- Interview
- Summary
- Transcript of interview (to be added)
- Keywords
- Supporting documentation
Interview
Interview of John Simmons (JBP/OT/01) conducted on the 6th August 2024 via phone by Grace Brinkworth. In the interview, the participant talks about growing up in Blackpool and being part of a band as a young man. Also talks about his time as the Press & Publicity Officer at Ditchburn Ltd.
Summary
| Time | Description |
|---|---|
| 00:00:00-00:00:27 | Introduction of interview |
| 00:00:27-00:00:57 | Information on growing up in Blackpool before moving to Thornton Cleveleys. |
| 00:00:57-00:01:31 | What the local area was like at the time |
| 00:01:32-00:02:31 | Activities as a child/teenager: sports he played like golf until preferred to hang out with girls. |
| 00:02:31-00:05:20 | Transition from playing sports to more a socialising with others due to the introduction of coffee bars. Changes from youth clubs (run by churches) to the freedom of coffee bars. Gave privacy to meet up with others as well as Jukeboxes giving them the opportunity to listen to the popular music they wanted to hear. Impact of Bill Haley & the Comets and early Rock n’ Roll acts. Listened to Radio Luxembourg but had poor reception. Introduction of pirate radio, like Radio Caroline, and later Radio One. Couldn’t select the music stations played. |
| 00:05:20-00:06:27 | Other ways of listening to music. Family record player. Expensive to buy the records. Listened to father’s big band jazz records. Limited opportunities to access music. |
| 00:06:27-00:07:22 | Memories of playing music. Started at school. Formed a band at 13. Played drums for 8 years. 15/16 started to play in clubs. |
| 00:07:22-00:09:07 | Going to see live music. Big events – Cliff Richard & Shadows – once or twice a year. Expensive to go to concerts. Sat in silence & applauded afterwards. First time he went to see The Beatles, had to be quiet to hear them. Not much opportunity in early days to listen to live music. |
| 00:09:07-00:10:30 | Lights cigarette in interview. Talks about smoking in coffee bars. How smoking played a big part in social lives at the time. |
| 00:10:30-00:12:01 | Talks about time as Press & Publicity Officer at Ditchburn Ltd and business side of Jukeboxes, such as background music machines, setting up record label for Jukebox records recorded at Strawberry Studios in Manchester. |
| 00:12:01-00:13:50 | Social side of Jukeboxes. Impossible to conceive a coffee bar without a jukebox. Jukeboxes were an important source of revenue for the business that had them. Restricted length of records to increase turn over on the jukebox. Impact this had on records in late 1950s/1960s. |
| 00:13:50-00:15:08 | Memorable songs/artists. Initially Bill Haley, followed by American artists, Elvis Presley, Everly Brothers; introduction of UK acts, Cliff Richard, Adam Faith, Billy Fury. |
| 00:15:08-00:16:57 | Competition between US & UK acts. Particularly between Elvis & Cliff Richard fans. Sense of patriotism. Transitional period In UK as music caught up with US music. UK TV music programme [pos. Oh Boy! airing in 1958-1959?] featuring Cherry Wainer on her organ as example. |
| 00:16:57-00:18:33 | Awareness of how music/culture/technology was changing rapidly. Not just music itself, but instruments and how people listened to music. Memories of new technologies such as in-car entertainment; A-track tapes; and transistor radios. |
| 00:18:33-00:20:52 | Emergence of teenage culture as a separate culture. Started as clones of parents but by early 60s, teenagers had their own style and culture. Visit to London & seeing Carnaby Street. |
| 00:20:52-00:23:11 | Older generation’s reaction to teenage culture. Teenagers now have freedoms they hadn’t before. More money and more options were available after the country had recovered from the War. Biggest change for teenagers rather than older generation. Thought themselves lucky to have been born after the War. Money, freedom and safety. |
| 00:23:11-00:23:50 | How the freedom & positivity of the time was reflected in the music. Optimism was reflected in the music. |
| 00:23:50-00:25:56 | Part-time jobs as a teenager. Worked at Olympia, indoor arcade. Jobs he did in the arcade. Later played gigs at hotels & earned good money. Led to buying cigarettes. Other youngest worked in cafes, deck chairs. Variety of jobs for teenagers. |
| 00:25:56-00:27:13 | Live music during Blackpool season usually in theatres. Lots of musicians who worked in pit orchestras supporting the shows in theatres. |
| 00:27:13-00:29:00 | How live music became more important over time. Bands appeared in the bigger pubs. Live music in dance halls. Queen’s Ballroom in Cleveleys always have live bands and dancing. Performance Rights Society and the local Council started charging Licences for music limited places that had live music. |
| 00:29:00-00:30:46 | Dance Halls. Old fashion places. Played at them, but didn’t really go to them. Supported Lulu playing at the Queen’s Ballroom, made up mind that their band wasn’t in the same league |
| 00:30:46-00:34:33 | Pub culture as a teenager. Traditional with taps bar and lounge bars. Changed when breweries themed pubs. Meet after work in the pub when older. Eclectic people in pubs. How social barriers are reduced in pubs. Tradesmen could get business from other people in the pub. |
| 00:34:33-00:35:51 | Social barriers in wider culture. Social divides began to break down after the War. |
| 00:35:51-00:36:48 | If music was used for political discussions. Not apparent in north of England. Music was an emotional experience. |
| 00:36:48-00:38:03 | Impact of fashion. Opportunity to differ themselves from adults. Not seen as rebellion by teenagers, but the opportunity for fun. |
| 00:38:03-00:41:40 | Memories of working for Ditchburns. Vending machines and Jukeboxes/background music machines. Music division was influence by what was happening in the US. Started its own record label so didn’t have to pay royalties to music companies. How the company was organised. Attitudes of staff to Norman Ditchburn. Didn’t keep up with the times and diminished over time. Didn’t like the atmosphere at the job, but felt lucky to get a press relations job so close to home. |
| 00:41:40-00:44:46 | Responsibilities of his role at Ditchburn. Looking for anyway they could promote the machines. Using lion cubs at Longleat for publicity shot. Getting publicity on Tomorrow’s World. |
| 00:44:46-00:46:10 | Influence of music on his life. How music is a mood changer or can be matched to your mood. Access of music today through apps like Spotify. |
| 00:46:10-00:47:17 | How important music was in his household growing up. |
| 00:47:17-00:48:44 | Changes on how he listens to music now. Advent of portable devices with earphones has changed how we listen to music. |
| 00:48:44-00:52.55 | Summing up the interview. Interest in the project. |
Transcript
00:00:00-00:00:00
To be added when available
Keywords
Places: Blackpool; Lytham St Annes; Thornton Cleveleys.
Venues: Olympia Arcade; Queen’s Ballroom.
People: Cliff Richard; Elvis Presley; Adam Faith; Billy Fury; Cherry Wainer.
Organisations: Ditchburn Equipment Ltd; Bill Haley & the Comets; Radio Luxemburg; Radio Caroline; Radio One; Cliff Richard & Shadows; Strawberry Studios; Everly Brothers; Performance Rights Society; Tomorrow’s World.
Subjects: Jukeboxes; music; fashion; youth clubs