Roots, Radicals and Rockers : How Skiffle Changed the World by Billy Bragg (2017, Hardcover)

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Roots, Radicals and Rockers: How Skiffle Changed the World. Title : Roots, Radicals and Rockers: How Skiffle Changed the World. Authors : Bragg, Billy. First Edition : False. Condition : New. Pages : 464.

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Product Identifiers

PublisherFaber & Faber, Incorporated
ISBN-100571327745
ISBN-139780571327744
eBay Product ID (ePID)229540206

Product Key Features

Book TitleRoots, Radicals and Rockers : How Skiffle Changed the World
Number of Pages464 Pages, 448 Pages
LanguageEnglish
TopicEuropean, Genres & Styles / Rock, Ethnic
Publication Year2017
IllustratorYes
GenreMusic, Art
AuthorBilly Bragg
FormatHardcover

Dimensions

Item Height1.2 in
Item Weight25.4 Oz
Item Length9.2 in
Item Width6 in

Additional Product Features

Intended AudienceTrade
Dewey Edition23
Reviews"Nothing short of masterly. It would be hard to cite another historical book of such depth, quality and reasoned analysis by a working, nonacademic musician." - The Wall Street Journal, "Skiffle musicians, fans, and even readers who are not musically inclined will appreciate what this book has to offer." -- Library Journal, "In his first book, musician, left-wing activist, and sonic archivist Bragg has crafted a remarkable history of skiffle, a particularly British music genre. Initiated by amateur players obsessed with the blues, jazz, and folk, skiffle lured teenagers obsessed with all things American and eager to dance away post-WWII conformity and deprivation. With a DIY ethos and three-chord tunes, skiffle inspired a generation of British lads to pick up guitars, including among them Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney, Jimmy Page, and a young extraterrestrial who would later take the name "David Bowie." Roughly a cross between folk and R&B, skiffle quickly succumbed to the other two genres and faded from the charts, even as its former disciples led the British Invasion. Bragg impresses throughout with engaging prose and painstaking research. He further enlivens the text with personal insights and witty asides that give the material a unique cast few professional writers would dare. The introduction of dozens of new figures in the last third of the book diffuses the narrative but that's a minor demerit to an accomplished work. Ending with a flourish, Bragg convincingly argues for the emotional connection between skiffle and punk rock, something Bragg would know about better than most." (July) --Publishers Weekly (Starred Review), "A first-rate work of history." --Financial Times "Nothing short of masterly." --The Wall Street Journal "Roots, Radicals and Rockers does a good job of demonstrating the working class's potential to influence culture." --In These Times "A thorough, compelling survey of a transitional genre that burned briefly but brightly in the U.K. in the latter 1950s." --- The Dallas Morning News "A fascinating read." - The Minneapolis Star Tribune "Best known as a musician with a notably political bent, Billy Bragg is also a talented writer.... Roots, Radicals, and Rockers [is a] a deeply researched yet lively look at the musical craze that hit England in the mid-1950s." -- The Boston Globe, "Skiffle ... did produce a generation of influential working-class musicians. The Beatles grew out of skiffle group the Quarrymen--John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison's best attempt to make Lonnie Donegan fan music. When young Pete Townshend saw Ken Colyer play, he thought, "[The guitar] is going to the change the world. ... I was going to get this guitar and it was going to be bye-bye, old timer, and that's exactly what happened." ROOTS, RADICALS AND ROCKERS does a good job of demonstrating the working class's potential to influence culture. Rediscovering a cohesive class consciousness could make that cultural force truly political." -- In These Times, "In his passionate history Roots, Radicals and Rockers , Billy Bragg -- a punker-turned-folkie musician of some 40 years' tenure -- has written a thorough, compelling survey of a transitional genre that burned briefly but brightly in the U.K. in the latter 1950s." -- The Dallas Morning News, "Roots, Radicals and Rockers clearly showcases Bragg's affinity for history. It is exhaustively researched and intricately detailed. I feel as though I've walked away from this book not only more educated in the world of skiffle but enriched with an appreciation for the entire arc of rock 'n' roll and popular music as a whole.... There is tireless attention to detail in the storytelling. Bragg does the due diligence of laying the social and political groundwork of the era to contextualize the music. It's a wonderful, enjoyable, and, at this point I'd say, critical addition to any music enthusiast's library." --The Indypendent, "In his passionate history Roots, Radicals and Rockers , Billy