Paul McCartney, Elton John, Roger Waters and others appear in the trailer for an upcoming documentary film about Abbey Road Studios which marks its 90th anniversary.

London’s iconic resort is celebrated in If these walls could singdirected by Mary, McCartney’s daughter, who states in the clip: “Abbey Road Studios has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.”

It opens with John saying, “When you walk into a place with so much history around it, it’s kind of sacred. People want to come here – they want the sound of Abbey Road. He later adds that the smell of the studio is “the smell of fear: Am I going to ruin this?”

You can watch the trailer below.

McCartney is captured playing the piano he first used in the 1960s with the Beatles, while commenting: “It was our house; we spent so much time here.” Waters recalls that pink floyd felt “we cracked it” when they recorded The Dark Side of the Moon the.

George Lucas describes the experience of recording the star wars soundtrack there, while Noel Gallagher reflects, “Much of my record collection was made in this room.”

Disney+ said in a statement: “In this personal film of memory and discovery, director Mary McCartney guides us through nine decades to tell the stories of some of the studio’s most iconic recordings – and the people who made them. . [via] exclusive access to the most famous and oldest studio in the world.

If these walls could sing debuts on Disney+ on December 16.

Abbey Road Studios has announced the dates and speaker list for its second Abbey Road Amplify, a series of workshops and panels aimed at inspiring young people looking to enter the music industry.

This year Abbey Road Amplifier will be held for three days at the famous London studios next week on November 7, 8 & 12 for artists, producers, composers and creatives.

The event coincides with Abbey Road Studios’ 91st anniversary, the studio announced. Amplify from last year only worked for two days.

Participation in this year’s event is free by filling out a ballot (enter here). The festival will also be broadcast live from Abbey Road Studios website.

“For the past four years, we’ve made it our mission to inform and inspire young people considering a career in music through free workshops and 121 mentoring,” said Mark Robertson, Chief Brand Officer. and Communications, Abbey Road Amplify.

The event will include panels and lectures, including Movie soundtrack with Isobel Waller-Bridge, Amelia Warner and Dr Who composer Segun Akinola; and From chamber producer to professional with hitmakers Swindle, Karma Kid and I Jordan.

James Smith (Yard Act), artists Che Lingo and Conor Albert, and Camille Purcellm who wrote many hits for Little Mix, Mabel & Jess Glynne, will speak in a panel titled The joy of making music where they will highlight the importance of music as a means of expression.

Producers and songwriters will discuss the secret to a hit song in a panel called The art of hitmaking with guests including Mark Ralph, whose hits include Years and Years, Jax Jones, Clean Bandit and Aitch.

A Musical Photography Panel will also be held with legendary photographer Jill Furmanovsky, Anais Gallagher and recent Abbey Road Music Photography Awards winner Joe Puxley.

“We are fortunate to see some of the world’s greatest creatives working in our home, so we are delighted to have some of Abbey Road’s friends join us in sharing their knowledge and experience to help empower talent. emerging at the start of their journey.”

Mark Robertson, Abbey Road Amplifier

Guests can also immerse themselves in music technology experiments and “tools of tomorrow” through Studio Three. Abbey Road Red’s Chief Innovation Officer, Karim Fanous, will provide an overview of the trends, followed by hands-on demos and explanations from the founders of Studio Three.

Studio Three is an iconic recording space where Pink Floyd recorded The Dark Side of the MoonAmy Winehouse recorded her last tracks and where Brockhampton recorded the Billboard number one album Iridescence.

Abbey Road Amplify will also present a talk entitled The art of sampling moderated by Abbey Road Audio Product Manager Mirek Stiles; Music Editing 101a comprehensive look at the world of music publishing, with GMB Editing; and A future in the creative industries moderated by Hannah Fitzgerald of the Abbey Road Institute.

Artists are also invited to listen to a lecture entitled Promoting your music in 2022 where speakers from public relations, streaming, radio promotion, digital marketing and social media will explore the different ways music can be heard.

In The business of the music industryguests including Jordan Whitmore, A&R Manager at Domino records, and WME Live agent Jonny Greenfield will talk about the inner workings of the music industry for the new artist. The conference will focus on signing as an artist and understanding music law.

