Visit London’s Famous Abbey Road Studios
London, the capital city of England in the United Kingdom of Great Britain, is one of the top vacation destinations in Europe. One of the main reasons for the popularity of London is the fact that it has so many historically important buildings and landmarks as well as a number of world class tourist attractions. While many of the top places to visit are either directly or indirectly related to the Royal Family of Great Britain the ancient traditions and historical institutions add to the unique appeal of this wonderfully diverse city.
England and the United Kingdom have had a profound effect upon modern history with the likes of the British Empire and their parts in the two world wars changing the political map of world several times within a relatively short period. With the home of the ruling King or Queen, and the Houses of Parliament, being in London it was in the city that the vast majority of important decisions were made and the most influential events took place. During the 1960’s London arose as the UK’s music capital with events such as the “Ally Pally Pothead Rally” and numerous nightclubs, cafes and bars, the period is now referred to as the “Swinging 60’s”.
One road in London is instantaneously recognizable all over the world. However, it is only recognizable from a certain angle. The road is ‘Abbey Road’, well known as the cover of the Beatles album of the same name. The four members of the band are shown walking across the road, John in his white suit and Paul in bare feet.
The album cover whilst being iconic also left some fans feeling depressed and hysterical. The photograph was accredited as being proof that Paul was dead. (Paul was supposedly killed in motor accident) The list of clues in the album cover are too numerous to mention, but the most common ones are, Paul had his eyes closed, was barefoot, was smoking right handed (he was left handed), and he had his right foot forward whilst all the other Beatle members had their left feet forward.
The famed album acquired its name after the London street where it was recorded. The EMI studios were where the Beatles recorded a lot of their songs, which George Martin produced. The studios changed their name to Abbey Road Studios in 1970 when the band finished recording an album which later proved to be their last recording together.
The astonishing success the Beatles found is still as strong as ever today. This is evident every year when fans from all over the world make the grand tour to London to visit Abbey Road. The fans, both old and new come to have their photographs taken, like their idols, strolling across the pedestrian crossing. This can be problematic, as the fans have to wait for a break in the traffic, to be able to do this.
The trendy residential area of St. John’s Wood is home to Abbey Road Studios. Situated within the converted Georgian townhouse are a more than one recording studio. The space is also extended with more building out back in the garden. The house next door is also the property of EMI, which is used to ensconce artists whilst they are working in the studios. Some do not stay very long and other stay there for quite a while. The Beatles remained quite a long time at Abbey Road, whilst recording one of their best ever albums. They remained a total of one hundred and twenty nine days in 1967, and the album they worked on was Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
The world’s most famous recording studios, Abbey Road, are found alongside other UK landmarks in brochures etc. So when contemplating a visit to London one may wish to have a photo taken of oneself, either on the black and white crossing or just standing outside the infamous studio complex.
London has plenty of places to visit, Buckingham Palace, London Zoo and many other typical tourist attractions but the city of London also has a large number of places to visit that are not so well known. These places are well worth the effort to discover them and this is done easily over the Internet or by purchasing a quality guidebook to London. The next time you find yourself in the city you should take the time to visit one or two of these special places or maybe take in one of the organized tours that cover a vast range of topics besides the usual tours of landmarks.
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