Bragg -- a punker-turned-folkie musician of some 40 years' tenure -- has written a thorough, compelling survey of a transitional genre that burned briefly but brightly in the U.K. in the latter 1950s." - The Dallas Morning News, "[A] fantastic history of a little known though immensely influential musical form ... Billy Bragg is [an] astute musical historian.... Bragg's enthusiasm for his subject shines in this definitive history of skiffle music -- and it's a fascinating read." -- Minneapolis Star Tribune, "In his passionate history Roots, Radicals and Rockers , Billy Bragg ? a punker-turned-folkie musician of some 40 years' tenure ? has written a thorough, compelling survey of a transitional genre that burned briefly but brightly in the U.K. in the latter 1950s." - The Dallas Morning News, : "Roots, Radicals and Rockers clearly showcases Bragg's affinity for history. It is exhaustively researched and intricately detailed. I feel as though I've walked away from this book not only more educated in the world of skiffle but enriched with an appreciation for the entire arc of rock 'n' roll and popular music as a whole.... There is tireless attention to detail in the storytelling. Bragg does the due diligence of laying the social and political groundwork of the era to contextualize the music. It's a wonderful, enjoyable, and, at this point I'd say, critical addition to any music enthusiast's library." -- The Indypendent, "Superb account, by British folk-punker Bragg (A Lover Sings: Selected Lyrics, 2016, etc.), of the politically aware, working-class skiffle craze of the 1950s.The so-called British Invasion of the 1960s was a repurposing of American music, a mix of blues, jazz, and country, that young people on the other side of the pond were hearing over American Armed Forces Radio and on records brought by Yankee ships. Yet there was a forgotten intermediary: skiffle. Born of old-school British takes on jazz, it added a rebellious racket, with a strong rhythm section built on bass, drums, and often washboard; throw thunderous guitars into the mix in the place of trombones and clarinets, and you have a homegrown recasting of an alien art form, one populated by unsung heroes and forgotten moments. Bragg finds skiffle on what he calls the "dead ground of British pop culture," and he aims to sing of those heroes and to recall their glories'and glories they were, marking a movement that anticipated punk in its insistence on DIY performances hampered largely by a lack of outlets for recorded music. The author traces skiffle to the early '50s, giving pride of place to Lonnie Donegan, a player whose recording of the old Lead Belly song "Rock Island Line"?covered at about the same time by Elvis Presley in the U.S.'was a kind of declaration of skiffle's intent. It took some time for the moment to get going; as Bragg writes, "David Whitfield and Mantovani could sleep soundly in their beds," at least for a little while, until skiffle overwhelmed their easy-listening ways. But when it did, there was little to stop the likes of Alexis Korner and the Ghouls from raising a ruckus'and after them not just the Beatles, famously founded on skiffle, but also the Rolling Stones, whose founders cut their teeth on the skiffle sound. Writing with an expert practitioner's appreciation for music, Bragg tells the story of British rock-'n'-roll's forerunner with verve and great intelligence." illustrations throughout ?Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review), "Billy Bragg is a talented writer ... "ROOTS, RADICALS AND ROCKERS: How Skiffle Changed the World,: [is] a deeply researched yet lively look at the musical craze that hit England in the mid-1950s." -- The Boston Globe, "In his first book, musician, left-wing activist, and sonic archivist Bragg has crafted a remarkable history of skiffle, a particularly British music genre. Initiated by amateur players obsessed with the blues, jazz, and folk, skiffle lured teenagers obsessed with all things American and eager to dance away post-WWII conformity and deprivation. With a DIY ethos and three-chord tunes, skiffle inspired a generation of British lads to pick up guitars, including among them Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney, Jimmy Page, and a young extraterrestrial who would later take the name ?David Bowie.' Roughly a cross between folk and R&B, skiffle quickly succumbed to the other two genres and faded from the charts, even as its former disciples led the British Invasion. Bragg impresses throughout with engaging prose and painstaking research. He further enlivens the text with personal insights and witty asides that give the material a unique cast few professional writers would dare. The introduction of dozens of new figures in the last third of the book diffuses the narrative but that's a minor demerit to an accomplished work. Ending with a flourish, Bragg convincingly argues for the emotional connection between skiffle and punk rock, something Bragg would know