Adam writes… Back in February 2024 I was out-and-about in South London, heading down to Battersea Power Station for a screening of Quadrophenia. The screening was followed by a live recording of the Rockonteurs podcast. Gary Kemp and Guy Pratt chatted to Quadrophenia director Franc Roddham and star Phil Daniels. It was a great evening.
You can catch up with the Rockonteurs podcast here…
The film – inspired by Pete Townhend’s rock opera of 1973 – was shot on location in Brighton and London. And the screening has put me in the mood to collate a few locations relating to the movie on a London Music Tours Google Map. It’s not an exhaustive list by any means, so if you do have any info about other places featured in the movie, do drop me a line and, if I can verify their accuracy, I’ll add ’em to the map.
Pie & Mash
The Goldhawk Road, old stomping ground of The Who back before they were famous, is one of the London locations featured in the movie (see map below). Jimmy (Phil Daniels) and Steph (Lesley Ash) ride on a scooter along Goldhawk Road. The name of the road originates in the 14th Century – a wealthy family named Goldhawk held estates here. It was also home to the famous and well-loved Cooke’s Pie & Mash shop. Look out for Cooke’s in a scene with our Mod protagonist Jimmy and his rocker pal Kevin (played by Ray Winstone)…
Sad to relate the shop closed back in 2015.
If you are in that neck of the woods – West London – there’s a plaque dedicated to The Who on the old Goldhawk Club at 205 Goldhawk Road (also marked on the map).
Map
Here’s the Quadrophenia map…
Playlists
Remind yourself of the original album (1973). A rock opera, an oratorio, call it what you will, it remains, for me, The Who’s towering glory…
In 2015 Pete Townshend’s Classic Quadrophenia was released. Featuring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and beautifully scored by Rachel Fuller, it enjoyed its live premiere at the Royal Albert Hall in July 2015. The project came in for some sniffy reviews upon release and was excluded from the UK Classical Chart (!). Among the many things I love about this record is how rich strings replace the running synths. It’s also quite a feat to maintain the thunderous rhythms without that drummer on board…
This final playlist features the non-canonical, non-Who* tracks that pop-up in the soundtrack (*The High Numbers was one of the names used by the band before alighting on the name The Who)…
And the trailer for the 1979 movie…
Get In Touch
As usual, I’m keen to hear from you. If you have any locations to add to the map, drop me a line…
The full schedule of London Music Tours can be found HERE.
