Abbey Road Studios

Abbey Road Studios, created in November of 1931 by EMI in London, England, is best known as the legendary recording studio used by the rock bands Cliff Richard and The Shadows and The Beatles. The studios are located in Abbey Road, in St John's Wood in the City of Westminster.

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November - 1931 - EMI - London - England - Recording studio - Rock bands - Cliff Richard - The Shadows - The Beatles - Abbey Road - St John's Wood - City of Westminster

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Built as a Georgian town house in 1831, the premises were acquired by The Gramophone Company in 1931 and converted into studios. The neighbouring house is also owned by the studio and used to house musicians. The Gramophone Company later amalgamated with Columbia Records to form EMI which took over the studios. The studios were then known as EMI studios until they changed their name to Abbey Road Studios formally in the 1970s.

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Georgian - Town house - 1831 - Gramophone Company - 1931 - Columbia Records - EMI - 1970s

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Studio Two at Abbey Road became a centre of rock music in 1958 when Cliff Richard and the Drifters (later Cliff Richard and The Shadows), recorded Move It, arguably the first European rock 'n' roll single. It also witnessed the beginnings of a change from "rock 'n' roll" to "Rock". In the time between 1958 and 1963, Cliff Richard and The Shadows rejuvenated the studios, breaking with convention, originating overnight recording sessions, allowing new recording techniques. The group opened up the studios to loud, heavy guitar driven music, allowing an easy entrance for the lighter sounds of the Beatles. The Beatles also found great success in Studio Two, and during the early-to-mid-'60s, the Beatles and Cliff and The Shadows became almost like joint owners of the studio, with friendly battles for recording time.

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1958 - Cliff Richard - The Shadows - Rock 'n' roll - 1963 - Guitar - '60s

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The Beatles also named their 1969 album, Abbey Road, after the studio. The cover photo for that album was taken outside Abbey Road studios. The Shadows named their Live At Abbey Road album after the studio, with the cover spoofing the Beatles' album. Studio Two was also used by Pink Floyd (Dark Side of the Moon),(The Piper at the Gates of Dawn), the Hollies, Manfred Mann, the Seekers, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Martin Briley and others.

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1969 album - Abbey Road - Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon - The Piper at the Gates of Dawn - The Hollies - Manfred Mann - The Seekers - Gerry and the Pacemakers - Martin Briley

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The chief mastering engineer at Abbey Road is Chris "Vinyl" Blair, who started his career early on as a tape deck operator. He worked his way up the ranks to get to the top. A highlight of Chris's career was receiving an award for Radiohead's Kid A.

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Radiohead - Kid A

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