Sunday, August 30, 2009

hoping to take you away...

Lately I've been flicking through a book called "The Beatles' London". It actually gives more information than anyone could humanly want about every location in the capital where the Fab Four played, recorded, were interviewed, stayed, lived, worked, went out to eat or listen to music...

In an attempt to come to terms with the subject, I went along this morning to London Walks' "Magical Mystery Tour" which, as I was hoping, presents some of this information in a more digestible form, taking in as it does a handful of the major venues in a leisurely two-hour stroll. I've done these walks before and always find them good value at £7 a pop. I do tend to find myself heavily outnumbered by foreign tourists though.

Almost all of the stories which the guide told were ones I'd heard before but it was nice to be reminded of them. I hadn't realised though that I'd walked past Trident Studios many times without knowing it and that it was here that not only the Beatles laid down tracks like "Hey Jude", "Dear Prudence" and "Martha My Dear", but also that many early Bowie and Elton John singles and "Walk on the Wild Side" (amongst others) were all recorded.

Nor did I realise exactly where that 1969 roof-top performance happened. In June 1968, the Beatles commandeered number 3 Savile Row as Apple headquarters and it became a social centre for friends, fans and fellow celebrities as much as a set of offices for serious business matters. Frequently riotous goings-on over the following four years--chronicled in a book by "house hippy" Richard DiLello--did little to endear the band to their straight-laced pin-striped-suited neighbours and they reached a head on 30th January 1969 when the band spontaneously decided to go up to the roof to play songs from what became their Let It Be album (see below). The local constabulary--still stationed less than 500 yards up the street--pulled the plug twenty minutes into the show.

No tour of London Beatles locations would be complete etc etc... and, sure enough, to end the tour we hopped on the Jubilee Line to the Abbey Road studios. The Beatles made the vast majority of their recordings here so there's no doubt that this is the location which had the greatest influence on the band's music. There's not much to see from the outside though, apart from a wall where fans are encouraged to scrawl ill-conceived tributes, a blue plaque reminding everyone that one Edward Elgar was laying down some wicked tracks at Abbey Road a cool thirty-three years before the Beatles jumped on the bandwagon...oh and there's "that" zebra crossing.

9 comments:

Cocktails said...

My Auntie and Uncle (foreign tourists!) went on this walk late last year. They said that they enjoyed it, probably because it wasn't catering for the 'hardcore' Beatles fans that they're scared of!

So where's the picture of you on the crossing then?!

Hoops Hooley said...

Don't I look conspicious enough in that white suit?

Hoops Hooley said...

I notice that as part of their Beatles Bank Holiday weekend, Radio 2 broadcast a re-recording of Sgt Pepper featuring the likes of Bryan Adams, Razorlight and Russell Brand! Eiuwww...

Cocktails said...

Yes, why would you bother? Have you ever heard that Bee-Gees and Peter Frampton (was it?) version. I haven't. It sounds awful. But well, you never know I might be being presumptious...

Hoops Hooley said...

I'd forgotten about the Bee Gees version. I don't remember hearing any of it though. Probably not missing much though as you say.

That also reminds me of a Sgt Pepper version I seem to remember having on cassette years ago featuring Wet Wet Wet.

I've just Googled it and it turns out to be "Sgt Pepper Knew My Father" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sgt._Pepper_Knew_My_Father). I think Wet Wet Wet had a hit with With A Little Help from My Friends which, looking at the track list, must have pretty much been the low point of the album.

I have absolutely no recollection of the Fall or Frank Sidebottom tracks. I'm sure they bore little resemblance to the originals but in a good way...

Cocktails said...

Ah, yes, I've heard of that. I was always under the impression that it was a bit of a hip compil, perhaps by the NME. Clearly not! Although it is an interesting selection of music to say the least. And who on earth were the Three Wize Men??!!

Hoops Hooley said...

Your NME theory is definitely correct: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2007/jun/01/arethereanygoodcoversofs. He's pretty scathing about the album, isn't he?

Hmm, the Three Wize Men. We'll probably never know who they were or what happened to them.

Mondo said...

I'm a terror for rock location and Beatles sites - (going as far as visiting Knowle Park in Sevenoaks looking for the tree from the Strawberry Fields vid)

One of the best London locations for Rock and Pop culture sites is King's Road. I blogged a cut out and keep guide to it - everything from The Beatles (Sgt Pepper and butcher sleeve) to Monty Python, Bowie, Stones, and Pistols are there - you can check it here

PS if you're a fabs fand check out some oddities and covers here

Hoops Hooley said...

Thanks for stopping by Mondo. No doubt I'll be heading up the Kings Road soon with your handy guide duly cut out and, er, kept.

Like the Get Back versions on your F4 covers blog and also the Jackie Lomax track. I reckon a hint of the old Savoy Truffle here?

This is a great Beatles remix I think