Originally published 16 February, 2010
This Bird Has Flown...
...but if you were lucky, you didn't miss it! 'Miss What?', I hear all of you in the Peanut Gallery shouting! 'Why, the Beatles To Bowie exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery', says Dolly!
Though it regrettably ended the 24th of last month, I'm only now getting around to writing about the sugar-coated goodness experienced by all, including your beloved narrator.
As a self-proclaimed nut (macadamia, to be precise) about music of the 1960's, I couldn't wait to see what the NPG had in store! It turned out to be a treasure trove of portraits featuring all the pretty young things of the decade from bubblegum pop to glam rock, dedicated followers of fashion all.
All of my favourite bands were represented, of course. The Rolling Stones (goodness me, how I adore Mick Jagger!) had a very strong showing, and rightfully so. Such a fantastic looking band! Very photogenic those boys were and always well put together.
This brings me to my pet peeve #1 about bands today: Most of them don't look like bands. The portraits in this exhibition prove more than anything else, that it's just as important how you look as how you sound. A band's look should be cohesive. They should look as though they could go on stage at any minute of the day. If you're rehearsing in you mum's garage or playing the Royal Albert, you should look amazing!
Probably the most famous example of how an artist should live the part would be another of the loves of my life (sorry, Mick, you're not the one and only, I'm afraid) who had a very good showing in the exhibition...David Bowie.
The Ziggy Stardust character should be a model to any artist who is up and coming in the industry. We desperately want you to be amazing and eccentric, darlings! Give us a show!
Right, so that's the end of my music/fashion tangent for the day. ''Thank Julie Andrews for that!', I hear you all sigh to one another just loud enough that I may get the hint...
...and I have, my little bumblebees and shall now only speak of lovely, fluffy thoughts for the rest of the post!
Some of the other highlights were a terrific pic from '65 of Cilla Black posing in a window wearing an absolutely luscious purple and white frock with the most brill little grape mary janes! I want the outfit, but more than anything, I think I want that haircut! She looks amazingly mod and may have become my new aspirational dolly of the month!
I also fell in lovezies with Jimmy Page all over again in a Mankowitz photo from 1966. The jacket, the shoes, the hair...utter perfection.
As a private in the Carnabetian army, I of course went head over Cuban heels for the photo of that lovely of lovelies, David Jones Bowie in all his glory, Chelsea boots, slim fit striped trousers and all. Next to him is Jeanette, looking every bit the mod in an exquisite mini dress and boots...not so crazy about the boots personally, but WOW, what a frock!
This emersion in my favourite decade unfortunately came to an end and I was forced back into this century and into the dreary, drizzly Friday afternoon, but not before visiting the exhibition store and stocking up on goodies. I picked up some fab books that I will no doubt be reviewing at some point in our blindingly bright future together, along with some great mod jewelry and a cute little pocket mirror...none of which I needed, but sometimes we must surrender to 'want', mustn't we, poppits?
'Twas then off to have churros in Leicester Square and dream of boys with shaggy hair and Beatle boots and girls with back combed hair and scooter dresses...
DollyBird
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