Another Nickel in the Machine is, to my mind, one of the most interesting London-centric websites on the net.  A fascinating compendium of stories and photographs  detailing the lesser-known history of the Big Smoke, from the Skiffle dens of 1950’s Soho to the African prince of Petticoat Lane, it’s easy to lose whole lunchtimes reading it! I managed to track down creator Rob Baker, and asked him a few questions about London and his work.

Your daytime job as a freelance television producer is a world away from the Another Nickel. Can you tell me what inspired you to start the blog?

Two or three years ago I had started to find new music via music blogs other than the more traditional sources I suppose and I thought I’d create my own music blog. It was named after a line in my favourite Frank Sinatra song ‘One For My Baby’ and refers to putting a coin in a juke box which would play some music that was ‘easy and sad’. The name fitted rather well for a music blog especially as I think I like ‘easy and sad’ music, although I’m not entirely sure what it is. Anyway, the name ended up completely irrelevant for a blog about the history of London, but it’s a bit too late to change now.

The thing that makes Another Nickel stand out from the crowd of London history blogs is the incredible amount of research you put into each post and the unusual facts and photographical evidence you uncover. How do you find out so much about such seemingly forgotten London characters as ‘Brilliant Chang’ and Alan Diment?

I read quite a lot about London and when I come across a character that is new to me I start trying to find more about him or her. Usually and interesting story or collection of facts come to light. Most of the stuff I write about was once popular or well-known but just forgotten about these days. In the end it isn’t too difficult to find information if you spend too long at the National Archives or spend too much money at second-hand bookshops and abebooks.co.uk.

What is your favourite area of London and why?

My favourite area, by a long way, is Soho, its given me so many stories for Nickel I have actually had to stop myself writing about the area recently. I fear for Soho these days and its probably best to visit it quick before it loses its louchness and becomes just another area of London.

Where are your favourite London haunts?

Wong Kei Chinese restaurant in Wardour Street although, unfortunately the waiters aren’t as hilariously rude as they used to be, but the Singapore Noodles still seem to taste the same. ‘The Heights’ bar at the top of the St George’s Hotel in Langham Place by BBC Broadcasting House. The bar is average really but oh the view, the view. The Olde Cheshire Cheese pub in Fleet Street and Battersea Power Station once known as ‘The Cathedral of Electrons’.

What have been your favourite posts on the site?

The Adam Diment post all about a swinging sixties author who completely disappeared in 1974 never to be heard of again. The hippy squat at Piccadilly, the London school strike and the Peasouper post were fun as well. Read more…

Frozen yoghurt. Rice pudding. When it comes to sweet desserts, these are both controversial choices, seeing as how they are ’slightly unsweet healthy icecream’ and ‘overly sweet unhealthy rice’ respectively. Despite being somewhat niche choices in the pudding department, they both now have their own specialist shops, oddly similar in layout and design, with only the sweetstuff on offer varying. Snog manages to stand apart and fit right in, at its Soho location. On one hand, it’s surrounded by sex shops which slightly jarrs with the wholesome frozen yog on offer, but its bright, eye dazzling neon fixtures means it fits right in with the local decour… Rice to Riches has a similar bright, brash interior, but while Snog offers a couple of yoghurts with a wide variety of toppings, at Rice you can choose from hundreds of flavours of the sugary gelatinous goop.

We have been unusually social creatures of late. Hot on the heels of our meet up with US bloggers last week, last night Anjali and I went for a drink with our London-based Metrotwin Mumbai bloggers.

It was a great night for many reasons – much merriment was had, we came up with loads of ideas for Metrotwin’s lovely little sister site (check it out, if you haven’t before – as well as more ideas for cool things to do in London, you can read about a Mumbai you won’t find in the guidebooks) and I learnt lots of great Indian slang and impressed everyone by knowing the Hindi for ‘lemon’*.

Another reason it was such a cool night, was because of the venue we went to. I’m almost disinclined to mention it as it is such a well hidden little gem, but so long as you don’t tell the riff-raff… GO to Trisha’s Bar. It’s incredibly hard to find (it also masquerades as ‘Evaristo Club’), but this tiny little memorabilia strewn subterranean drinking den feels like a different world to the Soho streets that run above it. Oh, and during happy hour, glasses of wine and bottles of beer are £2! An utterly fantastic find.

Photo by Mel used under a Creative Commons License

*nimbu

If you are in Soho (the London one) this weekend, you should definitely take a detour and visit the God’s Own Junkyard pop up shop/gallery/taste of Las Vegas in Carnaby Street.

A glowing temple to kitsch Americana; modern song lyric-based creations and salvaged vintage neon signs sit alongside old movie props and retro displays in three storeys of bright, bright electric light.

It’s only open until Monday so whether you suddenly feel you life is incomplete without a lifesize glowing Jesus, or simply want to run around taking thousands of cool photos (just me?) then I recommend a trip.

We’ve mentioned the Newburgh Quarter’’s  ‘Wish You Were Here’ swap of London and Lower East Side boutiques before, but this is the last weekend it’s in town and they’re planning something pretty special.

As a Londoner have you always yearned for a proper (ie American) Halloween like they have in the movies? Heaving bags of candy proffered by grinning moms instead of unanswered doors and twitching curtains? Amazing elaborate costumes instead of kids in normal clothes and Scream masks? Carved Jack’O'Lanterns not mutilated pumpkins?

This Saturday evening from 6 – 9pm bop down to Soho for an evening of all the good things listed above (with the possible exception of moms) plus apple bobbing, live music, free Brooklyn Beer and prizes for the best costume. Oh, and the theme is ‘favourite New Yorkers’ so what better chance to fulfil your secret dreams and dress up as Anna Wintour/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle/Woody Allen/a giant rat?

Check out their website for more details, including bands playing.

Photo by Laverrue used under a Creative Commons License