"Maiden traces in London"

[Forostar]

Hi,

I would like to spend one week in London with my wife.

As a big Maiden fan I definitely would love to see some Maiden history in this city.
I am sure these kind of topics have been started on this forum before, so I hope you people don't mind I ask (again).:

Would anyone give me some tips where to find (and how to recognize) some venues where Maiden has played or other places that were important for the history of the band?

Which places I definitely should NOT miss?

Is there perhaps a website on this matter?



Further we are wondering if anyone here has some tips concerning staying in this city.

We are especially curious about tips to spend the nights. Youth Hostels are preferred but cheaper hotels (even if they are further from the centre) are also welcome.

We have found some hostels on internet and the prices are around 22 pounds per person per night. We were wondering if it could get any cheaper?

Thanks in advance for all your tips! It would be a great help!

 

[Anonymous]

"Maiden traces in London" - tips needed

Just don't miss the Ruskin Arms in East Ham [!--emo&--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/smile.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'smile.gif\' /][!--endemo--]

 

[Shadow]

"Maiden traces in London" - tips needed

Ruskin Arms is located at 386 High Street North, Manor Park, if you wonder. Details of how to get there can be found [a href=\'http://www.ruskinarms.co.uk/location/\' target=\'_blank\']here[/a].

Also make sure you visit is the Cart and Horses pub (1 Maryland Point, Stratford) and the Marquee Club! The latter was closed down some years ago but recently re-located.

 

[Forostar]

"Maiden traces in London" - tips needed

Thanks Mav and Shadow. This is the cool info I needed. [!--emo&--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/smile.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'smile.gif\' /][!--endemo--]

More is welcome of course!

 

[The_7th_Son]

"Maiden traces in London" - tips needed

Ruskin Arms is a great place, I have very fond memories of it, definately worth a visit. Check out their site for more info [!--emo&--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/smile.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'smile.gif\' /][!--endemo--] I've sent you the link for the map, but theres plenty more information if you check it out [a href=\'http://www.ruskinarms.co.uk/location/?PHPSESSID=e5cf0300c057dbc1873b960557665d74\' target=\'_blank\']Click here for the ruskin arms website![/a]

It looks like this:
[img src=\'http://www.ruskinarms.co.uk/resources/structure/venue_outside.jpg\' border=\'0\' alt=\'user posted image\' /]



If you want to see some specific stuff, the London Dungeons has some models that maiden did a photo shoot at for their first album. Oh as a warning, if you're planning to visit this place, (you might not seeing as its not of great maiden importance but its good) its very gory and dark so if you or your wife hate things like that I dont recommend it. All about torture and criminals if you hadn't guessed [!--emo&--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/smile.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'smile.gif\' /][!--endemo--]

 

[Forostar]

I opened this topic myself, years ago, but when I went to London, I didn't visit those venues unfortunately.
Other topics were opened since (and also one before this one) and now it'd be cool to make one "definite" overview of various locations.

Since I am going to London next Friday, I'd like to ask a couple of questions:

I read on various topics that the Marquee and Ruskin Arms have been closed down or that they (or one of them) have been relocated. It's a shame that such places are closed down, but to be honest, if the building is there, I am still interested to visit it. So if relocated means that the address has changed, then I am not interested to visit it.

Let's start here:

1. Ruskin Arms

Ruskin Arms is located at 386 High Street North, Manor Park, if you wonder.

I read that this was closed down but when I check Google maps I still see a streetview picture of Ruskin Arms.
Question: was this address the original (location of the) building in which Maiden played?

2. Cart and Horses

Also make sure you visit is the Cart and Horses pub (1 Maryland Point, Stratford)

Also here I see a Google streetview picture.
Question: was this address the original (location of the) building in which Maiden played?

3. Marquee Club (edit: Maiden-era address: 90 Wardour Street)

and the Marquee Club! The latter was closed down some years ago but recently re-located.

Is the Marquee Club at a different address now?
What is the address of the original Marquee location where Maiden played?
Is it on Charing Cross Road? Which number?

