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 | ABBEY ROAD STUDIOS | | Spike heads up the recent Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp at Abbey Road Studios
| I have just had a most amazing week at the recent London Rock and Roll Fantasy camp. This is an American institution that takes place over 6 days and involves amateur musicians coming together with hardened professionals and forming instant bands!
A few dozen participants or "campers" (as the septics like to call them) spend 5 of the days rehearsing in a North London venue then have 3 x 6 hour recording sessions at the iconic Abbey Road Recording Studios. This where The Beatles recorded nearly all their songs and Pink Floyd made "Dark Side of the Moon" along with countless other hit Albums and singles by an amazing array of Pop, Rock, Classical and even Comedy legends.
The amateur bands record a Beatles song of their choice, some other cover versions and they write and record an original song! This is the real fun part because the array and depth of talent is very impressive and the styles run from Country right across to Heavy Rock.
The band I was coaching took the name "The Plastic Vagono Band" - don't ask!!!! I had 2 chief surgeons, an accounting exec and an IT manager. They were of varying ability but all were really enthusiastic about learning and playing together. On Day one we recorded the Beatles song "Birthday" and we emailed it to the drummers wife as it was her birthday. That'll be something to tell the grandchildren, getting a personally recorded song on your birthday from Abbey Rd!!!
The next day we wrote our original song called "How does that work?" During the recording of it, the legendary Jack Bruce, bassist and singer from Cream, came into have a listen and a quick chat. He was so enthused that he picked up a bass and played and sang "Politician with my guys. That was recorded too!!!
On the last day we all jumped on a tour bus and headed up to Liverpool where we had a battle of the bands. Each performance was 15 mins and our 3 judges were deciding who was the best band and which was the best original song. it was a fantastic evening with some great music being played and The Cavern was rockin!!! The best song award went to Kip Winger's band (Whole Lotta Vagina!) for their song "I'm Alone" which is one of the most instant pop classic songs you'll ever hear and deserves to be a massive hit.
We spent the night at the "Hard Day's Night" hotel (you can probably guess what the theme is). Then the next morning a select few went to visit "Mendips", the schoolboy home of John Lennon. It was his Aunt Mimi's house which was bought and "donated to the national trust " ( ...... Happiness is a Warm Gun!) I can tell you it was very moving to be in the small bedroom with posters of Rock'n Roll stars and Brigitte Bardot all over the wall staring at John Lennon's candlewick bedspread.
As we left the guide, an excellent gentleman called Colin, told us to stand in th narrow glass walled porch and speak, their was a natural reverb to the space. We were told that this where John and Paul would stand facing each other, holding their guitars in a mirror image (Paul is a leftie) and they would sing for hours on end because the natural reverb of the porch made their voices sound like the classic rock 'n roll tracks that they adored!
It was a fantastic experience and a perfect culmination to an exhausting but very happy week.
Cheers
Spike
P.S When I get copies of the tracks I've mentione and will post them on this site| | |
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