Did anybody else see the BBC2 documentary programme last Monday, 'The 70s'? It was part of the short season that BBC2 are currently running on the 1970s. It is a retrospective look with all the benefit of hindsight. According to the presenter, the 70s in the UK weren't as bad as we all thought they were at the time and apparently the 3 day working week, the strikes and electricity cuts laid the foundation for the present day propserity in the UK. (What present day prosperity, I hear you ask?). I expect someone forty years on from now will make a documentary on how good 2008 was and how we all had such a fun time in the credit crunch!
It was interesting, though, that they are talking about a period that I lived through as if it is now part of history. I suppose it is, but it made me feel quite ancient, especially as I still can remember it like yesterday. I have to confess here to being slightly hypercritical in as much as while being totally aware of all the problems and chaos everywhere, I had quite a good time in the 70s. What struck me most is that while some creative arts like music have lasted the course … you can't turn on the radio today without hearing Sting or Bowie or Elton John … the fashions looked ridiculous. I cringed at some of the clips in the documentary at what we wore and looked like! I suppose, every age has its style, but all the same …
Anyway, now that I know from last week's programmes that the 1970s were, in fact, brilliant and not rubbish, I finally feel it's safe to come out of the closet. I have posted up on my website, http://tonycraig.org , a video from 1975 of a song, which I wrote, being sung on the television pop music show, 'Top Of The Pops'. (For anyone, who doesn't know, 'Top Of The Pops' was the TV pop music show of its time, which any serious pop music fan would watch religiously every week. It was finally killed off by the internet and MTV.) Have a look at the fashions on it and you will see what I mean! I might add that I am in now way responsible for the haircuts or clothes filmed on it!
By the way, the second part of BBC2's documentary, The 70's, is on tonight.