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1963: The Year of the Revolution: How Youth Changed the World with Music, Fashion, and Art
Ariel Leve and Robin Morgan's oral history 1963: The Year of the Revolution is the first book to recount the kinetic story of the twelve months that witnessed a demographic power shift—the rise of the Youth Quake movement, a cultural transformation through music, fashion, politics, and the arts. Leve and Morgan detail how, for the first time in history, youth became a commercial and cultural force with the power to command the attention of government and religion and shape society.
While the Cold War began to thaw, the race into space heated up, feminism and civil rights percolated in politics, and JFK’s assassination shocked the world, the Beatles and Bob Dylan would emerge as poster boys and the prophet of a revolution that changed the world.
1963: The Year of the Revolution records, documentary-style, the incredible roller-coaster ride of those twelve months, told through the recollections of some of the period’s most influential figures—from Keith Richards to Mary Quant, Vidal Sassoon to Graham Nash, Alan Parker to Peter Frampton, Eric Clapton to Gay Talese, Stevie Nicks to Norma Kamali, and many more.
285 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 5, 2013
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621 people want to read
About the author
Robin Morgan
152 books109 followersAn award-winning poet, novelist, political theorist, feminist activist, journalist, editor, and best-selling author, Robin Morgan has published 20 books, including the now-classic anthologies
Sisterhood Is Powerful
(Random House, 1970) and
Sisterhood Is Global
(Doubleday, l984; updated edition, The Feminist Press, 1996); with the recent
Sisterhood Is Forever
(Washington Square Press, 2003). A leader in contemporary US feminism, she has also played an influential role internationally in the women’s movement for more than 25 years.
An invited speaker at every major university in North America, Morgan has traveled — as organizer, lecturer, journalist — across Europe, to Australia, Brazil, the Caribbean, Central America, China, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Nepal, New Zealand, Pacific Island nations, the Philippines, and South Africa; she has twice (1986 and 1989) spent months in the Palestinian refugee camps in Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, West Bank, and Gaza, reporting on the conditions of women.
Her books include the novels Dry Your Smile (Doubleday, l987) and The Mer-Child A Legend for Children and Other Adults (Feminist Press, 1991); nonfiction Going Too Far (Random House, 1977), The Word of a Woman (Norton, 1992, 2nd ed. 1994), and The Anatomy of Freedom (Norton, 1994). Her work has been translated into 13 languages, including Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Russian, and Sanskrit. Recent books include the poetry anthologies Upstairs in the Garden (1994) and A Hot January (both Norton), as well as the memoir Saturday's Child (Norton, 2000), and her best-selling nonfiction piece The Demon Lover - The Roots of Terrorism (Norton, 1989—2nd ed. with a new introduction and afterword (Washington Square Press, 2001). Her novel on the Inquisition — The Burning Time — was published in 2006 (Melville House), and Fighting Words A Toolkit for Combating the Religious Right in 2006 (Nation Books).
As founder and president of The Sisterhood Is Global Institute and co-founder and board member of The Women’s Media Center, she has co-founded and serves on the boards of many women’s organizations in the US and abroad. In 1990, as editor-in-chief of Ms. magazine, she relaunched the magazine as an international, award-winning, ad-free bimonthly, resigning in late 1993 to become consulting global editor. A recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Prize for poetry, and numerous other honors, she lives in New York City.
An invited speaker at every major university in North America, Morgan has traveled — as organizer, lecturer, journalist — across Europe, to Australia, Brazil, the Caribbean, Central America, China, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Nepal, New Zealand, Pacific Island nations, the Philippines, and South Africa; she has twice (1986 and 1989) spent months in the Palestinian refugee camps in Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, West Bank, and Gaza, reporting on the conditions of women.
Her books include the novels Dry Your Smile (Doubleday, l987) and The Mer-Child A Legend for Children and Other Adults (Feminist Press, 1991); nonfiction Going Too Far (Random House, 1977), The Word of a Woman (Norton, 1992, 2nd ed. 1994), and The Anatomy of Freedom (Norton, 1994). Her work has been translated into 13 languages, including Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Russian, and Sanskrit. Recent books include the poetry anthologies Upstairs in the Garden (1994) and A Hot January (both Norton), as well as the memoir Saturday's Child (Norton, 2000), and her best-selling nonfiction piece The Demon Lover - The Roots of Terrorism (Norton, 1989—2nd ed. with a new introduction and afterword (Washington Square Press, 2001). Her novel on the Inquisition — The Burning Time — was published in 2006 (Melville House), and Fighting Words A Toolkit for Combating the Religious Right in 2006 (Nation Books).
