Dave Haslam

I found the lecture by Dave Haslam so interesting, and so inspiring in fact that I left the lecture buzzing to go out and be creative. He was discussing the differences in mainstream and marginal culture and the backlash that started in the 60s and 70s. I liked the way he described mainstream culture andhow we are all aware of the big shops/club nights/names but how do we find out about the 'cool' behind-the-scenes stuff? I think the reason the lectue was so interesting was not just the topic of discussion, but the way he used examples local to the area we are currently living in - how Joy Division started off in a pub in Salford, and then went on to create te Hacienda, Everything Everything started off in Night and Day Cafe, The Chemical Brothers started off their own clubnight; all marginal origins that became massive bands and names. 

I liked this idea that everything is a cycle, marginal activity is new and pioneering, more people are going back to independant shops, making their own clothes, getting involved  in subculture, and yet everything that is marginal will one day become mainstream as more people find out about it and it becomes popular, and so the cycle starts again. Alongside secret clubnights and upcoming bands, I found the idea of fanzines really interesting, and Linder Sterling's work on 'City Fun' sounded such a clever way to get your ideas out into the world.

  

The quote that stuck with me the most was that 'cities are a breeding ground' for ideas and culture, and after finding out so much about the reccent cultural history of Manchester I really aprecciate living in such an interesting place.