A typical question in the local pub quiz. Look, I was born in the late 1980's, and sadly my parents are not overgrown hippies. This quiz is just sooo ageist! A lot of hipster/ indie types of the Z generation or whatever teenagers are these days, profess to like the Beatles - "this is proper music unlike the corporate treadmill that is X Factor and all those talent shows with untalented, polished people." But really, I cannot even pretend to like the Beatles - not because I am a twenty-something who cringes at 90's theme club nights but because it is far more interesting to find the soul of a bygone era in a different way.
So for me, it is the Onassis family dynasty and the John Profumo affair which are my personal favourites of 60s music when the lights go out. Both stories are fascinating in their own way - an insight into glamour, tragedy and a spot of intrigue. Let us first consider the colurful life of Aristotle Onassis.
Born of humble means in Greece, Aristotle Onassis became a billionaire - the Rockefeller of his times - as his shipyard business expanded to global dimensions. He was just one of those classic types - just like Flavio Briatore - a slightly overweight, business mastermind who could seduce the most outstanding beauties of their time. But Onassis' conquests seem other-worldly now. First he had arguably the most talented opera singer as his mistress, Maria Callas. Yes, the Maria Callas - famous for her renditions of "Habanera", "Sull'aria", and "O Mio Babbino Caro". But Onassis did not stop there. In fact she was dumped by an even better prize. The jewel in the crown: Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy - the former First Lady. Having recovered from the trauma of her husband's assassination, she embarked on a second life filled with freedom, reflection, and beauty. But as with all powerful dynasties, Onassis' death left a considerable trauma on the rest of his family. And since then, the family have struggled to recover, despite their material fortune. Numerous family members were lost to plane crashes and suicide, before Aristotle's only daughter, Christina, died at the age of 38, after four unsuccessful marriages as well as a bitter battle over drugs and depression.
Now the John Profumo affair was another blockbuster. It had that rather delightful potion of sex, politics and mysterious death. John Profumo, the War Minister, was invited to a party hosted at Lord Astor's mansion when he became acquainted with Christine Keeler, a call-girl. One thing leads to another, the story breaks to the media, he is forced to resign. His burgeoning political career coming to an abrupt halt, following a quiet life dedicated to charity thereafter. A court case ensues, a witness dies in mysterious circumstances, and a dodgy drug dealer from the East End is also implicated. The Profumo affair remains one of the biggest political sex scandals on these shores. And Christine Keeler became a cultural phenomenon. Does anybody recognize this photo?
On that note, it is time to look for a modern-day scandal, which give these vintage examples a run for their money. Perhaps I will go to the Notting Hill Carnival this bank holiday weekend - known for music, rice and chicken, a 'cool' vibe, drugs, and the odd stabbing. Oh what joy for the middle classes to venture out to an event so risque!
See relevant links:
A Profile of John D. Rockefeller
Aristotle Onassis - the Man, the Myth, the Legend
YouTube: Maria Callas in Covent Garden, 1962
Jackie O: Style Icon
People Magazine archive: Christina Onassis in 1983
Guardian article on The Profumo Affair
Profumo the Musical
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