Live It Up!

Since I was only four in 1963 the actor who's presence in this film is for me most evocative of the early sixties is dear old Peter Glaze from 'Crackerjack'. But there's someone for everyone to watch out for in this agreeable time waster by veteran director Lance Comfort; including Kenny Ball and Patsy Ann Noble (stars of Pinetree Studio's 'Don't Give Me That Jazz').

And of course there's the 21 year-old David Hemmings, already capable of carrying a feature film on his young shoulders while convincingly playing a teenager.

Good God, this shows us why the British film industry was never really going to be able to rival Hollywood. I kind of liked the bizarrely unmotivated musical numbers - especially one scene which featured abeehived girl in a rather fetching synch waisted dress but the plot was contrived in the extreme. The scene with his father was handled with an admirable restraint, but on the whole this film is just too embarrassed, too self-conscious, too aware of its own limitations. Hard to believe this comes from the same decade as Blow-Up - far more savvy about fashion and 'swinging' London

This movie dates from the pre-Hard Day's Night era when Britpop movies were less concerned with a cohesive plot than simply assaulting the senses with as many potentially chart-making musical numbers as possible. It is particularly interesting because of the high ratio of musical numbers written and/or produced by legendary British maverick pop mogul Joe Meek, including songs by Heinz, Gene Vincent, Kim Roberts, Andy Cavell & The Saints and Coronation Street actress Jennie Moss as well as some of the background music. Too many people think of the British Invasion as starting with the Beatles in 1964; this movie showcases an earlier version of it and is a valuable document as such to anyone genuinely interested in studying the rise of popular music, fashion and teenage attitudes in Britain in the early 1960's.

I saw this movie in 1964 at the local theatre when I was 14 years old. Its about a bunch of young British teens who want to form a rock band. No doubt the Beatles were an inspiration for this movie and one of the players mentions the Beatles by name in one scene. Nobody in America had heard of the Beatles when this film was made. The plot is pretty forgettable. What I really enjoyed most was the musical numbers that would come up every few minutes. The two groups I remember most were The Outlaws and Sounds incorporated. They were instrumental bands and the two numbers performed made an impression on me as the sound was so very indicative of British pop music of this time.I was always big on pop music from England and there are many fans out there who would really get a charge out of the musical sequences. As a matter of fact Sounds Incorporated opened up for the Beatles during the 1965 Shea Stadium concert.For fans of this specialized kind of pop this movie is a must. I wish I could remember the other acts in this movie. The musical numbers are well staged and the movie has a good professional feel about it. At last check this film is not available in video. Too bad. Its all but forgotten really.

As someone who lived through it, I am mortified to read some of the history of British rock and roll. It did not start with The Beatles. At the time that this film was being put together, The Beatles were just gathering their phenomenal momentum. And - although Cliff and the Shadows, Jet Harris and Tony Meehan and Helen Shapiro are omitted - this is what the British rock scene was like. There are some familiar people here: Australian actress/singer Patsy Ann Noble, Heinz from The Tornadoes is the singer in David Hemmings's band. Also watch out for cult band The Outlaws which contains Deep Purple's Ritchie Blackmore, and Chas Hodges from Chas and Dave.

Some people think that all the music is by Joe Meek. Although the film is a must for Joe Meek fans, I know for a fact that Patsy Ann Noble was under contract to Norrie Paramor at EMI. So far as I am aware, she had no connection with Joe Meek at all.

If the story of the film is good or bad, and if the bands are miming, who cares? The film is a time capsule, and a look at a British pop industry that was about to undergo a huge revolution and would never be the same again.