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Celebrates the part played by royalty, entrepreneurs, artists and artisans! and the characters who have been drawn to the island and in turn, pulled others under its spell. Best of British This fascinating, lavishly illustrated history tells the story of this magical spot.' Trevor Baylis, OBE Daily Express Fun to read, informative, accurate, amusing and full of wonderful illustrations. The authors and publisher have clearly enjoyed working together and the reader is the benficiary. Thames Guardian
Product Description
EEL PIE ISLAND is the only inhabited island on the semi-tidal Thames. Its most famous contemporary resident, Trevor Baylis, OBE, inventor of the clockwork radio, has been heard to describe it (with some exaggeration) as "120 drunks clinging to a mudbank". It is a tiny place, just 600 yards long and barely 150 at its widest, but it has nearly fifty houses, some twenty houseboats, two boatyards and a score of small businesses and craft studios, two boating clubs and a nature reserve at each end, and it is connected to the rest of the world by an elegant footbridge. Named for the favoured snack of Henry VIII, who was said to stop here on his way to and from Windsor, the island has enjoyed two periods of special fame: in the nineteenth century it was a resort for Londoners who, like Charles Dickens, came by the newfangled steamboats to spend the day in the grounds of the hotel that dominated the island until 1969; and in the middle of the twentieth it was a venue for jazz and later English R&B groups, where the likes of Chris Barber or George Melly, and then the Rolling Stones or Rod Stewart, performed in the dancehall of the hotel. A surprising number of people all over Britain and beyond remember Eel Pie Island and its gigs - usually with a nostalgic smile. Dan van der Vat and Michele Whitby tell the story of Eel Pie Island from the Stone Age to The Rolling Stones and beyond, illustrated with a wealth of rare archive images and atmospheric contemporary photography.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
BEAUTIFUL AND FASCINATING BOOK FOR MUSIC LOVERS AND TWICKENHAM PEOPLE!,
By Dave McG (London, England) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Eel Pie Island (Hardcover)
This is a lovely book - both content-wise and as an item of record with photographs etc. I've lived in Twickenham for many years now, love the place and am a massive music fan as well as a lover of local history so this book is perfect for me on all counts. Everyone in Twickenham knows about the Island Hotel and the stories of those who played there but until now it's all been anecdotal; this book finally pulls the whole story together in one beatifully designed place - well, as much of it as they could fit in the book! It's obviously been a labour of love, with all the photos, ticket stubs and original gig contracts scanned and included. It's very much a lively mix of images and text, written by people who are on the spot, have been for years and know their subjects well. It's a million miles away from the 'cuttings jobs' that fill the world of music books. The photos aren't all of musicians either - there are some stunning recent ones of the Island and the life - wild and otherwise - on it.
The music history in the book and that of the legendary Hotel is of course hugely engaging for a music fan but the general history of the Island that tops and tails it is equally readable and enjoyable. I just sat down with a couple of beers and devoured the whole thing in one sitting. While sitting outside a Twickenham riverside pub that faces the Island, near the plaque that remembers all the stars that played there. The Island is a unique place that, in places, time has forgotten, with its own quirky, off-the-wall 'vibe' and it's all here. Essential for anyone who loves music and wants to read the story of a sometimes overlooked corner of the UK music scene in the '50s and '60s but also for anyone living in or near Twickenham, as it's an information-packed historical record of the Island we all love and which helps make Twickenham the special town it is.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Eel Pie Island memories,
By
This review is from: Eel Pie Island (Hardcover)
I love this book and it also solved present problems for several people. To my suprise it was not only loved by people like me who had gone to the island in the 60's and have grown up with the music and musicians of that time. But my son and his friends equally interested in the music and history of the island. Twickenham remains a music oasis and catalyst for up and coming musicians. This book is a reminder and explanation of why so much has been generated from the area and why now parent/grandparents of the Eelpie generation encourage and support music.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating well produced book,
By Chris B. "Chris" (London) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Eel Pie Island (Hardcover)
Anyone who is interested in Brtish music and quirky venues(and lots more) should read this.
A very nostalic read for me in particular as I saw Free on Eel Pie Island in the late sixties. I was there with 3 friends and the unknown support band (who we all thought were dreadful and would go nowhere) was Genesis! How wrong can you be!
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