As founder and president of The Sisterhood Is Global Institute and co-founder and board member of The Women’s Media Center, she has co-founded and serves on the boards of many women’s organizations in the US and abroad. In 1990, as editor-in-chief of Ms. magazine, she relaunched the magazine as an international, award-winning, ad-free bimonthly, resigning in late 1993 to become consulting global editor. A recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Prize for poetry, and numerous other honors, she lives in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
November 19, 2013
There is no doubt that 1963 was an extraordinary year of social upheaval - a "youthquake" of new talent; spearheaded by the Beatles and the Stones in England and Dylan in the US. A new generation of musicians, fashion designers, writers, journalists and artists challenged the established author and broke boundaries. These baby boomers were suddenly fashionable - the new aristocracy - in which accent and class were no longer the most important criteria for success. This book is an oral history of that ground-breaking year, although, in reality it is a rather unstructured account, which also has quite a lot about 1964 and the British invasion.
There are interview snippets with many people, including Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Jeff Lynne, Georgie Fame, Bill Wyman, Mary Quant, Patti Boyd, Mandy Rice Davies, Graham Nash, Andrew Loog Oldham and Peter Noone. As you can see, much of the book is taken up by musicians or those involved with the music business (which was fine by me, as it was the area I was most interested in, but just be aware that the majority of those interviewed are musicians). Also, although there are interviews with American artists, such as Carly Simon and Neil Sedaka, the bulk of the book is British.
Much of the book is very entertaining - both Keith Richards and Eric Clapton give thoughtful and insightful information on the music industry in the early 1960's. It is wonderful to hear how there was a lack of competition and a sense of helping each other. It was, you feel, a friendly and welcoming time for musicians to come together in the spirit of mutual cooperation. The Beatles, for instance, helping the Rolling Stones to get a record contract and writing them a song; the groups socialising together and creating wonderful music, which has stood the test of time.
However, although the individuals are mostly extremely interesting, there is a lack of focus on historical or political events. Mandy Rice-Davies, for instance, was involved in THE scandal of 1963, the Profumo Affair, and yet it is barely mentioned in her contributions. Also, although the Beatles absolutely dominated the British charts, neither Paul McCartney or Ringo Starr are interviewed - and neither are any members of other Merseybeat bands, such as Gerry and the Pacemakers or the Searchers. The authors rely on Peter Brown (who worked for Brian Epstein) and Cilla Black. Cilla makes two major errors in her interview and, such is the format of the book, that they are accepted as fact. Firstly, she claims that Brian Epstein became aware of the Beatles when he was asked for a record by the 'Beat Brothers' - a name that she says "the Beatles were calling themselves then." The Beatles recorded that record, "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean" as a backing band for Tony Sheridan while in Hamburg, and the record company changed their name from the Beatles as it was hard to pronounce for the Germans (who usually called them, "the Peedles", which means something extremely rude!). Secondly, seeming to have some kind of grudge going, Cilla claims that "in and around Liverpool the Beatles weren't nothing special." She states that Rory and the Hurricanes were the top group in Liverpool, even after their return from Hamburg, which is patently not true. After Hamburg the Beatles became immediately the number one group in town - causing a sensation on their first show back in Liverpool. In Mark Lewisohn's new book, "Tune In", he refers to the fact that Rory Storm watched them perform and knew he had lost his number one position, while Ringo also says that he knew they were better than the group he was in (ie the Hurricanes).
Although it was interesting to read about the music scene, the new photographers and fashion of the year, it would have been nice to have had a little more structure to put things in focus. Some of the memories, though, are priceless and, if you like the music from that era, you will certainly enjoy this - it is especially good for Rolling Stones fans. Personally, though, I felt that "That Was the Year That Was", was a far more balanced account of a year that was naive and innocent, but which saw world changing events and seismic shifts in attitudes and popular culture.
