Ladbroke Grove
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ladbroke Grove is a road in West London, and is also the name given to the immediate area surrounding the road. Running from Notting Hill in the south to Kensal Green in the north, it is located in North Kensington and straddles the W10 and W11 postal districts. Ladbroke Grove tube station is located on the road, at the point where it is crossed by the Westway. It is also the nearest tube station to Portobello Road Market.
Ladbroke Grove is the main road on the route of the annual Notting Hill Carnival in August.
The psychedelic rock band Hawkwind formed here in 1969, and eventually they bonded and worked with fantasy author Michael Moorcock who then was a resident (and who also lamented the tendency of the bandmembers to show up at odd hours in search of food/booze/dope). Punk group The Clash also formed locally in 1976.
It is mentioned in the 1970s pop hit "One Man Band" by Leo Sayer, and was home to the UK Underground movement. In the Pulp song "I Spy" from the album Different Class they sing the line "your Ladbroke Grove looks turn me on."
In 1999, 31 people died in the Ladbroke Grove rail crash.
The road is also mentioned in the song "Slim Slow Slider" by Van Morrison, from the Astral Weeks album.
Celebrities currently living on this road include the socialite James Hudson and David Beckham's former mistress Rebecca Loos.
