All the love and poison of London
Ever since I was eleven years old, I’ve been a massive fan of the English band Suede. So when I won tickets for a London screening of the Mike Christie directed Sky Arts Suede documentary ‘The Insatiable Ones’ in a Suede quiz on Twitter, there was no question, I had to go.
First time in London
This was going to be my first trip to London and I couldn’t have found a better reason for going there. I lived all my life in Denmark and the only place I ever wanted to visit was London because of Suede. I was understandably excited but it got even more exciting when David Barnett, who is the author of the only official Suede biography ‘Love And Poison’, answered one of my post in the Insatiable Ones facebook group and suggested a Suede walk, that would take us around Suede related places in London and end at the Prince Charles Cinema where the film was screened.
Meeting point: Marylebone Station
I arrived in London early in the morning on Thursday 22nd November at Gatwick Airport and took the train into London and got on the Underground and got off at Seven Sisters station, just because I recognised the name from the Suede song ‘By The Sea’. I spent the morning exploring London before meeting with David Barnett and fellow Suede walkers in front of Marybelone Station at 13pm.
I didn’t want to be late for the walk and somehow made my way to Marylebone Station about an hour too early for the walk. I met two other Suede fans waiting for the walk to begin and soon other fans emerged before our tour guide David Barnett appeared. I was so excited that I immediately dug out my copy of his book and got it signed. It was so amazing to meet the author of a book that i’ve read a thousand times over and over again. Anyway our walk could begin…
In your council home, he broke all your bones…
‘Animal Nitrate’ is one of Suede’s biggest hit singles and the music video for that song is just as iconic as the song, it even got banned from MTV, because it showed two men kissing!?! The video was shot in Lisson Green, a large council estate in Westminster, just around the corner from Marylebone Station, so that was our first stop on our walk.
David told us that the flat Suede used for the video shot was number 18 and the band paid the occupants ten pounds for using their flat. It was fascinating to see this iconic place in Suede history.
Regent’s Canal
Our walk continued along Regent’s Canal, this was where the last photo of Suede with their first guitarist Bernard Butler was taken. It was great to talk to the others who I only have seen in the Insatiable Ones facebook group, it was nice to put a face on them. The walk along the canal was beautiful and we went past London Zoo and saw some Hyenas, I also saw a grey squirrel, where I come from, they are all red, I did not manage to get a decent photo of either.
The Dublin Castle
After the long walk along Regent’s Canal we arrived in Camden, where we had a pint in The Dublin Castle pub, this is also a famous venue were many britpop acts have performed and apparently Amy Winehouse was a regular visitor here. So lovely to chat about your favorite band with like minded people.
Opposite of the pub is the building that housed Suede publicist Savage & Best back in the nineties.
You’re taking me ooovaaaahhh…
After a welcomed break in the pub, we continued our Suede walk and the next location was perhaps the one I was the most excited about. This location was the bridge in Suedes first ever video for their debut single ´The Drowners´, the bridge was situated right next to a used car shop in a very rough area with used laughing gas canister everywhere on the ground, a very suedey place indeed. It was very special to see this bridge and I will never forget this moment. What a day it had been, but there was much more to come..
The walk finished at Bagleys old warehouse in Kings Cross. This is where Suede held their afterparty after their closing shows of the Coming Up tour at the Roundhouse in 1996. Brett Anderson and his girlfriend at the time got locked in the toilets after everyone had left the afterparty and had to crawl over a fence to get out. Back then it was in the middle of nowhere, many new buildings have been build in the area since(update: David has later confessed that it was the wrong building he showed us).
For these silent stars of the cinema
After the walk we made our way to the cinema where ‘Suede: The Insatiable Ones’ was going to be screened. I went to a pub nearby to collect my ticket from the lovely Samantha Hand from The Insatiable Ones facebook group, she is doing so much for Suede fans and has made a strong Suede community through different Social Media platforms and sending out signed books and vinyls for fans around the world, after all there is a reason, they chose that title for the film. First time I met Samantha was last month in Copenhagen were Suede played two amazing concerts on their The Blue Hour tour, she is a truly amazing human being. I met many familiar faces from the facebook group on this trip and somehow it feels like I have known them all my life.
I knew that the band would attend the screening with their families, and there was a possibility that I would met some of the people around the band and perhaps some of the band members. Having already met David Barnett on the Suede walk, he introduced me to Kimble Garcia who used to work for Suede as a drum technician in the nineties.
When I got into the cinema, I noticed band members in the audience and it all was a bit surreal. I got seated right at the front and just before the film was about to start, Mike Christie and the band introduced the documentary and it was amazing to be this close to my heroes.
I felt really privileged to be in this room with these people, watching this documentary. The film itself was the best thing I have ever seen, so raw, honest and even funny. Never have two hours gone by so fast. Afterwards I summoned the courage to tell Richard Oakes how great, I thought the new album is and even got him to take a selfie with me.
After the screening there was a small meet up until the pubs closed and I went to the underground and found my hostel to get some sleep before going back to reality.