There are interview snippets with many people, including Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Jeff Lynne, Georgie Fame, Bill Wyman, Mary Quant, Patti Boyd, Mandy Rice Davies, Graham Nash, Andrew Loog Oldham and Peter Noone. As you can see, much of the book is taken up by musicians or those involved with the music business (which was fine by me, as it was the area I was most interested in, but just be aware that the majority of those interviewed are musicians). Also, although there are interviews with American artists, such as Carly Simon and Neil Sedaka, the bulk of the book is British.
Much of the book is very entertaining - both Keith Richards and Eric Clapton give thoughtful and insightful information on the music industry in the early 1960's. It is wonderful to hear how there was a lack of competition and a sense of helping each other. It was, you feel, a friendly and welcoming time for musicians to come together in the spirit of mutual cooperation. The Beatles, for instance, helping the Rolling Stones to get a record contract and writing them a song; the groups socialising together and creating wonderful music, which has stood the test of time.
However, although the individuals are mostly extremely interesting, there is a lack of focus on historical or political events. Mandy Rice-Davies, for instance, was involved in THE scandal of 1963, the Profumo Affair, and yet it is barely mentioned in her contributions. Also, although the Beatles absolutely dominated the British charts, neither Paul McCartney or Ringo Starr are interviewed - and neither are any members of other Merseybeat bands, such as Gerry and the Pacemakers or the Searchers. The authors rely on Peter Brown (who worked for Brian Epstein) and Cilla Black. Cilla makes two major errors in her interview and, such is the format of the book, that they are accepted as fact. Firstly, she claims that Brian Epstein became aware of the Beatles when he was asked for a record by the 'Beat Brothers' - a name that she says "the Beatles were calling themselves then." The Beatles recorded that record, "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean" as a backing band for Tony Sheridan while in Hamburg, and the record company changed their name from the Beatles as it was hard to pronounce for the Germans (who usually called them, "the Peedles", which means something extremely rude!). Secondly, seeming to have some kind of grudge going, Cilla claims that "in and around Liverpool the Beatles weren't nothing special." She states that Rory and the Hurricanes were the top group in Liverpool, even after their return from Hamburg, which is patently not true. After Hamburg the Beatles became immediately the number one group in town - causing a sensation on their first show back in Liverpool. In Mark Lewisohn's new book, "Tune In", he refers to the fact that Rory Storm watched them perform and knew he had lost his number one position, while Ringo also says that he knew they were better than the group he was in (ie the Hurricanes).
Although it was interesting to read about the music scene, the new photographers and fashion of the year, it would have been nice to have had a little more structure to put things in focus. Some of the memories, though, are priceless and, if you like the music from that era, you will certainly enjoy this - it is especially good for Rolling Stones fans. Personally, though, I felt that "That Was the Year That Was", was a far more balanced account of a year that was naive and innocent, but which saw world changing events and seismic shifts in attitudes and popular culture.
February 9, 2015
I was born in November of 1963. My mother told me that I was drinking my formula in front of the television when Walter Kronkite announced that president Kennedy was shot and again, during his funeral. The 60's has always been of great interest to me. I can remember when the U.S. landed on the moon and when Neil Armstrong said, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind". I remember hearing the older kids talking about the Vietnam war and my big brother enlisting because he dropped out of college. He figured it was just a matter of time before he got drafted and was told he had a better chance of not seeing action if he enlisted. Luckily he wasn't sent to Vietnam.
I always thought I was born too late and that I missed out on so much, the anti-war protests, Woodstock, etc. Yes, music from the 60's is still my favorite.
1963: The Year of the Revelation is really pop culture icons reminiscing about the 60's. The heart heart of the 60's is said to be started in 1963, hence the name of the book but the reminiscing goes into the later 60's as well. There are some wonderful musings by who's who from the 60's. People like Eric Clapton, Gram Nash, Peter Frampton, and many more. It certainly held my interest. Because it is in pieces, it's a good book to be able to read a few pages and put down. Yes, it's a good bathroom book. LOL!
I would have liked some more substance, perhaps some narrative between some of the quotes. Yes, most of us know a lot of the history but perhaps adding some little known tidbits or something else to really sink my teeth into would have made it better. That said, I did find it entertaining and especially enjoyed what some of my rock idols had to say. There were some photos included in the book and a few that I hadn't seen before. That was a treat. I think this book would be a great gift to a 60's fan, like myself. Recommended.