about better than most." (July) ? ?Publishers Weekly (Starred Review), "In his first book, musician, left-wing activist, and sonic archivist Bragg has crafted a remarkable history of skiffle, a particularly British music genre. Initiated by amateur players obsessed with the blues, jazz, and folk, skiffle lured teenagers obsessed with all things American and eager to dance away post-WWII conformity and deprivation. With a DIY ethos and three-chord tunes, skiffle inspired a generation of British lads to pick up guitars, including among them Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney, Jimmy Page, and a young extraterrestrial who would later take the name "David Bowie." Roughly a cross between folk and R&B, skiffle quickly succumbed to the other two genres and faded from the charts, even as its former disciples led the British Invasion. Bragg impresses throughout with engaging prose and painstaking research. He further enlivens the text with personal insights and witty asides that give the material a unique cast few professional writers would dare. The introduction of dozens of new figures in the last third of the book diffuses the narrative but that's a minor demerit to an accomplished work. Ending with a flourish, Bragg convincingly argues for the emotional connection between skiffle and punk rock, something Bragg would know about better than most." --Publishers Weekly (Starred Review), "Superb account, by British folk-punker Bragg (A Lover Sings: Selected Lyrics, 2016, etc.), of the politically aware, working-class skiffle craze of the 1950s.The so-called British Invasion of the 1960s was a repurposing of American music, a mix of blues, jazz, and country, that young people on the other side of the pond were hearing over American Armed Forces Radio and on records brought by Yankee ships. Yet there was a forgotten intermediary: skiffle. Born of old-school British takes on jazz, it added a rebellious racket, with a strong rhythm section built on bass, drums, and often washboard; throw thunderous guitars into the mix in the place of trombones and clarinets, and you have a homegrown recasting of an alien art form, one populated by unsung heroes and forgotten moments. Bragg finds skiffle on what he calls the "dead ground of British pop culture," and he aims to sing of those heroes and to recall their glories--and glories they were, marking a movement that anticipated punk in its insistence on DIY performances hampered largely by a lack of outlets for recorded music. The author traces skiffle to the early '50s, giving pride of place to Lonnie Donegan, a player whose recording of the old Lead Belly song "Rock Island Line"--covered at about the same time by Elvis Presley in the U.S.--was a kind of declaration of skiffle's intent. It took some time for the moment to get going; as Bragg writes, "David Whitfield and Mantovani could sleep soundly in their beds," at least for a little while, until skiffle overwhelmed their easy-listening ways. But when it did, there was little to stop the likes of Alexis Korner and the Ghouls from raising a ruckus--and after them not just the Beatles, famously founded on skiffle, but also the Rolling Stones, whose founders cut their teeth on the skiffle sound. Writing with an expert practitioner's appreciation for music, Bragg tells the story of British rock-'n'-roll's forerunner with verve and great intelligence." illustrations throughout --★Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review), "[ROOTS, RADICALS, AND ROCKERS} is a logical extension of his interest in protest and working-class culture, and is even more tirelessly researched and artfully told than a fan of Bragg's musical storytelling has reason to expect." --Scott Timberg in The Los Angeles Review of Books, "Nothing short of masterly. It would be hard to cite another historical book of such depth, quality and reasoned analysis by a working, nonacademic musician." -- The Wall Street Journal, "In his first book, musician, left-wing activist, and sonic archivist Bragg has crafted a remarkable history of skiffle, a particularly British music genre. Initiated by amateur players obsessed with the blues, jazz, and folk, skiffle lured teenagers obsessed with all things American and eager to dance away post-WWII conformity and deprivation. With a DIY ethos and three-chord tunes, skiffle inspired a generation of British lads to pick up guitars, including among them Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney, Jimmy Page, and a young extraterrestrial who would later take the name "David Bowie." Roughly a cross between folk and R&B, skiffle quickly succumbed to the other two genres and faded from the charts, even as its former disciples led the British Invasion. Bragg impresses throughout with engaging prose and painstaking research. He further enlivens the text with personal insights and witty asides that give the material a unique cast few professional writers would dare. The introduction of dozens of new figures in