High Flying Around – Memories of the 1960s Leicester Music Scene Vol II

Published - 1st Nov 2025

High Flying Around Volume II continues the remarkable story of Leicester’s 1960s arts and music scene via the people who were there. Their memories and reminiscences bring back to life the buildings long since demolished, the groups who packed out the venues and the people who filled the halls and clubs.

Find out how some of the biggest names in music performed in some of Leicester’s smallest and long-lost venues, revisit the 1969 free festival, and discover the incredible stories of Leicester band Gypsy and the 1960s creatives. Discover the importance of the college and university circuit, the arts lab, the city’s underground music, folk and poetry scenes and the music that influenced Leicester playwright Joe Orton.

Leicester women tell their stories about life in the city during the 1960s, while singer/songwriter Ryan Dunn explains how the decade influences his songwriting and fashion.

About the Author

Shaun Knapp is Leicester born and bred and has spent many years in the city’s venues standing on sticky floors and cigarette ends watching aspiring and established Leicester bands rise, fall and sometimes hit the big time.

Shaun grew up with the Leicester music scene in his veins – his brother is John Knapp who played with two of the city’s most highly respected and much missed bands from the 60s and 70s: Legay and Gypsy.

With a double passion for contemporary local history and music and a background in city centre tourism and marketing, Shaun is the ideal person to tell the story of one of the most exciting eras in Leicester’s history.

234mm x x156mm

211 pages

ISBN - 9781780916651