Willesden - in Popular Culture

In Popular Culture

• The town was featured in the popular novel White Teeth by Zadie Smith in 2000 which was subsequently made into a TV series. Moreover, Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros sang from 'Willesden to Cricklewood' on their album Rock Art and the X-ray Style.

• Willesden is also the origin of the formation of the 1980s breakdance group The Willesden Dodgers with Pete Q. Harris, Nigel Green and Richard Jon Smith as the main members.

• "Willesden Green" is also the title of a song written by Ray Davies and performed by The Kinks and is included in the soundtrack of the 1971 film "Percy". The Kinks Willesden Green Lyrics:

Well I tried to settle down Fulham Broadway
And I tried to make my home in Golders Green
But I gotta get that train
And go back home again
Oh how I miss the folks back home in Willesden Green You know, I tried, I really tried to settle in this big city
And I always thought I could make it all on my very own
But there's one thing that keeps calling me
To that little, that little semi-detached
That's the folks, yeah, the folks back home
In Willesden Green

• Zadie Smith's younger brother, Ben Smith, is an underground British rapper who goes by the name Doc Brown. He features on the track "Think Back" from the album The Enthusiast produced by the British dj Evil Ed. He raps "Born and bred in Kilburn" but also says "Veteran Willesden tenant. Brent the borough of residence"

• Willesden Green is a running reference/joke on the animated TV cartoon series Danger Mouse.

• Peter Davison, best known as the Doctor in Doctor Who, stars in The Last Detective (from 2002) which is filmed and set in and around Willesden.

• Jonathan Creek is regularly filmed around Willesden as was "The Last Detective" which used The Rising Sun pub as its central base.

• The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band make a short reference to Willesden Green on their track "Shirt", the second track of their 1969 album Tadpoles. quote: "Now, here in Willesden Green, yes, brrr, it is a bit chilly but no matter. Here comes a gentleman and we're going to talk to him about shirts"

• Lead Balloon a BBC4 sitcom starring Jack Dee is filmed mainly in Willesden.

• In Willesden was a static inverter plant of HVDC Kingsnorth.

• Willesden was the first location of Zomba Records where it remained for many years whilst growing into the International Music Company which would later release the music of such global artists as Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince and Britney Spears.

• The family who share their house with a ghost in the BBC's 1992 Sitcom So Haunt Me lived on Meadow Road, Willesden.