DON'T LET THE MUSIC DIE
READ MOREI have worked in Denmark Street for 30 years, and my father (creator of Me & My Gal – the musical) thirty years before that, at number 24 and then 19, and to lose the street from the music industry roots would be cultural vandalism
It’s part of London’s cultural history from Gin Lane to The Beatles
Henry Scott-Irvine – Denmark Street Mix by Jocksandnerdsmagazine on Mixcloud
“Don’t demolish our music history…”
[This song was originally written for the featured co-singer Gene Pitney by Roger Cook & Roger Greenaway in Tin Pan Alley]
“I bought my drum kit from Andy’s Drum Store in Denmark Street and I recorded many drums sessions at Regent Sounds at number 4 Denmark Street”
“It’s a piece of London’s musical history and it should to be preserved. We lost The Marquee & The Astoria, but Ronnie Scott’s & The 100 Club were saved, so there is hope”
“Once it’s gone, it’s gone, and London needs to retain its history for future generations”
Denmark Street is culturally and musically a very special place, please leave it alone!
“… yet another corporate entity puts “the heart and soul back” into a beloved institution by ripping it out altogether” Marc Burrows in The Guardian’s Music Blog Online January 20th 2015
It’s important to me because I wrote hits like Congratulations for Cliff Richard and Puppet on a String for Sandie Shaw when working in the street [As well as England’s 1970 World Cup theme Back Home]
Denmark Street was an important part of my life during my career in music, as it had been for my uncle before me in the 1940s and 1950s. There’s too much history here for its destruction to be warranted: on the contrary, it should be designated an area of special historical interest.
“I’m signing because Denmark Street is a cultural historical street that brings pleasure to people all over the world”
I am happy to become The Chairman of The Save Denmark St Campaign, for which I will work exclusively when I retire from parliament at the end of March 2015 (stated 11th February 2015) The Right Honourable Frank Dobson MP – Former Minister for Health
“Denmark St is an oasis of interesting MUSIC dens and community bolt holes in an otherwise exhausting and impersonal area. The musis shops speak of thousands of international hopefuls coming to London with their ambitions and dreams. the 12 Bar club is a street level ACCESSIBLE venue which welcomes all types to play in. Don’t let London become a place for the INTERNATIONAL RICH ONLY!”
Long live the 12 Bar Club and the Gioconda… Don’t let the music die in Denmark St
Keep the music alive! Please don’t let the music die in Denmark Street!
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“I was in the Amen Corner band whose office Galaxy Entertainments was situated in Denmark Street during the late sixties.The street needs to recognised for its importance to the music industry” [The Amen Corner recorded at Regent Sound Studios, too]
“I live just down the road and my father Maurice Kinn founder of the NME used to have his (NME) office at No.5 Denmark Street” (in the 1950’s)
“Save Denmark St for the importance of rock history. I myself was in Denmark Street in the summer of 1965, and among the people I met were Donovan (at the beginning of his career), Mitch Mitchell (became the drummer in Jimi Hendrix Experience the year after), Graham Bonney (became later a superstar in Germany), Davie Jones (who became David Bowie a couple of months later) and Phil May and Viv Prince in The Pretty Things.”
“I first knew it as a haven for music publishers. I worked at a hairdressers suppliers named Ledenois where the Giaconda used to be. That was in 1961. I used to eat lunch at an Italian cafe where the 12 Bar is now and also recorded at Regent Sound a number of times in the early 60s. Thank you for doing this Henry – Albert Lee, Malibu, California”
Andrew Loog Oldham @loogoldham Via Twitter
“The street where musical dreams were realized via the guitar stores, studios, music publishers and usual suspects”.
“Denmark Street was very important to my musical youth and to the heritage of the music industry”
“I suppose you could say that British ‘Punk Rock’ started here at the rear of number 6 Denmark Street, when the Sex Pistols moved in!”
