TY - JOUR
T1 - Behind the magical mystery door
T2 - History, mythology and the aura of Abbey Road Studios
AU - Bennett, Samantha
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Cambridge University Press 2016.
PY - 2016/10/1
Y1 - 2016/10/1
N2 - In rock historiography, Abbey Road Studios is depicted as the rock canon's ultimate recording house; home to the Beatles, Pink Floyd and a generation of classic rock album production. In recent years, the studio has struggled to maintain itself as an operational recording house, yet effectively exploits its past to secure its future. This article considers issues of heritage, pilgrimage and tourism before elucidating brand 'Abbey Road' as a conflation of geographical location, zebra crossing, graffiti wall, recording house and aura. In separating the tangible aspects of Abbey Road's heritage - the zebra crossing, graffiti wall and the Beatles Abbey Road album - out from its intangibles - its 'magic', legacy and studio 'vibe' - Abbey Road's studio aura is exposed as a commodity in its own right.
AB - In rock historiography, Abbey Road Studios is depicted as the rock canon's ultimate recording house; home to the Beatles, Pink Floyd and a generation of classic rock album production. In recent years, the studio has struggled to maintain itself as an operational recording house, yet effectively exploits its past to secure its future. This article considers issues of heritage, pilgrimage and tourism before elucidating brand 'Abbey Road' as a conflation of geographical location, zebra crossing, graffiti wall, recording house and aura. In separating the tangible aspects of Abbey Road's heritage - the zebra crossing, graffiti wall and the Beatles Abbey Road album - out from its intangibles - its 'magic', legacy and studio 'vibe' - Abbey Road's studio aura is exposed as a commodity in its own right.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84988422765&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1017/S0261143016000556
DO - 10.1017/S0261143016000556
M3 - Review article
SN - 0261-1430
VL - 35
SP - 396
EP - 417
JO - Popular Music
JF - Popular Music
IS - 3
ER -