If you’re anything like us and insist on dancing the night away in insanely high heels you’ll be no stranger to a bare foot journey home and channeling your inner Macca. What am I on about?
It’s one of the most iconic images of the 20th Century: the shot of The Beatles walking across the zebra crossing on Abbey Road with a barefoot Paul McCartney. It was taken by the late photographer Iain Macmillan for the cover of their last recorded album ‘Abbey Road’ in 1969.
It has since been reproduced to death by a multitude of different bands, perhaps most famously by The Red Hot Chili Peppers who did it naked except for strategically placed socks. I’m sure I’ve seen a variety of X-Factor finalists tearily blurting out ‘we’ve finally made it’ whilst replicating the famous shot in true competition winner style.
As a tourist’s favourite it is always on the top ten type lists of ‘things to do in London’ and the crossing is so culturally significant that it is now Grade II listed, fact fans.
Legend has it that the reason Paul McCartney was sans shoes was because he happened to be wearing flip flops on the day and as they make you walk special he couldn’t quite keep pace with others so was told to lose them.
You can even watch the crossing on live web cam (which doubles up as my weather indicator) here.
If you’ve ever thought ‘if only walls could talk’ about Abbey Road Studios, you now have a chance to find out. As the studios celebrate their 80th Birthday they’re opening the doors for some special lectures by Brian Kehew and Kevin Ryan, the authors of the book Recording the Beatles.
The talks will cover the history of the studios, insights into different recordings that have taken place there over the years and will use vintage footage and pictures from the archives.
The initial talks on the 10th and 11th of March sold out straight away so more days days have been added: 9th, 23rd, 24th and 25th March.
Buy tickets from See Tickets.
Comments