the last third of the book diffuses the narrative but that's a minor demerit to an accomplished work. Ending with a flourish, Bragg convincingly argues for the emotional connection between skiffle and punk rock, something Bragg would know about better than most." (July) -- ★Publishers Weekly (Starred Review), "In his first book, musician, left-wing activist, and sonic archivist Bragg has crafted a remarkable history of skiffle, a particularly British music genre. Initiated by amateur players obsessed with the blues, jazz, and folk, skiffle lured teenagers obsessed with all things American and eager to dance away post-WWII conformity and deprivation. With a DIY ethos and three-chord tunes, skiffle inspired a generation of British lads to pick up guitars, including among them Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney, Jimmy Page, and a young extraterrestrial who would later take the name "David Bowie." Roughly a cross between folk and R&B, skiffle quickly succumbed to the other two genres and faded from the charts, even as its former disciples led the British Invasion. Bragg impresses throughout with engaging prose and painstaking research. He further enlivens the text with personal insights and witty asides that give the material a unique cast few professional writers would dare. The introduction of dozens of new figures in the last third of the book diffuses the narrative but that's a minor demerit to an accomplished work. Ending with a flourish, Bragg convincingly argues for the emotional connection between skiffle and punk rock, something Bragg would know about better than most." (July) -- Publishers Weekly (Starred Review), "Superb account, by British folk-punker Bragg (A Lover Sings: Selected Lyrics, 2016, etc.), of the politically aware, working-class skiffle craze of the 1950s.The so-called British Invasion of the 1960s was a repurposing of American music, a mix of blues, jazz, and country, that young people on the other side of the pond were hearing over American Armed Forces Radio and on records brought by Yankee ships. Yet there was a forgotten intermediary: skiffle. Born of old-school British takes on jazz, it added a rebellious racket, with a strong rhythm section built on bass, drums, and often washboard; throw thunderous guitars into the mix in the place of trombones and clarinets, and you have a homegrown recasting of an alien art form, one populated by unsung heroes and forgotten moments. Bragg finds skiffle on what he calls the "dead ground of British pop culture," and he aims to sing of those heroes and to recall their glories--and glories they were, marking a movement that anticipated punk in its insistence on DIY performances hampered largely by a lack of outlets for recorded music. The author traces skiffle to the early '50s, giving pride of place to Lonnie Donegan, a player whose recording of the old Lead Belly song "Rock Island Line" covered at about the same time by Elvis Presley in the U.S.--was a kind of declaration of skiffle's intent. It took some time for the moment to get going; as Bragg writes, "David Whitfield and Mantovani could sleep soundly in their beds," at least for a little while, until skiffle overwhelmed their easy-listening ways. But when it did, there was little to stop the likes of Alexis Korner and the Ghouls from raising a ruckus--and after them not just the Beatles, famously founded on skiffle, but also the Rolling Stones, whose founders cut their teeth on the skiffle sound. Writing with an expert practitioner's appreciation for music, Bragg tells the story of British rock-'n'-roll's forerunner with verve and great intelligence." illustrations throughout --Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review), "Superb account, by British folk-punker Bragg (A Lover Sings: Selected Lyrics, 2016, etc.), of the politically aware, working-class skiffle craze of the 1950s.The so-called British Invasion of the 1960s was a repurposing of American music, a mix of blues, jazz, and country, that young people on the other side of the pond were hearing over American Armed Forces Radio and on records brought by Yankee ships. Yet there was a forgotten intermediary: skiffle. Born of old-school British takes on jazz, it added a rebellious racket, with a strong rhythm section built on bass, drums, and often washboard; throw thunderous guitars into the mix in the place of trombones and clarinets, and you have a homegrown recasting of an alien art form, one populated by unsung heroes and forgotten moments. Bragg finds skiffle on what he calls the "dead ground of British pop culture," and he aims to sing of those heroes and to recall their glories--and glories they were, marking a movement that anticipated punk in its insistence on DIY performances hampered largely by a lack of outlets for recorded music. The author traces skiffle to the early '50s, giving pride of place to Lonnie Donegan, a player whose recording of the old Lead Belly song "Rock Island Line"--covered at about the same time by Elvis Presley in the U.S.