“Walking in the footsteps of giants” – if you’ve ever wondered what this phrase really means, then you clearly haven’t been fortunate enough to visit Abbey Road Studios yet. I was one of the lucky people to be invited along to this prestigious venue last week for a very special evening.
The studios have played host to many great names of the music business, including Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger, Stevie Wonder and Pink Floyd. Most memorably of course, the Beatles recorded almost all of their material at the venue during the 1960s and early 1970s. Not that it’s some dusty museum of a place; it is still very much a working studio and artists of the calibre of Katherine Jenkins and Lily Allen have recently recorded there.
The venue’s association with the Beatles gave rise to the iconic album cover with the four music legends walking across the road in single file at the pedestrian crossing just outside – I’m sure you know the one I mean, it has to be one of the most recognisable images of pop culture. In turn, this has led to the studios becoming a mecca for Beatle-loving tourists, who hang out outside, taking pictures and scribbling graffiti on the wall – apparently, they paint it quite frequently, but it keeps getting written on time and again as the fans just can’t keep away.
You’re only allowed to enter the hallowed space, however, if you’re either recording or attending a private event. Fortunately, since my musical talents are not that hot, I was there to take part in a truly unique corporate hospitality event called the Record a Song experience. The event began with fizz and canapés (venison and fig, très gourmet) while we chatted in the salubrious surroundings of Studio Two.
Next, we met our voice coach for the evening, the dynamic and incredibly talented Kim Chandler. Kim has done lots of voice coaching over the years, working with people like Ozzy Osbourne and Beverley Knight, as well as being a session singer on films such as Pirates of the Caribbean, so she was exactly the right person to whip the assembled group into shape, musically speaking.
After we were split into groups, Kim expertly took us through the elements of our song for the evening, the uplifting Here Comes the Sun, breaking it down into bite-sized chunks that were more manageable for novice singers such as ourselves. The whole experience was great fun – and a super way to break the ice with people you don’t know, so this would be ideal as a team-bonding session.
After our valiant efforts (which are recorded on both audio and video for posterity) it was time for another round of drinks and some delicious bowl food including pumpkin risotto and mini-ice creams – the perfect thing to soothe those overtaxed vocal chords. You can see for yourself all the different event spaces available at this exceptional venue on the website at abbeyroad.com/.
This blog originally appeared on the PA Life Club site. To read more of Penelope Alice’s blog entries and get access to a range of fantastic benefits, including discounts and special deals at dozens of selected retailers and venues, as well as exclusive monthly competitions, networking events and a discounted rate for PA Life’s new training courses, click here: palife.co.uk/pa-life-club
