Abbey Road Studios is perhaps one of the most legendary places to record music in the world. But as far as we know it has never been used as a bed and breakfast – until now.
That’s about to change: on October 15, four winners of a new competition from Airbnb will spend a night in the London studios where, among other things, the Beatles recorded several classic albums.
Mark Ronson, the DJ/musician/producer behind hits such as Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk”, Adele’s “19” album and Amy Winehouse’s “Back to Black” is also part of the OK. He’ll be there to greet the winners and share production tips…and then help them record their own track in the studio that night.
“I was born and raised around the corner from Abbey Road Studios, one of the greatest studios of all time,” Ronson said in a statement. “Over the years working at Abbey Road I have come to know many of the engineers there and hearing the legendary stories of recording albums is one of the great benefits of being in the building. It’s amazing that Airbnb is getting Abbey Road open to the doors so I can share it with people who love music as much as I do.”
According to the competition list, there are special “internal rules” to follow:
- Turn it up to 11 — we have good soundproofing.
- If you catch nostalgia, don’t worry. It’s not contagious.
- No smoking near the Moog.
- If the phone rings, a “Hello, it’s me” will do.
- No matter what happens, just… let it be.
- Don’t run after sidewalks.
- Leave your mark.
Abbey Road Studios began in 1831 as a nine-bedroom Georgian townhouse; 100 years later, it was bought by the Gramophone Company (which became EMI) and turned into recording studios.
Over the years hundreds of artists ranging from the Beatles (who named their 11th studio album after it and were photographed in a nearby crosswalk for the album cover), Pink Floyd, Michael Bublé, Miley Cyrus and Duran Duran have all recorded albums or songs inside. Film soundtracks, including the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, have also been recorded there.
And with a bit of luck, it might be your turn!
MORE: Does the famous Abbey Road have a Brigadier?
To enter the competition, Click here. Winners will be announced after October 6th. And if you’re worried about being within easy commuting distance of London, don’t worry: your trip is included!
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