The King's Road in Chelsea was at the epicentre of not one, but two worldwide cultural shifts. In the mid-sixties, it became a focal point and shop window for the new 'swinging' London, encompassing music, theatre, the visual arts, fashion and much more. It remained at the forefront of developing trends throughout the following decade until it became the breeding-ground for UK punk rock, helping inspire youthful rebellion the world over.
In short, it was the place to be. In the time between the formation of the Rolling Stones and the demise of the Sex Pistols, the King's Road had the attention of the world. Just how this came to be is a classic rise-and-fall story of satisfaction and sedition, featuring some of the most famous people of the late twentieth century and many of the pivotal moments of the fifties, sixties and seventies.
This revised and expanded edition of King's Road covers the cultural history of the King's Road, tracking many key figures who lived or spent time there, from Henry VIII to David Bowie, Margaret Thatcher to Vivienne Westwood, Karl Marx to The Beatles, and Mozart to Mary Quant.
Publisher: Omnibus Press
ISBN: 9781913172602
Number of pages: 528
Dimensions: 234 x 156 mm
'In Max Décharné's thoroughly researched and entertaining book, the ghosts of London’s past collide almost on every page.' Louder Than War; 'Razor-sharp history of London's coolest rock route. A towering feat... the threads linking the cultural hotspots and characters are so skilfully woven. Essential for swingers and squares alike.' 8* Classic Rock; 'As a trawl through the glitz and glamour of the King's Road, this is heard to beat. Décharné's research, which takes in everything from political weeklies to underground pop magazines, is impressive and unimpeachable, and he whisks the reader along in brisk and witty prose.' --Sunday Times; '[A] highly enjoyable book... Max Décharné uses the long spine of the road, and the ribs of the adjoining streets, as a skeleton which he fleshes out with the artistic, musical and sartorial developments flourishing in these few squares of the London A-Z.' --Independent; 'Exhilarating, informative, chatty and hip... Décharné 's frantic, fact-packed book superbly captures all the buzz and lunatic frivolity of a street that has consistently been at the cutting edge of all that is new in theatre, fashion and film'. --Daily Mail
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