This past week the cash strapped EMI Group Ltd. who owns these studios were looking to sell this historic building. The idea has been shelved for now after the music industry and fans alike were in an uproar after finding the news out.The building has been a music recording studio since the early 1900's and has produced many significant artists and albums over the years. It would be a shame if this building was sold and turned into something other than a music studio. I can see the future of the building as a working museum. I think it should be partially funded by the UK, the city of London, the music industry and whoever else has been made profitable by its use.
Mojo magazine recently featured a partial video list of musicians who recorded there over the years. Some of these musicians include classical composer, Elgar with the London Symphony Orchestra, Cliff Richard and the birth of rock and roll, of course, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, The Pretty Things and Roy Harper.
Enjoy this video recording of one of the more important musical gatherings ever produced within those walls.
It is still being used as a recording studio and I believe should continue to offer that to the up and coming musician. It should be restored to last for many generations so they may visit and feel the musical energy that was created within those walls.
I toured the old Sun Records in Memphis a couple of years ago and they did it right. It is still being used for making music and they hold many tours a week and sell a ton of collectibles and other products in the store there. That is how I envision the future Abbey Road Studio. They should maybe even consider closing the road and preserving the famous crosswalk.
Let me know what your thoughts are.
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6 comments:
I like the working museum idea as long as it brings in enough revenues to make it self-supporting.
I can understand EMI putting it up for sale. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do, even if you don't want to.
Been there once or twice.
The Sun Studios tour is really nice. I'm not sure how well Sun makes out, but it seems like Abbey Road would do really well with this model. At any rate, the British government has apparently now granted it protected status as an historic building, so it looks like it might be around for awhile.
I like the working museum idea... I'd also like to see James William Guercio restore the studio at his Caribou Ranch... A lot of great music was written and/or recorded there as well (Elton John's Caribou, Supertramp's Even In the Quietest Moments, Chicago VI-XI, Dennis Wilson wrote or recorded at least part of Pacific Ocean Blue there, Billy Joel wrote part of NY State of Mind there-- "been high in the Rockies under the evergreens", the list goes on).
It doesn't/didn't have the history behind it that Abbey Road Studios has but in the 70s it was THE place to record. The higher altitudes allowed some singers to expand their range a bit and it held a lot of appeal to those singers as a result.
Oh they should definitely preserve this wonderful place. And the Sun Studios idea would be a great way to go with it. I was in Sun Studios last year & the tour is great.
I agree with Johnny G. I would hope they don't have to put it up for sale, it would be great as a working museum.
Lets all save our money (what money?) and go on a rock and roll tour of the world visiting all the historic places that music was recorded, played or other significant moments occurred. Ok, its fun to dream....
The working museum idea sounds good to me, too, if they can't somehow manage to keep it a recording studio. There's just too much history to let it go and turn it into something else, especially something totally unrelated to the recording industry.
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