3.5/5
I always thought I was born too late and that I missed out on so much, the anti-war protests, Woodstock, etc. Yes, music from the 60's is still my favorite.
1963: The Year of the Revelation is really pop culture icons reminiscing about the 60's. The heart heart of the 60's is said to be started in 1963, hence the name of the book but the reminiscing goes into the later 60's as well. There are some wonderful musings by who's who from the 60's. People like Eric Clapton, Gram Nash, Peter Frampton, and many more. It certainly held my interest. Because it is in pieces, it's a good book to be able to read a few pages and put down. Yes, it's a good bathroom book. LOL!
I would have liked some more substance, perhaps some narrative between some of the quotes. Yes, most of us know a lot of the history but perhaps adding some little known tidbits or something else to really sink my teeth into would have made it better. That said, I did find it entertaining and especially enjoyed what some of my rock idols had to say. There were some photos included in the book and a few that I hadn't seen before. That was a treat. I think this book would be a great gift to a 60's fan, like myself. Recommended.
3.5/5
July 24, 2019
An excellent story of the post-WWII (post rationing and draft) 'youthquake' in London told from the inside view of fashion (Mary Quant, Vidal Sassoon, etc.) other arts and music. Music is not just artists but journalists and publicists, etc. The music feels much focuses on The Rolling Stones with Richards, Wyman, and Andrew Loog Oldham. All this is told from snippets of interviews arranged topically and chronologically.
November 23, 2013
1963: The Year of the Revolution by Ariel Leve is a Harper Collin IT books publication, released in November 2013. I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
"The revolution starts here. On the night of January 13, 1963- by accident, not design- the coincidental appearance of Britain's two rival national television networks by a largely unknown band called the Beatles and a struggling musician called Bob Dylan sounded the alarm, that within a year, would sweep away the ancient regime of class and culture on two continents."
This is an interesting collection of stories from both the US and Britain recalling the feeling of change in the atmosphere in the year 1963.
There are stories told by people in the music industry, the fashion industry, stories regarding art, politics and new inventions. The pill, sexual promiscuity, drugs, the works.
Weighing in were celebrities like Keith Richards, Joan Collins, and Patty Boyd on the changes taking place in Britain.
"By the fall of 1963, the revolutionary and self-indulgent exuberance in Britain was giving way to an new reality for youth's prophets: success, fame, and notoriety. But, these came at a price- responsibility, hard work, and the loss of innocence. The evolution raised their expectations, and hormones could only get the so far. Commercial demands and a new careerism took the form of ambition- something this generation had once eschewed."
In the US there was Motown, The Ed Sullivan show, the British Invasion and then of course the country was rocked to it's very core by the assassination of JFK.
It is amazing when you look back at 1963. There were indeed many changes that were rapidly taking place in pop culture and in politics. The contraceptive pill was only prescribed to married women, although as the books states, there were a lot of brass rings worn to the doctor's office.
The clothing was brighter and much more colorful, boots and short dresses and skirts. Vidal Sassoon creating hairstyles and becoming a celebrity in his own right.
The prevailing thoughts of those sharing their memories and stories was how they all seemed to sense a change in the air. It was electric.
There were many things that were not good changes. Drugs of course, being only one of many. There were also many good things that the changes of the 1960's wrought. One thing though is certain. The world was never the same after that year.
For me personally, I find this decade- er- interesting. The book seemed to focus a great deal more on the British climate as opposed to the changes in America. However, I enjoyed hearing these stories because they were fresh. The sixties in America has been rehashed many times over and other than just revisiting the same old stories, these memories gave fresh insight into the year 1963. Change didn't just occur in the US after all.
One thing to note is that this book really is not a narrative. Basically, it's a collection of stories by told by those who experienced and were influential in that pivotal year.
Overall this was an interesting read, at times a bit repetitive and a few times it lapsed into stories that weren't all that interesting, but I enjoyed reading it and that's what really matters.
This one is a B+
"The revolution starts here. On the night of January 13, 1963- by accident, not design- the coincidental appearance of Britain's two rival national television networks by a largely unknown band called the Beatles and a struggling musician called Bob Dylan sounded the alarm, that within a year, would sweep away the ancient regime of class and culture on two continents."
