OK, it’s not quite the same as recording there, but if you’ve ever dreamed of stepping inside the hallowed halls of Abbey Road Studios, this summer presents you with your opportunity.
From 9 to 15 August, Abbey Road is flinging open its doors and taking guests on a “specially curated journey through the studios’ history”. This forms part of Abbey Road’s 90th anniversary celebrations.
The so-called Abbey Road: Open House tour will enable you to explore all three of the famous recording rooms - which have hosted the likes of The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Oasis, Kanye West, Adele and Frank Ocean - and you’ll hear the stories that have helped to create the Abbey Road legend.
If you’re a musician, you’ll be keen to feast your eyes on the gear, too: the likes of the EMI TG MK3 recording console, used extensively on records since the late ‘60s; the iconic ‘Mrs Mills’ piano; the REDD.17 mixing console; the BTR3 tape machine; and the recently acquired Mellotron.
The exhibition will also feature unseen images, film and artefacts, and cover Abbey Road’s history of technological innovation. You’ll learn more about the many film scores that have been recorded there, too.
Isabel Garvey, Managing Director at Abbey Road Studios says: “Celebrating 90 years of Abbey Road by inviting the public beyond the ‘no entry’ signs is a really exciting way for us to share the magic of the building.
“Abbey Road: Open House is a rare and fascinating opportunity to discover the stories behind some of the greatest music that has been the soundtrack to our lives, in the very rooms where it was made.”
Jack Franklin, Head of Events at Abbey Road Studios, adds: “As a working studio, the doors to Abbey Road are normally closed, so being able to share a rare glimpse inside our very special building is something we’re all really excited about.
“With a project like this, the major challenge is selecting which bits of the story to tell - there is so much history here that editing it down to a 90-minute experience is all part of the fun of the job. I still remember the magic of stepping inside the building for the first time, so we want to give our guests that very same experience this Summer.”
For details of the tour and to buy tickets - which cost £100 per person - head to the Abbey Road Studios website.
