*London’s magnificent “Mews Houses & Streets”-Pt3….”Colbeck Mews”-SW7

Rather frustratingly on my part, for the past few months, I haven’t been able to get out ‘on-the-road’ to conduct regular London Shoes blogs – as ‘life’ and other commitments/responsibilities have got in the way. However – I am hoping to return to publishing at a much more regular frequency from hereon in.

Anyway – getting back to the matter at hand here – I do have a couple of blogs sitting in Shoes vaults, that I conducted quite a few weeks ago, but have not yet published – and this is one of them.

So – this particular blog represents ‘Part 3’ in the Shoes theme of “London’s Magnificent Mews Houses & Streets” – and the site in question for this article is “Colbeck Mews” situated in the heart of the ‘Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea’ – close to Gloucester Road tube station.

There is nothing spectacular or amazing, historically or visually about Colbeck Mews – but it was a place that I was keen to visit, from a ‘music’ perspective – all will be revealed later in this blog.

Colbeck Mews is a cobbled mews street that can be approached via an arch from Collingham Road at one end of the mews– and Harrington Gardens at the other end of the mews.

The first houses in this mews were built around the 1860’s, and it is believed that the mews was named after a Kensington landowner, the Reverend William Colbeck.

The Colbeck Mews properties were originally built as accommodations, stables and coach houses, for the service staff of the big houses in nearby Harrington Gardens and Courtfield Road.

Today, the primary purpose of the Colbeck Mews properties is now mainly residential.

There are approx. 14 residential houses in the mews – plus the back-ends of some businesses and industrial units – and only the northern end of the street has the mews cottages.

Despite WW2 bombing and other significant changes to Colbeck Mews over the years of its existence, its original arch at one end of the Mews, still remains in situ.

Now – my main reason for visiting Colbeck Mews was actually to do with my interest music, and in particular, my geeky’ness in seeking out actual sites in London where album covers were photographed/illustrated – and Colbeck Mews just happens to fall into that category.

In 1970 a young singer by the name of Rod Stewart, had just recently left his role as lead vocalist for legendary guitarist Jeff Beck’s band (along with his mate guitarists Ronnie Wood, who played bass in the Jeff Beck group)

By late 1970, both Rod Stewart & Ronnie Wood would have joined the newly formed ‘Faces’ (previously the Small Faces) – but in the meantime, Rod Stewart had a low-key solo recording contract with Vertigo Records and was contracted with them to deliver 2 solo albums at cheap costs.

The first of these 2 low-key album releases knocked out by Rod was “An Old Raincoat will never let you down” – a very folk orientated album, which was released in late 1969.

Rod Stewart’s 2^nd solo studio album was released in June 1970 and was entitled “Gasoline Alley” another folkie type album, and nothing like the stuff that he would be knocking out with the Faces, by the end of that year.

The Gasoline Alley album consisted of covers and some of Rod’s own compositions – the track listing being:-

Gasoline Alley / It’s all over now / Only a Hobo / My way of giving / Country Comfort / Cut across Shorty / Lady Day / Jo’s Lament / You’re my Girl

The musicians on the album mainly comprised of Rod’s fellow ‘Faces’ band members, namely Ronnie Wood (guitar) – Ronnie Lane (bass) – Ian McLagan (keyboards) – Kenny Jones (drums) – the late great Micky Waller played drums on 5 of the 9 tracks.

On the whole, the album was well received – I think it reached something like no.17 in the UK album charts, and it made the 20’s in the US charts.

However – it’s the album cover of Rod’s ‘Gasoline Alley’ solo album that prompted London Shoes to seek out Colbeck Mews – as the albums gatefold sleeve was photographed down there, in early 1970. 

Shoes’ couldn’t quite exactly replicate the album cover, as things have obviously changed a little bit down in Colbeck Mews, in the 52 years since the album was released – but it was worth a visit, and also it is one that I can add to my existing ‘London-Album Covers’ blog that Shoes published a couple of years back.

Hope you enjoyed this little story and its accompanying photos.

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See below the full gallery of photos supporting this Colbeck Mews blog

Me – down “Colbeck Mews” situated in the heart of the ‘Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea’ – close to Gloucester Road tube statio

Colbeck Mews is a cobbled mews street that can be approached via an arch from Collingham Road at one end of the mews–

A view of the original arch entrance into Colbeck Mews – plus some of the existing 14 mews houses down there.

One end of Colbeck Mews has the back-ends of some businesses and industrial units –

The first houses in this mews were built around the 1860’s, and it is believed that the mews was named after a Kensington landowner, the Reverend William Colbeck.

The section of Colbeck Mews that was the location for the album cover of Rod Stewart’s 1970 released solo album – “Gasoline Alley”

The original gatefold cover of Rod Stewart’s 1970 released solo album “Gasoline Alley” – which was shot at the Harrington Gardens entrance into Colbeck Mews

The front cover of Rod Stewart’s “Gasoline Alley” solo album – released in 1970 – and where the album cover was of a homeless man in Colbeck Mews

The original free-standing lantern depicted on the cover of the “Gasoline Alley” album, has long been removed – but a wall lantern streetlamp is now in its place.

Me – heading out of Colbeck Mews and back home – having successfully located the spot where the cover photo of Rod Stewart’s 1970 released solo album cover “Gasoline Alley”, had been taken.