United Kingdom is without a doubt the center of rock music in Europe. The amount of great bands that came out from the country is purely astonishing, with many acts that revolutionized the music industry, introduced new styles and pushed the music forward.
It is no surprise then that the country is filled with places associated with rock music and many rock fans visit them all every year. In this article I want to show you my personal 3 top rock’n’roll related spots in the UK that you should visit.
Liverpool
I think many people will agree with me that the music wouldn’t be the same without the Beatles. The four boys from Liverpool had revolutionized rock music. Today, Liverpool is filled with places related to the band but there is one, particular that plays a very special role in their history. It’s the house that Paul McCartney grew up in.
This simple building, today under the protection of the National Trust, not only shows the humble roots that all four boys came from but stands a witness to the very first notes played by the band. It was at Paul’s home that the boys used to meet up to play, rehearse and also, write their first songs. These days you can tour the house and see the exact place where the legend was born.
Battersea Power Station
Another famous rock and roll location in the UK, visited by thousands of rock fans every year is the Battersea Power Station near London. A place where many classic movies were filmed, it gained almost an iconic status after being featured on the front cover of Pink Floyd’s 1977 “Animals” album on which it was photographed with a giant inflatable pink pig floating above it.
Today, many rock fans travel to the site only to take photos of it, or remember the story how the pig actually broke lose, flew away during the photo shoot and had to be brought down by the air forces.
The Marquee Club
London is a location of another hugely important site in the history of rock music, the Marquee Club, the most famous live concert venue ever. Marque Club opened in 1958 as a live jazz club but quickly opened its doors to other, only emerging at that time types of music. The club was the location of the very first ever concert by the Rolling Stones in 1962 and witnessed many great acts placing their first steps live there.
Practically every major act from the 60s and 70s played there and at some point, having a show in Marquee was one of the biggest acknowledgments in rock industry. The club is currently closed however, the original location of Marquee at 165 Oxford Street is regularly visited by many fans.
Obviously, the above list is only the tip of the iceberg. If you are in London, you can visit the famous Apple Building, the home of the Beatles’ company and the location of their very last show that took place on its roof. Or, you could pop in to Abbey Road studios, the recording complex where most of the classic rock albums were recorded and a location of the famous Beatles’ photo from their Abbey Road album cover.
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