The Two I’s was the birthplace of British rock and roll. Cliff Richard and the Shadows were discovered here. So were Tommy Steele, Joe Brown, Mickie Most and two synonymous with later styles, Paull Gadd (aka Gary Glitter) and Ritchie Blackmore.
The Two I’s features in Stoned, the first volume of Andrew Loog Oldham’s wonderful memoirs, since it’s central to the film Expresso Bongo, a seminal event in young ALO’s life. It also features in the film Absolute Beginners. It’s on Old Compton Street, near Wardour Street.
Put this post code into Google Earth and go for a ride: W1D 6HS
Rock Shrine No. 2
The most famous building on the most famous street in Britain. This is EMI Studios, Abbey Road. Converted from a Georgian house to studios in 1931, nearly every artist on EMI until the 80s recorded here. It is of course most famous as the recording home of The Beatles. The zebra crossing that appears on the cover of ‘Abbey Road’ is about 100 feet up the road to the left of the photo.
This is Studio 2, where The Beatles recorded nearly all their albums and Pink Floyd several of theirs (including Dark Side Of The Moon). This is also where Cliff Richard and the Shadows recorded ‘Move It’, the first British rock and roll single. The room is almost exactly as it was 40 years ago – the rest of the building is very different, especially Studio 3, where a lot of the last two Beatles albums were recorded.
The stairs lead up to the control room. I was once told that Paul McCartney was so used to this studio he had a photo of the room taken from the window of the control room and a fake window with the view put into his own studio so he could feel comfortable.
Paul shows Ringo and George Martin how you make a hit record...
Put this post code into Google Earth and go for a ride: NW8 9AY
Rock Shrine No. 3
In 1967 this was the Saville Theatre, where Brian Epstein promoted a series of concerts.
A young Peter Gabriel saw Otis Redding here. It’s most famous for the Jimi Hendrix Experience. ‘Sgt. Pepper’ had been released two days earlier and Jimi kicked off the show by playing the title song while Lennon and McCartnery watched from the audience.
A young Peter Gabriel saw Otis Redding here. It’s most famous for the Jimi Hendrix Experience. ‘Sgt. Pepper’ had been released two days earlier and Jimi kicked off the show by playing the title song while Lennon and McCartnery watched from the audience.
It’s at 135 Shaftsebury Avenue.
Rock Shrine No. 4
Home Sweet Home
Henley is a beautiful town on the River Thames where several stars and artists live. Both Dusty Springfield and George Harrison were residents, though it’s a safe guess Dusty’s house was more modest. In the old days the main road to Oxford went past George’s gaff and it was a busy road. From the road all you see is 1/2 a mile of wall (literally), and a couple of gate houses – extraordinary examples of rococo Arts & Crafts. What a sight to greet you on your return home!
Rock Shrine No. 5
He’s So Vicious
The photo is of a hotel lobby but in 1976 it was a magistrate’s court. At the 100 Club Punk Festival Sid Vicious was arrested and the next morning appeared at this court. He sat in the dock about where the person is with the suitcase. His face was a puffy mass of bruises from where the cops had been banging his face into a table at the station the night before. He was remanded to Ashford Juvenile Prison, an experience that really scared him because those kids weren’t playing.
For him to get bail someone had to put up a surety – a backup in case he did a bunk. Because I believed him innocent and the cops arresting him had openly broken the law, I put up my house as security. The bail was set at £1,500 – the house was only worth £11,000, so a pretty hefty bail amount. A week later he was back in the same court and his face was still all blue from the bruises. Trial date was set for a few months later.
The trial happened right after the Pistols came back from Sweden. When I got to the waiting room Sid came over, beaming, and with a big smile introduced his new girlfriend. He was really, really happy. Nancy was as nice as she could be but in 30 seconds I was thinking ‘Oh boy…’ and everyone else was thinking the same. The judge ruled ‘not guilty’.
The hotel is opposite the top end of Carnaby Street, just around the corner from the London Palladium.
Rock Shrine No. 6
In 1977, this window was the entrance to The Roxy, the coolest punk club in town. (It was the only punk club in town.) Through the door you went downstairs to a functional-cool big room, with the stage at the front and the bar at the back. Don Letts spun the discs between bands and filmed everything with his 16mil camera. If you go downstairs in the shop, imagine a couple of hundred punks jamming to The Clash and Johnny Thunders. It’s at 15 Endell Street, two or three blocks from Covent Garden tube station.
