Tonight at 7pm I'm leading the Rock'n'Roll London Pub Walk – my favorite of all London Walks – meeting at Tottenham Court Road station. I always look forward to leading this tour – it's my favorite subject in my favorite city in the company of people who love music and I think it's a pretty special tour.
Tonight's tour is even more special than usual because we're getting access to these wonderful murals from Maria Beadell & mORGANICo…
By way of introduction, a few words from Maria…
Never Mind the Gentrification…
By Maria Beadell
Denmark Street, legendary music mecca and nicknamed the Tin Pan Alley of London, is suffering the effects of gentrification, progress and change much in the same way as a lot of London.This illustrious street once hosted household names such as the Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Elton John and the Sex Pistols.What was once the epicentre of London's burgeoning music scene is fast disappearing. Most of the residents have been evicted, bar one who asked me to kindly paint an homage to the street in his flat block, on the staircase walls.
I roped in collaborator artistmORGANICo and we spent five weeks recreating a mix of music legends and local residents associated with the street on the walls. All this will be torn down when the hotels, shops and 'digital streetscape' starts becoming a reality.I thought it was a terrible shame that such a Bohemian quarter should be lost forever in its present form, so I created the murals for the public to enjoy and savour as a small reminder of what this street once was.
Maria: www.mariainpaint.webnode.com
& mORGANICo:www.mORGANICo.cOM
The Rock'n'Roll London Pub walk meets tonight at 7pm Tottenham Court Road Station
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