The definitive history of the city's rich musical heritage draws upon extensive original research, including interviews with David Bowie, Mick Jagger, Jimmy Page, Joe Strummer, Dusty Springfield, and Amy Winehouse
The West End musicals, Ronnie Scott's jazz club, Abbey Road, mod culture, the Kinks, the Who, and the Rolling Stones are just as much a part of London as the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, and the Routemaster, and in this fascinating history of the city's popular music, London's native talent is explored, from Noël Coward and David Bowie to the Sex Pistols and Amy Winehouse. The London visits of artists such as Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix, who also felt the city's influence, are also noted. From Elizabethan traders and public execution songs, to
The Beggar's Opera
and East End music halls, right up to modern-day troubadours such as Dizzee Rascal and Lily Allen, the guide charts the rich musical heritage and the many styles and characters that have helped define the city's music over the years. Above all, it is a celebration of the city—packed with stories of the people and places that have made London one of the most exciting and innovative musical cities on earth.