London Calling! Depending on your age, this is either a chance to wallow in glorious nostalgia, or grab an 'education' in Rock myth…
London Calling! Depending on your age, this is either a chance to wallow in glorious nostalgia, or grab an 'education' in Rock myths and history. Have those lyrics come alive and make the London connection. This is a combination of both the morning and afternoon tours with time in the middle to eat or have a beer at the Hard Rock Café and visit its legendary memorabilia vault.
Morning Section
This tour covers Rock landmarks in bohemian Soho and the north London neighbourhoods of Camden Town, Hampstead Village and Heath, Highgate, Muswell Hill, Archway and Islington. You'll see Macca's Golden Disc covered office and the flat where he wrote 'Yesterday', Ringo's Hampstead house, and the only flat shared by all Fab Four.
Then, there's Madness' Camden Town and Chalk Farm, the famed 'Tin Pan Alley', the Kinks' Muswell Hill 'shrine', and Rod Stewart's family home and school. See where the Floyd's cut 'The Wall'. We'll pass Boy George, George Michael and Sting's homes. See where Jimmy Page cut his first disc, where Joe Meek killed his landlady and where The Clash cut 'London Calling'. Gig sites and clubs include the legendary UFO, Klooks Kleek, the Rainbow, Marquee, 100 Club, Roxy, Ronnie Scotts, Roundhouse and Hope and Anchor.
Other sites covered on this fantabulous tour relate to the Police, Rod Stewart, Bonzo Dog Doh Dah Band, Graham Bond, Elton John, The Clash, Alexis Corner, Ginger Baker, Fairport Convention, Bob Dylan, Eurythmics, and more modern icons such as Amy Winehouse and Coldplay. Note: this tour does NOT go to Abbey Road. You need our afternoon tour for that site.
Afternoon Section
This tour covers 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, Mason's Yard, where the 'Mop Tops' the played their last ever live gig and lots more other Beatle and 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, also home to Bob Marley. There are heaps of sites to please Pink Floyd fans. We pass the homes of Freddie Mercury, Bowie, Bolan, Jimmy Page, Macca, Clapton, Van Morrison, 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.
Days of Operation:
April 1 to October 31.
Tue, Thu & Sun, from 9am to 5.15pm,
Departs from the Original Tour Visitor Centre,
17-19 Cockspur Street, Trafalgar Square.
Nearest Underground Station:
Piccadilly Circus or Charing Cross.
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