During a visit to England this month, I had a chance to drop in and visit the Hard Rock Cafe London, and took photos of some of the stage and studio used instruments, wardrobe, and other rock and roll memorabilia on display in the restaurant, gift shop, and underground vault.
It was fun to compare with the Hard Rock Cafe Las Vegas, which I visited in April (see Visit & Tour of Hard Rock Cafe Las Vegas (Memorabilia Pictorial)).
Below is the description from their official website:
Standing on Old Park Lane since June 14th 1971, this is the one that started it all. The brainchild of Isaac Tigrett and Peter Morton, the cafe attracted customers from day one with first-rate, but moderately priced, casual American fare (available no-where else in London or the UK at the time), warm service and ubiquitous Rock ‘n’ Roll music and sensibility – Hard Rock Cafe London became an instant classic.
Still housing the first ever piece of memorabilia donated to the Hard Rock Cafe, Eric Clapton’s Lead II Fender, originally donated to reserve a space at the busy bar, the London Cafe is as charming and authentic now as it was 40 years ago. You will find many of the original serving staff still work the floor here today too! The Cafe is also as famous as ever around town for attracting the best rock stars down for a burger and the occasional “jamming session”.
Come and see time fly and lose yourself in our extensive memorabilia collection – one of the most expensive in the world – enjoy some great live music in our Basement bar or just pull up a stool at the bar and enjoy the atmosphere.
Hard Rock Cafe London truly ROCKS!
THE NEWLY REFURBISHED VAULT IS NOW OPEN
Hard Rock London announces the revamp of its legendary London treasure trove of rock memorabilia
“The Vault” located in the old Coutts Bank, now the Hard Rock Cafe London Rock Shop used to protect the Queens coffers. It lives up to its name and now houses the most valuable pieces of memorabilia in Hard Rock’s collection.
New items proudly on display include Clapton’s silver suit as worn on the cover of Cream’s final original album “Goodbye Cream” from 1969 and from The Police, Sting’s Fender Precision Bass, which was used in the 2001 video for “After The Rain Has Fallen”.
Moving into “The Vault” are the costume and guitar worn and used by Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash in the video for “November Rain” from the early 90s, Madonna’s bustier from her 1990 Blonde Ambition Tour plus one of her old credit cards, the first ever guitar owned by Sex Pistols’ guitarist Glen Matlock – on which he came up with the riffs for their huge punk anthem “Anarchy In The UK”, a western-style shirt worn by the inimitable Keith Moon of The Who from the 1970s, and lastly, the harpsichord used by The Beatles to record “All You Need Is Love” and “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds” from the 1967 album “Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”.
The Vault is open 7 days a week from 12 midday til 9pm with no admission charge – be sure to drop by.
Creating memories that Rock! Ask the Vault Master about the Vault souvenir photograph opportunity presented in a Hard Rock Cafe photo frame.
Below are photos taken during my visit:
Jason DeBord