--was a kind of declaration of skiffle's intent. It took some time for the moment to get going; as Bragg writes, "David Whitfield and Mantovani could sleep soundly in their beds," at least for a little while, until skiffle overwhelmed their easy-listening ways. But when it did, there was little to stop the likes of Alexis Korner and the Ghouls from raising a ruckus--and after them not just the Beatles, famously founded on skiffle, but also the Rolling Stones, whose founders cut their teeth on the skiffle sound. Writing with an expert practitioner's appreciation for music, Bragg tells the story of British rock-'n'-roll's forerunner with verve and great intelligence." illustrations throughout --Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review), "Magisterial.... There are many timely lessons to be learned from Roots, Radicals and Rockers , and Bragg, who writes with verve, wit, and his characteristic enthusiasm, is an excellent guide and companion." --VICE, Noisey
Dewey Decimal781.64
SynopsisOne of Kirkus Reviews Best Music & Entertainment Books of 2017 As heard on NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross & seen on PBS Newshour "Nothing short of masterly." -- The Wall Street Journal "A remarkable history of skiffle.... Bragg impresses throughout with engaging prose and painstaking research. He further enlivens the text with personal insights and witty asides that give the material a unique cast few professional writers would dare.... an accomplished work." -- Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) "Superb account of the politically aware, working-class skiffle craze of the 1950s.... Writing with an expert practitioner's appreciation for music, Bragg tells the story of British rock-'n'-roll's forerunner with verve and great intelligence." -- Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review) Skiffle -- a "do-it-yourself music craze with American jazz, blues, folk, and roots influences - is a story of jazz pilgrims and blues blowers, Teddy Boys and beatnik girls, coffee-bar bohemians and refugees from the McCarthyite witch hunts. Skiffle is reason the guitar came to the forefront of music in the UK and led directly to the British Invasion of the US charts in the 1960s. Emerging from the trad-jazz clubs of the early '50s, skiffle was adopted by the first generation of British "teenagers" -- working class kids who grew up during the dreary, post-war rationing years. Before Skiffle, the pop culture was dominated by crooners and mediated by a stuffy BBC. Lonnie Donegan hit the charts in 1956 with a version of Lead Belly's "Rock Island Line" and soon sales of guitars rocketed from 5,000 to 250,000 a year. Like punk rock that would flourish two decades later, skiffle was home grown: all you needed were three guitar chords and you could form a group, with mates playing tea-chest bass and washboard as a rhythm section. ROOTS, RADICALS AND ROCKERS is the first book to explore the Skiffle phenomenon in depth -- Billy Bragg'fs meticulously researched and joyous account shows how Skiffle sparked a revolution that shaped pop music as we have come to know it., One of Kirkus Reviews Best Music & Entertainment Books of 2017 As heard on NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross & seen on PBS Newshour Nothing short of masterly. -- The Wall Street Journal A remarkable history of skiffle.... Bragg impresses throughout with engaging prose and painstaking research. He further enlivens the text with personal insights and witty asides that give the material a unique cast few professional writers would dare.... an accomplished work. -- Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) Superb account of the politically aware, working-class skiffle craze of the 1950s.... Writing with an expert practitioner's appreciation for music, Bragg tells the story of British rock-'n'-roll's forerunner with verve and great intelligence. -- Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review) Skiffle -- a do-it-yourself music craze with American jazz, blues, folk, and roots influences - is a story of jazz pilgrims and blues blowers, Teddy Boys and beatnik girls, coffee-bar bohemians and refugees from the McCarthyite witch hunts. Skiffle is reason the guitar came to the forefront of music in the UK and led directly to the British Invasion of the US charts in the 1960s. Emerging from the trad-jazz clubs of the early '50s, skiffle was adopted by the first generation of British teenagers -- working class kids who grew up during the dreary, post-war rationing years. Before Skiffle, the pop culture was dominated by crooners and mediated by a stuffy BBC. Lonnie Donegan hit the charts in 1956 with a version of Lead Belly's Rock Island Line and soon sales of guitars rocketed from 5,000 to 250,000 a year. Like punk rock that would flourish two decades later, skiffle was home grown: all you needed were three guitar chords and you could form a group, with mates