Let's try to add more original location addresses of venues where Maiden played in the early days. E.g. The Swan..

Thanks for answering (one of) the questions and all other contributions.  

 

[national acrobat]

Ruskin Arms: that address is where it's always been, i.e. the original location where Maiden played in the early days. I went to have (another) look at it about 6 months ago to see if it was still standing and generally what was happening to it. It was completely boarded up and surrounded by scaffolding. All that you could see was the little picket fence out front, and possibly the name of the pub on the building (I can't remember for sure). As I said, that was at the start of this year, and even if it's still in that condition it's not really worth a visit I'm afraid.

 

[Forostar]

Thanks for the info and the confirmation of the address!

I can imagine that my interest in such locations might be a bit heavy on the geographical side.
E.g. I already find it interesting to walk in that street, trying to imagine how Maiden went nervously to a performance, wanting to win more souls.

Well, I have no problem with going there alone on Sunday. But if the whole building can't even be seen from the outside, it indeed might not be worth it.

The streetview pic shows a building perfectly to be seen, so now I wonder when it was taken.

I need to find out how we can see when a streetview pic was taken.

 

[Albie]

3. Marquee Club
Is the Marquee Club at a different address now?
What is the address of the original Marquee location where Maiden played?
Is it on Charing Cross Road? Which number?

The Marquee moved to Charing Cross Road in '88 (I used to frequent there a lot back then), but when Maiden played it was in Wardour Street - unfortunately, I never went there. The Charing Cross site is now a pub and I went back there a few years ago - you could still make out where the stage was etc.

Check out these links:

http://www.themarqueeclub.net/history-t ... -1964-1988
http://www.themarqueeclub.net/history-c ... -1988-1990

As for the street view, I would think that was taken around 4 or 5 years ago. My home town was done around 3 years ago and London had already been done by then.

 

[Forostar]

Thanks Albie. Interesting reads. Many legendary acts have performed in that old location. A shame that Maiden didn't have their own entry.

This is sad:

Sadly, the original building where the main room of the club was located at Wardour Street was demolished, which represents a terrible and irreplaceable loss for the history of the the city and rock music culture. Today the Terence Conran's Meza restaurant takes it's place and it's basement is occupied by Cuban live music club Floridita.

This is the only trace left:

..The next building located at 90 Wardour Street where the entrance of the club used to be still remains on the site and is now the entrance to the Soho Lofts apartments.


Just found the location of Maiden's first gig (if I interpreted things well):
On this map, there's an arrow pointing at All Saints' Church, Poplar. Maiden played their first gig at its sister church:
4. St Nicholas' Church, Aberfeldy Estate, Poplar.

Directions to St Nicks': The street map link above also shows the position of St Nicks' on Aberfeldy Street (postcode E14 0PT). From All Saints' Church turn East and go along the East India Dock road and cross the A12 (Blackwall Tunnel approach Road). If in a car continue to the next lights and turn left into Abbott Rd and then second left into Dee Street. If walking, cut down alongside the A12 and turn into Blair Street and then turn left into Aberfeldy Street and walk up 100 yards.


5. Windsor Castle

135 Lower Clapton Road
Maiden played here in 1976. In 1978 & 1979 gigs were cancelled. 1978 due to theft of equipment and 1979 due to an argument with the landlord.


6. The Queen Elizabeth
95 Forest Side, Chingford

3 gigs in 1976.


7. Walthamstow Assembly Hall
703 Forest Road

Maiden's last gig in 1976.


8. The Green Man (now called O'Dowd's Public House)
67 Plumstead High Street

Maiden did 2 gigs in 1977 here. The 2nd was Thunderstick's last gig with the band.


9. The Music Machine (now called KOKO, a nightclub).

1A Camden High Street

Maiden played one gig in 1977 and eleven gigs in 1979.

This is the venue where the oldest known Iron Maiden bootleg recording was made.
(it was also the scene of AC/DC's singer Bon Scott's last bender who chocked on his own vomit and passed away following leaving the club at 3am).

