Music

Shared passion One day, two teenagers met on the way to college. One had some blues records under his arm. They began talking about the music. Later in a club, a guitarist asked them to join his band. They found a place to practice, and started playing gigs and attracting fans. Then they made an album. In five years, they were millionaires. Popular pastime This is the story of the Rolling Stones, but it could be many others’. Music-making has always been a very popular activity. Britain is now the third biggest producer of music in the world. Musical cities Groups are proud of where they come from. Cities often have a particular sound or style. Liverpool in the 1960s had the Cavern Club, where many groups played, like the Beatles. Manchester created its own scene in the 1980s at the Hacienda club. Innovation Several musical styles started in the UK. Punk gave people the idea that anyone could start a band. Dance DJs like Coldcut didn’t need instruments — just a turntable and some speakers. Improving yourself Some singers got into music to do better than their parents. Tom Jones was the son of a coal miner, and Annie Lennox’s father worked in the shipyards. Others changed their names. Reginald Dwight and Florian Cloud de Bounevialle O’Malley Armstrong didn’t sell any records — Elton John and Dido sold millions. Places to play, places to listen These days you can download music for free, so bands go on tour to make money. There are lots of places for live performances in the UK. Brixton Academy is an old-style dancehall. King Tut’s in Glasgow only has room for 300 people, but there are also many big arenas with modern seating and acoustics. Music festivals In summer the best places for live music are festivals. Glastonbury is one of the oldest. It attracts super stars for five days every June. There are plenty of free events, too, like the Strawberry Fair in Cambridge, which welcomes families.