Needle Drop Nation

Hello you lovely folks out there. Welcome to Needle Drop Nation where we as Gen Xers, Nick Wood and I, Jodie Barrias, celebrate music through the eyes of Gen Xers. And it's basically a love letter to our youth. And um today is a very special episode. We are focusing on on the year 1965, a very important year. And the title for this episode is the year the world tilted.
So much going on, right Nick? So much going on. And it was basically a year that um really brought awareness, that brought empowerment, and that literally brought a sense of expression as well as restlessness. And let's look and let's put a twist to that through music. Nick,
let's talk about one of the things that you know maybe or share with us some of the things that you remember about 1965 from what you heard from family and in music.
Yeah, for sure. Thank you, Jody. Beautiful introduction as always. Yes, 65 was a an amazing year. It's like a the the pivotal year where where the sixes started to like grow up and explore this particularly in the music music realm. Uh, lots of different genres and so it was a very exciting time. Of course, we weren't alive at this time, but because we're GX, Gen X started in ' 65, some of you will have been born in ' 65. And what we said last week is true is that, you know, we might not have been alive in 65, but the music we you grew up with in our in our teens, uh, even before our teens, you know, we we grew up with this music and it's shaped music that we have even today. And that's one of the reasons I love chatting to you about about music, particularly this era, uh is because we can see how things like manifested on route uh or evolved um with bands as you grow up. And it's I don't know. I I just love it. We got some cracking cracking music from a UK point of view. Um I don't think there was a massive amount politically uh going on. Uh I think you know in the60s the UK was losing some of its old um old Commonwealth countries. They were getting independence. I think I'm writing saying that uh that what is now South Africa uh back in ' 65 was called Rodishia
and they gained independence in ' 65 from the UK. But that's all I know uh of music on top of that. But in the States of course, yeah, you had some major things going on.
Oh yes, it was um a tumultuous time um overseas. I mean you you know, it was the start of the Vietnam War. Um, internationally, the Cold War was going on. Um, and then we've also had, uh, locally, um, you know, the, uh, march, um, the civil rights march, um, you know, from, um, Selma to Montgomery led by, uh, Reverend, uh, Martin Luther King and of course, um, the death and the assassination of Malcolm X. So, one of the things about that I know about 1965 five is that there was amazing music that um really um spoke about that year and
I think that's one of the things that we we are learning um although this is the first year we we talked about and we're going to see is that how political events and big events in history actually inform some of the music. So there's a lot of anti-war songs um lots lots of songs which were talking to that uh that time period and equally there was some the songs which meant you could just drift away and uh and have a wonderful thought and you put your headphones on back in those days probably and and just listen. I don't know. I'm thinking were headphones a thing back in ' 65? I'm sure they were.
Um but yeah, you could actually put the music on and uh and drift away. So, we got some we got some great music, Jod. And we got it in
the Spotify list. Yes, we um if you look um you're going to see that we that we compiled a um Spotify list for your enjoyment um on the songs that we are discussing on today's show. So enjoy.
Yeah. And Jody, top of that one 65, you can't ignore the Beatles. You got Help um the remixed or remastered version from the Rubber Soul album and that was a kind of album that that was almost like the the Beatles growing up instead of being like a short very Yeah, very short actually. Most of their songs were very quick singles. This one was more of a album with a theme
and day turned into a a film, didn't they? So,
yeah.
So, yeah, there's a lot of lot of different uh different things, but yeah,
that was a certainly a barn score.
Absolutely. And I think that brought them to international fame. I even remember my mother, she was a huge Beatles fan and um you know the the the Beatles uh um toured and went to the Philippines, believe it or not.