“We are fortunate to see some of the world’s greatest creatives working in our home, so we are delighted to have some of Abbey Road’s friends join us in sharing their knowledge and experience to help empower talent. emerging as they begin their journey,” says Robertson.

Abbey Road Studios hosted the inaugural Abbey Road Amplify event last year to mark its 90th anniversary, with speakers from Island Records, Universal music Edition, Fork, The Ivors Academy, Spotify, PRS for music, MMF, OBJECTIVESound On Sound and Mix With The Masters.The music industry around the world

The WindSync musicians will soon embark on their first trip to Europe to record a new album at Abbey Road Studios, where the Beatles once were.

Before leaving, however, the famous wind quintet – made up of flutist Garrett Hudson, oboist Emily Tsai, bassoonist Kara LaMoure, horn player Anni Hochhalter and new recruit, clarinetist Graeme Steele Johnson – will meet with the Houston community under the gaze of creamy concrete. from the Fab Four to the 8th Wonder Brewery to celebrate this milestone in his career.

On September 29, the band will perform a farewell concert, titled ‘The Road to Abbey Road’, with the iconic 36-foot-tall statues of Britons on the Mop by local sculptor David Adickes providing a most fitting backdrop. On the program, an instrumental version of “Here Comes the Sun” in addition to arrangements of pieces by other artists linked to the legendary recording studio, from the late Edward Elgar to the English rock group Radiohead. It will also include a collection of three rhythmic works by Miguel del Aguila that the troupe will record at Studio Two in November, one of which is a brand new commission that the Uruguayan-born American composer wrote specifically for this collaborative project.

“This concert is about us sharing a moment of music with our family, friends and fans,” said LaMoure, seated at one of the bar’s picnic tables alongside the rest of the crew. and their instruments. “Once a note is played, it is in the ether. It’s finish. We created a moment, but when we go to record at Abbey Road, it’s potentially timeless. It’s almost like a keepsake of all that work, the relationships we’ve built, and our exploration of this music.

For these five artists, the album will live on as a kind of musical memory that carries within it the power to bring them back to that time in their upward trajectory. They now follow in the footsteps of many remarkable musicians who are part of Abbey Road’s unparalleled history and whose landmark recordings marked their childhood.

“It’s so special because when you listen to the recordings that you make, wherever you are, you’re back in that room,” said Hochhalter, who is also WindSync’s executive director and president of the musician. “We can’t wait to have that memory etched in our brains.”

The opportunity presented itself last spring when del Aguila – whose “Wind Quintet No. 2” appears on the band’s latest album, “All Worlds, All Times”, released in April – sent an e- mail to the musicians, asking them if they would be interested. by recording several of his pieces in the famous hall. Luckily, two of the four dates Abbey Road Studios had available for the rest of the year worked out for everyone involved after some slight scheduling changes, and not only that, but LaMoure knew the perfect place to say ” bravo” to the city they call their “creative laboratory”.

Creating musical experiences in spaces that celebrate Houston’s uniqueness, such as 8th Wonder Brewery, has been integral to WindSync’s mission since its inception as a group of students at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music. in 2009. The ensemble turned professional the following year before embarking on an international touring career, gaining nonprofit status and, most recently, joining the prestigious MKI Artist Roster. .

Although now only two of its members are local to Houston (Hochhalter, Tsai, and Johnson reside in California, Washington, D.C., and New York, respectively), WindSync maintains a four-concert series, an annual spring festival, and a strong outreach program. educational. in the town of Bayou. As part of its 2022-23 season lineup, the quintet will return for programs at Archway Gallery, Live Oak Friends Meeting House and Midtown Arts and Theater Center Houston.

“The coolest thing about being a chamber ensemble – and it’s something we’ve been experimenting with for a long time – is fitting into other aspects of the community and finding a way to be part of it. art next to art or being art in spaces that aren’t normally considered art spaces,” Hochhalter said, looking over the backyard of the brewery East Downtown “These statues are really impressive. I mean, they pretty much do all the work for us.”

Lawrence Elizabeth Knox is a Houston-based writer.

The rock royalty’s daughter is leading a ‘love letter to Abbey Road Studios’ in an upcoming film.

Mary McCartney, daughter of living rock and roll legend Paul McCartney, is releasing a new documentary film titled ‘If These Walls Could Sing’.

McCartney is directing the film which is described as his “personal love letter to Abbey Road Studios”.

