Abbey Road Studios – Flat, Baroque and Beyond.

Abbey Road Studios – Flat, Baroque and Beyond.

 

Roy gave me the invite to go along to Abbey Road Studios for the recording of what became Flat Baroque and Berserk and I eagerly accepted. I think he did that for a number of friends. He probably liked having a few friendly faces around. It may have helped create a relaxed ambience. At least I like to think so. Dick and Rene were regulars. Dick was Kid Strange (now Richard Strange) from The Doctors of Madness and Rene was his partner and a designer. Apart from that the studio control room was usually full of various musos who seemed to waft in and out, hang around for a bit and wander out again. It was all very free and easy.

 

At the time I lived in a tiny flat in Manor House. I used to bomb across to St John’s Wood, (usually alone but sometimes with my good lady Liz) – situated in the posh part of town – on my trusty motorbike – a dull orange 350 AJS. I’d park it out front and stroll in. Sometimes there was a guy sitting at the desk inside the door but often there wasn’t anybody there at all. Security was not an issue. If the guy was there I’d just nod and he’d nod back. I was never asked what I was doing there. I guess, because of my long hair, it was assumed I was one of the musicians. I’d wander down the corridor to the studio and go in.

 

Back then there was a different attitude to musicians. They were accessible. Security was minimal. A lot of times after a gig you could simply walk backstage and have a chat with them. So I don’t remember visiting Abbey Road Studios as being a huge deal. Yes, I loved the Beatles and Floyd and this was the hallowed ground where they’d recorded those great albums but I suppose I was a bit blasé about all that side of things. I never went off to investigate the other studios down the corridor even though various Beatles – Lennon, McCartney and Harrison were there and Floyd as well. This was still the 60s underground. We were too cool for that. Besides, I was much more excited about seeing Roy record.

 

Roy was excited about recording in a proper studio having signed for the Harvest label. I remember him telling me that it would be the first time that he was getting to record his material properly. He was also really excited about working with Pete Jenner. The two of them had hit it off and he knew that they could work well together. He had a lot of respect for Pete’s abilities and that was mutual, Pete really rated Roy’s song writing and musicianship and, having previously worked with Floyd, was keen to experiment and push the boundaries. It provided great potential and Roy really thought that the partnership would bring out the best in him – as it did. So I was excited to be part of that.

 

Roy came equipped with a bunch of brilliant new songs, most of which he had tried out and honed live. He really wanted to do a good job on them. He knew he had strong material and EMI were giving him full backing. They’d provided him with the best recording facilities in the world, virtually unlimited time and Pete Jenner and John Leckie as producer and technician who were both the best in the business. The atmosphere in the studio was perfect, the surroundings were conducive and EMI had promised to promote Roy as a leading musician from the 60s Underground. This was his big chance. The Harvest label was their attempt to attract the cream of the British Underground and Roy was one of their first signings. They were putting their weight behind him. For once someone was taking him seriously and giving him the opportunity he deserved. There was a real buzz about the place which was reflected in the constant stream of Britain’s top musicians who were either wanting to contribute or turned up to watch and be part of it. The feeling was that Roy was on the brink of something huge.

 

Looking back I wish I had taken it more seriously, maybe taken my camera along. But that simply did not feel appropriate. There were things that you did not do.

 

As one would expect the studio was state of the art for 1970. Pete Jenner sat at the mixing desk like he was at the controls of Starship Enterprise. A big soundproof glass panel separated the control room from the studio. There was much talking back and forth as they set things up, much banter and a relaxed, but focussed atmosphere. After a take Roy would come in and he and Pete would listen to it, play about with the controls and discuss how to improve it. Roy was very hands on and involved. The final mixes were the result of a joint collaboration (in more ways than one). Roy knew exactly what he wanted and Pete had the expertise to enable him to get it. They both had an ear for the music and were perfectionists. They worked together well. Despite the many spliffs and congenial atmosphere with much laughter, the proceedings were extremely professional. The pair of them were meticulous and wanted things to be perfect. Roy knew that he finally had an opportunity to do full justice to his material and he was determined to seize the opportunity.

 

I sat quietly an unobtrusively at the back, watched and listened. The sound quality through the studio speakers was out of this world. It was crystal clear and the separation of instruments was more than I’d ever heard. I’d never experienced such sound quality. I revelled in it. Pete Jenner and John Leckie made me very welcome and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I knew my place. They had a job to do. I was privileged to witness them at work and see how a top recording studio with quality musicians operated. I knew that as long as I did not get in the way and let them get on with it I was OK there, so I limited myself to the odd comment about the brilliance of the takes and soaked it up. For the most part I sat in the background and watched with a big smile on my face.

 

Thus it was that for Flat Baroque and Berserk, Stormcock, Valentine and HQ, over four glorious years, I would turn up to as many sessions as I could fit in. Abbey Road became a regular fixture and I witnessed many notable performances and incidents. Then, with mixed emotions, we moved up north and that was the end of my Abbey Road experiences. I still think back to those wonder years, when Roy recorded four of his best albums, with great fondness. There were many tales to tell.

 

But more of that another time.