So, yes, and that period, you know, they're talking ' 65 and before, my mom was a huge fan of the Beatles, but I could tell you that um one of the things is is that one thing that you notice about the Beatles back in 1965, and if you look the years before, their hair started growing. And again, it's a reflection of the time, you know, here we go, where music and style emerge in the s and the freedom of expression. I know that in England um you know the middle class um you know youth and folks were trying to articulate their presence and you know one thing that fascinated me was Carnip Street. So you know if you look
Yes. I mean like you talk about the miniskirts, the textures, the colors, the ascot scarves. You know you never see a man with hair growing with an ascot scarf, you know, or still wearing a suit but wearing different colors. It just blew me away and I feel that, you know, England, specifically London, had a great, you know, had a great statement with fashion and
yeah, definitely
open up the world about this is the music and the fashion that we are going to project, you know,
that's that's and again that this is how music music then follows uh fashion as well because you think like the like 63 64 it was all the Murzy beat and the and so that was like Liverpool sound but then it started to come back to the back down south to London
and so the Stones I think they they grew up in Dartford if memory serves me correctly uh which is town just outside the east of London and then of course with the with Carnaby Street you mention then we have the who and the mods and you know very well dressed in snappy suits and lovely haircuts you know it was it was very good still long hair don't get me wrong
long hair at that time but did you notice that there was a certain sense of angst that even though they looked refined in their position that you know at a late night things are going to get more wild you know if you listen to the guitar riffs like talking about my generation you know the kinks you know the music that they put out at the time and even like um you know bands at that time l and even the stones okay it's like there is this sense of like get up and go you know and then I felt and this is just you know how I see music and how this movement in England was a precursor to punk rock to be quite honest so what are your thoughts on that Nick
yeah it was it was it was that it was a similar kind had changed. You know, the music became way much edgier and certainly, you know, people could really sing about what was bugging them as teenagers cuz a lot of these bands were, you know, were super young still, you know, so they they were still growing up. They were still learning their life lessons. I know the the who um I told you the story when I first my very first job I got when I left school at 16, I was working as selling uh hi-fi as we used to call it. Um there wasn't very hi-fi. We joked it really. Um they selling hi-fi in in a department store and next to the hi-fi section was the big singles and a record shop element. Um and so you know we had all the albums, all the singles and everything. Uh and there was a box set of the Who. It was their first albums all the way up to um when Keith Moon passed. So it must have been
Oh yes.
Um and and these were really raw. I wish today I obviously kept it because it'd be worth a fortune. When I was young, I was 16. I ripped off that cellophane. The fact that they're all numbered made nothing to me. I played the heck out of them. I mean, I just love that that music. But it was Yeah, it was just it was raw and they could they could sing it. Don't want you want to hope I die before I get old.
Yep. My generation right now. Yeah.
Oh, yeah. And I think that when I look at some of I listen to the the the guitar riffs and the beats, it reminds me of like hip hop, you know, from the Stooges. So, it's like, you know, you could see where, you know, that time really was about expression and it was about rebellion and it was about, you know, bringing change. And um on that subject matter, you know, as we get now here to the United States, um you know, we did have um the civil rights march led by Martin Luther King. Um and I'm going to tell you something, there was a lot of solidarity which is not mentioned in the news a lot. But there were reverends um you know other reverends um that were in support and even other um people of color believe it or not um who were um marching along um you know to from Selma to Montgomery and it was for several days and there you know the cops were stopping but then you know when I think about the music at that time and what's really important to note is that this led to the passing of the bill uh for um blacks to vote and how that made a monumental change. Um I think about music like Shotgun,
you know,
which is I think that's actually one of my favorite songs from that year. Um you know, I think about, you know, the Supremes, you know,
Diana Ross.
Yeah.
Stop in the name of love. You see say stop in the name of love. knew the stop.
Exactly. And then, you know, we also had um you know, the four tops, the temptations, you know, and it was if you listen to the beat and you listen to, you know, the um the bass and you know, the guitar, there is a certain Mottown Detroit. Now, we're talking Detroit Mottown inspiration. In 1965, you know, Marvin Gay was with um you know, Tammy Terrell doing duets, but it really made that You're so monumental and you could not stop but think and resonate and that thought of resonation about you know this was only 50 what this was only 60 years ago. It's recent history that you know this bill was passed.
Yeah. I mean to to a a white English guy you know I just cannot get my head around the fact that it was only 196 Well I don't know when the bill actually passed. Was it 66?
65. It passed in ' 65. Yes.
And you know I cannot believe that that up until then, you know, colored people couldn't vote. I just find that incredible. You know, when you think, you know, USA, home of the free and land of the brave,
but but yeah, man, had to do some serious growing up. That is quite incredible.
Mhm. Yeah. And then also at the time here, um you know, we were deploying um young men,
young doctors.
Yeah. to to Vietnam. I mean,
again, you think, you know, fighting Hey, do we never learn the lessons, do we? Fighting a proxy war, uh, you know, halfway around the world for
for no no discernable reason. And now, and the sad thing, I think you there was a a great song called Hard Castle and you came out. No, no, no. 19.
Yes, 19. That's right. That came out in like what the earlier mid 80s, I remember.
19. God, incredible. The There's a link from him actually to the Spice Girls. We'll cover that in another
that's going to be on a future episode.
