London Calling! Depending on your age, this is either a chance to wallow in glorious nostalgia, or grab an 'education' in …
London Calling! Depending on your age, this is either a chance to wallow in glorious nostalgia, or grab an 'education' in Rock history, its legends and myths, as your informed guide takes you on a magical, musical journey. Have those lyrics come alive and make the London connection. Over 100 iconic rock sites and locations enlivened with gossip, trivia and background information! This is a combination of both the morning and afternoon tours.
Our morning section covers Rock landmarks in bohemian Soho and the north London neighbourhoods of Camden Town, King’s Cross, Holloway and Islington.
In Soho and nearby ‘Tin Pan Alley’, Beatle fans can thrill at seeing Macca's Golden Disc covered office, the flat where he wrote 'Yesterday', their Saville theatre, the NEMS office, early club and gig sites, and their fan club offices. Here, you’ll see clubs, pubs and studios where future rock ‘gods’ like Zeppelin, the Stones, The Who, Pink Floyd, Queen and Hendrix first strutted their stuff and laid down songs that three-generations of rock fans have since toe-tapped, head-shook, shower-sung, or a fresh-air guitared to! Legendary names like UFO, Marquee, 100 Club, Roxy and Ronnie Scotts.
The Rainbow TheatreNorth of the city’s centre you’ll visit trendy Camden Town and Islington of Madness, and Brit-Pop; seeing the studios where Pink Floyd cut 'The Wall' and found their school-kids chorus; where Amy Winehouse ended her short and sad life; where the Clash made ‘London Calling’, and Queen ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. You’ll see where U2’s career got off to an inasuspicious start; where Hendrix burnt his first guitar. Add to these where Jimmy Page cut his first disc in the fateful home studio where Joe Meek (the ‘Telstar’ man) also killed his landlady. Gig sites and clubs include the legendary Klooks Kleek, the Rainbow, Roundhouse and Hope and Anchor.
Other sites covered on this fantabulous tour relate to the ‘British Invasion’ bands and progressive rockers. There’s also Hendrix, John and Yoko, Rod Stewart, Bonzo Dog Doh Dah Band, Graham Bond, Elton John, The Clash, Alexis Corner, Cream, Bob Marley, Oasis, Blur, the Sex Pistols, Bob Dylan, and more modern icons such as Amy Winehouse and Coldplay.
For lunch, you can either be dropped at the Hard Rock Café, where you’ve time to visit their impressive memorabilia vault and eat, or have lunch near our afternoon departure point.
Our afternoon section begins at 2PM, covering Chelsea, Kensington, Holland Park, Notting Hill Gate, St John's Wood, Marylebone and the West End. We're touring sites that made the 'Sixties' swinging! See the boutiques, pubs and clubs that made a decade and inspired hundreds of well-known lyrics. For Beatle fans, there's Brian Epstein's flat, Ringo's Kings Road apartment, John and Yoko's first home, Paul's current London home, the studio where the St Pepper's cover was shot, Apple Office and boutique, EMI, the rooftop where the 'Mop Tops' the played their last ever live gig and lots more other Beatle-related landmarks. And, YES, you do get to walk across that famed ABBEY ROAD crossing!
The tour also covers where Geldof conceived Band Aid and Live Aid, where and how the Sex Pistols was formed, the Clash's neighbourhood and cradle of reggae. There are heaps of sites to please Pink Floyd and Queen fans. We pass the homes of Freddie Mercury, Bowie, Bolan, Jimmy Page, Macca, and Clapton to name a few and see where Jimi Hendix died. You never know who you might see in passing! For Stones fans there's the legendary Edith Grove apartment, various of Jagger's houses, the 'Sticky Fingers' restaurant. All this plus studios, record company offices, gig sites, secluded hotels favoured by the stars, album cover locations and story, after story, after story from your informed rock guide.
'STICKY FINGERS', the Rolling Stones memorabilia restaurant, is a great place to go for a meal after your tours. At the end of our afternoon tour, we'll drop you back at Sticky Fingers, free of charge, if you ask. It's a great way to complete your rock day!
Please Note
Departs from the Original Tour Visitor Centre, 17-19 Cockspur Street, Trafalgar Square.
Nearest Underground Station: Piccadilly Circus or Charing Cross.
Days of Operation
March to November - Daily (9am-5:15pm)
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