As we gear up for this year's British Summer Time concerts at Hyde Park, I suspect some of you will cast your minds back to June 7, 1969 - when Blind Faith made their auspicious debut there in front of an expectant crowd of around 120,000. Of course, two members of Blind Faith are sharing a bill at ...
As we gear up for this year’s British Summer Time concerts at Hyde Park, I suspect some of you will cast your minds back to June 7, 1969 – when Blind Faith made their auspicious debut there in front of an expectant crowd of around 120,000. Of course, two members of Blind Faith are sharing a bill at BST this year – Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood (no word, alas, as to whether Ginger Baker will make a cameo).
The run of BST shows this year also includes Roger Waters and Paul Simon – and by strange coincidence, both of those men, along with Clapton and Winwood, appear in the newest of our family of magazines. Welcome, then, to NME Gold: The Best Of NME 1965 – 1969. It goes on sale this Thursday, but you can also buy it now from our online shop.
Here’s John Robinson, Editor of the Ultimate Music Guides, to tell you all about it.
Follow me on Twitter @MichaelBonner
Get Uncut delivered direct to your door – find out how by clicking here!
“Fantastic things were happening,” So says Steve Winwood, writing for us here. And happening is undoubtedly the word for NME Gold: The Best Of NME 1965 – 1969.
This is a trip through rock’s golden age. Through a selection of archive reports, here you’ll observe The Beatles become world superstars, feel the grandeur of imperial phase Rolling Stones, and marvel at the psychedelic wonder of Jimi Hendrix.
You’ll also feel the pulse of the decade through the music of our cover star Eric Clapton who in his work with the Yardbirds, Cream and Blind Faith helped lead the charge from beat music to psychedelic pop, to rootsy rock.
It’s said that if you can remember the 1960s, you weren’t there. Our chorus of expert eyewitnesses – eagle-eyed reporters and members of the Rolling Stones, Yardbirds, Pink Floyd, Beach Boys, Byrds, The Who and more – beg to differ, as they look back to bring us fresh perspectives on this magnificent time for music.
Andrew Loog Oldham drops by to offer a word on the mystery of musical greatness. “God taps you on the shoulder,” he says.