Wizz Jones - 1960

[ung427]

Wow, Patty at 6:25 reminds me of Amy Winehouse! Then the other guy at 7:13 reminds me of someone but I just can't put my finger on it... Maybe it's their parents or something!

[Restlessjohn]

This was definitely 1960 or 1961 at the absolute latest. I knew all these guys, I was in Newquay at the time. Giving the lie to all the statements of the Councilors and Landords I was not interviewed because I was working in a hotel at the time. Newquay is now famous for Stag Parties and Binge Drinking. As my friend Sue said last time I saw her, "I bet they'd love to have us back now, instead of all the binge drinkers being sick in the street!"

[aronsteelo]

Ther was always people on earth who worn their hair long in every decade & year. this is not anything new. Long hair was worn in lincoln"s time, Einstein & Indians also had long hair.Check out the Castro Cuban revelution docu. on You tube narrated by Errol Flynn who died in 1959 not 1969. Long hair was not a 1960's or Beatles invention.

[coillockspiral]

Very interesting video. Wizz Jones is outstanding!

[zabac456]

Yea........ Keith Richards has me onto this!! :)

[MrBuk86]

As the one reviewer said, the first tune is a reworking of Down On Penny's Farm, which one can hear by the Bentley Boys.

[mushroomagical]

This is amazing. I am a Bay Area hippie in my 20s....it's nice to know that, as early as 1960 in England, there were beatniks / hippies. Thanks for posting!!!

[ScenesFromPalacio]

Brillliant. bit of archive.Thanx for uploading

[AllardFumerton69]

Download the audio from this song at soundnabber doht cohm.

[dullsvillain]

man , they would beat the crap out of you in 1960 ? for hair like that!

What a coooolllll caaaattt!

[zappahart]

i love it if it wasnt for kieth richards book i would have never heard anything about this guy did he ever come to the usa?????

[nanoshed]

Absolutey fantastic! It's hard-to-find videos like this that YouTube was made for; thanks for uploading, lupine22! :)

[professorhinsley]

I've been a british beatnik kick

[acerb45666555]

long hair?? whats the trouble with that? Alfred The Great and Arthur both had long hair! long hair is British tradition!

[krontheim1]

What a blast from the past! If memory serves me correctly this was Mr. Jones's second summer in Newquay. I can remember him playing 'Hard Times in Newquay' down by the River Gannel (?) in 1959 - must have just finished writing it. Also remember local vigilantes hurling tree-trunks at our tents one night! Recognized some other faces in the 1960 footage, especially 'Cookie' Weiner who was one of the Barnes beatniks mentioned in Wizz's 'Teapot Blues' clip. Some oral history from an old geezer.

[Stumblestrum]

Damn beatniks if we don't stop them it will be the end of Western civilization.

[neohip]

@Stumblestrum

Well yes,I agree!,but after those pesky beatniks,we have to try and stop the hippies and punks!.Or perhaps we should let history sort it out?.

I don't think lady Goo Ga will be still relevant in the 22nd century.Wizz Jones will.

[Stumblestrum]

@neohip Yeah, can't see Lady Ga Ga living in a tent next to Wizz Jones and asking "Where's the soap and when is Donovan turning up" can you,

[blessedtoextream]

Could it be one of the first "mullets"?

[GrowlingPuppet]

hey could you give me the name of this docummentary

[SixStringPaladin]

The first song he sings is a reworded version of "Down On Penny's Farm" if anyone is looking for the song. Both sound great. Not saying anything about either quality over the other or who was first, just hoping to help someone looking for the song

[lupine22]

That's correct - it's all in the notes. Just click on "more info".

[jonno52]

You couldn't make it up. The dapper cut-glass presenter followed by hippy Wizz before hippies were thought of, doing a song which pre-figured Bob Dylan's "Hard Times In New York " (on the "Folksingers' Choice" radio program Jan 1962, available on YT) by 2 years. There's truly something of Woody Guthrie in this guy's sound.

Heard this evening that Wizz drops in my local in S London, is in good shape & performing regularly round here.

[written12]

@jonno52

And Wizz's hair was very, very long for 1960.

You make a good point about the Guthrie inflections in his sound.

Considering the crime, the loutishness, the incivility that plagues British cities today, it's incredible that beatniks got people twisted into such knots back then.

Let us know if you run in Wizz.

[ddasdfdwed]

The presenters are I think Cliff Mitchelmore and Alan Whicker I think this is a bit later than 1960 the hair looks 1964/65 as does the striped top . Great clip

[lupine22]

No, it was definitely 1960.

[devinehell]

By 1960, a small 'beatnik' community in Newquay, Cornwall, England (including a young Wizz Jones) had attracted the attention and the abhorrence of their neighbours, for growing their hair to a length that was then quite abnormally long (past the shoulders), for which they were interviewed by the BBC's Alan Whicker for national television.The beatnik started the hippies movement it was a natural progression.He was one orignals,well it started in the 1920s germany with these back 2 nature move

[wizzjones]

@ddasdfdwed

[wingandaprayer]

Wizz Jones is still out there..at the age of 70....but never mind his age...he played two blinding sets at Moniaive Guitar Festival this weekend...and still joined in the after hours session in the pub till 4am after...

A true legend...go and see him!...book him!!

[iainmcgeachy]

Thanks for this. I actually remeber the presenter on TV in the 60s (when I were a lad). By, dont that there Wizz Jones look young?

-A great service to history putting this up.

[gallowswood]

Very interesting! Thanks for posting!

[gwugluud11]

I didn't realize Franklin D. Roosevelt disliked hipsters that much. That one chick was hot.

[07504201963]

yeah,sue,that's my gal!

[Efrasnel]

Wizz is a true gentleman!

