On this Spot Stood ....

Another iconic rock landmark has disappeared… no more white men in Hammersmith Palais. Actually, the last gig was in April 2007; no less a person than Mark E Smith (The Fall) was the final act to grace a stage immortalized in Joe Strummer’s lyric for the Clash, and mentioned in the Ian Dury and the Blockheads song 'Reasons to Be Cheerful, Part 3'. The venue had been hosting live music since 1919. Originally named the Palais de Danse, one can imagine all of the returning Great War soldiers being part of the original dancing crowd. Over the 70s and 80s it was rock’s for soldiers who went over the top to the Stones, Police, U2, the Who and Pistols, to name but a few campaigners. Now it’s apparently going to be a student hostel. And will the new façade be graced with a plaque to remind future generation of what once stood here? If organizations like English Heritage have any say, then sadly probably not. Unbelievably, English Heritage, the body responsible for placing the Blue Plaques on London’s buildings, has just decided that Brian Epstein Chapel Street house is not going to get one. Epstein, apparently, is not considered important enough – despite the Beatles referring to him as the ‘Fifth Beatle’. ‘Don’t have the budget’ is their lame excuse. ‘fer christ’s sake!!i> How difficult would it be to raise the few hundred quid necessary from fans? They have promised to revisit their decision in 10 years… Anyway, at least there’ll soon be one on Keith Richards Dartford family flat; but more of this in a later blog.