Today is Feb 16, admittedly not a date that would resonate amongst most people. But this day 68 years ago witnessed the first time British television launched a programme dedicated to pop music or rather rock-and-roll. Not exactly earth-shattering news, but it was a start.
A little background is necessary. Television was still finding its feet in Britain in the austere years after World War II. Up to 1957 there was a strange government policy dubbed "Toddler's Truce" which meant there were no transmissions on the BBC between 6pm and 7pm so mothers could put their young children to bed. It was all rather absurd and eventually scrapped.
The first programme to fill the newly available prime slot on the BBC was Six-Five Special which aired every Saturday from 6.05-7pm and was aimed at teenagers. The opening shots were of a steam train racing down the track and host Pete Murray announcing "Time to jive on the old six-five". Magical stuff.
I was glued to the set every week because it featured emerging pop stars like Adam Faith and Tommy Steele as well as legendary skiffle singer Lonnie Donegan. Then there was Wee Willie Harris "the wild man of British rock & roll." Wee Willie was a rather strange-looking character who dyed his wild hair pink or green which was unheard of in those days.
However producer Jack Good had a row with the BBC and moved to rivals ITV to launch another pop show called Oh Boy! It proved more popular than Six-Five Special and performers included Cliff Richard, Marty Wilde, Billy Fury and Shirley Bassey. There was also the magnificently-named Jamaican-born Cuddly Dudley who was billed as "Britain's first black rock & roller". Those were the days.
The weekend starts here
The most accomplished British television pop music show which emerged a few years later was Ready Steady Go! which aired every Friday evening from 1963–66. It was promoted as "the weekend starts here" with the delightful Cathy McGowan at the helm. Giving the show a storming start each week were the sounds of the surfing hit "Wipe Out!" by the Surfaris.
It was the first show where they didn't try to hide the cameras and this made it much more convincing with performers mixing with the dancing audience who were an integral part of the action. It was chaotic but authentic. Initially songs were mimed, just like the BBC's more sedate Top of the Pops. But after a year singers performed live on RSG and this added to the atmosphere.
It was a marvellous era. The Beatles and Rolling Stones had just taken off and then along came great groups like the Animals, the Who and the Kinks. And we must not forget dear Dusty Springfield who looked totally at home on the show.
Never say die
Last week's column on graffiti prompted some comments, not all printable, so let's have a look at a few more items that have adorned the walls of the world over the years.
One that caught the eye was the warning from a health unit in the United States on a roadside billboard which read: "This year thousands of men will die from stubbornness" under which a furious gentleman had chalked "No we won't!"
Another pithy observation I can relate to is: "No matter what happens there is always someone who knew it would". I suspect we all know people like that.
Perhaps the most popular motif of traditional graffiti is the "old soldiers never die" theme. In England they were a common sight in the old days, often on toilet walls. You have probably seen them before, but here are a few favourites:
"Old accountants never die, they just lose their balance."; "Old magicians never die, they simply disappear."; "Old lawyers never die, they just lose their appeal."; "Old bankers never die, they just lose interest."; "Old farmers never die, they just go to seed."; "Old teachers never die, they just lose their class."; "Old watchmakers never die, they just run out of time."
Readers may have some more creative offerings.
American graffiti
During the early 1970s when the Vietnam War was still going strong, there were plenty of scribblings on walls by GIs in the towns of northeastern Thailand like Nakhon Phanom which hosted US bases. The graffiti generally reflected the disillusionment and frustration of fighting a war they didn't understand.
One message scrawled in bars was "Fighting for peace is like having sex to promote virginity" although the actual language was a little more colourful. Another familiar piece of graffiti which was worn on some helmets summed up the feelings of many soldiers: "We are the unwilling, led by the unqualified, doing the unnecessary for the ungrateful".
Paint combat
It can be extremely difficult to get rid of graffiti. Some years ago an English company carried a big outdoor advertisement for its Graffiti Removal Hotline. Unfortunately the hotline telephone number had been painted out by a mischevious graffiti person who added a grinning stickperson holding a paint pot just to rub it in.
In another incident the owners of a large white wall in rural southern England had written "thank you for not writing on our wall", next to which someone had sprayed over the wall in giant letters "You're Welcome!"
At least they were polite.
Contact PostScript via email at oldcrutch@hotmail.com