My guest today, British author and pop culture historian Jon Kremer is appearing on StoryBeat for the second time. He’s best known for his memoirs and books detailing the 1960s pop and rock music scene.
A long-standing friendship with “Year of the Cat” singer-songwriter, Al Stewart, along with owning his hometown Bournemouth’s original vintage vinyl shop led to Jon experiencing many aspects of the UK music industry.
The recently released updated version of Jon’s book Bournemouth A Go! Go! – A Sixties Memoir features meeting the Beatles in 1963 at the height of Beatlemania in England. Jon also explores his ringside seat for the journey of his close friend, Al Stewart, from playing guitar in a local beat group to international success and hit double platinum albums in the ‘70s.
I’ve read the revised version of Bournemouth A Go! Go! and can tell you it’s a fascinating, fun look at what life was like in England during the heady, music-filled ‘60s and ‘70s when everything in the culture was rapidly changing, and possibilities abounded. If you’re interested in the beginning of modern rock and pop music in England, and the early years of Al Stewart’s career in particular, I highly recommend Bournemouth A Go! Go! to you.
In 2024, Jon also published Chain Reaction – Rock ‘n’ Pop’s Magic Moments, which we chatted about during his first appearance on StoryBeat.
