Hard Rock Hotel

With a finger on the pulse of the twentieth century music scene - tapping along to the beat, in fact - the Hard Rock Hotel, previously known as the Cumberland, was second home to some of the brightest stars on record. Buddy Holly stayed here during his only British tour, less than a year before his tragic death. The Rolling Stones paid Bo Diddley a visit in his suite. Jimi Hendrix gave his final interviews from the Cumberland, named as the place of residence on his death certificate. And, most infamously, it was on the fifth floor of the Cumberland Hotel where a besotted fan with a revolver held Shirley Bassey hostage in 1957. From Bob Dylan to Stevie Wonder and Diana Ross, from Little Richard to Madonna and A-Ha, each suite is steeped in stories. Whether they were wining and dining, giving interviews to the press, or looking for a place within walking distance of Pye Studios, where some of the most iconic pop songs of the sixties and seventies were recorded, the Cumberland was the place to be. Hard Rock Hotel honours its roots with this incredible collection of shots, capturing the glamour, drama, sex, drugs and (of course) the rock 'n' roll.

Tony Barrell is a British journalist. He has written many major features for The Sunday Times and has contributed to The Times, The Idler and Cornucopia magazine, among other publications. Barrell is author of the 2015 book Born To Drum: The Truth About The World's Greatest Drummers, and the recently published The Beatles on the Roof (2017).