When it comes to music Britain has consistently provided the ‘cutting edge’. This has occurred largely in the rock field which has spawned many influential artists that have continued to impact deeply upon British culture. I just want to touch on a few of those bands who seemingly upset the society of their times.

1. Sex Pistols

Formed in London in 1975, the frontrunners of the British Punk movement caused a spine shattering impact on a country plunged largely into disarray by a failing Labour government. They burst onto the scene by attacking the sycophantic press, swearing on daytime television and loudly voicing their discontent. In reflection back on the antics of their day, it seems increasingly difficult to believe the extent to which they were able to upset the society of their era.

2. The Smiths

Spawned from the British indie scene of the 1980’s, The Smiths delivered an increasingly controversial front man who was willing to attack the hypocrisy of Thatcherite England whilst advocating independent virtues such as Vegetarianism. Often lyrically sardonic, Morrissey was much more clear cut in his interviews with the British media, once reflecting that: “One can have great concern for the people of Ethiopia, but it’s another thing to inflict daily torture on the people of England”, in his scathing attack on the proposal of Band Aid.

3. The Rolling Stones

Judged to have been too provocative with their long hair and flamboyant clothes, The Stones were seen as the bad boys of 60’s British Rock. Sordid tales of drugs, women and wild parties did little to revert this image in a world of social upheaval and revolution. Such demonizing could hardly have been helped by The Beatles cultivation of cleanness and youth, which many saw as the better role model for the children of the 60’s.

As a kid growing up in the late 80’s/early 90’s I had the privilege of being exposed to some particularly great shows. Whilst in every generation there seems to come a new phenomenon; whether it’s Teletubbies, Thomas the Tank Engine or even Tin Tin, for me there was always certain shows close to my heart. Here they are in no particular order:

Bananaman
Voiced by the Goodies and based on the comics of the late John Geering, the adventures of Eric Twinge and his crime fighting alter ego ‘bananaman’ stirred me into a pathological hatred of any other form of fruit. It is because of Eric’s incapable love for the news reader Fiona, and her subsequent love for bananaman that I was known to keep devouring large quantities of the monkey fruit.

SuperTed

At one time in my life the ‘welshness’ of shows like SuperTed and Fireman Sam made my English accent my mortal enemy. In trying to refute it, I was dreaming of becoming either the Ted (whispering the secret magic word for my power) or subsequently his space-dust empowered companion Spotty. What was particular haunting was the sideline the creators made in producing exceedingly tasty SuperTed Vitamin Tablets; unfortunately rumours of your friend getting their stomach pumped abounded far too frequently.

Poddington Peas

BBC’s healthy obsession in combining cartoons with fruits and vegetables seemed to strike a particular chord between me and my young friends. I expect that during the airing of this show Birdseye sold more peas than ever. The peas story ‘down at the bottom of the garden’, where all garden objects were gargantuan beasts, also caused a shift in attitudes towards allotments. The once boring, banal plots suddenly became the centre of the universe for subverted young minds like my own. I want those hours back.