For a city steeped in music, culture, and unmistakable style, Liverpool has always done things its own way and done them well. Ahead of our adidas Originals ‘Anniversary City Series’ Liverpool release, we sat down with rhythm guitarist Lydia McGee from Psycho Comedy and Dog Sport and musician and sound engineer Connor Colford.
Two musicians shaped by the sound and soul of their city reflect on the lasting influence of early ’60s Liverpool, how its spirit still lives on in the music and fashion of today, and why scousers might just be the best-dressed people on the planet. From The Cavern to the cobbles, here’s how heritage still shapes the future.
Let’s talk early ‘60s music. Does it inspire you?
Lydia: “Definitely. I think the ’60s is a crucial era for music. So many amazing bands came from this time, you know you’ve got The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Doors, The Supremes, The Velvet Underground, The Beach Boys, The Kinks. And of course, The Beatles. The list goes on; it’s such a significant time and has inspired so many musicians to learn an instrument, including myself. It was the beginning of something.”
Connor: “Yeah, early sixties music has always been a big inspiration to me, maybe slightly more so than most due to my upbringing. My dad ran the cavern, so from an early age I was around a lot of the old sixties musicians and obviously all the music that comes with the Merseybeat scene.”
“Liverpool got off to a good start musically, Skiffle was already popular at the time which I think gave the first realisation that anyone could “get up and have ago”, something I think has stayed in our mentality. We had a lot of ships docking from America in them days and sailors would bring back jazz, rhythm and blues and most importantly the early rock n roll records. I think with so many different types of music colliding together in such a small place and the attitude of “we can do that!” .. It was only a matter of time before we started producing a unique sound of our own, which we still do.”
“Part of the reason it was so inspiring was because it was real to so many people. It was local bands singing about local places and local things, so I think that resonated and stayed with us.”
As somebody who didn’t grow up around Liverpool but hears the tales of early ’60s Liverpool, how does it make you feel about your city?
Lydia: “There’s a sort of magic quality about Liverpool, it’s always been somewhere full of creativity and there are so many things that make the city feel unique. I love hearing stories in The Cavern and The Jacaranda. It’s mad to think loads of people would climb down a ladder, into The Jacaranda basement and watch bands. People at the time probably didn’t realise how big the scene was and how much impact it was going to have. Imagine that now though, climbing down a ladder, all smoking, no health and safety and not a care in the world.”
Connor: “As a musician, it makes me really proud that people remember us for the music we produced and still do. Merseybeat which is the “scene” people associate with sixties Liverpool was only around for a few years but it changed music forever. We’ve all heard the stories from our grandparents of what it was like going to see Rory Storm, Billy Fury, The Big 3, The Merseybeats, The Swinging Blue Jeans, The Searchers and The Beatles to name a few…to think all that came out of such a small city in a few years would be something to be proud of on its own, but on top of that we’ve also produced some of the best bands through the 70’s/80’s/90’s/2000’s and we’re still doing it today. Liverpool still holds the world record for the most amount of number 1s produced by any city and I think that speaks for itself, scousers can just write good songs!”
What is the most talked-about moment in Liverpool’s history and why?
Lydia: “It’s got to be up there, hasn’t it? The Beatles alone put Liverpool at the centre of ’60s music and put us on the map musically. They changed music and influenced people globally, the Cavern became iconic. Penny Lane, Strawberry Fields, the old boutiques on Bold Street, tourists still travel from all over to visit the city and those places because of The Beatles. But, it wasn’t just because of The Beatles, the Merseybeat Scene was massive. Liverpool had fresh ideas, music and clothes before anywhere else in the UK. Liverpool is a working-class city so to have artists come out of Liverpool and change music, fashion and youth culture is massive. And the fact that people still sing the songs, copy the styles, and visit the places all these years later, not many cities can say that.”
Connor: “I’d probably have to say the music scene of the sixties, but it’s a moment that doesn’t seem to have ended yet. If you mention Liverpool to anyone in the world, it won’t be long before you’re having a conversation about music, whether it be old or new. So many great bands have come from here, and so many great bands are still coming from here. I think music is our greatest moment, but we’re still in that moment over 60 years later.”
Is there an aspect of ’60s Liverpool that still lives on in the city today?