Originally named EMI Studios, the studio gained worldwide fame as the studio where the Beatles recorded most of their music during their time together.

In a Facebook post, Mary’s fascination and admiration for the historic recording studio is rooted in the fact that Abbey Road “not only encouraged her father’s creative work, but also countless artists from most talented in the whole world”.

The documentary “tells a passionate story about the world’s first purpose-built recording studio spanning 91 years through interviews with Jimmy Page, Kate Bush, Noel Gallagher, John Williams, Celeste, Elton John, Giles Martin, Shirley Bassey, Liam Gallagher, Pink Floyd, Paul McCartney and even our mic keeper for over 50 years, Lester Smith, bringing to life the magic that continues to resonate on the walls of No. 3 Abbey Road.

Abbey Road, where the studio is located, is immortalized on one of the Beatles album covers. The album “Abbey Road” is considered by some to be the greatest album ever recorded by a musical group.

Mary McCartney said of the upcoming film, “I want to make it an emotional experience as a documentary, rather than doing all the historical points. I didn’t want it to feel like a lesson. I really, really hope the viewer will fall in love with it.

“If These Walls Could Sing” is set to stream on Disney+ and is produced by Mercury Studios and Ventureland. The film debuted at the Telluride Film Festival.

Abbey Road Studios is the subject of a new documentary, directed by acclaimed British photographer and filmmaker Mary McCartney. The 53-year-old photographer is the daughter of Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney. The feature film, If these walls could sing, was described in the original January 12, 2021 announcement as “the untold story of the world-renowned London studios”. It features interviews with Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Roger Waters of Pink Floyd and David Gilmour, who recorded the famous The Dark Side of the Moon there, Elton John, Kate Bush, Jimmy Page and composer and bandleader John Williams, among many others.

In September 2022, it was announced that Disney’s original documentary unit had joined forces with Mercury Studios, Universal Music Group’s premier music content studio, for worldwide streaming release on a date yet to be announced. It had its premiere at the Telluride Film Festival in early September and will continue to hit the festival circuit. The film was produced by Academy Award®, BAFTA and Prime Time Emmy Award winner John Battsek. (Looking for Sugar Man)Sara Thomson and Miles Coleman under the production company Ventureland.

“Abbey Road was a space I thought I knew, but I continue to discover new things every time I go,” says Mary McCartney. An official trailer has yet to be made available, but watch a clip below.

Abbey Road Studios opened in 1931 in London’s upmarket St. John’s Wood.

Mary McCartney brings a unique and personal perspective on the history of Abbey Road. She says: “Some of my earliest memories as a young child come from my time at Abbey Road. I’ve long wanted to tell the story of this historic place and couldn’t partner with a better team than John and Mercury Studios to make that creative ambition a reality. his father shared a photo which she took from him on his 80th birthday in 2022.

“Abbey Road Studios have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember,” says Mary McCartney. “I grew up around the corner and have early memories of going to visit my parents while they were recording. The studios felt like a family. The people who worked there had also grown up there, including remaining years to be shaped and nurtured by the generation above them. This family had also produced the music I loved; iconic, original and pioneering records that inspired and moved me, and millions of ‘others.

“A photo of my mum driving our pony Jet through the Abbey Road zebra crossing brought back those memories. Walking past the studios and watching people gather on the crossing to have their picture taken, people who had traveled around the world, made me realize the importance of Abbey Road. There is something really special about this place; it is so much more than a building – it is a sanctuary for creative and original thinkers and a treasure trove of stories.

look a clip featuring Paul McCartney from the studio’s announcement of the film

She adds: “As a photographer, I wanted to visually capture the spirit of the studios. Being able to invite artists back into the space created intimate and emotional interviews and revealed a lot for me and the subject. While collecting memories, I wanted to open the workshop to people who had never had the chance to experience it. I see this film as an opportunity to make accessible the magic of the most famous studio in the world to reach a younger audience and surprise people.

Isabel Garvey, Managing Director of Abbey Road Studios, said: “If these walls could sing. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard this said at Abbey Road Studios over the years. Showcasing and celebrating the place, the music and the talent that made the studio what it is, through their creativity and innovation, was an honor.

