The 1970s was a decade of extremes, from the grim chill of the winter blackouts to the majestic heatwave of the Queen's Silver Jubilee, from the gaudy glitz of glam rock to the trim monochrome of ska, and from the austerity of the three-day week to the hilarity of Carry On films, bubble perms, kipper ties and ankle-swinger flares. In the context of the 20th century as a whole, the 1970s is the black sheep, the maverick, a delinquent decade, misunderstood by many but adored by those who lived through it.