I was unsure about this exhibition at the V and A which was a combination of art, video, music, fashion, politics of the 1960s. I went to see it early this year at half term 2017.
Whilst it was interesting to see how the context of the time, i.e. the cold war, the pill, the possibility of nuclear warfare, Vietnam, the widespread use of hallucinogenic drugs all influenced the music of the time, I struggled to connect with these things as they are so far removed from my own life.
However, I did like listening to the soundtracks and the music that was so influential at that time. You were able to have headphones with sound tracks which I really liked. It was also interesting to see different fashions at the time and what a significant impact music has on defining the spirit of a time.
It did make me think how much my own musical composition it is very much influenced by the era it is in. Although electronic music has been around in some shape of form since the 1930s it is only since the widespread use of computers that composing electronic music has been more popular and available to a much wider group of people. It has made musical composition much more possible and accessible so people like me can access their creativity in this way. Rather than just being a member of the audience at festivals such as Woodstock, we are able to create our own music. The internet has made so many things possible to such a wider community – either as creators or audience of other creations.
I would recommend this exhibition – but don't expect to understand a lot of it if you are a teenager now!
What a time to be alive in the 1960s! I'd go back and experience the culture all over again.