Over more than half a century, the customers of a London Road guitar shop have included Page, Rossi and Kravitz.
As NADIA AZIZUDDIN writes, Croydon’s musical future is to be found in Rockbottom’s basement rehearsal rooms
The heart and sock ‘n roll of Croydon music scene: Rockbottom, on London Road
Rockbottom is at the heart of Croydon’s musical heritage.
In more than 50 years, the music shop run by Carl Nielsen has earned the patronage of greats like Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Eddie Van Halen and many more.
As you walk in to the premises at 68-70 London Road, not far from West Croydon Station, there among the huge variety of new and second-hand musical instruments and equipment, you are greeted by Meg, the shop’s resident senior sweetheart dog. At 15½ years old, she enjoys watching customers peruse the goods from the comfort of her bed.
Then your attention will shift to the labyrinth of instruments ahead of you. Guitars are mounted up to the ceiling, there are shelves upon shelves of midi keyboards and hi-fi systems, stacks of amplifiers and racks of cables. Upstairs, they display their drum kits. Downstairs, seven fully equipped rehearsal rooms have been where generations of Croydon’s musicians have practised and created.
Guitar heaven: just some of the display of Rockbottom’s instrument range
Nielsen began his career working at various music shops on Charing Cross Road. Starting as a pedal technician upstairs at Macari’s, he eventually worked on the shop floor. That was where he met Hendrix. Left-handed Hendrix showed him how to play “Purple Haze”, but demonstrated using a right-handed guitar.
Of course, he still played it perfectly.
The pair became friends, and would frequently get coffee together.
At Macari’s, Nielsen also “used to deal with” Page, the co-founder of Led Zeppelin.
He often saw Keith Moon, who worked at the Wembley branch of the shop as the boss’s “Saturday boy”, whose main job was to “sweep up and get the teas”.
When Nielsen opened in Croydon in 1975, he was able to bring some of these clients and their business with him.
Guitarists and musicians like Lenny Kravitz and Francis Rossi (who, after all, didn’t live too far away on the gated Webb Estate in Purley) continued to seek his expertise.
Right-hand man: Jimi Hendrix befriended Rockbottom’s owner
After about 10 years, Nielsen moved the business from 74 London Road, to its current location, which had far more space.
The shop name might not be rock ‘n roll cutting edge: Nielsen admits he used the title of Lynsey de Paul’s middle-of-the-road pop 1977 Eurovision song contest entry (it came second, in case you wondered). But he also hopes it conveys the shop’s rock bottom prices.
Purley patron: Status Quo’s Francis Rossi
As well as selling instruments and gear, Nielsen and his team also service guitars and other instruments.
He estimates that they work on about 50 guitars in a month, while selling instruments at about the same rate.
Areas of the shop are part-museum, part-shrine. Nielsen displays pictures with some of the music legends he’s met over the years, their signatures and gifts, as well as ticket stubs and set lists from gigs when the band performing has used some gear borrowed from Rockbottom.
It’s a fascinating and impressive insight into Rockbottom’s past, and a glimpse of what remains of Croydon’s musical legacy, looking back at an era where Pink Floyd played the Fairfield Halls and Hendrix famously set his guitar on fire when playing The Star Hotel.
Future-proofed: Rockbottom’s rehearsal rooms
Croydon also has a musical future, too. This is evident in how busy Rockbottom’s rehearsal rooms get. Many are used by bands ahead of gigs at some of Croydon’s music venues, such as The Oval Tavern, a haven for live music most nights each week.
Despite being in his 70s, Nielsen doesn’t plan on retiring any time soon. He considers Rockbottom to be more of a passion project than work.
Rockbottom’s tenure as Croydon’s most important and historically rich music shop looks set to extend beyond its sixth decade.
Read more by Nadia Azizuddin
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I think Jimi Hendrix was dead by the time the shop opened then…
Great venue. Expert helpful advice, backed by an array of equipment to choose from. Love going here.