ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the musical mapping of Notting Hill by the fanzine writer and local historian known as Tom Vague. Since 1979 he has published a fanzine called Vague, which focuses on the history and the musical heritage of the Notting Hill area in north-west London. Beginning in 1979 as a hand-printed fanzine in Wiltshire, Vague is irregularly produced and has covered a broad range of music. Initially the publication was focussed on punk but has moved on to feature any music genre with a connection to Notting Hill. Tom Vague is a self-proclaimed psychogeographer and chronicler of London, and his writings about musical heritage follow this conception, defining the music of place. This chapter examines the theoretical underpinnings of Tom Vague’s publication, considering the concept of psychogeography and how it represents the city. It then moves on to examine the importance of Vague as a document which presents a particular history of an area and its musical life. Furthermore, it argues that Vague provides a useful entry point to open up discussion of how the musical heritage of place is established and promoted.
