With the launch of The Rolling Stones Walk on the 5th May 2016 and the return of the Rock'n'Roll London Pub walk on Wednesday nights from the 4th May 2016 the London Walks summer programme 2016 will feature no less than FIVE regular musical-themed walking tours.
To mark the occasion, April is Music Month on The Daily Constitutional!
A month of plaques, locations, facts, reviews and more lies ahead. And I'm compiling the Ultimate London Playlist – get in touch with your favorite London song or piece!
Drop me a line at the usual address, leave a comment below, post on Facebook or Twitter with your all-time best London music recommendations.
Here are the first couple of suggestions from London Walkers – I'll be adding my own and those of my London Walks colleagues as the month goes on… Ann Martin chooses Waterloo Sunset by The Kinks and Deborah Hall goes for Streets of London by Ralph McTell…
Thanks Ann & Deborah. Cast iron classics, both. Ray Davies's Waterloo Sunset (1967) was originally conceived as Liverpool Sunset. Londoner Davies, the Kinks' main songwriter, wanted to comment on the fading of the Merseybeat boom of '63 – by '67 only The Beatles were left, the hits having dried-up for the other Liverpool bands. Similarly, McTell's most famous song (dating originally from 1969) was, in an early draft, called Streets of Paris.
Mikko Kansgasjärvi suggests The Pogues…
@londonwalks A Rainy Night In Soho by @poguesofficial #LondonSong — Mikko Kangasjärvi (@stufflake) April 1, 2016Thanks Mikko, a London Irish classic. Great to get an Irish flavor in so early in the proceedings - Ireland is, after all, the only nation of the world with a musical instrument for its national symbol. Here's your track Mikko… So here's the Big London Playlist so far…
Remember I want YOUR suggestions too – Drop me a line at the usual address, leave a comment below, post on Facebook or Twitter. A London Walk costs £10 – £8 concession. To join a London Walk, simply meet your guide at the designated tube station at the appointed time. Details of all London Walks can be found at www.walks.com