Opening night at The Roxy:
Put this post code into Google Earth and go for a ride: WC2H 9BJ
Rock Shrine No. 7
This building used to be CBS Studios. Hundreds of bands and artists have recorded here but today let’s talk about four. The Stooges recorded Raw Power in Studio Three. The Clash recorded their first album in the same studio. They also recorded a number of singles, including White Man In Hammersmith Palais. Mott The Hoople recorded All The Young Dudes. Happy Mondays recorded Gonna Step On You Again.
In the 80s it became an independent studio – Whitfield Street Studios – under the ownership of famed producer Robin Millar. Unfortunately, the last recording session was on 29 September, 2005. It is now empty.
It’s at 31 Whitfield Street, just north of Goodge Street.
Put this post code into Google Earth and go for a ride: W1T 2SF
Rock Shrine No. 8
In 1964 this was the location for the premiere of The Beatles film A Hard Day’s Night. It is now a shopping mall called the Trocadero. Located on Picadilly Circus.
Put this post code into Google Earth and go for a ride: W1D 7DH
Rock Shrine No. 9
Regent Sound is where The Rolling Stones recorded all their singles and albums until they moved operations to RCA in Hollywood. All the great first singles, those hot r’n’b numbers that make up the first album…This is where they were made.
Today it’s an instrument shop and very aware of its history. Inside is a wall of period clippings and photos of the Stones and other groups who used the studio.
The window is currently Beatles themed. The Rickenbacker is a 1964 model of the type used by John Lennon in that year. Yours for £1499, about $2800. Next to it is a 65 blue Fender, the same as used by John and George in 1965, the first time (the card helpfully says) they used Fender guitars. It’s £1400 or $2800.Regent Sound is at 4 Denmark Street.
Rock Shrine No. 10
14 Denmark Street was the home of Sex Pistols Steve Jones and Paul Cook in 1976. They lived in a pretty disgusting room on the first floor. It was also a rehearsal space in the band’s early days.The building is just a few doors down from Regent Sound. (See Rock Shrines No. 9.)
As you can see, the room is for rent. The building and windows look much cleaner than they do in reality. It still looks like a disgusting space. But that just adds to the charm when you too can live in rock history
Rock Shrine No. 11
On November 3, 1975, The Sex Pistols played their first gig at St. Martins College of Art and Design. It was arranged by Glen Matlock, who was studying there at the time. They were thrown off before finishing their first song.
St. Martins is on Charing Cross Road, just around the corner from Denmark St.
St. Martins is on Charing Cross Road, just around the corner from Denmark St.
Rock Shrine No. 12
The 100 Club has a long history. It first opened its doors in 1942 as a jazz club. After 22 years it changed its name to the 100 Club and started booking rock acts, including The Kinks, The Who, The Pretty Things and John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. Blues giants like Muddy Waters, Albert King and Otis Span have played here. In the early 70s I saw Ian Dury play a number of times in his first group, Kilburn and the High Roads.
On 30th March, 1976, a new band played – The Sex Pistols. The Pistols started a Tuesday residency in May that went through the summer; they became regulars until the end of the year. There were times during the summer that I was standing 20 feet from the stage and I was at the back of the audience.
On 20th September 76, The 100 Club Punk Festival happened: The Sex Pistols, The Damned, The Clash, The Buzzcocks, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Subway Sect, The Vibrators and French band Stinky Toys. Promoter Ron Watts kept saying there would be 300 to 400 people coming and none of us believed him. When we came to the front door there was a line stretching down the street and around the corner. Those two nights were fantastic – loud, sweaty, exciting, fresh.
The 100 Club continues to present music. Right now it seems to be a mix of ‘heritage’ bands like Wishbone Ash and tribute bands – I’ve just missed Lez Zeppelin, an all-woman line-up. In my head I’m hearing four sexy dykes with power-chords and it’s looking and sounding good.
Thirty years after the Pistols kicked a musical revolution into action, the club is exactly the same. When so much has been torn down, repainted, made corporate, it’s refreshing to see such sacred ground left alone.
Put this post code into Google Earth and go for a ride: W1D 1L
© 2007 J Ingham
2 comments:
hey, thanks so much for an awesome tour of rock history John. i was imagining the voice of robin leach narrating. "lifestyles of the punk and drunk..." takes me back to a better time in music, when the spirit of rock and roll's energy and meaning were re-discovered.
Nice 'tour', but you have the wrong building for the Sex Pistols Denmark Street base - Number 6 Denmark Street was their abode.
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