NOW 33 - Spring ‘96: Neil Collins

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Ideas, experiments, imagination.

So, what was the optimum Britpop™️ year? Academics, thinkers and BBC documentary makers have wrestled over this question for many a year. Possibly even as long as it takes to listen to Be Here Now.

1993 - Yanks, go home?

1994 - Maybe, perhaps definitely?

1995 - Different class, I’d suggest?

So where were we by the spring of 1996? Three years of evolution, trademarked Beatles and Kinks mimicking, and countless cans of Red Stripe had taken it’s toll. Would it be perceived wisdom, or 21st century hallowed hindsight, to suggest the original spark of Britpop was beginning to flicker as the winds of pop change were ‘spicing’ themselves up in the wings?

There’s no doubt that the all conquering 94/95 pop of Pulp, Supergrass, blur and Oasis were still casting a huge Union Jack shaded shadow over the charts.

But, oh, there was so much more! (We’ve been here before, haven’t we?)

Big dance acts! (Some faceless, some disguised as wrestlers!)

Big pop acts (Some a bit cheesy, some disguised as Eternal and Lighthouses!)

Big legacy acts (Some a bit past it, some disguised as Queen, some having soap stars being sick in their hair!)

But lest we forget, as 1996 got underway and the first BIG NOW of the year presented 4o Top Chart Hits for our delectation - whether your ‘flava’ was pop, rock, dance or hippy - there was an unbridled swagger and confidence to the music. The decade had shaken off any allusions of baggy or grunge and was telling us we could indeed live forever.

Viva Forever, as some might (and indeed will) say!

Join author and all round 90s pop kid Neil Collins as we revisit NOW33 and the spring of 1996. 'Neil's new book International Velvet: How Wales Conquered the 90s Charts revisits the unforgettable Cool Cymru era when the Manics, Catatonia, Stereophonics, Super Furry Animals, Gorky's Zygotic Mynci and many more won over the masses!

Along the way rediscover how TV adverts were still providing a soundtrack to our denim purchases and drink breaks. How dads were very well catered for in the mid 90s (rock bands, not Louise!), what cassettes were in Neil’s parents car as they attempted to break the traffic system of Paris, and why NOW33 has the best ending of ANY compilation EVER.

And there’s even honourable mentions for the Smurfs and Robson & Jerome!

Don’t look back in (too much) anger!

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