This is an interesting collection of stories from both the US and Britain recalling the feeling of change in the atmosphere in the year 1963.
There are stories told by people in the music industry, the fashion industry, stories regarding art, politics and new inventions. The pill, sexual promiscuity, drugs, the works.
Weighing in were celebrities like Keith Richards, Joan Collins, and Patty Boyd on the changes taking place in Britain.
"By the fall of 1963, the revolutionary and self-indulgent exuberance in Britain was giving way to an new reality for youth's prophets: success, fame, and notoriety. But, these came at a price- responsibility, hard work, and the loss of innocence. The evolution raised their expectations, and hormones could only get the so far. Commercial demands and a new careerism took the form of ambition- something this generation had once eschewed."
In the US there was Motown, The Ed Sullivan show, the British Invasion and then of course the country was rocked to it's very core by the assassination of JFK.
It is amazing when you look back at 1963. There were indeed many changes that were rapidly taking place in pop culture and in politics. The contraceptive pill was only prescribed to married women, although as the books states, there were a lot of brass rings worn to the doctor's office.
The clothing was brighter and much more colorful, boots and short dresses and skirts. Vidal Sassoon creating hairstyles and becoming a celebrity in his own right.
The prevailing thoughts of those sharing their memories and stories was how they all seemed to sense a change in the air. It was electric.
There were many things that were not good changes. Drugs of course, being only one of many. There were also many good things that the changes of the 1960's wrought. One thing though is certain. The world was never the same after that year.
For me personally, I find this decade- er- interesting. The book seemed to focus a great deal more on the British climate as opposed to the changes in America. However, I enjoyed hearing these stories because they were fresh. The sixties in America has been rehashed many times over and other than just revisiting the same old stories, these memories gave fresh insight into the year 1963. Change didn't just occur in the US after all.
One thing to note is that this book really is not a narrative. Basically, it's a collection of stories by told by those who experienced and were influential in that pivotal year.
Overall this was an interesting read, at times a bit repetitive and a few times it lapsed into stories that weren't all that interesting, but I enjoyed reading it and that's what really matters.
This one is a B+
March 8, 2015
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Rating: 3
In which you ask yourself, “what were Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, and Vidal Sassoon doing when they were younger and just starting out?” What about Graham Nash or Stevie Nicks. 1963: The Year of the Revolution: How Youth Changed the World with Music, Art, and Fashion gives you an inside look into these people’s lives and much more!
Robin Morgan and Ariel Leve compile lengthy first person accounts of these pop culture’s figures lives and their experiences while growing into their scene all the while depicting what the year 1963 was like for all these people.
It’s an enlightening and fun read, especially for people who are interested in this time period (1960s) and pop culture. Also, I found it somewhat strangely inspiring. If it youth proved anything then, it can prove it again now: young people can be heard and instigate change.
Read if you like: non fiction, history, pop culture, oral history
Book Depository
Rating: 3
In which you ask yourself, “what were Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, and Vidal Sassoon doing when they were younger and just starting out?” What about Graham Nash or Stevie Nicks. 1963: The Year of the Revolution: How Youth Changed the World with Music, Art, and Fashion gives you an inside look into these people’s lives and much more!
Robin Morgan and Ariel Leve compile lengthy first person accounts of these pop culture’s figures lives and their experiences while growing into their scene all the while depicting what the year 1963 was like for all these people.
It’s an enlightening and fun read, especially for people who are interested in this time period (1960s) and pop culture. Also, I found it somewhat strangely inspiring. If it youth proved anything then, it can prove it again now: young people can be heard and instigate change.
Read if you like: non fiction, history, pop culture, oral history
Book Depository
August 4, 2017
Oral histories don't impress me. Anybody can interview a bunch of people and throw their words onto a page. Truly interesting texts do something with those words to create a compelling narrative. This book doesn't even get interesting words from people.
If this is what 1963 brought to the world, throw it in the dustbin of history.
If this is what 1963 brought to the world, throw it in the dustbin of history.
