There’s so much more to say about the recent small and rather belated cry of rage against the gentrification of Camden than my recent opinion piece could cover. For instance, that the Camden Market of today is maybe not entirely changed from the bong, bangle and biker jacket emporium of my earliest London days, when Camden Town was where you went to browse for vinyl records, buy Doctor Martens boots and, up towards Chalk Farm, eat Italian ice cream....as you actually still can.
Yes, it’s posher and more expensive, but has all trace of the old days been sanitised? Depends what you’re looking for, but when I stayed in a hotel there a few years back to finish writing a book I was struck by the number of young men loitering on the street who inquiringly uttered the word “skunk?” as I walked past. Discuss...
Anyway, the Dingwalls music venue is still there too, as it has been since 1973. Very suitable for revved up, stripped down British R&B it was back then, integral to the London pub rock scene - this kind of thing from The Pirates in 1977, featuring the extraordinary guitar player Mick Green.
Footnote. Although the clip above is headed “live at Dingwalls” another on YouTube of very similar appearance says it was filmed at Islington’s Hope and Anchor. I wish I could remember more clearly. Whatever, different borough, same story of London continuity and change.
