As Tone Deaf gears up to present Melbourne’s infamous annual rock n’ roll street party, Cherry Rock in AC/DC Lane; we take a look at our favourite rock n’ roll streets and roads around the world, where the location has become synonymous with rock n’ roll. Whether it be because a studio was located there, an event happened or an album cover was shot there, these streets are now icons in the pantheon of rock n’ roll.
53rd & 3rd
The second single off The Ramones debut album, this song refers to a corner in central Manhattan in New York City where bassist Dee Dee Ramone was known to indulge in a little male prostitution to pay the rent. Although it has skyscrapers on the corners these days, it is still a well known location to pick up a rent boy.
Penny Lane
Paul McCartney’s wistful ode to his childhood, Penny Lane was a bustling street in Liverpool, named after an 18th century slave trader. Released in 1967 as a double A side with ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ the record is considered The Beatles’ finest ever single release.
Highway 61
A 1400 kilometre highway that runs from New Orleans to Wyoming in Minnesota, the route is often referred to as the ‘Blues Highway’ because it passes through all the great American Blues states. It’s so iconic, Minnesota native Bob Dylan named his sixth album Highway 61 Revisited.
Sunset Boulevard
Often wryly referred to as the ‘Boulevard of Broken Dreams’, the 1 ½ mile long stretch known as Sunset Strip is home to many of Los Angeles’ rock n’ roll landmarks. Current and former landmarks include the Rainbow Bar & Grill, the Roxy, The Troubador, the Whiskey A Go Go and the Viper Room.
23rd St & 7th Avenue
The location in downtown New York City of the infamous Chelsea Hotel which was home to artists ranging from Leonard Cohen to Andy Warhol, Patti Smith to Bob Dylan and hundreds more. Sid Vicious stabbed his girlfriend Nancy Spungeon to death in room 100, while Cohen said of the place “I love hotels to which, at 4 A.M., you can bring along a midget, a bear, and four ladies, drag them to your room and no one cares about it at all.”
Route 66
A 4,000 kilometre long highway which runs through the middle of America from Chicago to Los Angeles, the road was immortalised in popular culture by Bobby Troup’s song of the same name, which was covered by artists ranging from Nat King Cole to The Rolling Stones, Chuck Berry to Depeche Mode.
E Street
A quiet suburban street in Belmar, New Jersey, rose to rock n’ roll stardom when in 1974 Bruce Springsteen named his legendary backing band after it.
Denmark Street
Full of music shops, this little lane off London’s bustling Charing Cross road is also home to several rehearsal and recording studios. Past bands to have rehearsed and lived there include the Sex Pistols, Rolling Stones and Elton John.
St Mark’s Place
The Rock n’ roll centre of the East Village in New York City, this short street has featured on the cover of a Led Zeppelin album, has had members of bands ranging from the New York Dolls to the Velvet Underground live and play on it, and was also home to the Sin-é Cafe where Jeff Buckley had a Monday night residency.
Abbey Road
Possibly the most iconic street in pop culture, let alone rock n’ roll, the home to Abbey Road studios, in London’s swanky St John’s Wood was immortalised by the Beatles crossing the road on the cover of the album of the same name.
AC/DC Lane
Iconic for being named after one of the greatest rock n’ roll bands of all time and for being the home of one of Australia’s most iconic nightspots Cherry Bar. Visited by rock royalty touring nearly every week, Noel Gallagher of Oasis famously tried to buy the bar on their 2002 tour.
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