Britpop!：Cool Britannia and the Spectacular Demise of English Rock

Beginningin1994andclosinginthefirstmonthsof1998,theUKpassedthroughaculturalmomentasdistinctandascelebratedasanysincethewar.Foundedonrockmusic,celebrity,boom-timeeconomics,andfleetingpoliticaloptimism,thiswas"CoolBritannia."Recordssoldinthemillions,anewcelebrityeliteemerged,andTonyBlair'sLabourPartyfounditselfreturnedtogovernment.DrawingoninterviewsfromallthemajorbandsincludingOasis,Blur,Elastica,andSuede,andfrommusicjournalists,recordexecutives,andthoseclosetogovernment,Britpop!chartstheriseandfalloftheBritpopmoment.Inthiswonderfullyengaging,page-turningnarrative,JohnHarris,currentlythehottestyoungmusicjournalistintheUK,arguesthatthehighpointofBritishmusic'sculturalimpactalsosignaleditseffectivedemise.Afterall,ifrockstarswerenowfriendsofgovernment,howcouldtheycontinuetomatter?"CoolBritanniawasanemptypromisethatwasboundtoendintears.JohnHarriscapturesthemomentwhenNewLabour,desperatelywantingtoseemhip,invitedBritpopintoDowningStreet.Irresistible."-BillyBragg