On August 8, 1969, 11:38am to be precise… John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr had their picture taken on the Abbey Road crossing just outside Abbey Road Studios.
Iain MacMillan had a window of 10-minutes to do the photo shoot of which six photographs were taken while atop a step-ladder.
McCartney was eventually the one who selected the photo that was used for the album cover. And that photo has been not only iconic but one of the most imitated shots in human history.
Thirty-five years after that photo was taken in 2014, Craig Burrows and I capped a long day of our rock and roll tour of London. We had our photos taken at the exact spot where McCartney, his wife, Linda, and Denny MacLain had the band photo taken for Wings’ London Town. We hunted down the location for David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust album, went to Rough Trade East and checked out some of Banksy’s graffiti, dropped by Berwick Street in SoHo where we attempted to do our version of Oasis’ (What’s the Story) Morning Glory. We had lunch at Foyles along Charring Cross Road and we were going to end our day at former Rolling Stone bassist Bill Wyman’s Sticky Fingers restaurant at Kensington.
But Abbey Road….
It is the 11thstudio album by The Beatles and one of my personal favorites along with Revolver, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, and Let It Be.
Me: Hey, Craig! You want to go to Abbey Road?
Craig: Sure. Why not? And who isn’t a fan of The Beatles?
We took a bus that was about a 10-minute ride from Oxford Piccadilly and when we arrived there were about 20 people there trying to recreate their shot. It was a busy time and there were lots of cars about making it difficult. So we bided our time.
We first wrote our names on the wall of Abbey Road Studios where fans sign their names and leave messages. If I am not mistaken, the wall is given a fresh coat of paint every two weeks or so (I could be wrong but it is what I heard) and the process is repeated.
Me: Why do you think Abbey Road is one of the best albums ever?
Craig: Because…
Me (cutting Craig short): Exactly!
Craig: Wot?
Me: Because it’s got “Because”… you know… Because the world is round, it turns me on…
Craig: That’s a good one. (scanning the crowd) I guess that is why everyone here has… “Come Together.”
Me: “Something” tells me you’re on to something, Craig.
Craig: What’s your favorite song on the album?
Me: Here Comes the Sun. I think George wrote some beautiful songs.
Craig: While my Guitar Gently Weeps. Something.
Me: Imagine that! Something and Here Comes the Sun were on this album!
We paused for a moment lost in our thoughts.
Me: What a damn fine song Here Comes the Sun is.
Then we took turns crossing the road and snapping pictures (in spite of some angry motorists).
We looked at the Abbey Road Studios building.
“Man, so much great music was recorded in there,” I remarked.
“Yeah,” nodded Craig. “Pink Floyd. Syd Barrett. Alan Parsons Project.
Me: Kate Bush. Rush.
We chatted a bit more. Talked to some of the folks around then made our way to the Tube at St. John’s Wood Station where there was a Beatles Coffee Shop. We were on our way to Bill Wyman’s restaurant.
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