the book is the unforgettable music scene of the 60s and 70s of
the past decade of which Miles was a first row witness, which is noted in his agile and fresh writing.
art and ideas, and also guides us through bars, communes, bookstores and key
sites such as the Groucho Club, frequented by Francis Bacon. But without doubt,
the heart of the book is the unforgettable music scene of the 60s and 70s of
the past decade of which Miles was a first row witness, which is noted in his agile and fresh writing.
Miles focuses on the West End, the center of that
«counterculture» and introduces us to characters like Dylan Thomas,
Lucien Freund, The Beatles, Rolling Stones, The Fool, Vivienne Westwood, David
Bowie, Boy George, Damien Hirst and Charles Saatchi, William Burroughs, Brion
Gysin, Gilbert and George, Mary Quant, Colin MacInnes, George Melly, JG Ballard
…, along with dozens of others, without forgetting the influence of sex,
drugs, alienation, extreme selfishness, revolutionary spirit… which sometimes
turns the book into an
exhaustive and tiring chronica.
«counterculture» and introduces us to characters like Dylan Thomas,
Lucien Freund, The Beatles, Rolling Stones, The Fool, Vivienne Westwood, David
Bowie, Boy George, Damien Hirst and Charles Saatchi, William Burroughs, Brion
Gysin, Gilbert and George, Mary Quant, Colin MacInnes, George Melly, JG Ballard
…, along with dozens of others, without forgetting the influence of sex,
drugs, alienation, extreme selfishness, revolutionary spirit… which sometimes
turns the book into an
exhaustive and tiring chronica.
Miles is a wide awake witness to everything
that happened around him, which was much and was very interesting. Of course, telling
everything about everyone sometimes makes him lose the narrative thread. He is
dominated by the natural observer in him and, as he did a little of everything
in those years (he was, among other things, co-founder of an alternative bookstore
and underground newspaper, organizer of the famous 1965 poetry session in the
Albert Hall, manager of Zapple Records …), he does not leave anything out.
that happened around him, which was much and was very interesting. Of course, telling
everything about everyone sometimes makes him lose the narrative thread. He is
dominated by the natural observer in him and, as he did a little of everything
in those years (he was, among other things, co-founder of an alternative bookstore
and underground newspaper, organizer of the famous 1965 poetry session in the
Albert Hall, manager of Zapple Records …), he does not leave anything out.
But if we have to make some sort of historical
or sociological conclusion, we can say that the real change in the nightlife
and counterculture in London occurs in the 60s, with coffee bars, jeans,
jukeboxes and rock. We can say
we’re on the verge of hatching what will occur at the end of the decade with
the mod, hippies and revolutionary impetus, and will continue its triumphal march
in the Seventies with punk and new wave and continues on in the Eighties with
the culture of ecstasy and house music. «We weren´t there to sell
fashionable clothes but to convert, educate and liberate … We wanted to make
everyone live their wildest fantasies to the limit» says Miles that Vivienne
Westwood said referring to the shops, clubs, bars, libraries, radio and publishing
headquarters that made London a beacon of international creativity.
or sociological conclusion, we can say that the real change in the nightlife
and counterculture in London occurs in the 60s, with coffee bars, jeans,
jukeboxes and rock. We can say
we’re on the verge of hatching what will occur at the end of the decade with
the mod, hippies and revolutionary impetus, and will continue its triumphal march
in the Seventies with punk and new wave and continues on in the Eighties with
the culture of ecstasy and house music. «We weren´t there to sell
fashionable clothes but to convert, educate and liberate … We wanted to make
everyone live their wildest fantasies to the limit» says Miles that Vivienne
Westwood said referring to the shops, clubs, bars, libraries, radio and publishing
headquarters that made London a beacon of international creativity.
Along with Michel McLaren, inventor of the Sex
Pistols, Vivienne opened in the late 60s the legendary Sex on the King’s Road, that
was, more than just a boutique, the real point of reference for the punk
generation. As were the Club Eleven for jazz, the Club Scene for mod, the Speakeasy
for hippies and the Roxy Club for punk.
Pistols, Vivienne opened in the late 60s the legendary Sex on the King’s Road, that
was, more than just a boutique, the real point of reference for the punk
generation. As were the Club Eleven for jazz, the Club Scene for mod, the Speakeasy
for hippies and the Roxy Club for punk.
What is interesting to see is how all movements
always arise from a small group of people, where the majority are foreigners, that
meet at a seedy bar or club or edit a magazine that barely sells even if it is
the (now) legendary New Worlds, whose editorial board included JG Ballard and who
met on Thursday nights at the White Horse on Fetter Lane.
always arise from a small group of people, where the majority are foreigners, that
meet at a seedy bar or club or edit a magazine that barely sells even if it is
the (now) legendary New Worlds, whose editorial board included JG Ballard and who
met on Thursday nights at the White Horse on Fetter Lane.
But what abounds in the book, and can´t be
otherwise when speaking about counterculture, is the challenge to traditional
attitudes toward sex. Something that involves ongoing «battles»
against the police, obsessed with «obscenity» and
«indecency» of these new practices. The police are vindictive and
even destroy the offices of underground magazines, but most of all they are corrupt,
all the while taking bribes from Soho pornographers.
otherwise when speaking about counterculture, is the challenge to traditional
attitudes toward sex. Something that involves ongoing «battles»
against the police, obsessed with «obscenity» and
«indecency» of these new practices. The police are vindictive and
even destroy the offices of underground magazines, but most of all they are corrupt,
all the while taking bribes from Soho pornographers.
In any case, although many foolish things were
done, the kaleidoscope of images of that time remains in the social imagery:
the student revolutions, the barricades, the new freedoms, the summer of ’67,
sex, flowers, idealism, and the onset of globalization. They were times where
art was not a commodity and advertising agencies and public relations firms did
not dominate Soho and Fitzrovia. All of this is now behind us and the art scene
has moved to Brick Lane, Shoreditch and Spitafield. But this area, writes Miles
with generational wistfulness, lacks the unique history of acceptance and
cultural crossroads of the West End.
done, the kaleidoscope of images of that time remains in the social imagery:
the student revolutions, the barricades, the new freedoms, the summer of ’67,
sex, flowers, idealism, and the onset of globalization. They were times where
art was not a commodity and advertising agencies and public relations firms did
not dominate Soho and Fitzrovia. All of this is now behind us and the art scene
has moved to Brick Lane, Shoreditch and Spitafield. But this area, writes Miles
with generational wistfulness, lacks the unique history of acceptance and
cultural crossroads of the West End.
Times have changed, but the call of London, as in
the phrase used by the BBC during the Second World War to begin their emissions
and that is the title of this book: London calling, and which also served as a
title of the third album by the British punk band The Clash, continues to attract
people from everywhere to
unleash a creative nightlife without an aforethought.
the phrase used by the BBC during the Second World War to begin their emissions
and that is the title of this book: London calling, and which also served as a
title of the third album by the British punk band The Clash, continues to attract
people from everywhere to
unleash a creative nightlife without an aforethought.