How can we go 65 Vietnam to Spice Girl Spice Girls
only on Needle Drop Nation. We make that huge leap for you hanging. There's also some great um great go back to to the the stone. We talked about the last one. Um and satisfaction and yeah, the fact that They they wrote some of these songs so phenomenally quickly that that I think they said it was 15 minutes in the back of a tour bus.
Wow.
They just they just wrote one of the most iconic songs on the planet and you think imagine if they'd have put some thought into it. It just wouldn't have been the same. That was that was the thing that's and again because they were touring and and and and spending all that time it was broadening their horizons. They were seeing music that we just didn't have in in the UK. So, you know, they was like they were seeing I mean particularly I know they had a big love of all the blues Chuck Berry um you know like Diddley was a huge influence on on the Stones too.
Yeah. And uh and it's incredible when you see you know these amazing guitarists. We were chatting about a lady that I had never heard of until the weekend uh Sister Rosetta Then I think it was
Tharp. Tharp. Sister Rosetta Tharp. Yes.
Tharp. That's it. An amazing lady. Colored lady was had her trademark was this long white coat and she was doing electric guitar just like you would not believe. And this was the clip I saw was was 64. So she was touring in ' 65. And there was just a whole host of of white people because of the segregation watching her. But in there was Eric Clapton, Keith Richard, Uh Brian Jones who was the first stone guitarist.
Chuck Bry I think was in the No, he wasn't in the audience because he was obviously not the right color. But yeah, there was someone else another very famous guitarist uh in there and it just incredible. But she she was if you've never seen her
Mhm.
just uh Google her I'm going to say Google her on YouTube. No,
Sister Rosetta Tharp. Yes. Sister Rosetta
on on YouTube. And yeah, it just blew my mind. again. Until four or five days ago, I had never heard of her at all. Um, and now I'm here singing her praises. But thank thank God she was influencing all these idols of ours at the time. And I think, you know, it's it's incredible how that music goes. We often talk about the fact that we bring it back to lots of very bluesbased.
Absolutely. It's the
65 rhythm and blues. We're talking, you know, Mhm.
Right. Back in proper uh proper rhythm blues. I think
it's the it's the overarching,
you know,
these are the building blocks of music. I think um I believe uh I might have to paraphrase him. Um but I remember uh I was reading about Ed Sheeran um one of his latest plagiarism rows. Um he does keep winning them in fairness to
Well, there's a lot of artists nowadays that are doing that you know it's crazy
but he was saying you know the thing is these are built you know the these certain chord sequences and note sequences they are the building block of all music if you take them away you know you haven't got any music so you know you have to and one of those ones we got in the playlist uh my girl
and that is a pentatonic scale I one day I'll play it on the bass but it's one of the very first things I I learned on the bass was this
scale think Wow, I recognize this. And it's D and it's like, man, it's my girl. Something as simple as that. Um, you can call pentatonic scale simple. Yeah, I think.
No, but it's just it's so beautiful, you know, to see that. Um, you know, but then again, you know, again, when people emulate those notes,
where do you find where do you draw the line between plagiarism
and creating music? I mean,
honestly, It's a hard one. It's It's difficult. There was We're going getting going getting going getting going getting going getting going getting going getting going getting going getting going getting going a bit off topic, but of course the the Beatles have already been um had most of their songs redone re uh what's the word I'm looking for? They probably had a lot of plagiarism and bands have been accused of just oh you just copy the Beatles. Oh yeah, I can think of several off the top of my head. Um and it's like well yeah because they're easy because they were using simple core structures that that make really good songs. It's like
that's that's just life, you know.
Yeah.
Yes. It's um you know, I think one of the things is is that this is the whole thing about um you know, parody, pastiche, and the regurgitation of music, you know, and as far as what do you define as you know, production. So, and nowadays it's again the reproduction. It's you could even see that with fashion. cuz you know if you look at the ' 60s mod era like we saw at Carnaby Street and then you look at now you know you see the micro mini again
yeah
it's like what is then then again what do you how can you identify and define authentic and that's another conversation
yeah I know how deep do you want to go on that one this we have this have this conversation with Debs quite quite often because she she likes to write you know one day she'll actually write a book I'm sure
but everything that you know every Harry Potter, all these things, they are all regurgitations of a of a certain theme and it's
absolutely no I totally agree with you on that.
It just it just chimes with a with a time and so in in ' 65 these songs were were chiming with the times. You got another one on there that the sound of silence.
