British Quest

This renowned West End basement club first started life as Feldman Swing Club and quickly became a mecca for jazz fans. David Bowie, Louis Armstrong, Jimi Hendrix, the Rolling Stones, The Sex Pistols and Oasis are some of the major artists who have graced the stage at the 100 Club. At one point, it even had a Chinese takeaway inside the club in the 1970s, wedged in between the male and female toilets.

As one of north London’s major historical attractions it hardly needs any introduction, but who hasn’t wanted to join the queue of Japanese tourists posing as the Fab Four on the crossing? And the nice thing is it’s still a functioning studio.

Berwick Street has been known as the ‘golden mile’ for vinyl junkies since the 1980s thanks to its many independent records shops including Sister Ray and Reckless. The Soho street also famously appeared on the cover of Oasis’s second album, (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?, in 1995. The band’s fans can often be found trying to recreate the image in the exact spot where it was taken.

[TEMPORARILY CLOSED] Composer Handel lived at 25 Brook Street. Many years later, the flat next door would be home to another famous musician, Jimi Hendrix. The two have been brought together by Handel & Hendrix in London. Handel lived at Handel House from 1723 until 1759. It’s where many of his famous works were composed and performances of his music take place throughout the year. Jimi Hendrix lived briefly at The Hendrix Flat in 1968 and 1969. Previously only available to view during London’s Open House weekend, it is now fully open to the public.

Although today one needs to be a millionaire to live in Battersea, particularly in the new development around the power station (technically Nine Elms rather than Battersea), it was not always the case. In fact, people used to say they lived in Clapham Junction to hide the fact that they lived in Battersea. Things have changed in the era of gentrification, and nowhere more so than Battersea Power Station, a very different beast to the one that featured on the cover of Pink Floyd’s 1977 album, Animals.

Post-war Britain was the most depressing, conservative and unimaginative place to live. Britain was a tea drinking nation, coffee being an American habit. With its glitzy movies, stylish motors and progressive attitude, America was everything Britain wasn’t. With the advent of rock and roll, and long before Starbucks and Costa reminded British people that decent coffee does not come out of a jar, coffee bars became the places to be. All things American were cool. Coffee shops were frequented by the new teenage generation that had money and didn’t have to join the military after school anymore but were too young for the local pub. These were the forerunners of the nightclubs as youth culture in Britain began. Teddy-boys, beatniks and other juvenile delinquents in the older generation’s eyes hung out in these places, the most famous of which was the 2i’s Coffee Bar on Old Compton Street, which is now the centre of London’s gay district. The 2i’s hosted performances by skiffle bands and budding rockers.

The Good Mixer occupies a special place in London’s music history. The no-nonsense boozer in Camden was the favourite hangout of Britpop stars in the 1990s. It’s where Elastica signed their first record deal and also where Menswear were formed. The feud between Oasis and Blur is rumoured to have started here after one of the Gallagher brothers dissed Graham Coxon’s outfit. Amy Winehouse was also a regular and liked to play pool here while sipping on a pint.

This unique venue is one of the few remaining 50’s coffee shops in existence in London. Since its humble origins, it has gone on to become one of the city’s best and little-known music venues, playing host over the years to acts such as Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Elton John, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, Jimmy Page, Sandy Denny, Davy Graham, Morrisey, etc. – and, well, the list goes on!