Denmark Street: London's Street of Sound with Peter Watts

In his new book Peter Watts covers the history of Denmark Street from the arrival of the first music publishers in the early 20th century to the 21st-century gentrification threatening to erode this remarkable musical heritage. It was where The Beatles hung out when they first arrived in London and where The Rolling Stones recorded their first album; it was the home of the designers of Pink Floyd album covers. Later, the street attracted the likes of Acid Jazz Records to the street, as well as specialist music bookshop Helter Skelter and legendary live-music venue the 12 Bar Club.

With the rock’n’roll came the sex and drugs, not to mention death: the darker side of Denmark Street includes gangster-run clubs and a largely forgotten arson attack that claimed 37 lives.

Join author and journalist Peter Watts and the Friends of Carnegie Library to discuss musicians and music fans’ street of dreams.