London Weeks
In our London Weeks-series we want to dive deep into Bob Dylan’s first trip outside of North America. This often overlooked trip was more important for his career than most fans might imagine.
We will deliver bite-sized pieces of a puzzle, bring together the whole story of Bob’s first trip abroad.
Bob Dylan stayed in London from December 17th 1962 until the end of January 1963 (including a short side trip to Rome). So, during these 5-6 weeks, he needed to stay somewhere. It could have been easy, but there is quite a story to tell and more than one location he stayed at.
First, he was booked into the prestigious May Fair hotel.
The May Fair Hotel
In their book “Bob Dylan in London”, Jackie Lees and K G Miles give a nice insight into the hotels history:
“The May Fair […], often referred to incorrectly as the Mayfair, the hotel’s name reveals something of the history of the area. Mayfair was originally swampland around the river Tyburn. It got its name in 1686, when James II gave permission for a fair to be held during the first two weeks of May. The site of the historic fair is now Sheperd Market […].
The May Fair hotel was opened by George V and Queen Mary in 1927. It soon became established as one of the mist stylish hotels in Europe.” […]
Almost as soon as Dylan set foot in the May Fair, he knew it wasn’t for him. As he explained in an interview with Robert Shelton, he disliked the stream of staff taking his bags from outside to inside, from lobby to lift, from lift to room - ending up, he complained, with about ten people each requiring tipping!
Dylan told Saville that the May Fair had a catalogue of complaints about him, including being unhappy with his appearance, his not wearing a tie, playing his guitar in the foyer, staying up all night and bringing in groupie girls off the streets.”
Philip Saville and the BBC have invested a large sum of money to get Bob Dylan to appear in the play “Madhouse On Castle Street”. Like some others, Philip Saville saw something in early Bob Dylan and was convinced enough to not only pay him a lot of money but also to put him in the prestigious May Fair.
But, according to Heylin’s research, he also stayed a couple nights at Philip Saville’s Hamstead home, where also Pauline Boty lived, most likely between the stays of the May Fair and another hotel:
The Cumberland
The Cumberland, which is located opposite Marble Arch, was Jimi Hendrix’s last recorded address, as noted on his death certificate.
Today, the hotel honors its connection to the legendary musician with the Jimi Hendrix Suite.
So, for the rest of his London-stay he would be accommodated at the Cumberland.
He also stayed many a-night at a friends place at 9 Tregunter road, to which we will come back in a future post.
In the end, it was just too early for Bob and the May Fair. The May Fair didn’t like Bob and Bob didn’t like the May Fair. But, at this point, the mutual history between Bob Dylan and the May Fair had just begun and this incident would not stop him from making himself an name in London.
Bob would make these weeks during this “madcap trip” in London unforgettable and career-shaping.
As Clinton Heylin put it in “The Double Life of Bob Dylan”:
“The trip to London turned into an adventure against which even Denver and Madison paled.”
More on that to come.