Tin Pan Alley film project seeks backers

Journalist and film maker Henry Scott-Irvine, who has been heavily involved in orchestrating the campaign to save Denmark Street from developers, is seeking backers to make a film documenting the history of the famous London music landmark.

Scott-Irvine hopes to crowdfund Tin Pan Alley Tales – The Film, with a campaign starting online next month. The film will feature interviews and footage documenting the history of the area, which has played a major part in shaping London and the UK’s popular music heritage. The project evolved from the ongoing campaign to save music shops disappearing from London’s Denmark Street, which is undergoing a major redevelopment as part of the Crossrail project. 

Scott-Irvine explained: “Over the past two years I have been heavily involved in running the Save Tin Pan Alley campaign which I set up in May 2014. This has seen old buildings listed, upgraded and protected; a much loved music venue saved for posterity; and recently signed deals put in place alongside new legislation to save many music-based businesses with upgraded protection for the listed buildings in Denmark Street as they undergo a further five year redevelopment process on the back of Crossrail 1, which is  due to open in 2018.

‘“Tin Pan Alley Tales – The Film will feature exclusive stories from Denmark Street – the world famous 300 year old street of music. These will be told by twelve people who’ve either lived or worked there since World War 2. As with Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, each ‘Tale Teller’ will come from a vastly different background and career.

“This film won’t be solely concerned with the four key aspects of Tin Pan Alley’s history that are known to most (music publishing, song writing, studio recording and music retail). The film will also reveal hitherto untold and secret histories concerning the street. These tales will be told by key people that I have either personally located or by those who have privately approached the campaign over the past two years.”

Crowdfunding for the project will start in September. To keep up to date with its progress, you can enter your email in the registration box on the webpage here http://tinpanalleytales.launchrock.com