Half Day Tour

London Rock Tour: Original Rock Music Tours

Why travel with a copycat, when you can go with the ORIGINAL London Rock Tour!

The tour itinerary will focus on the epicentre of Sixties cool – Chelsea

 

So, what was so cool about Chelsea? Well, just about everything from music and fashion through literature and art. Even the food! The neighbourhood literally crawled with celebrities. The glamorous world of the movies was represented by Michael Caine, Diana Dors, Judy Garland, Terrance Stamp, Christopher Lee and many, many others. Roman Polanski married Sharon Tate at the Chelsea Registry Office, as did Judy Garland her 5th and final husband among many others.

Fashion ruled the 60s! Scores of trendy boutiques lined the streets including the legendary I was Lord Kitchener’s Valet and Granny Takes a Trip, where threads were sold to the pop and movie stars of the day. The Kinks great song Dedicated Follower of Fashion was a brilliant satire on the fashion-conscious 60s style-followers shopping Carnaby Street and the Kings Road. Alice Pollock opened the boutique Quorum in 1964 with Ossie Clark. Even the Beatles opened a tailor shop!

From her shop Bazaar on Kings Road, designer Mary Quant gave birth to that fundamental icon of the 60s the miniskirt.

The world of music was represented by the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Donovan, The Who and Eric Clapton amongst many others. Stars and wanna-be stars from across the globe converged on Chelsea – from Brazil, future Minister of Culture but then political exile, came Gilberto Gil. American band The Eagles came to make their first album on the Kings Road. Jim Morrison stayed on Eaton Square and frequented the Chelsea Potter pub…

This the stamping ground of the notorious ‘bent copper’, Seargent Pilcher of the Chelsea Drug Squad (‘Semelina Pilchard’ as Lennon nicknamed him), who worked hard raiding apartments and ‘busting’ both celebrities and the unknown public alike!

Local photographic studios turned out album covers like St Peppers, and music studios put the Pink Floyd and Jethro Tull on wax. This was the neighbourhood of the ‘angry young men’ of the Royal Court Theatre, and of woman’s liberation hero Germaine Greer. Oh, yes, and this was where Ian Fleming decided where James Bond should live too…

With all this going on it is little surprise that American magazine ‘Time’ identified the Kings Road as the centre of Swinging London.

SUGGESTED ITINERARY FOR PRIVATE DEPARTURES

This is a custom tour available for private departures, subject to guide availability — tailor made to best suit your interests — Why travel with a copycat, when you can go with the ORIGINAL London Rock Tour!

To make a reservation send your date request to:  [email protected]

 

Email: [email protected]