Ziggy played piano & how Trident Studios changed everything

The story of Trident Studios (1968 - 1981) in Soho, London in the UK. Featuring The Beatles, David Bowie, Elton John, Marc Bolan & T. Rex, Lou Reed, Carly Simon, Queen, Supertramp, Genesis and many more. Norman Sheffield and his brother Barry opened Trident in 1968 and changed how recording studios operated, with technology, location and vibes. All four Beatles got involved - Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, together with Apple signings James Taylor & Mary Hopkin.

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Back to mine with Ronnie Wood - Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, David Bowie & the Rolling Stones

The Wick in Richmond - a Georgian four storey Rock n Roll adventure, featuring Ronnie Wood, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, David Bowie, Eric Clapton, Rod Stewart, Pete Townshend, Steve Winwood - including a rare demo of "It's Only Rock n Roll" with David Bowie on backing vocals.

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The Beatles and The Jam at Chiswick House in “RockSpots Go Live!”

On Friday 20th May 1966, The Beatles went on location at Chiswick House, the 18th century house and gardens in west London, to film promotional films for their forthcoming single/45 "Paperback Writer/Rain."

Fifteens years later, on Monday 31st August 1981, The Jam (serious Beatle-nuts) also went on location to Chiswick House to shoot photos for their forthcoming single/45 "Absolute Beginners/Tales From the Riverbank." Superfan/photographer Derek D'Souza got invited to take the photos!

So, I put them together!

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Jimmy Page and Van Morrison in “RockSpots go live!”

Featuring:

Two Yardbirds sleeves:
Happening's Ten Years Time Ago in Ormond Yard, London SW1
Over Under Sideways Down in Mason's Yard, London SW1
Both photos: Gered Mankowitz at https://mankowitz.com/

One Van the Man:
Them Again at the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth statues, London SW1

And two Style Council:
Shout to the Top! & Shout to the Top! at the Duke of York Monument SW1
Both photos: Brian Duffy at https://www.duffyarchive.com/

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The Rolling Stones & Pink Floyd invade a tiny London island (part one: 1963-66)

In the swinging sixties, Eel Pie Island in south west London was turned from a mellow 'secret' home to a few locals into a mini festival location.Invaded by teenagers, then mods, rockers and hippies, as rhythm n blues slowly turned into heavy rock. This is (part of) the story of how The Rolling Stones, Peter Frampton, Cream, David Bowie, Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Who, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Free, Genesis & Mott the Hoople all showed up and carried their gear across a rickety wooden footbridge to an hippy island haven.

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The Rolling Stones & Pink Floyd invade a tiny London island (part two: 1967-70)

In the swinging sixties, Eel Pie Island in south west London was turned from a mellow 'secret' home to a few locals into a mini festival location. Invaded by teenagers, then mods, rockers and hippies, as rhythm n blues slowly turned into heavy rock. This is (part of) the story of how Pink Floyd, The Who, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Free, Genesis & Mott the Hoople all showed up and carried their gear across a rickety wooden footbridge to a hippy island haven.

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The Jam and Martyn Goddard at Frank’s Cafe (1978)

There are numerous iconic photos of The Jam, and all Jam fans have their favourites, but, for me, it was the Frank’s Café ones that always grabbed me. I think it might be something to do with the fact that they are doing something that we all do: eat. Until I saw that photo, it had never occurred to me that The Jam would, like, eat. I noticed, years later, that only Bruce and Rick appear to be eating in the photo, but maybe Paul had just finished.

Push forward 38 years, and I’ve started to enjoy doing this RockSpot thing; placing old photos on top of new ones to see how much has changed. Trouble is, I could find NO trace of Frank’s Café anywhere in Soho, let alone on Beak Street. Several trips to Beak Street itself gave me no clues, so I asked Twitter.

Twitter couldn’t help, either, although lots of people sent me messages saying that they had always wondered where it was; many of them having gone looking for it in the past.

Then I asked Kevin Mottram @mott_73 on Twitter, because he has access to an Ancestry account that traces old addresses by name; surname, shop name or otherwise. He couldn’t find anything on Ancestry, but suggested that I contact the photographer – Martyn Goddard – to see if he could shed some light.

Nothing to lose, I guess, so I emailed Martyn.

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The day I didn’t meet Paul Weller in New York – MY side of the story

Back to January 2007, and Paul Weller is doing three nights at Irving Plaza, New York. Word is, he’s going to do three different sets, too; first night: The Jam, second night: Style Council, and third night: Paul Weller.
My friend, Gavin, from Our Price Records days, was then running the biggest record shop in the world: Virgin Megastore, Times Square, and he reckons he can get me into all three shows, so I book my flight.
The day before I leave London, Gavin texts me to say that he has booked Paul Weller to do a Virgin in-store acoustic set, on the Sunday afternoon, before the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday Irving Plaza shows.

“You’ll be able to meet him, tell him how many times you’ve seen him live..” says Gavin, sarcastically.

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