From the original ad: If these walls could sing marks the first time Abbey Road has opened its doors to a feature-length documentary and will be the centerpiece of the legendary recording studios’ 90th anniversary celebrations. It will tell countless stories with a star-studded interview cast, unrivaled access to studios and, of course, a spellbinding soundtrack.

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What is Edward Elgar’s Land of Hope and GloryThe Beatles’ Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Bandthe score of Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark and Lady Gaga’s born like this have in common?

They were all recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London.

Scroll through the gallery above to see photos of famous musicians who have recorded at Abbey Road Studios

The studio in St John’s Wood, northwest London, is perhaps the most famous of its kind in the world, having seen the likes of the Beatles, Pink Floyd, Kate Bush, Oasis, John Williams, Kylie Minogue, Fela Kuti , Alanis Morrisette , Coldplay and Deep Purple pass through its hallowed halls.

Another of the building’s famous former visitors is photographer Mary McCartney. Inspired by an old black and white photo of herself as a baby lying on the Studio One carpet while her father Paul recorded with the Beatles, she made the documentary If these walls could sing. The feature, which explores the stories behind the music recorded there, recently debuted at the Telluride Film Festival, Colorado, United States.

From townhouse to recording studio

Originally a nine-bedroom Georgian townhouse built in 1831, it was purchased by the Gramophone Company in 1929, who set out to convert it into a recording studio.

EMI recording studios opened in November 1931 with English composer Edward Elgar conducting the London Symphony Orchestra for a recording of Land of Hope and Glory.

For decades, classical musicians have recorded at famed Studio One, including famed British cellist Jacqueline du Pré, whose short but influential life was immortalized in the 1998 film. Hillary and Jackie. American big band musician Glenn Miller recorded there during World War II.

Why are Abbey Road Studios so famous?

The studio began hosting rock and pop bands in the 1950s, who would record at Studio Two. However, since it was owned by EMI, it was mostly used by acts signed to the label.

It was the Beatles album in 1969 Abbey Road which really put the studio on the map. The album cover showed John Lennon, Ringo Starr, George Harrison and Paul McCartney walking through the crosswalk outside the studio, instantly transforming the passage and the building into a place of pilgrimage for music fans everywhere.

Capitalizing on the legacy of the Beatles, EMI Recording Studios was officially renamed Abbey Road Studios in 1976, overseen by general manager and sound engineer, Ken Townsend, who would work on rubber core, Revolver and more. He also invented artificial double tracking in an effort to appease John Lennon, who disliked doing second takes.

Classic rock tales

Another seminal album, Pink Floyd’s Mother Heart Atom, was recorded at the studios in 1970, while former Led Zeppelin members Robert Plant and Jimmy Page made their 1998 album Walk in Clarksdale the.

In McCartney’s documentary, guitarist Page recounts working there as a session musician as a teenager, playing James Bond-themed golden finger, which was recorded by Shirley Bassey.

Elton John, another former Abbey Road session musician who did bigger things, reveals in the documentary that he played piano on the track The Hollies. He’s not heavy, he’s my brother, and recounts meeting Paul McCartney in the studio in the 60s, calling it the greatest moment of his life at that time.

“I feel like Abbey Road Studios helped shape the sound of The Beatles, not just because of the space they were recording in, but also because there were instruments lying around,” says Mary McCartney. “You get a feeling when you walk into the homecoming space. It holds a lot of memories because they didn’t tear down the walls and change it.

Film music: from ‘Indiana Jones’ to ‘Aliens’

As well as some of the world’s most famous albums, many of cinema’s most recognizable scores were recorded at Abbey Road.

In 1981, director Steven Spielberg and composer John Williams moved into Studio One to record the memorable music for Indiana Jones’ first film, The Raiders of the Lost Ark. Williams would return many times over the years to score goals like Star Wars: Return of the Jedi and phantom menace among others, with the London Symphony Orchestra.

Other film soundtracks recorded at the studios include Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Brazil, aliens and Amedee.

“What I wanted in the interviews was to dig deeper into these musicians’ feelings about Abbey Road,” McCartney said. vanity lounge. “Do you really care about Abbey Road?” It’s a building and you saved here, but whatever. Does it really worry you? And I think from the interviews you can really see that they think about it fondly.

“I think at the end of the day there’s a real love for the place. And I find it really interesting that people always feel that way about a building.

