A Beat Boom, a Baby Boom
Dancehalls, Glitterballs and DJs - From the Pleasure Garden to the Discotheque - Bruce Lindsay
Bruce Lindsay [+]
Music Journalist and Social Historian
Description
American artists could still draw a crowd in Britain, but soon much of the most fashionable and exciting pop music was heading in the other direction, from Britain to the States. As British pop music exploded across the world, back home the new breed of clubs for dancing drew not only on home-produced music but also on the latest soul, R&B and Motown from the USA. The post-war ‘Baby Boom’ led to a rise in the number of young people desperate for new entertainment, the growing economy gave them the money to spend, the entertainment industry was happy to open venues where they could spend it. DJs took up residence in venues across the country, while others carved out careers as mobile DJs, bringing the disco experience to temporary venues in small towns and villages. Live music remained popular, but the best DJs could draw bigger crowds than the covers bands that were playing their own versions of the hits. The BBC established Radio One, more new music publications appeared and in Ireland the Showbands took over the live dance music scene.