Solid State
The Story of Abbey Road and the End of the Beatles
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Narrated by:
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William Hughes
About this listen
In Solid State, Kenneth Womack offers the most definitive account of the conception, recording, mixing, and reception of Abbey Road.
In February 1969, the Beatles began working on what became their final album together. Abbey Road introduced a number of new techniques and technologies to the Beatles' sound and included "Come Together", "Something", and "Here Comes the Sun", which all emerged as classics.
Womack's colorful retelling of how this landmark album was written and recorded is a treat for fans of the Beatles. Solid State takes listeners back to 1969 and into EMI's Abbey Road Studios, which boasted an advanced solid state transistor mixing desk. Womack focuses on the dynamics between John, Paul, George, and Ringo and producer George Martin and his team of engineers, who for the most part set aside the tensions and conflicts that had arisen on previous albums to create a work with an innovative (and among some fans and critics, controversial) studio-bound sound that prominently included the new Moog synthesizer, among other novelties.
As Womack shows, Abbey Road was the culmination of the instrumental skills, recording equipment, and artistic vision that the band and George Martin had developed since their early days in the same studio seven years before. A testament to the group's creativity and their producer's ingenuity, Solid State is required listening for all fans of the Beatles and the rock 'n' roll.
©2019 Kenneth Womack (P)2019 Blackstone PublishingEssential listening for any Beatles fan
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One of the better beatles books.
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This guy knows his stuff, some of the information about the technical aspects of the recording studio went over my head but the detail and research is second to none.
This book compliments the Peter Jackson film - Get Back in terms of seeing how they worked together in the studio, and the use of multiply takes and overdubs.
There is lots to savour about this book, and finding something new in an oft told story.
The narrator’s voice is easy to listen to and made it an excellent experience.
Like the Beatles? Then it’s a no brainer! Want to hear how the best band ever worked and the issues getting the albums made..again it’s for you!
When they were Fab!
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The Fabs themselves emerge as complex, difficult, and gifted very young men. McCartney’s drivenness comes through very clearly. Ringo’s as much the hero of these recording sessions as anyone, and I’m really pleased Womack chose to highlight this.
Of course George Martin and Jeff Emerick in particular, deserve as much applause as it’s possible to give for their production work, and this book illuminates their (and several others), ‘above and beyond’ ethos, when it came to this album.
Listening to the album now, is an even greater experience.
This is something special.
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