The sounds of silence. Yes. Simon and
didn't realize that was that was as old as it was
but then doing a little bit of re just like a little bit of research um for the show. I didn't realize that Simon Garuncle had been singing together since I think they were like 11 or even earlier maybe.
Mhm.
I didn't realize they went back um that far. But yeah, I hate great songs and
and and that's really fascinating because when I think about the song of silence by Simon and Garuncle, you know, blowing in the wind and even believe it or not, California Dreaming by the Beach Boys. Yeah. All
um I think about actually you know what would soldiers listen to you know who were in the Vietnam War like these were the songs and also people who were very hesitant about the US getting into Vietnam. You know these songs had made a lot of statement in regards to you know what are we in for? And I think this was the first time when the US had actually entered in a war where we actually lost. the end result lost a lot of lives. Um, a lot of lives were destroyed with some soldiers coming back. Um, and so it was one of the biggest losses that the United States faced being involved in a war. But the music really did a telltale sign of the indication of when they saw it on the news and then they saw it, you know, and they heard it on the radio, you know, the music started really changing, you know, as far as from reflection
to protesting. Let's make peace, you know, let's make love, not war.
I've always a big fan of that one, you know, and so the thing is is that um it it just becomes really important. And you know, the funny thing is the Beach Boys, I think, used to tour, you know, um naval bases. Um I don't know it was they toured Vietnam, but I could tell you that when I think about the Beach Boys, I think about touring bases and doing concerts, too, as well. Um, you know, and they're one of the American bands, part of American rock, you know, that we know of.
Yeah. And I and I think I'm right in saying that like in a 65 was was when Brian Wilson started to, you know, go within himself and and uh I think the phrase was he was hearing orchestras in his head.
Mh.
Uh and and yeah, and he's started to write some some some great stuff. Another brilliant one, of course, we've got in the playlist as well, a man who I think is just one of the most amazing songwriters, poets, you name it, it's it's him. Bob Dylan. And so on the playlist today, we've got uh Tambourine Man singing it from the UK.
Um and of course Uh, Rolling Stone. Like a Rolling Stone. God.
Yes.
One of my favorite favorite songs. I just
I don't know what it is. It's just the easy way it flows and it's just got the most iconic voice. I think he's you know, you you know when it's him.
No, absolutely. And I feel that even with if if I was a child listening to um Dylan, he also has a certain sense of of of s soothing and and introspection and if I was probably a child at the time, you know, thinking about it and listening to the tunes you had mentioned, it would really help shape the world I how I would think about how I would see the world today, you know, um because it the music then I felt really helped people reflect and look at what's around them even more, you know, and I and I think that's what's really special about the times in the 60s. It's it's really how the music reflects and makes people think about you know what is going on and also to take action to be quite honest. I think that is what's very much key.
Yeah. M music linked to action.
Exactly.
It's powerful. You know music could be a massive motivator.
Absolutely.
Really can. I was bit like you know if you you know I mean we're going to see lots of different events and like and you know the speakers would be having like in the 80s they'd have the rocky music playing and would get the crowd going and then they'd come on and that's the power of you know I'm sure in 1965 uh that's exactly the same the same things is you know you have that
that force that can motivate you to do pretty much anything but just chatting about about the music and you know again from from being in the UK Okay. I I didn't particularly think of of Simon and Gar Uncle and the Beach Boys as singing things about Vietnam or And then I'm thinking back to that amazing film Good Morning Vietnam with Robin Williams. It's been
Yeah. It's just Yeah. And I'm thinking Yeah. Just listen to the music that's included on Apocalypse Now.
Yeah. That was the soundtrack. It really was.
Yep. Absolutely. And you know the thing is is that um then then it really brought in the whole thing about um going against the establishment mindset too as well. And you saw that also in the UK um a lot as we get into the deeper into the 60s
and and see how that that goes from here to here.
And you know I think in the west in like you know in the pop culture west from here as we move along Yeah, I mean when you're doing we talked earlier about the fact that you saying oh you know some of this 65 music you'd actually relate it the change to how you know punk rock evolved and and and that and that social element
and that's the thing you know these these 60s were you know the the establishment you know hated it. Who were these people you know being you know daring to to think daring to believe in themselves daring to actually kick the norm and tell other people, hey, it's okay. You don't have to follow what your parents did. I think there was an element obviously, you know, post post World War II.
Um, this just had to break free. It was a kind of that's what that movement was all about. The music changed and attitudes changed
and that's the the evolution. So, every generation, we were lucky because we Gen X's
um has that evolve, you know, that that evolved music is.