 

[Albie]

As for the street view, I would think that was taken around 4 or 5 years ago. My home town was done around 3 years ago and London had already been done by then.

Further to this, I looked at the street view of Ruskin Arms and I can say that some of the photos taken near it were most definitely around 18 months ago. Firstly, there is a Kwik-fit a short distance from the club heading north. In there is a Focus MKII Face-lift that came out around late 2007/early 2008. If it was in Kwik-fit, it would have to have been at least a year old - you wouldn't take a brand new car in to Kwik-fit as it wouldn't of needed anything done that would not be covered by a warranty. The petrol station next to it has petrol at 114p or 116p (depending on your view) per litre. Petrol was priced at that in Jan/Feb 2010 so it does look like it was taken then.

However, as you navigate towards Ruskin Arms, it shows that it was not all taken on the same day but you can see the pub is not boarded up at the time it was taken by Kwik-fit.

 

[Forostar]

Interesting analysis Albie! Look what I just found:

Ruskin Arms: that address is where it's always been, i.e. the original location where Maiden played in the early days. I went to have (another) look at it about 6 months ago to see if it was still standing and generally what was happening to it. It was completely boarded up and surrounded by scaffolding. All that you could see was the little picket fence out front, and possibly the name of the pub on the building (I can't remember for sure). As I said, that was at the start of this year, and even if it's still in that condition it's not really worth a visit I'm afraid.

I found this page which also links to photos from the pre-closing era (right before it closed).
http://crusader747.blogspot.com/2011/04 ... -2011.html

There is a photo from last April which shows what you described:

Comment: Building work is still going on (seems to be taking forever).
I believe it is going to be apartments... Eventually


10. The Harrow

Ripple Road, Barking, Essex, IG11 9PW  (couldn't find a house number)
Maiden played here a number of times, both in 1976 and in 1977.

^
l
l

| (1977)
|
V

11. The Plough & Harrow

419 High Road, Leytonstone
1 gig in 1976, 2 in 1977


12. The Tramshed (now called: The Woolwich Tramshed)

51 Woolwich New Road
1 gig in 1977.

I think I have done about all 1976-1978-era venues in London, which are not destroyed yet.


13. The Brecknock (now called: The Unicorn)

227 Camden Road
1 gig (the second in 1979)


14. The Swan

46 Hammersmith Broadway
3 gigs in 1979. About the first: Paul Di'Anno got arrested for carrying a knife and missed most of the show

 

[Forostar]

A building with interesting history. Info and pic from Maiden77 Facebook:

The (Golden) Fleece pub where Dennis Stratton went to invite Clive Burr to join Iron Maiden....

Address: 166 Capel Road, London, E12 5DB , from a review Check out this pub, not many people know its here, it's a beautiful pub on the edge of Wanstead flats ( part of Epping forest.) Real nice garden with kids play area, kid and dog friendly, they had 5 real ales available which you don't see that often in most pubs

 

[Forostar]

Heh. I found 22 Acacia Avenue in Hornchurch, a suburban town in East London, but the number has been removed. Afraid of metal tourists?

 

[Brigantium]

There's an Acacia Avenue a few streets away from where my parents live. I assume there's a 22 there somewhere.

 

[CriedWhenBrucieLeft]

Heh. I found 22 Acacia Avenue in Hornchurch, a suburban town in East London, but the number has been removed. Afraid of metal tourists?

There's at least half a dozen in England.

 

[Forostar]

London is extra fitting to this folklore tale.

 

[CriedWhenBrucieLeft]

London is extra fitting to this folklore tale.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acacia_Avenue
Wiki says there are nine in Greater London.

 

[Forostar]

Hm, hm. The closest Acacia Avenue to their native Leyton, east London is in Hornchurch.

 

[Brigantium]

It's a fairly common generic street name, the 'average' street if you like. Charlotte was plying her trade from some unassuming little house in a perfectly respectable average street.