playing tea-chest bass and washboard as a rhythm section. ROOTS, RADICALS AND ROCKERS is the first book to explore the Skiffle phenomenon in depth -- Billy Bragg'fs meticulously researched and joyous account shows how Skiffle sparked a revolution that shaped pop music as we have come to know it., Emerging from the jazz clubs of the early '50s, skiffle - a uniquely British take on American folk and blues - caused a sensation among a generation of kids who had grown up during the dreary post-war years. These were Britain's first teenagers, looking for a music of their own in a culture dominated by crooners and mediated by a stuffy BBC. Sales of guitars rocketed from 5,000 to 250,000 a year, and - as with the punk rock that would flourish two decades later - all you needed to know were three chords to form your own group, with your mates accompanying on tea-chest bass and washboard. Against a backdrop of Cold War politics, rock and roll riots and a newly assertive working-class youth, Billy Bragg charts - for the first time in depth - the history, impact and legacy of Britain's original pop movement. It's a story of jazz pilgrims and blues blowers, Teddy Boys and beatnik girls, coffee-bar bohemians and refugees from the McCarthyite witch-hunts, who between them sparked a revolution that shaped pop culture as we have come to know it., One of Kirkus Reviews Best Music & Entertainment Books of 2017 As heard on NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross & seen on PBS Newshour "Nothing short of masterly." -- The Wall Street Journal "A remarkable history of skiffle.... Bragg impresses throughout with engaging prose and painstaking research. He further enlivens the text with personal insights and witty asides that give the material a unique cast few professional writers would dare.... an accomplished work." -- Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) "Superb account of the politically aware, working-class skiffle craze of the 1950s.... Writing with an expert practitioner's appreciation for music, Bragg tells the story of British rock-'n'-roll's forerunner with verve and great intelligence." -- Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review) Skiffle -- a "do-it-yourself music craze with American jazz, blues, folk, and roots influences - is a story of jazz pilgrims and blues blowers, Teddy Boys and beatnik girls, coffee-bar bohemians and refugees from the McCarthyite witch hunts. Skiffle is reason the guitar came to the forefront of music in the UK and led directly to the British Invasion of the US charts in the 1960s.Emerging from the trad-jazz clubs of the early '50s, skiffle was adopted by the first generation of British "teenagers" -- working class kids who grew up during the dreary, post-war rationing years. Before Skiffle, the pop culture was dominated by crooners and mediated by a stuffy BBC. Lonnie Donegan hit the charts in 1956 with a version of Lead Belly's "Rock Island Line" and soon sales of guitars rocketed from 5,000 to 250,000 a year.Like punk rock that would flourish two decades later, skiffle was home grown: all you needed were three guitar chords and you could form a group, with mates playing tea-chest bass and washboard as a rhythm section.ROOTS, RADICALS AND ROCKERS is the first book to explore the Skiffle phenomenon in depth -- Billy Bragg'fs meticulously researched and joyous account shows how Skiffle sparked a revolution that shaped pop music as we have come to know it., Against a backdrop of Cold War politics, rock and roll riots and a newly assertive generation of working-class youth, the songwriter and political activist Billy Bragg charts the history, impact and legacy of skiffle - Britain's first indigenous pop movement. Roots, Radicals & Rockers: How Skiffle Changed the World is the first book to explore this phenomenon in depth - a meticulously researched and joyous account that explains how skiffle sparked a revolution that shaped pop music as we have come to know it. It's a story of jazz pilgrims and blues blowers, Teddy Boys and beatnik girls, coffee-bar bohemians and refugees from the McCarthyite witch-hunts. Billy traces how the guitar came to the forefront of music in the UK and led directly to the British Invasion of the US charts in the 1960s. Emerging from the trad-jazz clubs of the early '50s, skiffle was adopted by kids who growing up during the dreary, post-war rationing years. These were Britain's first teenagers, looking for a music of their own in a pop culture dominated by crooners and mediated by a stuffy BBC. Lonnie Donegan hit the charts in 1956 with a version of 'Rock Island Line' and soon sales of guitars rocketed from 5,000 to 250,000 a year. Like punk rock that would flourish two decades later, skiffle was a do-it-yourself music. All you needed were three guitar chords and you could form a group, with mates playing tea-chest bass and washboard as a rhythm section.
LC Classification NumberML3536

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