October 13, 2021
1963 (and, parenthetically, the years on either side with glances up and down the road) was a truly amazing year across the cultural spectrum and this book uses interviews with many of the participants to tell the story about as accurately as possible. With the Rolling Stones' Keith Richard and Bill Wyman, Eric Clapton, and many other musicians, it tells about the eruption of the music and what led up to that explosion. With Mary Quant, Barbara Hulanicki, and Edina Ronay, it speaks to the fashion revolution, the mini skirt and the burst of color that blossomed on Carnaby Street. Then there is Gay representing the changes in journalism. While less prominent, it also speaks of the political upheavals, the effect of Kennedy's assassination on the whole scene, drugs, the PILL, and so on, it paints a realistic and gritty picture, yet it also shows how the changes were positive and had to happen.
I really enjoyed the book and recommend it highly.
I really enjoyed the book and recommend it highly.
January 18, 2023
This was a pretty good book with a narrower focus than the title suggests.
It's mostly about music, and mostly about British stars. Which is fine but I was expecting a bit more. And, it's an oral history, which means quote after quote with no transition and honestly little editing. Some key players in some key bands (except the Beatles) and two or three from the fashion world tell stories that overlap again and again, in chapter after chapter.
I'd rather the writer gave us a better framework and then added quotes, rather than stand aside and supply transcripts.
At least he translated the British slang (which I knew already).
It's mostly about music, and mostly about British stars. Which is fine but I was expecting a bit more. And, it's an oral history, which means quote after quote with no transition and honestly little editing. Some key players in some key bands (except the Beatles) and two or three from the fashion world tell stories that overlap again and again, in chapter after chapter.
I'd rather the writer gave us a better framework and then added quotes, rather than stand aside and supply transcripts.
At least he translated the British slang (which I knew already).
May 23, 2019
I was not at all expecting this book to be an oral-retelling of the year 1963 from the perspective of the people that lived it and changed the world forever. It surprised me and to be honest, made me save the book so it would never end. Reading how Vidal Sassoon got to give a generation a new hairdo, or how Mary Quaint came up with the mini skirt, how the Rolling Stones made it in America, how the Beatles impacted the whole generation that would come, how JFK´s assassination changed the mood of the revolution, how so many more examples that boggle my mind. The sixties have always been my favorite period and reading it from the perspective of those was wonderful. It might be an anthology but that is what history is at the end, a gather of people´s stories about a period of time or event.
July 26, 2018
Okay as a compilation of oral histories, mostly British, of musicians, fashion designers and scenester from the early Sixties. The book argues that 1963 was the year that created the 60s, especially in London and there's evidence enough to make that a reasonable approach, but there are a lot of factual errors in the prose that frames the interviews. A source more than a study.
August 29, 2018
I would agree with some of the criticism of this book. While there are interesting tidbits here and there, there is no compelling narrative. Artists are generally more articulate in their given medium be it music, fashion or hair. They are often not known for their ability to translate their visions into words. The authors bring little more than their tape recorders to the text.
May 29, 2020
Call it 3.5 stars. Interesting content, solid thesis, and some major players commenting on their experiences from ‘63.
Frustrating structure. The commentators are quoted numerous times within each chapter, sometimes just a sentence or two, other times for several graphs. It made for a disjointed read.
Frustrating structure. The commentators are quoted numerous times within each chapter, sometimes just a sentence or two, other times for several graphs. It made for a disjointed read.
March 23, 2021
I like the angle of the 60s this is trying to portray, or at least I did in the introduction. I had no idea that the hippie phenomenon happened in the UK before it hit the US. That's super cool! I'm just really not interested in reading several short paragraphs of interviews with artists, models, fashion designers etc from that era when there's not really a focus or a theme to said interviews.
January 13, 2022
So much interesting information of this book. What stands out the most is that in the 1960s, it was the Brits that kicked off what later came to a change in the US, both in music, fashion, revolt. An excellent read for those who are interested in the incredible changes that took places both in Great Britain as well as the US.
June 3, 2018
Pretty good
I think it was interesting and entertaining. More from Mick and the boys would have helped. More music and art, less fashion and photography. You should read it, but not on the top of the list.
I think it was interesting and entertaining. More from Mick and the boys would have helped. More music and art, less fashion and photography. You should read it, but not on the top of the list.
March 20, 2017
Not quite what I was hoping for, compared to 1968, but still a nice cross-art examination of the changes in arts.
October 27, 2017
It was alright.
May 4, 2018
Leve this book alone, aside from the musings of Gay Talese.
