Home of the London Indie/Rock&Roll music scene, The Proud Gallery, Koko, The Roundhouse, the pathway to Primrose Hill, 80s pop group Madness, Finger Lickin’ Records, the most diverse people you’ll ever meet in the UK capital and a very colourful place to live. The girls take on the boy. We begin with…
TARA ‘WEST ROCKS’
Possibly the coolest young indie/rock & roll/dance promoter in Europe at the moment…
What bars or pubs should we get drunk in?
“The Prince Of Wales. The Prince of Wales incorporates fashion, art and music all under the roof of a traditional boozer – run by two geezers called Marco & Marco! The Prince Of Wales has played host to aftershow party celeb birthdays and seen bands such as Kid Harpoon – The Libertines had there reunion gig there and Reverend and The Makers. Noel Gallagher along with others have been known to pop down for a pint, but the pub manages to keep the feel of a proper place to drink.”
Tell us about the infamous late night kebab disco…
“Ah – The Marathan Bar. It’s genius – shenanigans until silly o’ clock and drinking and if you are lucky, one of the Gallaghers there too.”
Where would you go and eat?
“Cottons”
What musicians are we likely to see out and about partying?
“Amy Wineo, Pete Dockersly – if your lucky, if not, mostly hangers on and bands that haven’t made it yet but are all trying to get into the Camden vibe and some Z listers.”
Do you think Camden is rough?
“Camden is a bit sketchy at night, yes “
Best live gig you’ve been to there?
A few good gigs, Kasabian at The Roundhouse, Pete Docherty at The Prince Of Wales pub, Bullet For My Valentine at Barfly, Cage The Elephant at Proud Gallery’.
Messiest party you’ve been to in Camden?
Any aftershow at Koko when my friend ran it – most nights in Camden are very messy”
Who out of your indie rock n roll friends do you enjoy going out with the most?
“Myself”
What’s the best thing about Camden?
“Always someone to see – always a band playing…”
And worst?
“All the hangers on – and it’s a shithole”
And finally, your ‘WEST ROCKS’ night is the talk of the town in London, great venues, superb line up’s – how did all this begin, what are your plans for the future and what have been your best night’s?
“WEST ROCKS, the London hipster clubnight has come across the pond this month to good old New York City to show them how to party London stylie throughout the prestigious new music conference CMJ Festival. Blonde Acid Cult, Solid Gold, Josh Weller & The Noisettes, Will Cameron, Peaches G & Bunny, Tara Rocks, Spiky Phil, Etan, Circus ’68, Daisy Lowe & Will Cameron, Simon White, U,S. Royalty, Jamie Lillywhite & Will Chess…”
http://www.westrocks.co.uk
Donna Johnson
A famous musician, record industry veteran, face of NW1 and someone who knows where’s hot and where’s not…
Tell us about Bar Tok on Chalk Farm Road. Quite a popular place for the locals we hear…
“When all the pubs close and you don’t want to head off to someone’s flat and snort coke, Bar Tok is always a winner. A small bar that you have to pay a fiver on the door to unless you give the doorman a cheeky wink, inside the DJ plays obvious R&B and hip hop and it’s always easy to get a snog – and a free drink off some old loser.”
Where would you go and eat?
“To get the real Camden feel, wander around The Stables on a Saturday or Sunday and stop by any of the stalls serving Oriental food. You can get a three course meal for a fiver. Hampstead is up the road but it’s so boring.”
Tell us something/somewhere about Camden we don’t know about…
“Well if you’re a saddo, the MTV Studios on Hawley Crescent is always a good place to star spot. Limos pull up all of the time and big musicians are always rolling in and out doing interviews. Also, if you want a late bottle of wine, the supermarket on the corner of Chalk Farm Tube Station is always good.”
The late night Kebab Disco cafe… a legend?
“Being a girl, most late night dives are sometimes dangerous around town. The Kebab Disco isn’t. It’s also on the Chalk Farm Road and EVERYONE knows about it. Even Chris Moyles and Chris Evans go on about it on the radio. It’s chaos. There is awful music, a guitarist who lives above the place I think, roller skaters, people doing gymnastic displays, you can buy drinks until 4am. I have seen people turn up at two in the morning in their pyjamas who just fancied a drink.”
What musicians are we likely to see out and about partying around Camden?
“Everyone. The whole new Pete Docherty/Peaches crew, Finley Quaye, Oasis, Johnny Borrell, The All Saints (a few years back) – everyone passes through Camden at one time or another. And when the Sadie Frost/Kate Moss/Jude Law thing was going on, oh my god!”
Do you think Camden is rough?
“It’s like Brixton. If you fit in, walk around with a bit of attitude, then no. I’ve stumbled home with lipstick smeared down my face and my skirt stuck in my knickers at dawn past tramps and crack heads and never had a problem.”
Best live gig you’ve been to there?
“Oasis last week was just amazing”
So Koko, sort of changed things in Camden before The Roundhouse even came along?
“In the past, Travis, The Twang, Jamelia, Jarvis, Guilty Pleasures, Madonna, Mika, Kasabian, Kelly Clarkson, Macy Gray, Coldplay, Dizzee Rascal, Christina Aguilera…all on my doorstep! My boyfriend and myself cannot wait though for The Roundhouse in the next few weeks, Grace Jones, N*E*R*D and Adele are coming up, it is such an incredible venue. It beats spending twenty pounds coming home from Wembley Arena.”
