Favourite recording from Abbey Road ?

Radiohead - The Bends

but by far my favorite besides those you mention has to be Odyssey and Oracle by the Zombies. One of my top ten of any genre. Nine of the tracks were recorded at abbey road.

The first one from when it opened in 1928(?). Starts with the conductor (Elgar?) telling the orchestra some small hints on how he want's it played. It's available on a CD, I think.

JohanR

For Johan,

A film showing Sir Edward Elgar making the very first recording at the official opening of the Abbey Road Studios in 1931, with the London Symphony Orchestra led by his friend Willie Reid ...

Great to have this little piece of film on youtube!

ATB from George

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxqFdcZz974

Just to spoil the fun this was the first official recording and later that day Elgar made further recordings that were commercially issued - still available today - of his Symphonic Study "Falstaff."

However these were not the first recordings made in the studio which had been being tested for weeks before this official opening where the world's press assembled to report on the event. Rather the very first commercially released recording was by Eric Coates of his own "Knightbridge March," made some weeks earlier, and interestingly also with the London Symphony Orchestra.

Roy Harper's Stormcock (1971)

Kevin Ayers Whatevershebringswesing is without doubt one of the greatest records ever made anywhere. It is Kevin's finest 40 minutes from the opening strains of There is Loving to the final strains of Lullabye. When I hear the title track I think it is The Whole World playing. Mike Oldfield's guitar work is just stunning. The hit record from it is, of course, Stranger in Blue Suede Shoes with its immense lyrical charm and those immortal words you can take what you like, it won't hurt me, 'cos I'm just working for the company. However, my favourite track and the one that blew my mind when I first heard was the beautiful poetic Song from the bottom of a well.

Oh yes and Odyssey and Oracle - I've written about this recording many times. It is music at its very finest.

SF Sorrow - please see here - if you haven't heard this record then please try.



cuts by the Hollies, Donovan, Tomorrow, the Fingers, Focus 3, the Tales of Justine, Simon Dupree & the Big Sound, the Pretty Things, the Aquarian Age, the Koobas, the Nocturnes, Locomotive, the Gods, Mandrake Paddlesteamer, Mark Wirtz, and Syd Barrett.

Talking od Syd - Piper is a immense elpee - Floyd's finest by a country mile - not 'arf,

There are lots and lots and lots of great records from Abbey Road,

That's what I was thinking about, George!

The phrase 'As if you never heard it before'!

JohanR

quote:

Talking od Syd - Piper is a immense elpee - Floyd's finest by a country mile - not 'arf,

What's the highest fidelity Barrett album? I have all of Syd's work, but I'm keen to get the highest fidelity one going as well!!!

Regards,

Jon

I have the original vinyl of Madcap and Barratt and cannot fault them. I prefer them to the CDs in the Crazy Diamond box set although that set is very welcome.

I really like the triple-CD version of Piper and prefer the stereo CD to either the mono or stereo vinyl versions.

The recording quality on Fish out of water is fine, but given the original was the '65 acetate of Floyd's first single Lucy Leave then we can only expect so much.

Magnesium Proverbs is interesting, but the quality is poor despite it having the best version of Scream Thy Last Scream.

Tonite lets make love in London has an excellent Interstellar, but it is not hi-fi.

Collecting Syd is never easy. Of course on Kevin Ayers Joy of a Toy extended CD re-master there is the stunning version of Singing a song in the morning with Syd on guitar and backing vocals.

And the Peel Sessions are not to be missed, I love Two of a Kind - great song. I could live without Bob Dylan Blues from the disappointing Wouldn't you miss me compilation. There is another radio session I think from the Bob Harris show, but the recording is so awful you'd never want to hear it more than once.

If only he hadn't got lost in the woods then think how big the Floyd might have become

Syd who?