Ben Finlay

@BenFinl97046623

Contemporary historian. music obsessive and guitarist with Clockwork Carousel

Joined April 2023

383Following

90Followers

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Ben Finlay@BenFinl97046623 · Jul 18

** My latest article** Read here- thelionandunicorn.wordpress.com/2025/07/18/blu… via @LionUnicorn

BenFinl97046623's tweet card. BEN FINLAY is your guide to the best of the 1960s British blues boom.

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Ben Finlay@BenFinl97046623 · 19 h

Remembering the great pianist and composer, Billy Taylor, born OTD in 1921, most famous for the Civil Rights Movement anthem 'I Wish l Knew How it Would Feel to Be Free', first recorded in 1963. In the UK it was used as the theme for the long-running BBC 'Film...' series.

BenFinl97046623's tweet image. Remembering the great pianist and composer, Billy Taylor, born OTD in 1921, most famous for the Civil Rights Movement anthem 'I Wish l Knew How it Would Feel to Be Free', first recorded in 1963. In the UK it was used as the theme for the long-running BBC 'Film...' series.

Ben Finlay Retweeted

dave ainsworth@daveainsworth63 · 21 h

Excellent black comedy written by Julian Fellowes and directed by Robert Altman starring Eileen Atkins, Alan Bates, Michael Gambon, Richard E. Grant, Maggie Smith, Derek Jacobi, Charles Dance, Bob Balaban, Clive Owen, Emily Watson and Jeremy Northam @BBCFOUR4 9.15 pm tonight.

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Ben Finlay Retweeted

Bobbie@bo66ie29 · Jul 23

Driving along London’s Westminster Bridge. 1968 drifting from memory to history.

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Ben Finlay@BenFinl97046623 · Jul 23

Ahead of the 80th anniversary (26th July) of the landslide Labour victory of 1945, BBC4 has an evening of programmes tonight dedicated to that theme: 8pm - 'Churchill: When Britain Said No' 9pm - 'The Improbable Mr Attlee' 10pm - Patrick Marber's 'After Miss Julie'

BenFinl97046623's tweet image. Ahead of the 80th anniversary (26th July) of the landslide Labour victory of 1945, BBC4 has an evening of programmes tonight dedicated to that theme:
8pm - 'Churchill: When Britain Said No'
9pm - 'The Improbable Mr Attlee'
10pm - Patrick Marber's 'After Miss Julie'

Ben Finlay@BenFinl97046623 · Jul 23

"Most of the fights for the maintenance of freedom of speech and freedom to print were fought for by people on the Left, not by the Right." Remembering Michael Foot, the most well-read of politicians, born OTD in 1913.

BenFinl97046623's tweet image. "Most of the fights for the maintenance of freedom of speech and freedom to print were fought for by people on the Left, not by the Right."
Remembering Michael Foot, the most well-read of politicians, born OTD in 1913.

Ben Finlay Retweeted

Tides of History@labour_history · Jul 23

Well worth a read of @dcsandbrook intro to the “Great British Dream Factory” this morning - on the emergence of Black Sabbath and heavy metal in the 1960s 🦇 “Birmingham more than any other city had become synonymous with the sound and the spectacle of industry”

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Ben Finlay@BenFinl97046623 · Jul 23

'The distant moanin' of a train seems to play a sad refrain to the night...A rainy night in Georgia, it's such a rainy night in Georgia, Lord, I believe it's rainin' all over the world' Remembering the 'Swamp Fox', Tony Joe White, born OTD in 1943 in Oak Grove, Louisiana

BenFinl97046623's tweet image. 'The distant moanin' of a train seems to play a sad refrain to the night...A rainy night in Georgia, it's such a rainy night in Georgia, Lord, I believe it's rainin' all over the world'
Remembering the 'Swamp Fox', Tony Joe White, born OTD in 1943 in Oak Grove, Louisiana

Ben Finlay@BenFinl97046623 · Jul 22

#RIPOzzy

Ben Finlay@BenFinl97046623 · Jul 22

Top Ten Music books (in no particular order) *4* 'Really the Blues' Mezz Mezzrow (1946) A brilliant memoir and insight into the '30s jazz scene: Mezz Mezzrow's tale of playing brothels and honky-tonks, dealing pot and immersion in the jazz underground of the era. Wonderful.

BenFinl97046623's tweet image. Top Ten Music books (in no particular order)
*4* 'Really the Blues' Mezz Mezzrow (1946) A brilliant memoir and insight into the '30s jazz scene: Mezz Mezzrow's tale of playing brothels and honky-tonks, dealing pot and immersion in the jazz underground of the era. Wonderful.

Ben Finlay@BenFinl97046623 · Jul 22

'I just want people to learn that jazz is a wonderful thing...' The great Sonny Stitt passed away OTD in 1982. Of all the great albums he made, I recently dug out 'Sonny Stitt Blows the Blues' and it's a beauty. #Jazz #vinylcommunity

BenFinl97046623's tweet image. 'I just want people to learn that jazz is a wonderful thing...' The great Sonny Stitt passed away OTD in 1982. Of all the great albums he made, I recently dug out 'Sonny Stitt Blows the Blues' and it's a beauty.
#Jazz #vinylcommunity