Rock and Roll, 1954-2024 (A Walk-On Part)

A history of the last seventy years of popular music, particularly Rock and Roll, combined with a personal story of artistic aspiration overtaken by conventional career.

Like thousands of kids, Neil Murray dreamt of being a Rock Star. Like most he became something else, but life’s dots can join up in curious ways. The guitar didn’t stay in the attic and, now 70, he delivers a lively and informative history of seven decades of Rock and Roll, from Bill Haley to Billie Eilish. He interweaves that with his own journey, from unlikely beginnings in 50s Libya to the swinging 60s in the Hong Kong of the Vietnam War, to 70s UK, the “Sick man of Europe”, then 80s Yuppiedom, 90s hedonism and onward to the 21st century via London and Nashville. At 20, Murray was in a Punk band. At 50 and a City lawyer in London, he appeared on TV’s “Top of the Pops” with a chart hit. At 60, he went back to Uni and got a music degree. Now he’s a music producer and on the side sports a Ziggy Stardust wig playing with his mates in a Glam Rock band. He currently lives and records in a real 70s Rock Star’s house. He’s the School of Rock for his grandkids. Can dreams come true, at least in part? What life lessons are there along the way?