Lydia: “Yeah, you can’t walk through Liverpool without being reminded of The Beatles, it keeps a nice spotlight on Liverpool. The amount of successful bands that have come out of Liverpool is crazy, The La’s, Echo and The Bunnymen, The Tear Drop Explodes, Flock Of Seagulls, The Zutons and The Coral to name a few. The music scene in Liverpool has always been something and I think it always will; it’s not stuck in the past, but it builds on it. You can go The Cavern every day and hear live music. I think for the amount of music in Liverpool, we lack in venues, which is a shame, but there’s still enough to keep the music going. We’ve got a great music and art scene. So yeah, I don’t think ’60s Liverpool has disappeared but evolved. You can still hear it influencing through the music and the venues.”
Connor: “Massively yeah, I don’t think there’s any escaping Liverpool’s musical heritage, regardless of whether you’re in a band or not…music seems to be ingrained in the city. It doesn’t just live on in this city either, there are so many references to Liverpool from other bands from other periods…Gerry Marsden’s ’60s hit “Ferry Across The Mersey”…Mott The Hoople sang about going from “The Liverpool docks to the Hollywood bowl” in “All the way to Memphis”…you had big 80’s bands such as The Bangles singing about “We’re going down to Liverpool” and the list goes on. But I think the music from the early sixties still strongly lives on, go to any bar or rehearsal room in Liverpool and you’ll still hear bands playing the old stuff, it just seems to be timeless. Whether it be The Beatles, The La’s, The Coral or The Zutons you’ll always hear references to our musical past being played today.”
“Liverpool bands across the decades have always been unique-sounding, but at the same time, all share a few things in common. We’ve always had great melodies, that might have come from drunken sailors all singing together, it might have come from the fact that nowhere in the world can sing as loud or as proud as the Kop, but there’s something about scousers singing together. There’s also a lot of nostalgia and self-pride in Liverpool music, and I think that’s something Liverpool bands continue to carry with them to this day, due to the fact we know we’re following on from some of the greatest bands in the world. We get stuck in when it comes to music and I think that shows.”
Do the ’60s inspire any of your style? If so, what is it that inspires you?
Lydia: “Scousers have always had their own look. Liverpool girls in particular, are famous for their unique, confident looks and always pushing fashion in their own way. They’ve always been known for going all out with glam, and I love that. When I was younger, I was definitely inspired by the big hair, eyeliner and the classic mini skirt. I’d often go shopping for vintage pieces and would then wear them on a night out to The Cabin. The Cabin was the top of Bold Street and still had all the original decor. It was £3 to get in, and it was always a boss night and everyone was always dressed up. I’ve definitely been inspired by the likes of Yves Saint Laurent’s “Le Smoking”, a tuxedo designed for women. I love the feminine take on a normal man’s tuxedo, I own quite a few suits.”
Connor: “A lot of Liverpool style is inspired by music, we’ve had so many different subcultures over the years, we’ve got a lot of good clobber to pick from. Whether that be 50’s teddy boys, ’60s mods and rockers, 70’s and 80’s alternative scenes or the fact that scousers just generally tend to wanna look good. I don’t think you can be a musician who comes from Liverpool and not be inspired by the styles of past Liverpool. Every scouser loves a good leather jacket and maybe that comes from when The Beatles came home from Hamburg in their leathers, I dunno. We love a good pair of webs (shoes) as well, can’t go far without seeing a pair of adidas round Liverpool, can you?”
Do you think music and style go hand in hand?
Lydia: “100% a lot of people say music is fashion, and I agree, they feed each other. The way people dress says just as much as the music does. It’s identity for a lot of people, what you listen to defines who you are, and fashion can show that. I think it can create a sense of community, too. It’s interesting.”
Connor: “Absolutely, if you’re out and about gigging, you wanna look good, don’t you!”
Finally, do scousers dress better than anyone in the weeerld?
Lydia: “I don’t think I’ve ever met a bad dressed scouser, we like to make an effort. Most people like to look their best, there’s a sense of pride. There’s a lot of confidence and individuality in Liverpool, it’s boss.”
Connor: “There are some pretty strong arguments against I’m sure…we’ve all see a pair of dodgy scouse brows out in the wild and they’re fucking terrible I know. But on the whole, I’d say Liverpool has got the edge over any other city…but then again I am going to say that cause I’m a well-dressed scouser.”
Find out more about our adidas Originals Liverpool – size? exclusive on the blog.
