Elizabeth Sharkey: Why Britain Rocked

Author Elizabeth Sharkey joins us here at Number 8 to talk about British music history as explored in her bestselling book, ‘Why Britain Rocked: How Rock Became Roll and Took Over the World’. Elizabeth will delve into Britain’s history to trace the events that led to its twentieth century musical explosion, arguing that The Beatles’ arrival that so surprised the world really shouldn’t have been a surprise at all!

From the Celts, Henry VIII, and the Quakers, to Ira Aldridge and Paul Robeson, Elizabeth will uncover the unique events and unexpected influences that gave us British pop, laying the foundations for stars from Lonnie Donegan, The Beatles and David Bowie, to John Lydon, Kate Bush, Johnny Marr, Noel Gallagher and Ed Sheeran.

The talk will be followed by the opportunity to pose your questions in a Q&A with the author.