South East England Rocks

Like most of Britain, the South East is steeped in rock and pop history. Whether you're a Floyd fan, mad about mods, bonkers about Bowie, or fancy a festie, there are great venues and places of interest for everyone.

Bromley, Kent

Beneath the woodlands of Chislehurst lies a labyrinth more than 20 miles of hand-carved caves that were popular with druids, Romans, Saxons - and the odd rock and roll group, including The Who, The Beatles, David Bowie and Jimi Hendrix. No longer a venue for music, The Chislehurst Caves are worth the visit for their amazing rock history - not to mention the spooky atmosphere....

Dartford, Kent

It was at Dartford railway station in Kent that Mick Jagger and Keith Richards met by chance on 25 October 1961, having not seen each other since they'd been at primary school together. The rest is rock legend. There is now a Mick Jagger Centre in Dartford, so you don't have to hang around at the station to get in touch with Stones history.

East Grinstead, Sussex

Hammerwood Park was bought by Led Zeppelin in 1973, who filmed 'The Song Remains the Same' there. They planned to house their families and band members there, build studios and restore the place. Their plans came to nothing - apparently they forgot that they owned it! The place fell to ruin and was sold in 1982. It's been lovingly, but not completely restored - making parts of it seem rather ghostly. Its rock ante has recently been upped thanks to The Darkness making a video there.

Isle of Wight

The legendary Isle of Wight Festival

Held at Afton Down (8-10 June 2007) was launched in the 60s with Jimi Hendrix and Joni Mitchell, and quickly became Britain's answer to Woodstock. Today, it still draws the biggest names: from Coldplay, The Foo Fighters and The Prodigy, to Placebo and Richard Ashcroft. Anyone interested in the history of the festival can visit Dimbola Lodge museum near Freshwater Bay, which has a bronze statue of Jimi Hendrix in the garden and fascinating memorabilia. Anyone looking for a slightly more quirky festival experience on the island should head to the award-winning Bestival in Robin Hill Country Park, Newport (7-9 September 2007).

The Beatles connection

Although the Fab Four hailed from Liverpool, there are plenty of places to pay your respects around the South East, too. The Beatles were one of the first bands to make a music video - 'Strawberry Fields Forever' and 'Penny Fields' were filmed in Knole Park near Sevenoaks in Kent (the famous tree is behind the park's birdhouse). Uber-posh hotel Cliveden near Ascot in Berkshire stood in as Buckingham Palace in The Beatles film Help!

Venues

Milton Keynes

In 1971, road works in Milton Keynes meant that tons of soil needed to be tipped somewhere. The council chose an old brick pit on the outskirts of the town, and a massive horseshoe-shaped mound was created. The National Bowl - now the UK's premier outdoor arena - was born. Its star-studded line-up has included The Police, Bon Jovi, Oasis, Queen, Genesis, David Bowie, U2, REM and Simple Minds.

Oxford

The Zodiac has an esteemed rock history. The video for Radiohead's 'Creep' was filmed there, The Strokes were signed there, and the stage has been graced by the likes of Robert Plant, Rage Against The Machine, Coldplay, Supergrass and many others. A little-known band called REM played after Robyn Hitchcock's set recently...

Brighton

Brighton has had a long rock / pop history - from the time the whole city became a mod-tastic icon when the film Quadrophenia was made there in the 60s to Fatboy Slim's recent summer Beach Party. The Brighton Centre, has been the Brighton venue for rock and pop stars throughout its 30-year history, and it's still going strong with Faithless, Deep Purple and The Killers gracing the stage this year. At The Factory Club in nearby Worthing, REM played before they hit the big time.

Southampton

It may be a surprise to some that such a small venue as The Joiners Arms has seen artists including the Verve, Oasis, The Charlatans, PJ Harvey and Radiohead play there. But its cosy backroom has been filled to the gills since it opened in 1968, and has frequently served as a stop-off point for bands and fans on their way to the Isle of Wight Festival .