January 21, 2020
I LIKE THIS BOOK.
February 17, 2025
Oral history of the revolution in music. It may have covered other topics but I read that part too long ago to remember.
It was okay.
It was okay.
August 22, 2022
I love the book because the authors let the people speak for themselves, instead of taking their quotes and editing them. Fascinating book about a fascinating time!
July 23, 2014
A chorus of voices representing those who experienced the youth quake of 1963, and lived to tell the tale. Pop music dominates, followed by fashion and a soupçon of advertising and marketing experts who cut their teeth during this watershed moment in pop culture. The Beatles were climbing the charts, just as Dylan was singing solo and from the heart and Mary Quant was lobbing inches off women's hemlines and Vidal Sassoon was cutting hair in a manner that suited the space age explorations of the time. Sassoon, interviewed just before his death,Quant, and assorted others, including Eric Clapton and nearly every one of the Rolling Stones, lend their insights to the book. Glaringly missing, however, considering that 1963 is fairly much defined by them, is any Beatles, surviving or otherwise. Beatles gal pal Cilla Black is interviewed and yet she slags her old mates -- Liverpudlian humour or a skewed perspective? Hard to tell as the book's editors, Robin Morgan and Ariel Leve, do not correct mistakes (Black, for instance, says Brian Epstein discovered a band called the BeatBrothers even though, by 1962 at least, the band that rocked the world was known, definitively as the Beatles.) And yet even Black cannot disguise a lingering awe over what she and others of her generation lived through. London was, according to these accounts, truly the centre of the universe in 1963. It is where a whole new sensibility took shape and then infected the rest of the world, especially once the Beatles crossed the Atlantic. It is charming to read a scrapper like Keith Richards look back on it all with fondness.
November 12, 2013
It's hard to peg a social movement to one particular time, even an entire year. Ariel Leve has picked the 12 months of 1963 to illustrate the story of how youth culture became a major influence in world events.
It's an ambitious goal, and even more so with the format of an oral history, which relies on people's memories rather than the documents, journalism, letters, diaries of the time.
Whether 1963: The Year of Revolution succeeds in its larger goal, I'll leave for others to determine. I stopped looking at the big picture early in the book and concentrated on the individual stories being told. I enjoyed Jeff Lynne's story of his first guitar, a borrowed plastic guitar with one string. Cilla Black, who was quite famous as a singer in Britain but not in America, recalled her years working as a hat check girl at The Cavern in Liverpool. (A google video search reveals her to be similar to Petula Clark and Lulu.) Keith Richards and Bill Wyman check in, as do Graham Nash, Eric Clapton, Chrissy Hynde, Stevie Nicks, Carly Simon, and Neil Sedaka. Non-musical memories are provided by Vidal Sassoon (who has since died), Mary Quant, Gay Talese, and many more.
You can skim, looking for your old favorites, or read it straight through to get a sense of the time. It's a fun, quick read.
It's an ambitious goal, and even more so with the format of an oral history, which relies on people's memories rather than the documents, journalism, letters, diaries of the time.
Whether 1963: The Year of Revolution succeeds in its larger goal, I'll leave for others to determine. I stopped looking at the big picture early in the book and concentrated on the individual stories being told. I enjoyed Jeff Lynne's story of his first guitar, a borrowed plastic guitar with one string. Cilla Black, who was quite famous as a singer in Britain but not in America, recalled her years working as a hat check girl at The Cavern in Liverpool. (A google video search reveals her to be similar to Petula Clark and Lulu.) Keith Richards and Bill Wyman check in, as do Graham Nash, Eric Clapton, Chrissy Hynde, Stevie Nicks, Carly Simon, and Neil Sedaka. Non-musical memories are provided by Vidal Sassoon (who has since died), Mary Quant, Gay Talese, and many more.
You can skim, looking for your old favorites, or read it straight through to get a sense of the time. It's a fun, quick read.
