As Rod Stewart’s Glastonbury appearance looms, Adam writes… An after-hours train station, freight train clattering through… a blueswailing harmonica rises out of the gloom… footsteps in the darkness. A chance meeting of two young musicians that will send one of them on a trajectory to superstardom. A tale from the Mississippi Delta in the 1930s? Nah mate, Twickenham innit!
The story of how Rod Stewart met the great blues singer and bandleader Long John Baldry at Twickenham Station in the early 60s is one of my favourite London music history tales. Baldry was a big noise on the London Blues scene. Rod had just seen him play at Eel Pie Island and was making his way back home to North London in the wee hours. To pass the time while waiting for a train, Rod sang the blues and played blues harp. Baldry heard him, bounded over from another platform and offered him a gig on the spot.
Just think: these days a young Rod would be doomscrolling on his phone and we’d miss out on a legend…
A Plaque Marks The Spot
I was delighted to be quoted in the London Evening Standard on the occasion of a plaque being placed to mark the spot:
“It’s so fitting that the train station – the first port-of-call for most visitors to Twickenham – should have this plaque. It acts as a harmonica fanfare for a most historical and still vibrant music neighbourhood. As well as for Sir Rod’s extraordinary musical journey.
I lead music history tours all over London. The most common question I am asked? “Why isn’t there a plaque here?” Well at Twickenham Station, there is now. Thanks and well done Southwest Trains. And congratulations Sir Rod!”
Read the full story at the Standard’s website HERE.
Visit Twickenham
Twickenham is one of our most vibrant musical neighbourhoods. Not only for history, but for its living music scene. The London School of Rock is just about to open there. In addition, the outstanding Eel Pie Museum is one of the best small museums in the country. And no visit is complete without a trip to Eel Pie Records. There’s also the brilliant High Tide Festival. If you’d like to support the festival this year, there’s still time – you can even claim places on one of my tours and membership to The Monday Night Music History Club by donating HERE.
We visit Twickenham on the Rock’n’Roll Explorer Day tours.
60s Rod For Beginners
A short introduction to Rod Stewart’s 1960s output…