Yes.
And we just get to
enjoy it.
Exactly.
The more rebellious it becomes, the more entertaining it becomes when it comes to seeing that hairs grow the hair grows longer for the guys, the skirts go shorter for the girls, you know.
Yeah.
And it's it's just that's something that um will always be in exciting and intriguing. So, I mean, also another thing in 1965, I know this was an this was a very interesting moment was the assassination of um Malcolm X um civil rights leader um you know of course he's known to be the leader of the Black Panthers movement but interestingly enough I mean he he was um shot in the Ottabon ballroom here in New York um New York City and um one thing that I also which wasn't brought into the um into the press or in the news as much is that um you know um civil rights activist Jory Cochyama was um there and when he um was shot, she was there. She was um actually he was in her arms um right before he passed when when at the time on his last breath, she was there with him. Um you know, of course um his um Malcolm X's wife um Shabbaz and um you know, the family acknowledge that um point in history, but it's really interesting to see um from um you know uh that there was solidarity with um people uh of color communities who were trying to make change and do social reforms to improve their neighborhoods and when it came to civil rights um to fight for equality and best social reforms there was solidarity going on and I feel that the music embodies that when you listen to it. Um so you know I think that um 1965 is a year that is I would say the commencement yes of of um the start of Gen Xers but it's also the commencement of an awakening you know um of of the world in a different Yeah. But aren't
Yeah. But aren't you excited though? I must say n episode um Oh,
next year the we're going to be focusing on the year 1966, which is a very important year because someone special,
you know, was born that year.
They certainly were. And it's not Jodie. So, there must be must be. Yes. So, I'm going to have a special request to have what was number one in the UK hit parade.
Mhm.
As part of the playlist, and I'll tease you. with it. Um, it's a Rolling Stones one.
I love that song. That's the time when you hear the sitar.
Yes, that's right. Oh, we're going to be delving into some weird weird and wonderful stuff.
This is going to be the This is going to be an epic episode, I must say. You were born at a beautiful year, Nick. I must say. And next week is going to be truly exciting. Truly exciting.
It's the year that England won the World Cup at soccer. Uh, Mhm.
And have won nothing since. So,
there's always hope. There's always hope.
I might have jinxed them.
Uh, great a great year. 1966. That's that's that's next week. Um,
obviously guys, if you want to do let us know if there's any songs in 1966 that you'd like added to the playlist and we can talk about them. Um, and so do do let us know, contact us. Yes,
the our producer information um is is in the podcast show notes and so you can just contact us and let us know what you'd like us to play cuz this isn't just myself and Jody, you know, this is for all of us uh Gen X's. Someone actually pointed out the other day they said, "Yeah, you're doing this Gen X's, but actually you're playing music of people who are baby boomers." It's like, well, yeah, they were baby boomers, but they are playing music for Gen X's. So, I was just trying to I was trying to think about We just talked quickly about um
Yeah. you know, the the rebellion and and you know, I'm trying to think why was when I was I don't know what 13, 14, I guess.
Mhm.
Why was what was playing in the UK that I was getting more of my rebellion from the Stones and Bob Dylan and the like
that was like that was 1983, right?
Oh,
I'm thinking
late 70s. Probably should have been punk rock, actually.
Punk rock in the late '7s. Yes. I was Absolutely.
Yeah. Yeah. Probably see probably probably 78 79. I should have been more more on the punk rock rebellion. H
we were we were at this side. We we did have punk rock here in the United States. We had CBGBs like literally like 15 blocks from here. So, you know, it it's all good. But we also have disco, too.
Yeah. How could you go from disco to punk? That's one for another episode. That's another episode. The year 197879. We'll focus on that dichotomy.
Yeah, that would be super scary. Might have to do a bumper episode on it. But next week though, 1966 is going to be a cracker.
It's going to be epic. All right, everyone. Thank you for watching. And also pay attention that we are also on Spotify and iTunes. We have our podcast uh broadcasted there as well. And Um yes, definitely. We'll also put it the link in there too as well. Okay.
Oh yeah. And also on the very last note is Yeah. So if you do enjoy this, if you are watching it, do tell other people and also leave us a review, a good review if you don't mind a good review as well. And that will help us to to get the podcast out to more and more people. So thank you.
Thank you.
All right. See you all next week.
Take care, guys. Thanks, Jody, as always.
Thank you, Nick. Oh, you're the best, Nick. Thank you. You
You're the best.