[BeatnikBeat58]

WOW!!!

[tomcusack]

this is such an incredible video. 50 years time and how our society has changed! just completely taken aback.

[posthumanhero]

this was def not made in 1960, judging by the hairstyles.

[lupine22]

It definitely was shot in 1960. Those beatniks were ahead of the rest with hairstyles at that time.

[wizzjones]

@posthumanhero

[wizzjones]

@posthumanhero

[johnsimmonds16]

Posh beatnik at the end was probably able to live the life with help from mummy and daddy. Wizz hasn't changed still a great man and muscician. Always enjoy his gigs

[Raymantico]

"invasion by these types" spaketh the enforcer of conformity and class oppression...

[fishybishbash]

brilliant - seeing them walk down the high street its like seeing time travellers from the future wandering around

[rugshort]

That's right. Those people must've freaked!

[seanamundson]

sounds a lot like hard times in newyork town, an old dylan tune

[JOSEYCANTPLAY]

1960? Hair like that? These guys were like living at least 5 years ahead of their time.

Maybe they can "envision" what we can do to keep our planet from getting wrecked,like some kind of new music or catalyzing societal force?!

[mcphert1]

What an interesting clip. Young people wanting to express themselves without being discriminated against. The interviews with the 'establishment' are great.

[gymnosophy]

hahahahhahahahhahaha- dirty hippies!

[neohip]

This was before hippies!I never knew,I thought that in recent times,the bias against long hair (especially on men)was a result of the populariy of the Beatles.My dead Mother was a big Beatles fan, but never forgave them for popularising long hair.

To see it here in 1960 is a revelation, and the reactions of the establishment is priceless!

I remember Alan Wicker from the 70's,he seemed OK,and entertaining.Now I believe he put more worth in the measure a mans hair than his ability.Sad.

[friendlier]

I'm actually wondering if this is dated correctly. Especially Whizz Jones. That particular cut didn't come until 1968 or 1969. It's very like early King Crimson!

[neohip]

I think you must be correct!

68/69 fits far better,but makes the comments of the the "establishment"on this clip far worse!If it was 1960,at least they had the defence of ignorance.

[friendlier]

On the other hand the black and white footage itself looks very 1960. Also the young people wouldn't stand to be called beatniks by 1969. I think Whizz was just one of those guys who is sartorially way ahead of his time.

[neohip]

What?!!You had me convinced,and now you are doubting yourself?!.lol.I think I prefer the idea that the old folk like Mr Wicker were so behind the times,that they even called the Punks beatniks!.You cant judge by the B&W footage.I once saw a clip of Neil Young busking in Glasgow, that I was convinced was from 1968/69,but turned out to be from 1976.Even back in those days the camera could lie.

[keenmustard]

According to wizzjonesdotcom it's 1960 (you can see photos on the site of Wizz with long hair in the early 1960s). BBC's "Tonight" ran from 1957 to 1965, so it's definitely not the late Sixties. And some of the clothes and hairstyles of the female beatniks would have been rather out of place at Woodstock. Also, the cars on view tend to suggest the very early part of the decade (No Ford Cortinas, Vauxhall Vivas etc).

[JekyllBoote]

Well said. This is well authenticated as coming from 1960.

For some authentic late "beats" (on the cusp of hippiedom) see John Boorman's "Catch Us If You Can", featuring the Dave Clark Five (shot late 1964/early 1965).

[JekyllBoote]

There were absolutely no beatniks by 1968 (they'd morphed into hippies by 1966). This really is footage from 1960.

[neohip]

OK,I believe you, and all the other replies.

This...Changes...Everything!.

[lissame73]

this is cool

[saxonfield3]

Thanks for the "Selkirk" lead ...! I actually know the pub ... ! I used to live in the area about a quarter of a century ago ....... Cheers ...!

[saxonfield3]

Thanks for the info, "the sandalwoodgirl" - would you care to give us the name of that weekly Tooting venue ?

[blacksue07]

replying on behalf of sandalwoodgirl, The Selkirk Pub in Tooting. Check his website for details.

[itsalive1969]

I saw Wizz recently at a wee venue Just outside Glasgow.He's magic.I have listened and loved Wizz since i was a boy and to see the man playing and telling stories about the songs was a joy.He's a GREAT guitarist,tremendous performer..find out where he's playing and GO SEE HIM!!

[awogta]

Wizz still has his full head of long hair too ! It might be white now, but its all his ! And he's still a very fine player. It's well worth looking out for his occasional appearances. He deserves to get a lot more gigs !!

[thesandalwoodgirl]

He plays weekly in Tooting, London. Well worth a visit.

[shockingblue55]

Highly interesting documentary. Those long-haired beatniks were way ahead of their time.

[keenmustard]

I'd no idea that any British young men of this era had such long hair -- two or three years before the Beatles caused such a fuss with their relatively hirsute appearance! If I hadn't known it was 1960, and if they hadn't been referred to as beatniks, I'd have assumed they were hippies from about 1968, although the lack of bellbottoms might have been a bit of a giveaway.

[eikantas]

check out The Screaming Lord Sutch, British horror-rockabilly performer, he had long hair in 1960 too

[robzero08]

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[thumbpick1]

i wonder if he is the same wizz jones who made a bluegrass record with someone named pete stanley. (good record too)

[lupine22]

Yes, he is the same Wizz Jones.

[ArthurJimbo]

My father was born in the UK..

[Kerouac4fan]

The birth of Beat in Britain? I'm kicking myself 'cos my guitar teacher told me to check out a small local club which he thought would appeal to me. He told me only last week. I saw a poster in a music shop today advertising Wizz Jones playing there LAST Saturday night. If I'd have checked it out when my teacher told me I'd have almost certainly made the Wizz gig!