Psychedelic Decadence

The title says it all really (henceforth called PD) once again 'Headpress' and its head honcho, David Kerekes have delivered a veritable diamond of an essential book. Let me, if I may (name the film) take you back to a time when "stuff' was a helluva lot simpler. With a bit of a mind-flip (another clue) the author, Martin Jones skilfully conjures up the long lost, joyful days of my own youth and formative years. Being born in 1953, I started to come into my own when leaving school in 1969. The 70's were my decade... I lived 'em, I loved 'em! The remarkable thing about this book is that the man Martin Jones wasn't born until 1970, yet he delivers the goods as though he boogied right on down the line. Respect to the dude.

So, what's it all about then? 'PD' revs up the triumph 'bonny' engine lets out the clutch and takes up on groovy cruise into and though popular British culture of the 60's and 70's. Putting the emphasis on the "Easy come, easy go" world of sex, drugs, movies, comics and music, Hippies, non-conformists, rock stars and "Questionable" horror movies get the dissin' treatment, all delivered in a velvet glove. Nice. I could prattle on for pages about all the rockin' good stuff bubblin' away in the pages of 'PD' but space forbids me. So, I'll give the pot a reet good stir and release some of the tempting ingredients into the atmos.

Swinging London circa 1972. Two films get the bizzo: 'Performance' and 'Dracula A.D. 1972' (that's when I fell deeply in lust with Caroline Munro and still am!) British bikers hit the streets both in movie and cheap paperback format (surely it was all happenin?). Soft-core jazz mags became lifestyle bibles ('Mayfair' ruled!) and David Bowie wrote some pretty scary songs.

Whereas J.G. Ballard penned some pretty scary (and accurate) stories predicting our future, Michael Reeves (RIP) was making movies and a sexually repressed chap named Basil was stomping around a hotel named 'Fawlty Towers'. Film producers kept insisting on trying to insert 'Hip scenes' into horror films and Susan George couldn't keep her kit on (Oh Happy Days!).

Then there's the birth of '2000 AD' and Ingrid Pitt's amazing (and all real) breasts. Plus a shed-load more.

150 pages of trade paperback, profusely illustrated, groovy entertainment. Another hit, another must have.