This course focuses on the most popular, influential, and enduring artists of the British Invasion, which spanned roughly the years 1964 to 1968. We will examine the roots of those artists in their native Great Britain, and then show how they crashed the U.S. charts on the heels of the Beatles, who paved the way for their compatriots to take advantage of the lucrative American market. The Beatles were not just the first to do so – in spectacular fashion – but they also set a standard for British groups that came after them; groups that were self-contained, meaning they wrote their own songs, developed their own style, and had unique visual and musical trademarks. You do not need to have taken Part 1 of this course to attend Part 2.

Part 2 of this course will focus on the following:

Week 1: The Animals, The Kinks

Week 2: The Moody Blues, The Who

Week 3: The Rolling Stones

Week 4: One Hit Wonders

This course can be attended either in-person at the Thousand Oaks campus or virtually via Zoom.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.