East Acton, Elvis and the Clash

Today is John Peel Day – which reminds me of East Acton’s role in the punk and ‘new wave’ music that burst out of the blandness of the late 1970s.

Elvis Costello worked in the mid 1970s at the then Elizabeth Arden factory in Wales Farm Road, as a computer operator under his real name of Declan McManus. The story goes that he was the only operator on his shift, and therefore could use much of the time to practice the guitar, write songs, and work on this music career. Supposedly, Elvis lived at the time in Wells House Road, also in East Acton ward, although I’ve never been able to prove this.

The Elizabeth Arden factory has now been developed in to the very impressive and appropriately named ‘Perfume Factory’ – unfortunately Elvis didn’t take up their invitation to open it. The owners of the Perfume Factory, Sapcote, have proved to be very community minded – for example, funding high quality play equipment for the local John Perryn Primary School

Histories of perhaps the greatest of the punk bands – The Clash – usually talk about their being founded in a squat in West London. Well, that squat was at 22 Davis Road off Acton Vale in East Acton ward. Joe Strummer was playing in the 101s band, when he visited Davis Road, met Mick Jones and Paul Simonon, and created the Clash. Indeed there are punk fans who argue that Davis Road was the spiritual home of British punk, given that others who stayed there at some time included Sid Vicious and Johnny Rotten of the Pistols..

Around 25 years later, Joe Strummer came back to Acton, where he played what proved to be his last gig before his early death at Acton Town Hall. This charity concert on 15th November 2002 marked the first time that Joe and Mick Jones had been on a stage together for many years. The Clash were a huge part of my student days - I’ll never forget listening to the Clash’s seminal ‘London’s Burning’ album in late 1979 – as a total rejection that all that the then newly elected Thatcher Government was planning for the country.

Went in the evening to the monthly Acton Labour Party all-members meeting. I particularly reported on current East Acton planning, licensing and environmental issues, and answered questions on Ken Livingstone’s proposed additional powers and some of the local failings of train companies.

However, it was particularly interesting to hear reports from four of our new prospective Councillors about some of the work that they had been doing. Theresa Byrne (Acton Central) talked about street lighting and ways to influence and support the Council's big new modernisation programme ; Attalah Said (East Acton) outlined fundraising plans and activities ; John Gallagher (South Acton) talked about current housing issues on the South Acton Estate ; and Abdullah Gulaid (Southfield) reported on heath issues, particularly in the Somali community.

Theresa Byrne (Acton Central)

London Pride flowed in the Kings Head afterwards, and we arranged quiz teams for two forthcoming social events.