Britpop Camden
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by Miranda Diboll in London
26 May 2016
80min
 2mi
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About the audio tour
Join me on a nostalgia-fuelled jaunt around Britpop lalaland circa 1995. Aren't I a lucky 40 something to be able to relive my youth like this!
I had the honour of living and loving here that year. It was the height of Britpop and I was living in its epicentre; what a great place to be a music fan. By chance I'd found a lovely double room to rent in Primrose Hill. I had the best of both worlds. Rough, riotous Camden Town and gentile, pretty Primrose Hill.
I was a student at the time but my eyes were on the future - I wanted to make websites for popstars. I struggled to learn HTML, preferring to spend my evenings chatting up boys in Fred Perry shirts. I did end up working with My Life Story and some of my personal anecdotes about them will be shared en route.
You can download a Spotify playlist to listen to which is a nice accompaniment to this walk. I recommend you listen to it before the walk to get you in the mood!
https://play.spotify.com/user/115030806/playlist/15uPkNHeQpKaWow4lr3GVp
Major Landmarks
The Electric Ballroom, The Good Mixer, Primrose Hill, The Dublin Castle, Miranda Diboll's old gaff.
Directions to starting point
The walk starts from Caffe 43 in Pratt Street, five minute walk from Camden Town tube station.
Tips
Places to stop along the way:
There are pubs en route. The Good Mixer in Inverness Street is a must visit to capture the spirit of 95. There's a jukebox...you know what to do! Not far from the pub is 'Out On The Floor', a record shop that was here back in the mid 90s and probably earlier. I used to pick up all my music form here in those pre download days.
The tour finishes at The Dublin Castle pub. Soak up some beer, soak up the atmosphere.
Best time of day:
Daylight hours recommended as there's a fair amount of canal side walking. I used to walk home in the dead of night along these waterways, you don't have to :-)
Precautions:
Traffic. Loads of it so look where you're putting your feet.
Pickpockets. A few of them around so watch you stuff. The canal tow paths. Don't fall in!
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