The Rise and Fall of the Hippest Street in the World

THE King’s Road in Chelsea was at the epicentre of not one, but two worldwide cultural shifts. In the mid-sixties, it became a focal point and shop window for the new ‘swinging’ London, encompassing music, theatre, the visual arts, fashion and much more. It remained at the forefront of developing trends throughout the following decade until it became the breeding-ground for UK punk rock, helping inspire youthful rebellion the world over. In short, it was the place to be.

In the time between the formation of the Rolling Stones and the demise of the Sex Pistols, the King’s Road had the attention of the world. Just how this came to be is a classic rise-and-fall story of satisfaction and sedition, featuring some of the most famous people of the late twentieth century and many of the pivotal moments of the fifties, sixties and seventies.

This revised and expanded edition of King’s Road covers the cultural history of the King’s Road, tracking many key figures who lived or spent time there, from Henry VIII to David Bowie, Margaret Thatcher to Vivienne Westwood, Karl Marx to The Beatles, and Mozart to Mary Quant.