The following is a guest post from Richard L. Jones, Music Librarian, Barbican Music Library:
1996: A celebration of the wildest year of Britain’s wildest decade – 30 years on is currently showing at Barbican Music Library. It is curated by Dominic Mohan, journalist, broadcaster, author and former editor of The Sun newspaper and transports visitors back to a time when “London felt like the centre of the world”.
It was the year in which The Spice Girls released their debut album, Spice, and the exhibition includes Geri Halliwell’s iconic Union Jack platform boots, as well as a pair worn by Mel B (Scary Spice).
Also on display is Mel B’s leopard-print catsuit, which she wore to the Brit Awards ceremony the following year. In a personal message for this exhibition, she wrote, “It is now the moment to unleash my 90s leopard catsuit back into the wild for the world to admire.
What memories. What a time. What an outfit. Perhaps one of the most iconic Spice performances with my gorgeous girls and best friends, at the peak of the 90s at the Brit Awards…
It was all a crazy 90s whirlwind but, in my leopard print, I knew I could take on anything. This outfit is sexy, naughty and bold which pretty much sums me and the Nineties up! I hope you love it as much as I do. And, yes, I can still fit into it!!”
1996 was the year that Oasis played sell-out concerts at Maine Road and Knebworth House and, as well as images of the band taken by photographer Jill Furmanovsky, the exhibition includes Liam Gallagher’s tambourine, signed by drummer Alan White, which was used during Oasis’s 1996 World Tour. It shares a plinth with a 1996 BRIT Award trophy, on loan from the BPI (British Recorded Music Industry) Ltd, as presented to Oasis for British Group, Album of the Year and British Video. There are also photographs of bands including Blur, Elastica and The Spice Girls which were shot by Derek Ridgers.
One of the display cabinets houses an Epiphone ‘Union Jack’ Sheraton guitar, made famous by Noel Gallagher.
The exhibition also includes a selection of pencil sketches created by music executive, Mike Smith. He played a pivotal role in discovering and supporting some of the UK’s most influential artists, and his signings include Blur, Elastica, Supergrass, The White Stripes and The Arctic Monkeys. His drawings capture artists at work, on stage, and in the studio.
One of the cabinets is devoted to club culture and includes DJ and producer Dave Pearce’s original 1996 Pioneer DJM 500 mixer, along with contributions from Paul Oakenfold and Judge Jules.
England hosted the UEFA European Football Championship in 1996, and one corner of the exhibition is devoted to it. Among the items on show is England defender Gary Neville’s original Euro 96 shirt, signed by the squad, which he wore during the game against Scotland on June 15. It is on display courtesy of the National Football Museum and Gary Neville/Class of 92.
As Dominic Mohan said, “I’ve hoped to capture that magical period when pop, rock, football, art, dance culture, food, the media, and politics fused together spectacularly. If you were there, this exhibition will feel like you’re coming home…and if you weren’t there, you’ll definitely wish that you had been!”
I would like to thank Dominic Mohan for his tireless efforts to bring this project to fruition, and the many individuals and organisations who kindly loaned us the exhibits. 1996: A celebration of the wildest year of Britain’s wildest decade – 30 years on is on display until 19th September.
Richard L. Jones
(Music Librarian, Barbican Music Library)