David Bowie's Soho Roots: Exploring the Music Icon's Early Career and Historic Sites
5.0
15 Ratings
Greater London
Discover the historic sites in Soho that shaped David Bowie's early career and influenced his iconic music. Explore the locations of album covers, recording studios, and more.
Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Soho - David Bowie spent ten years in Soho before he became famous, we visit key sites in his development
What's Included
  • Key locations that influenced David Bowie’s artistic journey
What's Not Included
  • Private transportation
Additional Information

From his early visits to Soho in the late 1950s until his move to New York in 1974, David Bowie was a budding personality in the Soho music scene. His involvement in this scene strongly influenced his future career. Bowie played in R&B bands such as The King Bees, The Manish Boys, Davy Jones and The Lower Third, The Buzz, and The Riot Squad. He then embarked on a solo career, producing an album styled after Anthony Newley in 1967. Following this, he met Lindsay Kemp in Soho, delved into a mime phase, and formed a folk group, Feathers. His subsequent band, Hype, featured Tony Visconti and Mick Ronson. Bowie achieved his first hit with ‘Space Oddity’ before establishing The Spiders From Mars. His iconic early 70s work was recorded at Trident Studios in Soho. But would he have blossomed into the same artist without a decade of growth and experimentation in this area? This tour explores the sites which had a significant role in Bowie’s development during the 1960s and 70s, turning him into the legendary figure he later became, including album cover locations and recording studios.

Location
Oxford Street
Exit 1 opposite The Flying Horse Pub
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(15 Ratings)
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Safari09612750418
Feb 27, 2024
The storey, hangouts and some important photo shots before Bowie was famous - Very informative and Aidan is very engaging. Tour lasts for two hours and Aidan takes you to some really interesting venues supplemented with almost encyclopedic knowledge and wit!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Pussycat67
Feb 4, 2024
You'd be a lad insane to miss this! - Great couple of hours spent with Aidan on the Bowie tour. If you like David Bowie, don't miss this tour, you will love Aidan's irreverent style, knowledge and humour. The tour takes you from Denmark Street through Soho and ends on the street where the picture of Ziggy Stardust album cover was taken. You get a great insight into the early creative mind of Bowie.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
M26jjlaurav
Dec 1, 2023
A fun and insightful tour - A super fun tour! It was a chilly Saturday, but the fun facts and incredible attitude from the guide kept us warm! I have always enjoyed visiting places of the greats as it helps to put their lives in perspective and our tour guide really created a great insight of how 'it would have been'. Music is more than just sound, and the context really matters and this tour showed that about Bowie and his decades.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Seanfe6495qu
Aug 31, 2023
Excellent - After hearing Aiden on his Portobello Radio show, I decided to take some friends on the "Bowie's Soho" walk. It was a wise decision as we were all enthralled with Aidens knowledge and wit, what a character ! Already looking into planning another of the walks.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Grainne
Jul 30, 2023
Bowie footsteps - Fantastic couple of hours exploring Soho with Aidan, an encyclopaedia of all things Bowie. Following Bowie’s career from Denmark St to his Ziggy Stardust after party at the Cafe Royal you will hear great bunch of stories that gives you an insight into the area and the man. No better way to spend a Sat morning in London!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Katiebattersby
Jul 9, 2023
A must for all Bowie fans - The Soho Bowie Tour is a must for all Bowie fans. There is nothing Aidan doesn’t know about David Bowie and the yesteryear of old world Soho. Aidan takes you on a pre Ziggy journey of David Jones from Tin Pan Ally, Bowies old Soho hangouts and finishing at the legendary scene of the Ziggy Stardust album cover location. There are fun musical facts along the way . Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Oren_s
Jun 25, 2023
Entertaining and educating - A must go to rock fans of all ages, not only Bowie fans. Visiting iconic locations where rock was formed.
Review provided by Viator
Lisase4839zu
Jan 1, 2023
Great tour for Bowie fans - A very enjoyable tour. Aidan was a great guide, very knowledgeable and entertaining. Highly recommended for Bowie fans.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Suzannecchap
Oct 10, 2022
10/10 tour - Aidan was incredibly insightful, passionate and also hilarious. I learned something new at every corner and I haven't stopped talking about the tour to my friends and family, boasting my new found knowledge of London's Soho and all the legends that romped around the area. I would recommend a tour with Aidan to anyone considering it- you'll get an honest and genuine experience with someone who cares deeply about music and history and you'll definitely have some laughs along the way. Can't wait to visit London again and book a different one with him!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Areamn
Jun 27, 2022
Perfect tour to know the true musical experience - I found Aidan's tours (flipsideLondon) on google and they were all super interesting, so when I visited London (I'm from Spain) one of "The Bowie's Soho Walking Tour´s" dates coincided and I didn't hesitate to try it. I loved. Aidan tells a lot of interesting things and shows historical places for music that would be difficult to recognize today (He shows photos in an ipad and it´s very cool to watch the diference). It also includes anecdotes that occurred on the sites and refers to everything that surrounds the visit. It is a different and atypical visit but essential for fans of Bowie and the London music scene of the 60-70s in general. He also took care to make himself understood (for everything that I could not understand). The walk lasted just over 2 hours, it was short and leaves you wanting to revisit it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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