In amongst the bustling streets of London and the ever-changing tides of the Thames, Eel pie island lies, the hidden birthplace of some of the world's greatest music.
Eel Pie Island was a tourist attraction through the 19th century with its world famous sprung ballroom floor (Described by Eric Clapton as being so bouncy, "you didn’t even have to dance, it would go at least six or seven inches up in the air’), situated in a now dilapidated hotel. This unique luxury went on to hold hundreds of tea dances during the 30s, but by 1950, it had fallen into disrepair. It was Arthur Chisnall, an antique shop owner, who transformed Eel Pie Island and created one of the most famous music venues of its time.
By 1960, the hotel had become the centre of R&B in London. With a certified passport, people could expect to see no less than: Cyril Davies, Alexis Korner, Long John Baldry, The Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart, the Downliner Sect, Eric Clapton, John Mayall, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page and David Bowie, people who have shaped the music industry we know today. When the Rolling Stones rocked the tattered ballroom, no one could have anticipated the future they would have and who could have known that the 17-year-old boy who took to the hotel’s stage would later become known as David Bowie? Later in the decade, yet more bands performed at Eel Pie - bands like Pink Floyd, The Who and Atomic Rooster - and the area became one of London's largest rock venue, attracting hundreds every year.
However, after the closure of the hotel in 1970, much of Eel Pie's glittering past was forgotten along with the £200,000 worth of repairs it required. But now, the island has a new claim to fame with The Mystery Jets, a recent indie rock band who originated here. So, to end on a high note, Eel Pie is an island with not only a feature in two of Charles Dickens' novels, but with years of music history attached.
