Much as I enjoy the BBC's Life On Mars series, something about it slightly annoys me. With the exception of the police station, everything looks so damn clean and new. The cars look like they've just come out of a museum (they probably have) and the clothes look fresh out of the factory (they probably are). Was the 70s really this stylised?
Of course it wasn't – and if you want proof, pick up a copy of Daniel Meadows' Living Like This book. Printed in 1975, the book is a collection of photos taken by Mr Meadows as he toured round England on a bus. He chose real people in some of the grittier locations – Workington, Darlington, Sheffield, Telford, Dorset, Southampton – you get the idea. You can almost feel the grime on the pages.
Long out of print (I found mine at a house clearance place), you can probably find a used copy on Abebooks. Many of the photos are also available on Daniel Meadows' Photobus website.
