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Uncommon People

Britpop and Beyond in 20 Songs

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Uncommon People

By: Miranda Sawyer
Narrated by: Miranda Sawyer
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About this listen

 When Miranda Sawyer interviewed Noel Gallagher in 1995, his gag wishing Damon Albarn would die of AIDS became front-page news. This fascinating pop history, exploring the mid-90s moment when British music suddenly meant everything, explains why. Picking out twenty key songs, delving into the surprising stories behind them and their unlikely creators, Uncommon People takes us back to when Jarvis Cocker became a national hero, Trainspotting was a global hit, fire-starting seemed like a good night out - and it felt as though the revolution was happening.

Initially a music press nickname, Britpop became an unexpected musical movement centred around outsiders and misfits, drop-outs and weirdos who refused to compromise on their ideas, even when they were thrust into the international spotlight. Not just a scene for white guys with guitars, but something wilder and more interesting, with songs that have proved timeless. Exploring the era's key artists - Oasis, Blur, Tricky, Pulp, Underworld, Manic Street Preachers, The Prodigy, Suede, Chemical Brothers, Garbage, Supergrass, Radiohead, PJ Harvey and more - through their definitive anthems, Miranda Sawyer transports us back to the beating heart of the nineties.

Uncommon People re-lives the mad exhilaration of what it was like to hear these songs for the very first time - and what it was like to make them. With amazing new interviews, and I-was-there insights, this book offers a backstage pass to all the most interesting bits of Britpop's Greatest Hits.

Forget New Labour, forget earnest trend theories, this book is all about the music, the people and being right there, right now.©2024 Miranda Sawyer (P)2024 Hodder & Stoughton Limited Europe Great Britain History & Criticism Music

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All stars
Most relevant  
Highly recommended and well told. A lot of great info old and new, with great insight

Great perspective on an amazing period of music

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Brilliantly written and narrated by a seminal and endlessly listenable, important writer who was there on the front line of 90s British music… knew all the protagonists and has documented the period peerlessly. Particularly loved the detailed poetic pieces about the Manics and Suede. Loved every moment of this book.

From the front line

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A classic period of music from 90s bands that is explored in individual chapters looking at some of the most successful and important bands of the 90s.
A very informative listen and wonderfully
Narrated by the author.
You can tell that she lived through the period and alongside excellent research and her memories this proves to be a great listen.
Not sure I agree with Suede starting the essence of Britpop but the arguments are solid and everything links well together.
Having been a DJ in this period it brought back many happy memories and bands like The Manics, Blur and occasionally Oasis I still listen too; did make me want to dig out my old Garbage and Pulp albums and Pulp stunning!
If this is your music period / get it listened too!

Step Back In Time

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Thoroughly uplifting while acknowledging the darkness, I loved listening to this. I was mainly in camp acid house so could be a bit sniffy about all this indie landfill but it was a wonderful time to be alive and Miranda has articulated it brilliantly

Brilliant

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Took me back to the 90s and remembering the rush when this was all new. I'm still slightly perplexed about the inclusion of Garbage (an American band that recruited a British singer is Britpop?) but otherwise thoroughly enjoyable

nice bit of nostalgia

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Thanks for the memories. I hope there’s a playlist - needs pictures too! I can vaguely remember some of the magazine covers mentioned - would be good to see these in the physical book, and with the audiobook.

Thanks for the memories

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Enjoyed the format. Great for bitesized listens. The era was when I was growing up so all the characters and tunes familiar. Enjoyed, would listen to future similar (it has a format that could be repeated).

Fun nostalgia trip

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A great book that gives a clear insight into the world of musicians and bands around the Britpop years. Miranda has a unique view from being a huge fan of the music (her excitement and enthusiasm is still very obvious) as well as being pub-mates with some of the bands. These combined with the access, observation and writing skills of a music journalist make for a fascinating & very entertaining listen.

A fantastic insider’s view

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I’m only on the 2nd chapter so far, and I’m generally enjoying this, as I have been Britpop-obsessed since the beginning- I was 17 in 1995 so all the stars aligned for me, personally. HOWEVER, despite only being 2 chapters in I have picked up on 2 mistakes already.
One - the author lists Northern Uproar as an example of Grebo bands in 1992. Northern Uproar were NOT Grebo, and didn’t even form until 1995.
Two - Blur did not play in Mile End in 1994, it was on the following year.
This may seem petty, I know, but my obsession with this genre means you won’t get these past me, and is a little bit disappointing when the author was there in the scene and also attended Oxford University. I don’t know how the publisher allowed such errors. I’ll be listening for any other errors like this.
Now onto the chapter about the Manics…

Lived through this.

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Uncommon People takes you on a journey through the nineties' Britpop-led music scene in a way only someone who was there can. Featuring interviews with many known and less-known greats of the era, as well as reflections drawn from author Miranda Sawyer's days at Select magazine and beyond, this was an unexpected delight and a must for anyone who remembers or wishes they remember the era.

An absolute delight

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