Any music/guitar related sites worth seeing in London?

doc-phil

I'm going to be in London for a week, and was wondering if anybody could recommend any good places to go check out while I'm there? Whether it be museums, shops, studios, that sort of thing. Seeing anything music related and novel is on the agenda.

It has to be in London though, so Abbey Road isn't an option ☹

peterleroux

Can't advise on sites worth seeing, but Abbey Road studios is a five minute walk from St John's Wood station in the Jubilee line- very much in London

Shibbibilybob

Denmark street is a must, I guess.
It's choc-full off guitar stores and such. It is just off of charing cross , about a two min walk from the tottenham court road tube station.

babbalute

doc-phil wrote: I'm going to be in London for a week, and was wondering if anybody could recommend any good places to go check out while I'm there? Whether it be museums, shops, studios, that sort of thing. Seeing anything music related and novel is on the agenda.

It has to be in London though, so Abbey Road isn't an option ☹

Must be plenty guitar shops in London to fill your 5 day one-of-a-kind, always wanted-to-buy bargain search ?

Bob-Dubery

Check the gig guides and ticketing agencies before you go. And if you see something you like then book in advance. A few years back I missed Steven Stills playing in a small club in London because I thought I'd get a ticket on the day. No luck. I ended up seeing Oklahoma! instead. Good, but not the same.

Squonk

Covent Garden is quite killer. You could catch some artists, actors musicians etc. Lots of markets and strangle little shops. there was a great Rock Memorabilia store there years ago

http://www.coventgardenlondonuk.com/

Here's the Memorabilia store

https://www.itsonlyrocknrolllondon.co.uk/

Banditman

London is a huge place but it's not hard to get to places at all. The Tube will put you in the general area, and buses cover most of the rest. You don't need to take a cab a lot of the time if you don't mind a little walking, plus they're NOT cheap.

Denmark Street is a given - it's chock-full of music shops, mostly guitars, from end to end. But don't restrict yourself to Denmark Street alone. There are also shops on Charing Cross Road. Go to the Tottenham Court tube station (it's where Oxford Street, Charing Cross & Tottenham Court Road all meet) and ask for directions. Walk down Charing Cross Rd. a block or two and you'll see Denmark St. on the left.

Pop in to Macari's - they've been on Charing Cross Rd. for decades but also have a shop on Denmark St again I hear. If you're a Fender fan, then go to Regent Sounds (Fender, Gretsch, Eastwood etc.). Hank's do a lot of acoustics. Rockers is also worth a look. Vintage and Rare Guitars is definitely worth a visit. If you head back up to the Tube station again, pop into the Virgin Music megastore just down Oxford Street. They have a department downstairs full of instruments with plenty to play with.

The first street to the left on Oxford Street (with Charing X / Tottenham Court at your back) will take you onto Soho Square. Head down the right-hand side and into Frith Street. Just before Old Compton St. on the right is Ronnie Scott's jazz club. Over the road, have one of London's best coffees at Bar Italia (it's been there since the '60s).

You can walk this all - no more than 10 minutes between places mentioned.

Abbey Road is smack in London - which is a very, very big place. Take a look at a larger view on the map of west central London and you'll see it's not far up from Regent's Park in St. John's Wood. They allow tourists to decorate the parking lot wall with graffiti (and regularly repaint in white for more), but you won't be allowed inside. The famous pedestrian crossing from the Abbey Road cover is a little down the road. Look for Japanese Beatles fans trying to commit suicide by posing for a mock-up of the album cover while traffic flows.

On upper Baker Street (to the left of the station) was a memorabilia shop selling Beatles and Elvis stuff. Don't know if it's still there.

Head down to the New King's Road on the Fulham side (Fulham Broadway tube, then keep walking DOWN the street towards Fulham and Putney Bridge) and you'll find the New King's Road Vintage Guitar Emporium at 65a. The kind of place that has '52 Gold Top Les Pauls in the window.

Over the Thames via Putney Bridge (the very tall office block on the left before the bridge is BMG's headquarters), turn right onto Lower Richmond Road and look for the Half Moon pub. They do a lot of good guitar-driven live music. I think Dan Patlansky's played there.

If you go down to the Chiswick High Street, you'll find Island Records (on Lion Road or Lane if memory serves me correctly), Polydor (around #325) and Metropolis Mastering in the old power station. You can't go into any of 'em, but if you're really desperate to see some recording industry places for the geek value then go for it. It's rather off the beaten path for most tourists and will take time from playing guitars on Denmark Street though.

There are a lot of live music venues in Camden Town (Central Line north), as well as some pretty funky shopping at the Camden Lock.

Head up to Stonebridge Park tube (near Wembley) and ask for directions to the Ace Cafe. It's mecca for petrolheads (especially the rocker and hot rod guys). Do yourself a favour - they're not *$%&^*$ cafe racers, you call them CAFF racers - and this is where the craze started back in the '50s.). There are often rock-n roll or rockabilly-type gigs on the go, otherwise sample the atmosphere. Check out Ace Cafe London's site for details. If you meet Mark Wilsmore, then tell him SAS sends his regards from South African and wants to know if the jukebox job is still available.

There are plenty of live music venues in London - this is just scratching the surface.

doc-phil

Thanks everyone, it is much appreciated. This certainly gives me a lot of options to consider.

I must have had a bit of a brain spasm, for some reason I was thinking Abbey Road is in Liverpool ? ???

jt

Beatles walking tour, do it. A guide walks you around all the famous spots with great detail and stories being told at the same time. Very educational and makes for some great pics.

If you get the chance, and you like gypsy jazz, try this place http://quecumbar.co.uk/ . Great little venue and they always have super talented bands playing there.

In general, if its your first time, do the bus tour. Sit on the top, in the front, avoid human guides, plug in your headphones and listen to the audio guide like that and literally go around that entire map like three times. You get to see allot of london that way. And repeating the circuit multiple times will make sure you don't miss things and that helps for things to sink in.

Also, once you have figured how to use the public transport and you know how to get home from where ever you are, get lost!!!!!! thats the best way to explore!!!

Banditman

doc-phil wrote: Thanks everyone, it is much appreciated. This certainly gives me a lot of options to consider.

I must have had a bit of a brain spasm, for some reason I was thinking Abbey Road is in Liverpool ? ???

That'd be Penny Lane then (your spasm)? Ag it's a road connected with the Beatles.

+1 on jt's suggestion for the walking tour. They take you past places like the old Apple Records building in Mayfair as well as Carnaby Street (which I forgot to mention - on the far side of Soho from Charing Cross Rd. Take the tube to Oxford Circus and (1) ask for directions or (2) turn into Regent St then take the first left into Great Marlborough Street, then first right into Carnaby.

Or take option 3 - longer but more interesting. From Denmark Street head into Soho Square and then walk straight (well, as straight as it allows) through Soho via a bunch of interesting streets, getting directions, until you find Carnaby Street. Rather avoid walking tourist/shopper central Oxford Street and you'll see more than the tube allows.

Which ALSO reminds me: if it still exists, drop in at the Intrepid Fox pub (I THINK it's on Wardour St but can't remember. Metal / alternative pub, strict no-tie dresscode.

Shibbibilybob

BanditMan, that Virgin Megastore is nolonger there as far as I know? and it took the music store with it (what was it again? Sound Select? Soundsgreat?, sound something or other).To the best of my knowledge that is a clothing store now.

Anyway, spot on Macarris! that shop is amazing. Lots of interesting, unusual things there too...
Vintage and rare is an absolute must.
There is also an incredible shop called Holiday Music located in Leightonstone in East London...that one is also worth looking at.