Cries From the Midnight Circus: Ladbroke Grove 1967 - 1978
While trawling through my preferences I found this great essay by Nigel Cross on the history of Ladbroke Grove in London between the years 1967 - 1978. It accompanies a CD compilation of the same name. The area around Ladbroke Grove was a veritable boiling pot of artists, underground musicians, freaks, anarchists, writers and drug takers of all stripes from the late '60's on. Everyone from Pink Floyd to Hawkwind, the woefully underrated Quintessence to ace faces The Action either lived or played in the area. Science fiction writer Michael Moorcock, the late great graphic designer Barney Bubbles, head eccentris Sir Viv Stanshall and later Mr. Motorhead Lemmy Kilminster were all at one time residents and witnesses to the going's on.
Ladbroke grove of today is a much drearier affair...With Hoards of cattle like tourists, Hugh Grant (Ugghh!) making stupid f**king movies round the corner in Notting Hill, and not even a whiff of revolution in the air the Ladbroke Grove of yesteryear is unrecognizable when compared to the place described in Cross's Essay. Sit back, spark up a fat one and enjoy the read. Is that Mickey Farren being bundled into a police van?
Link to the essay here, and check out the rest of the Terrascope site while you're at it.
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