“Denmark Street is a precious piece of history”
The destruction of rock’n’roll culture throughout Britain continues – Lydon predicted it in ‘Anarchy’, the amount of venues they are closing for more developments is countrywide …
“Worth pointing out that the record labels and publishers continued to have offices in Denmark Street long after the 70s. Acid Jazz, Shut Up & Dance and Brainiac were all at 21 in the early 1990s, Sunday Best were at 23 until quite recently, and in between all sorts of labels, studios, press companies, and musical detritus filled the offices above the guitar shops” Guardian Letter of January 21st [Very important point well made sir, says Henry of Save Denmark St Campaign] Mobley 66
I ran the legendary Tin Pan Studios during the 80’s where I created produced many great tracks, with musicians ranging from Jimmy Cliff to psychobilly bands like the Rapids and many more. Denmark Street is the historic beating heart of the UK music industry. It must be saved
“The UK scene has given birth to hundreds of world class, iconic legends – a huge number of which got their start on Denmark Street. Even the ones who came from other parts of the UK flocked to Denmark Street. The amount of money, prestige, credibility and UK branding that these musical acts have earned this country is incalculable. Denmark Street is world famous. Tearing any shops or floors down would be an act of abject stupidity. The short sightedness of said destruction is wrong and would permanently erase this organic, original heritage site which continues to thrive – it is no mere shrine to the past. On any given day dozens of bands perform and rehearse there and many more guitars are sold per week. One needs only to visit the retch inducing horror story that is The Cavern and all the cheesy Beatle cash-ins on Mathew Street, Liverpool to see what would replace this fabulous beating heart of London’s cultural life. DO NOT LET THIS PROPOSED REDEVELOPMENT HAPPEN. Has everybody lost their minds in Camden Council Planning Department? English Heritage, please do what you were set up to do and save one of the UK’s most treasured and invaluable assets.”
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“History that should not be forgotten. As the ‘N’Betweens/Slade we made our first record there in 1966 at Regent Sound studios. The Stones also used the same studio in their time”
“We need to keep open a well established Rock ‘n’ Roll venue cos too many have closed down leaving nowhere for new talent to show their stuff” Re the 12 Bar Club at 26 Denmark Street
Denmark Street is also about to be turned into one of those faceless areas with a thin veneer of pretend culture slapped on top is fooling no-one apart from the developer who is imposing his own personal vision on the area – a bit like when he moved the Marquee and destroyed a much loved venue …What kind of vision is this from the top? Where does Boris Johnson fit into all of this? Is there any kind of leadership or vision? That cuddly man of the people thing was always a bit of a joke really as he turns the city into a playground for the rich with no questions asked. This could be the mayor that killed the golden goose with a short sited greed. – See more at: http://louderthanwar.com/is-london-dead-as-the-developers-move-in-are-they-killing-all-that-we-love/#sthash.cDzYrXa3.dpuf
I would like to retain some of the reasons why people visit London, rather than turn it into yet another brand theme park
“@henrysgigs: Save #TinPanAlley. Sign here- https://t.co/oAt7SM8yMq” Yes – save London’s R&R sites, no more Marquee type losses. Please RT
— Captain Sensible (@sensiblecaptain) December 4, 2014
“The 12 Bar is an historic building, a unique music venue and a cultural landmark with an extraordinary musical history. Whatever the developers are planning to do with this venue and this street, it can be nowhere near as useful to the musical community, or the community as a whole, as this wonderful venue has been for as many years as I can remember. Please protect the 12 Bar and Denmark St.”
“The developers say they are not demolishing Denmark Street, but it seems the street is being redeveloped. Shop space is being vastly reduced, and the rents will surely go up. I’d hate to think Denmark St – London’s Tin Pan Alley – might be lost to redevelopment. These unique music shops could be priced out of existence in the wake of Crossrail… Progress is important, but so are the landmarks of our great city!”
“It seems like the voice of music has been lost in the decision-making process around Soho generally and Denmark Street in particular, which is sad, given the history of the place.”
Historically, it’s the centre of the UK Music Industry and it would be criminal to disregard that heritage
“I am genuinely terrified that London, the city I was born in, is being sold off, out priced and shut down slowly and methodically.Old cultural centres, youth centres, venues and creative spaces are closing or up rooting and moving away to other UK cities because of developments, shopping centres and expensive flats. I am fearful that London will become clean, sterile, inaccessible and bland. A place for the rich with no expressive space for the artistic classes. So much culture has come out of London, so much culture has come out of your borough. It’s been exported internationally and led the world in artistic movements for decades.Tin Pan Alley only adds and enriches this culture. Please preserve it!”