Camden News: Walk of Fame | Lee Bennett | Robin Gibb | Jarvis Cocker

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Camden News - by CHARLOTTE CHAMBERS
Published: 29 May 2008

Robin Gibb

Stars back bid to turn the streets into a Walk of Fame

HEAVYWEIGHT musical figures including Jarvis Cocker, Jazzie B and Robin Gibb from The Bee Gees have joined forces to back plans to create a Walk of Fame on the main streets of Camden Town.
The idea to lay a heritage trail is largely the brainchild of club impresario Lee Bennett and would see a series of slabs dug into the pavements to credit the famous names who have passed through the legendary music venues in Camden Town – just like the “stars” that line Hollywood Boulevard.
Mr Gibb described Camden Town as an “epicentre” of talent, adding: “I think it’s something we should have had a long time ago in this country because we have such a wealth of musical talent. Historically and culturally it’s all come from this country in the past 40 years and its time we celebrated and honoured that culture.”
Mr Gibb was speaking to film-maker Nick Mason, who has captured a series of celebrity endorsements on camera. The New Journal was given a special sneak preview of the film.
One clip shows Soul II Soul star Jazzie B raving about Camden Town.
“It was the easiest place to kick a lock off a door so that was the place it all went down,” he said. “The Walk of Fame is an innovation.”
Other bands said the area became so synonymous with good music that there were sometimes more record company executives than fans in the crowds at clubs like the Dublin Castle, Barfly and the Electric Ballroom. The Dub Pistols described Camden as an “A & R man’s dream” while The Cribs and the New Young Pony Club recalled how they were both signed after doing one gig in the area.
Others proved their fondness for heady party days by... not remembering them. Jarvis Cocker said: “I can’t exactly recall... Camden in the Britpop era... erm...”, before a five-second pause. He did remember a gig at the Underworld around 1992, when Suede supported his then-fledgling band Pulp.
“A week later they were massively more famous than us,” Mr Cocker added.
The film was made by production company Fasten Your Seatbelt last summer. Mr Mason said: “In an ailing music industry live music is now more important than ever – Camden is responsible for launching countless music careers.”
A committee meeting is due to be held in the next weeks to discuss the progress of the project.

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