Vinyl Dreams (How the 1970s Changed Music)

After the dense miasma of the sixties, the seventies hit like a hangover. Idealism took a pounding as cynicism began to pervade western culture. Stagflation, Watergate and a war in Vietnam all weakened faith in government, while environmental disasters and an oil crisis proved there was even more to worry about than a Cold War. A culture of ‘ me’ began to replace the hippie ideal of universal love. Yet at the same time, women and the LGBTI+ community stepped forward to actively assert their rights; the digital revolution stirred and the west embarked on a new relationship with China. Brimming with beguiling stories and little-known details, Vinyl Dreams is a fast-paced romp through the musical decade that defined all after. Whether or not you lived through the era, its music has shaped you. From the golden age of rock to the stirrings of the New Romantics, Tony Wellington traces the revolutions that reverberate through to today, showcasing the energy, fervour and enduring legacy of the decade’ s music.