In February 1957, rock’n’roll thundered onto British television screens when the BBC introduced a new programme for teenagers titled Six-Five Special.
As the 70th anniversary of that influential programme approaches, Rock & Pop on British TV by Jeff Evans tells the whole story of music on television from those primitive black-and-white days to the vibrant digital colour of today.
Hundreds of programmes feature in the book, which covers developments decade by decade, drawing on detailed original research and personal interviews with many of the most important figures in television music history – from fifties pioneer Jack Good to Jools Holland.
All the major series and events are covered in detail, recalling the excitement of each era as generations of teenagers turned to the small screen to catch glimpses of their musical heroes in programmes such as Six-Five Special, Oh Boy!, Thank Your Lucky Stars, Ready, Steady, Go!, Top of the Pops, The Old Grey Whistle Test, The Tube, Live Aid, Later… with Jools Holland, The X Factor, The Brit Awards, Glastonbury and more.
This book does, plus hundreds of other memorable moments.
This greatly expanded, fully updated second edition, released ten years after the first, includes new research, fresh interviews and loads of recently uncovered information about programmes old and new.
Rock & Pop on British TV: The Definitive History by Jeff Evans Lightning Tree Publishing, £14.99 paperback; 464 pages ISBN 978-1-0667722-0-9
‘Brilliantly researched and very readable.’ Jools Holland
‘What a treasure … a work of scholarship with such abundant research. Brilliant stuff.’ Tony Palmer, director All My Loving and All You Need Is Love
‘It’s not often you read an analysis and recognise so much content as being historically accurate, not fictional. I really feel it gives the reader a true insight into what was going on in rock and pop on British TV.’ Michael Appleton, creator/producer The Old Grey Whistle Test
‘I’m recommending it to anyone who cares about music!’ Chris Cowey, producer/director Top of the Pops
Jeff Evans is a freelance journalist, TV historian and author of more than 30 books, including the acclaimed Penguin TV Companion (four editions), Midsomer Murders: the Making of an English Crime Classic (BT Batsford) and Evans’ TV Trivia (HarperCollins). He has also written for Radio Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian and Sunday Mirror, and, wearing a different hat, was editor of CAMRA’s national Good Beer Guide for eight years. jeffevans.co.uk
Hundreds of programmes feature in the book, which covers developments decade by decade, drawing on detailed original research and personal interviews with many of the most important figures in television music history – from fifties pioneer Jack Good to Jools Holland.
