There are certain noises so distinctive that they become the soundtrack toageneration. Think early rock’n’ roll inthe 1950s, The Beatles’ dominance of the ’60s, and the way the opening credits of Saturday Night Fever transport you to the 1970s.
In the UK,the same could be said of Britpop inthe ’90s.Yet while friends were having heated debates over whether Blur orOasis were the kings of the genre, Iwas transfixed by afar more exciting battle being played out onmytelevision set every weekend through the middle of the decade,toaneven more memorable score. TheV10 engine had landed in Formula One like adepth charge at the close of the 1980s,but got into its screaming stride as The Battle of Britpop reached its peak. Icouldn’t really have caredless about whether CountryHouse or Roll With It sold more singles: Iwas too wrapped up in whether Hill or Villeneuve could match the brilliance of the all-conquering Schumacher.