Mobility in Liverpool in the 1960s

[admin]

At the risk of over-generalization, my study of Liverpool has lead me to believe that young adults have typically remained close to home as they have grown-up. I am wondering if this observation is accurate or whether I have based my opinion on limited sampling.

By contrast, in North America young adults often venture quite a distance from where they grew up, often to find employment.

I am wondering whether those who live in Liverpool would see things this way. What would be the salient factors that tend to keep young adults living close to home, economic, housing, religious, close traditional ties? Is this trend any different from any other city in the UK or is it indeed a trend at all?

[admin]

Martin: Following from this question, was there an isolation of sorts created in certain neighbourhoods of Liverpool that had groups or artists taking music or art of the day and making it their own as a result.

By this I mean that perhaps fewer outside influences enabled groups such as The Beatles to develop their own style that they might not have done to the same extent in larger metropolitan areas.

[martin_dodd]

Hi Pete
Liverpudlians never really do tend to as a rule go to far from home. Even if they do Liverpool always remains close to their heart.

There is a saying that goes "You can take a scouser out of Liverpool, But you cant take the Liverpool out of a scouser"

As regards The Beatles influence refrence you make,they used to get a lot of American Import records. Which through connections used to be brought in via the saliors that visited Liverpool. So they got to hear a lot of American Rhythm And Blues things before a lot of people did. maybe that gave them the edge!

Martin

[admin]

Martin: That Liverpool was a shipping hub goes without saying and we can only begin to imagine what US products were introduced to this port.

While it seems fair that The Beatles were introduced to US records, it is of equal interest to me that there are very few references to this connection in the Beatles' history that has been written to date. I do recall that Harrison's Duojet was supposely connected to the ports.

I am reminded by an interview of The Searchers' Chris Curtis, who is credited with the selection of those covers that the group recorded. In this interview, I believe with Spencer Leigh, he mentioned that his contact for records was a record shop in Liverpool and not the sailors from the ports. To this end, I am wondering if The Beatles' exposure might have been the same.

I would certainly seem, as you say, they had "the edge." To that end, I consider that this edge was their original material which set the standard for other groups to follow.

What I find most fascinating is the manner in which so many groups recorded US material and made it their own. So much so that the term "Scouser Rock" was born.

From my limited readings it would seem that a lifestyle of making do with what you have and a dogged determination to keep trying in the face of adversity were factors inherent to the Liverpool way of life that produced a fresh approach to rock and roll and gave the Liverpudlians the edge.