Updated: September 09, 2022, 1:22 p.m.

When Mary McCartney was approached by producer John Battsek (“Searching for Sugar Man,” “One Day in September”) to make a film out of London’s legendary Abbey Road Studios, she didn’t immediately jump on the job. opportunity, almost any other photographer interested in making the leap into documentary filmmaking could have it. It’s not hard to guess why she might have hesitated and then succumbed to the idea of ​​making “If These Walls Could Sing,” which premiered at the Telluride Film Festival over the weekend and was picked up for broadcast on Disney+.

“I think because of my last name, I’m getting a little too sensitive,” says Paul McCartney’s daughter, sitting at a table adjacent to the sidewalk in Telluride. “I used to be afraid of everything that concerned my family, wanting with my photography to make a name for myself in my own region. I mean, I’ve always been very proud of my family, but I recently realized (I should) not be afraid because I feel like I’m being judged. …. Before, I was like, my family is my family and my career is my career, and now I’m at the point where I’m confident enough to merge the two.

It didn’t hurt to consider that the Beatles’ adventures in Abbey Road in the 60s are obviously only part of the studio’s history, although it is important enough to fill the need from Disney+ for the post-“Get Back” Beatles. contents. (A premiere date for the film on the service has yet to be announced.) Classic rock fans will likely be equally interested in the stories told by Roger Waters, David Gilmour and Nick Mason about the making of “The Dark Side.” of the Moon,” say, as they will in McCartney’s conversations with his dad and Ringo Starr. she considers himself a rock star.

“I was literally like ‘I love my job’ that I got to interview John Williams. It was a highlight of my life,” she says. “Oh my God, I fell in love with him. He is so talented and such a gentleman, and just being in his presence and sitting with him made me feel really happy.

Williams is a key player in “If These Walls Could Sing”, representing how the studio being in the classical music business for much of its history, and film music after that, really flourished after Williams scored “Raiders of the Lost Ark” in the orchestra-sized Studio 1, and has returned often for “Star Wars” sequels and other projects. It is Williams who is most eloquent in describing the particular sonic characteristics of the Abbey Road installations, although McCartney notes that “he does it in such an eloquent way, it’s almost not technical, because you can understand it as a layman. ”

As she explains, “I do it for an audience to bring it into the studio. It’s not really about all the technical innovations and things like that. It’s more about the stories of the album, the personal stories and the space and what that means to people. And with the interviews, I tried to keep them very relaxed and intimate and conversational. I wanted an informal atmosphere, like accessibility.

That goes for the conversation with her dad, who, while invariably charming in interviews, seems to give 20% more when he’s with her. She nods: “I felt that too. I was really happy, because when you interview people, you don’t know what mood they’re going to be in that day. But dad is so passionate about Abbey Road he was very good at talking especially about the people who work there and the amazing technicians that they are so I think maybe that’s why he gave those 20 % extra, because he really wanted to speak for the place that has so many memories for him.

“I feel like Abbey Road Studios helped shape the sound of The Beatles, not just because of the space they were recording in, but also because there were instruments lying around.” This is illustrated in the film when the senior McCartney notices a peculiar piano in the room and approaches to play “Lady Madonna on it”. “Mrs. Moulins [a novelty artist of the ’60s] was this famous pianist who made all these kinds of happy party melodies, and she had this upright piano. The instruments would just hang around Abby Road, which is true to this day… I mean, it really influenced the music of The Beatles, and Pink Floyd, likewise, because of new technology and new machinery and instruments lying around that ended up making their way into the recordings because they were in the studio. Not because they said, ‘Let’s bring an upright piano today. Let’s rent one, and then we’ll do it’ – it was just part of the furniture.

Elton John didn’t record his most famous albums there, but remembers his time as a studio musician, playing piano on hits like “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother.” (In the end credits, he makes a call with Sir Paul to talk about how he met him in the studio in the 60s and it was the greatest moment of his life at that time.) Jimmy Page also talks about being a session guitarist in Abbey Road as a teenager, and his amazement at being almost front row playing on the “Goldfinger” session and watching Shirley Bassey belt out until she literally collapsed.

