Over
time, Denmark Street has been defined by the characters that have lived and
worked here. In truth the street is much more than a street, it’s a story about
community, inclusivity and creativity; open in every sense of the word. If you
play or you don’t, you know it’s the place where folks have played for decades.
Here on the street is where you’ll find the finest craftsmanship with the best-in-class
instruments and that purist culture musicians and collectors are famously drawn
to.
Here,
some could argue, much has changed since 1911 when Lawrence Wright first set up
his music publishing company. But London too has gone through its own
transformations, how we work and play has evolved, altered by time and tide. Though
the hundred yard thoroughfare hasn’t changed quite as much as some might have
you believe. Hank’s, Sixty Sixty Sounds, Wunjo’s (both of them) Regent Sounds
Studio, Rose Morris and No.Tom are all here, making it the place that it has
always been. Their passion, knowledge and energy, reinforces the fact that
Denmark Street is and has always been a neighbourhood defined by its people and
their open attitude. Where faces came from and what they did before never
really mattered; but what did matter and what history would remember, was their
will to express themselves. Together they sparked a movement so powerful it
created a culture that’s stood tall on the street ever since.
Today the proudly independent shop owners, on what
many call London’s ‘Tin Pan Alley’, bring character and soul to Denmark Street.
Collectively they do what they do for the love of the craft and the culture,
creating a future together. But it’s the present that makes this place and in
the present are folks like Jan Smosarski and Harry Napier the owners of Sixty
Sixty Sounds. Who, aside from looking the part, can play; and a simple
visit to their shop or Instagram handle, without making them blush, illustrates
that they play like the legends played. We spent a minute with Jan to chat
about the enduring culture of the place, “Growing up in London as a young guitarist, Denmark
Street was an absolute Mecca. Purely from a standpoint of being able to come
down and see just about any guitar imaginable, for any guitarist of any age that’s
an irresistible proposition. Since working on the street and opening a
business, the sheer volume of people from all over the world who come in droves
to visit and sample the uniqueness of all that this wonderful place has to
offer, has never ceased to amaze.” Jan continues, “Whether it’s stories of Pete
Townshend scampering from stores with stolen guitars, Hendrix buying his first
Marshall stack or Joe Walsh convincing fellow gun slingers of his time to buy
Les Paul’s, the anecdotes from the annuls of history are endless. Equally its
capacity now to make new memories is just as strong. The owner of Hanks’s son
is the mastermind behind Young Blud, and every day, every year, the street’s
legend and legacy seems to be growing”.
Ron
Smith the owner at No.Tom has probably forgotten more about the street
than most people will ever learn. Spend some time with him at the shop and at
some stage you’re going to buy something, whether you play or not. Drenched in
culture from across the ages, we popped in and nearly left with a Fender
Nocaster, which has a backstory in and of itself. As Ron tells us, the “Nocaster,
was a name derived in 1951 when Fender originally called their new guitar
‘Broadcaster’ but later chose to avoid confusion with a pre-existing drum kit
called ‘BroadKaster’. Fender pulled the name from the guitar for a while,
eventually naming it the now famous, ‘Telecaster’. Anything crafted during that
time is widely considered a ‘Nocaster’, they’re rare and generally finished in
Butterscotch blonde”. The Telecaster name was in part inspired by the
popularity of Television at the time, an instrument with a narrative like that,
surely demands attention and yes, desire.
Brian
Rowe, owner at Wunjo Guitars knows the street like the back of
his hand and both stores are soaked with intrigue and story. Wall to wall
guitars line every square foot, from acoustic to electric and the odd
multi-neck. Brian’s passion comes from the culture and the craftsmanship of the
instruments. A visit to his stores usually means you’ll happen upon key names
in the business and a great deal of history that engages and enthrals in equal
measures.
Owner of Regent Sounds Studio Crispin
Weir and his team believe that buying a guitar here on Denmark Street is more
than simply buying an instrument, it’s a culture, a way of doing things and
perhaps more than anything it’s a respect for the time where, instrument in
hand, musicians would walk down the street, trade songs, record in the studio,
have a coffee at La Giaconda, jam with legends and then play on stage at 12
Bar. Crispin shared his feelings on the street with us, “It's almost
impossible to explain the importance of the street's role in the history of
music. Every major artist, publisher and label have been tied to the
street in some way and it's many unsung heroes helped define what is a
truly unique place, in both tradition and atmosphere. It is the heart of
the British Music Industry.”
So if you play or you don’t, long live Denmark Street. And like The Kinks
famously stated on their notable ‘Denmark Street’ track, “You can hear that
music play anytime on any day, Every rhythm, every way”. We happen to think
they were talking about more than just the music, because Denmark Street is
open, in every sense of the word.