Disney has released a brand new four-part documentary series about Camden, an area within London that has been a hotbed of creativity within the British music industry. This documentary series reveals the untold stories of how this corner of London influenced the lives and careers of some of the world’s most iconic artists.

The series features lots of archive footage, observational filming, and interviews, which gives viewers a look into Camden’s rich history. Throughout the series, we hear from well-known musicians as they relive their Camden experiences, from their very first gigs to sell-out concerts, the highs and lows of nights out, and a youth spent discovering music.

“Camden” features Dua Lipa, Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Little Simz, Yungblud, Questlove, Pete Doherty and Carl Barat of The Libertines, Mark Ronson, Nile Rodgers, Boy George, Suggs from Madness, Black Eyed Peas, Soul II Soul’s Jazzie B, Chuck D, Eliza Rose, Lauren Laverne and Sister Bliss from Faithless.

Each episode focuses on a few different artists from different generations or genres to give that specific episode more of a general theme.   The first episode is more about setting the tone of what “Camden” is about, why it’s so influential and focuses more on the pop side, with more time spent with Chris Martin from Coldplay and Dua Lipa.  This was probably my favourite episode out of the series because of how it explains the importance of “Camden” is.

The second episode digs a little deeper into the indie/punk band era, especially during the pre-Brit Pop scene with Oasis.  As you might expect from this documentary about British rockstars in their younger years, there’s lots of talk of the typical Rock ‘n’ Roll lifestyle, with sex, drugs, and drinking.  Most of the well-known artists talk about some of their crazy antics, along with stories about how they got signed to their first contracts after being discovered while performing in the Camden pubs.   As a big fan of Oasis, I found this episode interesting, but there was a little more focus on two bands I wasn’t so familiar with.

In the third episode, the focus shifts more to how the area helped influence some US hip-hop stars like Will I Am from the Black Eyed Peas.  However, this episode feels more like a filler to please US audiences, who might be unaware of many of the other acts involved in the show.

Finally, in the fourth episode, another genre is showcased, with a look into the club culture, where we hear from Boy George and Dua Lipa.  Personally, I found this episode the least interesting, just because I don’t like Dance music.  But I’m glad each episode takes a different look at how the area is important for many different genres and how tastes change over the decades.

Overall:  This documentary certainly gave me more information about an area of London that I didn’t realise was so important to the local scene and shows the beginning of many of the most well-known British acts.  There’s lots of archive footage, mixed in with the new interviews, highlighting how the area of Camden is so vital to the success of many British artists, but it also doesn’t shy away from the realities of the industry.  It’s undoubtedly an enlightening documentary, but it is also a little self-celebratory in places.  If you love British music and want to learn a little more about these artists’ origins, then it’s worth checking out, but it might be a bit hit and miss what episode you might be more interested in, depending on your musical taste.

Rating – 3.5 Out Of 5

“Camden” is out now on Disney+ around the world and on Hulu in the US. 

Roger Palmer

Roger has been a Disney fan since he was a kid and this interest has grown over the years. He has visited Disney Parks around the globe and has a vast collection of Disney movies and collectibles. He is the owner of What's On Disney Plus & DisKingdom. Email: Roger@WhatsOnDisneyPlus.com Twitter: Twitter.com/RogPalmerUK Facebook: Facebook.com/rogpalmeruk

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