Starr is also on his game because he remembers “Yer Blues” from the White Album being one of his favorite things the Beatles ever recorded, not because he took advantage of the rapidly developing technology of the studio, but rather the opposite: the group retreated to a storage area to become more gritty. He also talks about the really bad initial idea of ​​having “A Day in the Life” end with a choral hum, and the much better idea they came up with of ending it with multiple pianos playing the same chord. “This section [about ‘A Day in the Life’] is one of my favorite parts,” says the filmmaker. “But it was quite emotional when he said that about ‘Yer Blues’. I think being able to interview him at Abbey Road was a good thing because you feel when you walk into the homecoming space It holds a lot of memories because they didn’t tear down the walls and change it.

How much has it changed? “You know, they built a lot of smaller spaces to be more practical, so more people could visit who might not be able to afford a big recording studio,” McCartney explains. “But Studio 1 and Studio 2 basically stayed as they were. Acoustics – why spoil something if it’s so good? Studio 3 has always been updated, but 1 and 2 have always been kept. So you get a sense of modernity and history. And there’s a great canteen,” she adds, “which is fun.”

The only ominous note in the documentary comes when the studio falls on hard times, facing competition from much leaner operations in London, and the building is sold, along with much of the content sold. But not Mrs Mills’ piano, of course – so how much has it really been preserved? McCartney explains: “There’s a guy called Lester Smith which is in the documentary. And there were times when people were like, “We have to get rid of some of this stuff” and sell it, because physically, how much space do you have in the studio? They kept as many as they could. But Lester is famous in Abbey Road because when he heard things might be in danger (of being eliminated) he would hide them and then bring them back when it was safe for them to return. So even today people will say, “Oh, I wish we had one more of those microphones,” and he’ll walk away and say, “Oh, I just found one here.” So it’s full of great people who work there and who have this great passion.

Classical music fans will be glad McCartney doesn’t dwell on this aspect of the studio’s history. “Once I realized I was doing this documentary, I became obsessed with it, and then it became this learning journey. Because I hadn’t realized it had been around for 90 years” – before that it was a nine-bedroom house – “and I hadn’t realized all the classical connections. She was, however, aware of a classical performer who was big in the UK in the 60s and who spends a much of the screen time, glamorous young cellist Jacqueline Du Pre. The crossover musician’s story is both inspiring and tragic and you want to see more.” I was saying last night — I was like, we have to do a whole documentary about Jacqueline,” McCartney said.

Kate Bush makes a rare modern appearance in the documentary, albeit in audio only. “It’s amazing to have Kate there because she produced her third album there, made her video there… I kind of got in touch with her. I know she doesn’t interviews, but I know she has a real affection for Abbey Road, so over time she kindly agreed to do an audio track which she wrote and sent to me. her voice that speaks out of space is also quite special.

Someone else who makes a rare appearance: Mary McCartney. She mostly appears early in the film, to establish that she grew up somewhat within its walls as Wings was recording there, and then backs off for most of the rest.

“One of the reasons I was kind of, ‘Oh, I need to do this’ was when I found this baby photo” of herself in the studio in the early 70s “Then I saw a biography of the history of the place, and I saw this picture of my mother driving the pony ‘-named Jet’ through the crossing. And I was like, this is then my mother. She was so obsessed with animals and treated them as individuals. This image stuck in my mind. But that was actually my editor’s idea, when we were trying to figure out how to start it. And he’s like, ‘Look, I want you to be open to this. I know you don’t really want to be part of it. And then I was like, ‘You know what? You are right.’ When we did that, I felt like it brought more emotion, maybe, or connected me more to the story.

But McCartney wasn’t content to be dragged to Abbey Road as a child – she returned often as an adult and knew many of the staff, even attending birthday parties for the chef. longtime Ken Townshend before his retirement.

Telluride’s reception has been gratifying: “I never watched it in public until yesterday. You work so hard on something and you think, how is it going to be received? But the audience particularly reacted to the Shirley Bassey/Jimmy Page scene, because it’s so dramatic and it’s so bright and dramatic,” McCartney proudly states.

She hopes to do more documentaries. “I’m glad John convinced me and I didn’t say no. I learned to seize opportunities when they are offered to you. By doing photography, you can be much more lonely. While leading this, I discovered that I also really like working in a team. I’m glad, she said, to have had a word with myself.

