An episode we have wanted to bring you since before we recorded our first episode - the birth of British rock & roll with 2 legendary drummers, Brian Bennett from The Shadows & Clem Cattini of The Tornados.

It starts at the 2i’s Coffee Bar at 59 Old Compton Street, Soho in London.

Opened by 2 Iranian brothers (hence the name) the coffee bar is taken over by 2 professional wrestlers - Dr Death Paul Lincoln & Rebel Ray Hunter in April of 1956.

Rock & roll bands begin to lay in the dark, sweaty basement, coming together from skiffle bands & word of mouth.

For a time it was the only venue to hear original rock & roll in London & Tommy Steele is discovered there shortly after.

As word gets around people begin to travel to play at the club including Bruce Welch & Hank Marvin who travel all the way from Newcastle for the chance to play.

Brian & Clem go onto play with other bands including Marty Wilde, Joe Meek, Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran & Billy Fury.

Brian Bennett joins The Shadows & co-writes Summer Holiday while Clem Cattini is part of the first band to score a US number 1 single with Telstar, The Tornados.

Adam Faith, Ritchie Blackmore, Tony Sheridan, Kris Kristofferson & Georgie Fame, Marc Bolan amongst many more attended or played at the 2i’s during its lifespan, closing in the late 60s.

We also hear stories about Ginger Baker, Lulu, Keith Moon, The Beatles & Clem nearly playing with the Fab Four on their Australian tour instead of Jimmie Nicol.

Clem also nearly joined Led Zeppelin & Wings but didn’t fancy either, for differing reasons.

It takes anything from 5 to 40 hours to prepare each episode of Music Maps - if you’d like to make a contribution to help us cover the costs & time of producing these episodes for you, you can do so at this link: ko-fi.com/musicmaps

It is hugely important for us to get positive reviews & star ratings - if you have enjoyed Music Maps & can spare the time to do either we would hugely appreciate it.

You can see our upcoming live events here: https://rocknrollbookclub.co.uk/events

Instagram: @rocknrollbookclube17

X: @simonmusicmaps

Facebook: E17rockbookclub

Hosted, Produced & Edited by Simon Cardwell

Music by Andy Maxwell

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We turn our attention to one of the most influential bands of all time, The Velvet Underground for the first time with biographer Richie Unterberger.

Lou Reed grew up in suburban Freeport, Long Island listening to the first wave of rock & roll.

Later at Syracuse University Reed began to write future Velvet Underground tracks including Heroin & I’m Waiting For The Man, while there he also met future Velvets guitarist Sterling Morrison.

Meanwhile in Garnant, Wales a young John Cale was a musical child prodigy, later moving to Goldsmiths College in London & on to New York on a music scholarship.

After graduating Lou Reeds ends up at budget record label Pickwick Records writing songs on demand for immediate release.

Through Pickwick, Lou Reed & John Cale meet & Lou begins to visit John in his Ludlow Street apartment in Manhattan.

Also in New York, Lou coincidentally bumps into Sterling Morrison & he joins them in what becomes The Velvet Underground, all living together in Ludlow Street.

The band take their name from a pulp novel by Michael Leigh & drummer Moe Tucker replaces Angus MacLise to complete the classic lineup.

It takes anything from 5 to 40 hours to prepare each episode of Music Maps - if you’d like to make a contribution to help us cover the costs & time of producing these episodes for you, you can do so at this link: ko-fi.com/musicmaps

It is hugely important for us to get positive reviews & star ratings - if you have enjoyed Music Maps & can spare the time to do either we would hugely appreciate it.

You can see our upcoming live events here: https://rocknrollbookclub.co.uk/events

Instagram: @rocknrollbookclube17

X: @simonmusicmaps

Facebook: E17rockbookclub

Hosted, Produced & Edited by Simon Cardwell

Music by Andy Maxwell

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us & Paul Morley to hear all about Yoko Ono & the Avant-Garde Diaspora.

We hear about her early years in Tokyo, born into an almost aristocratic background via her banker father, before her eventual relocation to New York to enter the art world.

Once in New York Yoko goes on to create numerous significant works of art including Cut Piece & Grapefruit before meeting John Lennon in late 1966.

Paul also gives us an overview of the avant-garde world prior to Yoko Ono, including The Incoherents, Marcel Duchamp, Fluxus & John Cage.

It takes anything from 5 to 40 hours to prepare each episode of Music Maps - if you’d like to make a contribution to help us cover the costs & time of producing these episodes for you, you can do so at this link: ko-fi.com/musicmaps

It is hugely important for us to get positive reviews & star ratings - if you have enjoyed Music Maps & can spare the time to do either we would hugely appreciate it.

You can see our upcoming live events here: https://rocknrollbookclub.co.uk/events

Instagram: @rocknrollbookclube17

X: @simonmusicmaps

Facebook: E17rockbookclub

Hosted, Produced & Edited by Simon Cardwell

Music by Andy Maxwell

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.