Downtown, 1956-1965--the first volume of Sixties British Pop, Outside In--describes the rise of London's music and recording cultures through the stories of those who empowered Britain's youth to be young. As the generations born in the postwar world entered adolescence and demanded a say in their lives, British musicians responded by creating music reflecting youth's quest for love and recognition. With waves of technological innovation sweeping through a world where political and economic superpowers postured for domination, deep-seated English values helped shape both pop music and its audiences. The music that reverberated in hundreds of local clubs and halls began as fervent attempts to imitate an ongoing American cultural invasion that television helped bring into front rooms across Britain. The emergence of British blues and rock 'n' roll began when broadcasters allowed teens to discover Tommy Steele, Cliff Richard and the Shadows, Adam Faith, Helen Shapiro, and others. These