If these walls could sing premieres at the Telluride Film Festival

Disney Original Documentary has announced its partnership with Mercury Studios and Ventureland for the worldwide streaming release of If these walls could sing, the intimate and revealing feature-length documentary debut from director Mary McCartney. The film, which will have its world premiere at this year’s Telluride Film Festival, was produced by Oscar-winning film producer John Battsek. one day in september and In search of sugar man, Sarah Thomson and Miles Coleman, under the production company Ventureland. Executive producers are Alice Webb and Marc Robinson of Mercury Studios and Kerstin Emhoff and Ali Brown of Ventureland.

If these walls could sing sees Abbey Road Studios open for the first time, as director Mary McCartney guides audiences through her home away from home, weaving personal stories with archival footage and recordings into an intimate and emotional story from the most famous studio in the world. Through exclusive interviews with Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Elton John, Liam Gallagher, Noel Gallagher, John Williams, Celeste and Kate Bush, among others, audiences will get a front-row seat to nine decades of memories that tell the stories of some of the studio’s most iconic recordings and the people who made them.

“We are thrilled to present Mary McCartney’s incredibly personal feature-length documentary debut, a compelling story behind generations of music derived from legendary Abbey Road Studios,” said Marjon Javadi, vice president of Disney Original Documentary for Disney Branded Television. “Given her long-standing connection to space, we are delighted that audiences around the world will come and explore Abbey Road Studios through Mary’s eyes and discover new sides to the world’s most iconic music studio. “

From early British rock ‘n’ roll records that inspired a generation, to a band that came to Abbey Road from Liverpool and set the world on fire, Abbey Road is home to recordings that changed the world. The Beatles learned to be in Abbey Road. Their evolution is at the heart of the film, charting how the band and studios grew together, rewrote the rules of songwriting, and transformed pop music forever. Pink Floyd entered the space forged by the Beatles. Interviews with Roger Waters and David Gilmour trace the band’s creative process and journey to one of the world’s most innovative and successful records, The dark side of the moon.

“Making this documentary was an incredible opportunity to learn more about a place I grew up for and have a great deal of affection for,” shares director Mary McCartney. “Showcasing and celebrating the place, the music and the talent that made the studio what it is, through their creativity and innovation, was an honor. I am delighted to partner with Disney Original Documentary, so that we can invite the public to Abbey Road, to experience the magic that has been created in its studios over the past 90 years.

From classical to pop, from film music to hip hop, If these walls could sing explores the breadth, diversity and ingenuity of Abbey Road Studios. Intimate interviews with top artists, producers and composers, coupled with vivid archival footage and session tapes, provide exclusive access to these famous private studios. From Elton John to Jacqueline Du Pre via Jimmy Page, from Kate Bush to Paul McCartney via Celeste, all have found their musical language in Abbey Road studios. Audiences will experience the creative magic that makes it a revered and sacred space that still produces many of the most recognized records today and makes Abbey Road the most famous and oldest studio in the world.

The film will make its world premiere at the 2022 Telluride Film Festival and will continue to hit the festival circuit until its world premiere on Disney+ at a later date.

“The Abbey Road Studios story is something we’ve always wanted to share with the world,” adds Marc Robinson, co-president of Mercury Studios. “The feeling you get when you walk through the doors is magical, and we knew we had to find a way to not only share that feeling with the audience, but also celebrate the rich, storied history of the studio. Together with Mary, we have found the perfect storyteller – someone who brings an unparalleled perspective with her incredible creative lens. Along with our partners at Disney and Ventureland, we can’t wait for audiences to experience the intimacy of Mary’s cinema and the magic of Abbey Road.

Mary McCartney is an acclaimed photographer and filmmaker based in London. His photographic work has focused on uncovering those rare moments of unsupervised, emotionally charged intimacy that offer us new insight into the subject. In addition to her photography, Mary Executive produces and presents the Emmy-nominated cooking show Mary McCartney serves it (2020-22) for Discovery+.

Mary McCartney directs. John Battsek produced the film under his company Ventureland, alongside Sarah Thomson and Miles Coleman. Alice Webb and Marc Robinson of Mercury Studios are executive producers. Ventureland’s Kerstin Emhoff and Ali Brown are also executive producers. Marjon Javadi is Vice President of Originals for Documentaries and Docuseries for Disney Branded Television/Disney Original Documentary.