August 10, 2016
This book is for those who are familiar with the many personalities that shaped music in the first part of the 1960s. The stories are told by the actual people who shaped the music of that era; first-hand accounts of events that shaped their lives and the music they created. While this may seem intuitively appealing, the sequence of historical accounts is not very intuitive to the reader; one account after another with little guidance on the themes being developed. There are so many better choices where authors actively develop themes as part of a structured narrative that includes historical accounts to demonstrate points being made. In this book, the author is really an observer in that it is up to the reader to figure out how the stories relate to each other. Some of the accounts are quite interesting, for example those of Eric Clapton and Keith Richards and early material about the Beatles; but, the stories meander -- endless detailed accounts that appear, at times, to be presumptuous and downright self-indulgent. It would have been better if the author used these accounts to actually tell a story about 1963. As it stands, you need to figure it out for yourself, so this book is not for everyone.
February 5, 2014
on the same night in january of 1963 the two tv stations in britian each had a musical act making their/his debut on national television. a boy band called the beatles, and an american singer whos first album was so bad it wasn't released in the states, bob dylan.
1963 is told by a couple dozen brits and three or four americans.
everything changed, middle and lowerclass kids had money and were no longer being drafted, 45s of black american singers were being brought over and devoured. kids were making their own guitars. frampton and bowie were jamming on the high school steps together during lunch. mary quant was walking down a street and saw The haircut and met vidal sassoon.
and there was the pill. money, sex, drugs and music - it was enough to start a revolution.
parenthetically, my copy of this book was signed by armistead maupin on the night he was reading/signing the new and final book of his "tales of the city" saga at rakestraw books. got the tales book for my sister and this for my research and asked if he'd mind signing it so i could remember an enjoyable evening.
1963 is told by a couple dozen brits and three or four americans.
everything changed, middle and lowerclass kids had money and were no longer being drafted, 45s of black american singers were being brought over and devoured. kids were making their own guitars. frampton and bowie were jamming on the high school steps together during lunch. mary quant was walking down a street and saw The haircut and met vidal sassoon.
and there was the pill. money, sex, drugs and music - it was enough to start a revolution.
parenthetically, my copy of this book was signed by armistead maupin on the night he was reading/signing the new and final book of his "tales of the city" saga at rakestraw books. got the tales book for my sister and this for my research and asked if he'd mind signing it so i could remember an enjoyable evening.
February 27, 2014
I know a lot about The Beatles and 60s music, but I really enjoyed reading about the year the revolution started. It was interesting to hear the different points of view from people who were around my age in 1963. I loved learning about the fashion and the cultural youth revolution that took place. There were a lot of people interviewed that I did not know; sometimes I had to go back to remember who they were, but that didn't take away from the whole story. I loved that everyone knew everyone before they were all famous. And no one even believed that they would be famous. They were just enjoying the ride, thinking that they will have to get a normal job someday (and jobs were apparently so easy to find back then, unlike now). I always say I wish I had been alive in the 60s, and after reading this book, I wish I could travel back to 1963 to experience it all.
February 7, 2015
When I was in high school I went through a phase of liking music from the 50s and 60s. I still have lots of interest in that period of history, so this book really caught my eye when it hit our library's new books shelf. It took me a bit to get into the style of the book which was a collection of quotes from interviews various artists of the era did (with the authors?). Once I got into it,though, I couldn't put it down. I learned a ton about what made 1963 such a pivotal year in world history and it was interesting to hear about it from the artists' perspectives. So far, one of my favorite reads of 2015.
Recommended for fans of British and U.S. history, history of rock and roll, and those who lived through that time.
Recommended for fans of British and U.S. history, history of rock and roll, and those who lived through that time.
February 4, 2014
This book was created with a cross section of the British and American cultural population at that time. It's amazing how behind America was with the music. One point made was that many feel the '60 revolution was '67 to '73 when in truth it ran from 1957-1962 in Britain, then the Beatles, then 1963-1964 (5) which I would agree with. I started into the changes pretty early myself and I remember the difficulty in finding this new music and the new clothes. Mainly it was sent to me from Britain. Another valid point made. Change was happening and people were responding to it. Now it seems that more people are "trying" to make things happen...and it isn't working. Well worth the read.
January 7, 2014
For those closely involved or acquainted with the people and events here, this might be highly entertaining. I found it repetitive and perhaps a bit pretentious. Yes, these events were important, but most Earthians were unaffected by them.
March 4, 2014
It was simply "OK". Even though I lived through that time (I was a senior in high school), I didn't know who some of the people who were interviewed were. A cast of characters would have been useful. It also could have flowed a little more and had less interviews and more narrative.
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