As Miss Cyril "Cilla" Black might put it, there's been a lorra lorra history in these rooms. Plus a lorra lorra skag.
For this was once the second floor flat cum "salon" of art dealer to the stars Robert Fraser, much frequented by Paul and JohnandYoko. Here they would come to hang out with passing Pop artists, indulge in whatever might be indulgeable (pretty sure that's not a word), and lend unrecoverable sums of money to the titular Bob.
Fraser, o' course, was also well in with the Stones, and it was whilst looking out of these very windows upon a storm-lashed Mayfair that Keef wrote "Gimme Shelter":
Mr Richards also recalls, in his highly entertaining memoir, how Fraser would often disappear off to riffle through the pockets of the finely cut suits hanging in these very "cupboards", seeking stray heroin "jacks":
Pharmaceutical heroin was available on the NHS back then, provided one was a registered junkie. The musicians' chemist of choice for this purpose was, apparently, John Bell & Croyden of Wigmore Street; still there, though no longer a dispenser of "doojee".
Hi there!
ReplyDeleteJust a quick word to let you know that Robert vacated No.23 sometime in 1968. He moved to No.120 and it was there that Keith wrote Gimme Shelter and other songs for Let It Bleed. No.120 was also used by Kenneth Anger for interior shots for his film Lucifer Rising.
Interesting. Always pleased to learn I have been talking guff.
ReplyDeleteWhich flat at No 120? Or at least, which floor?
Hi there!
ReplyDeleteNot to worry, going by a few quotes in the Groovy Bob book even some of the people who knew him don't recall the change of flat.
Robert's second Mount Street flat was on the 2nd floor of No. 120, a large 8 room affair, the previous occupant was writer and theatre critic Kenneth Tynan.
Here's a number of photos taken inside 120 Mount Street during the filming of Kenneth Anger's Lucifer Rising.
http://www.corbisimages.com/Search#p=1&q=Kenneth+Anger+1971