Disney Original Documentary previously announced upcoming projects Goodbye Yellowbrick Road: Elton John’s Last Performances and the Years That Made His Legendthe untitled film about Jim Henson and the short film Sophie and the baron. Critically Acclaimed mija will premiere on Disney+ on September 16 with Mickey: the story of a mouse streaming on Disney+ later this fall.

Mary McCartney takes us to the walls of Abbey Road studios for her directorial debut, If these walls could sing.

The film premiered over Labor Day weekend at the Telluride Film Festival. Over the years, the festival has become a mecca for studios to launch their Oscar contenders. Anyway, Disney takes the opportunity to launch the documentary Abbey Road. If you’re not throwing a music doc at SXSW, Telluride is the second best place. I can’t say enough good things about the movie. It’s got everything you want – at a minimum – in a documentary about Abbey Road Studios: the early days, the Beatles and, of course, John Williams recording some of the best movie soundtracks of all time.

I first discovered Abbey Road when The Beatles Anthology first aired on ABC. In reality, sergeant. peppers and Abbey Road went on to become my first two albums ever purchased. It’s unclear how many of the albums I own were recorded within the walls of Abbey Road Studios, which was originally called EMI Recording Studios until the name change. I’m sure I’m not the only one with a similar story.

The premises at 3 Abbey Road was once a nine bedroom townhouse. In 1929 the Gramophone Company acquired the property and opened a recording studio in 1931. It’s a studio with a 90-year history and photographer Mary McCartney brings us an intimate look at its history in her first feature film as than director. She grew up in the studio because her father is the legendary Paul McCartney. With her background in photography, she is able to bring viewers beautiful images on screen. For the fans this is historic as the studios are private and as far as I know there are no tours of the facility. The closest fans can usually get is recreating the Abbey Road cover.

Many of the greatest rock songs in history were recorded at Studio Two under the watchful eye of producer George Martin. George is not alive but his son, Giles Martin, carries on his legacy. I could watch Beatles documentaries all day. We’ve already seen the music come to life in the Emmy-winning film The Beatles: Come Back last November. Last summer we saw Paul McCartney give a masterclass in McCartney 3,2,1. And while I can watch the surviving Beatles, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, discuss their music all day, Abbey Road is more than The Beatles. It’s The Hollies, Elton John, John Williams, Pink Floyd, Oasis, Ye, Celeste and many more. We discover images of Jacqueline du Pré, shots of Fela Kuti and many others. McCartney and editor Paul Carlin incorporate extensive archival footage embedded into the interviews.

On the soundtrack front, Abbey Road is where Dame Shirley Bassey nearly passed out while singing the theme to The golden finger. Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page shares a story about recording because he was in the studio that day. Likewise, Elton John has an eternal story to tell about when he was a session musician for The Hollies and Paul McCartney came in and played “Hey Jude.”

In the 1980s, John Williams recorded the The Raiders of the Lost Ark score in Studio One. He came at a time when the future was uncertain for the studio. Abbey Road had been sold and many items were auctioned – others were given to Paul McCartney for safekeeping. Williams kept coming back to record more scores as it is one of the best spaces in the world to record film music. Watching the film, you really begin to understand why so many musicians want to record there. History alone is reason enough. As Paul McCartney said in an interview at Studio 2: “If these walls could sing.

I know some of my readers will probably be uncomfortable with the appearance of a certain musician. Believe me, I totally get it, but as much as it pains me to say it, Mary McCartney wouldn’t tell the story without including Pink Floyd and that includes you know who. But still, there’s a who’s who of people discussing the studio. This film is only 86 minutes long, but there’s probably enough material for an expanded documentary series on the story. But as it is, If these walls could sing presents a selection of the greatest hits from the history of nine decades.

If these walls could sing is a celebration of the history of Abbey Road Studios and one of the best music documentaries of the year. As soon as this movie hits Disney+, you’ll be doing yourself a huge disservice by not hitting play ASAP.

DIRECTOR: Mary McCartney
STARRING: Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Elton John, Roger Waters, Noel Gallagher, Liam Gallagher, John Williams, Celeste, Sheku Kanneh-Mason

If These Walls Could Sing holds its world premiere during the 2022 Telluride Film Festival in the Show program. Disney+ will release the film at a later date in 2022. Rating: 5/5

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