Messiest party you’ve been to in Camden?
“There is one certain flat up Adelaide Road in Primrose Hill where the owners have their front door open 24 hours a day. I think they are swingers. And they serve up you know what. I live across the road which is handy. There was one party on New Years Eve that I was at where a guy opened the French Windows of this flat on Regents Park Road, dropped his trousers and pooed over the railings onto the pavement below. It was there for days.”
What’s the best thing about Camden?
“Anything goes, the market for the odd bargain, The Stables, the people in the pubs you get to meet who you later find out are famous musicians, not getting hassled, the whole bohemian feel. And in the Summer watching rude boys run down the canal pushing tourists into the canal.”
And worst?
“The Gala Bingo”.
Anton Daniels
So the boys fight back. A guy who had a chart smash with his band Beautiful People back in the day, DJ’d everywhere from Cream to The Blue Note, a photography career that’s seen you in the studio with Talvin Singh and The Kills and are now launching a very interesting Poker/Live music night called Casino Royale With Cheese all across the UK. But Camden is in his blood after moving north of the river…
On a night out where should we start for a drink?
“At home… obviously”
Who are the most famous music people who live around Camden?
“There are many famous and infamous stars around here. I always see an infamous mate one before a night out in Camden. The award for First Lady of Camden has to go to our Amy Winehouse – she gets about in the witching hour, is seen DJing at The Monarch and serving beer at the old Hawley Arms which is re-opening soon – after come cunt burnt it down. From David Guest, Liam from the Prodigy, Liam from Oasis, Finlay Quaye… the list goes on. I could talk forever about this one because there are so many faces around here.”
Best clubs in Camden at the moment?
“Koko is a cool club catering for the younger House crew, whereas Proud covers a broader range. DJ Bioux is the host there. Funny enough I play at the Monarch when I feel like it… just like Amy. Keep a look out next year as we’ll be bringing a night of Casino Royale with Cheese to the Monarch… it’s a slice of gold. Inverness Street is an interesting place – full of clubby bars with more of a continental feel… that is until you come to The Good Mixer, which is very Rock ‘n Roll, spit and sawdust. It’s a great place to play a game of “spot the person who hasn’t got a facial piercing”.
So this new multi million pound Gilgamesh restaurant – any good?
“I love Gilgamesh, it’s like eating in a scene from “Raiders of the Last Ark” – on acid. Great food from the Far East. I go there, I play the high-life with all my mates who go there much more than I do. There’s a great DJ called Dan Cousi – nice deep house. It’s also soon to host a “Casino Royale with Cheese” night, – London is buzzing about this.”
Kebab Disco – stories please…
“Ah, the actual real name is The Marathon Bar – the name says it all. It goes on and on and on – the one and only Chippy Disco with the entertainment mostly provided by Daniel James playing Rock ‘n’ Roll guitar til four in the morning – and also the odd fight thrown in. What a great way to end your night out. I come out and scratch my head and think “do I really live in a 24 hour cosmopolitan city, and if I do, why do I end up in a kebab shop?”. But really, this is Rock ‘n’ Roll, long live Rock ‘n’ roll- and I’ll have chilli sauce with that, – and of course, extra cheese.”
How has Camden changed over the years?
“I’ve only been in Camden for ten years. you’re talkin to a Brixton boy here, who now has Camden in his blood. Over the years, money has changed Camden. It’s sliding into more of a corporate thing. It’s still wild and wicked which I like, with ultra quirky shops all around and bars to match. Not a bad place to be if you have money – or even if you don’t, there’s always the guest list!”
If I bought some weed from the guys on the bridge, would I be buying weeds rather than weed?
“Well it’s not a good idea really. I’m sure they’re very nice people who hang down there waiting for the clucking tourists that are straight off a flight from the USA to rip off, but I wouldn’t. Saying that, I’ve done it when I’ve been abroad and it has turned out to be an adventure sometimes. So it’s a gamble, enjoy the ride.”
Best live music venue?
“Since development, Camden has a good choice of live music venues, the larger being Koko and now the wicked Roundhouse which offers Circus and Caberet as well as accomodating the best bands of today. Jimmy Hendrix played there once in his acid heyday – I’m sure I was there – I get my 69’s and 89’s mixed up, always spangled. There are obviously the smaller pubs, clubs and bars with a more rock ‘n’ roll vibe like The Monarch – in fact most of the clubs and bars cater for live music as well as dance. Some are free, some or not. Depends who the fuck you know.”
So tell us about this Poker project you are involved with…
“It does what it says on the tin. It’s ‘Texas Hold ’em High Poker’. It’s a new party experience with hot table service, hard poker playing and cool croupiers. To make sure it’s a good laugh, we have themes like “Wild West” and ‘Speakeasy” – fancy dress included, my famous friends love the whole vibe.’ Casino Royale with Cheese’ has a few wicked events coming up in Camden at The Monarch and Gilgamesh. Also coming up is the DR Who 50th Anniversary. On top of that there’s the English Music convention which has The Boys playing who supported the Sex Pistols – really looking forward to that one. Both events are being televised. Poker’s a great sport. Thank you and goodnight- Elvis has left the building.
www.casinoroyalewithcheese.com
