Berberis' World

Thursday, 14 June 2018, 3 Abbey Road, St. John’s Wood, London NW8 9AY 

The last time I was at Abbey Road was on 18 June 2011, in the famous Studio 1, one of many singers taking part in the recording of The Peacemakers by Karl Jenkins. There was scaffolding covering the front of the building, which had been Grade II listed about 16 months earlier, but this didn’t stop the hundreds of fans who gathered on the pavement outside to take photos of the wall, the street sign, themselves and others crossing that crossing, which must irritate any driver – statistically, there must be some – who have no idea of its significance.

Seven years later, the scaffolding was gone, but the fans (of all ages, and from all over) were still there. What was missing was the road surface, including the also Grade II listed zebra crossing. There can’t ever be a good time to replace this particular piece of road – even if it’s not in its original location – which is why it was back before sunset, people marching in single file from one side to the other, camera flashes increasingly bright against the darkening sky.

Those who were available for the whole day had mustered at St John’s Wood United Synagogue before going to the studios to record various voice parts, as well as meet some of the celebrities who are also involved in the project. I’d planned to take the day off but a problem at work on Tuesday made that difficult, so I got there at about 4.30pm – all the photos had been done, all the celebrities had gone, but at least I’d not missed the alto recording.

Recording is an odd process. Songs are broken into phrases, and you sing the same few bars over and over until whoever’s in charge – Jon Cohen, for this recording – is happy. Sometimes, on the 4th or 5th take, you’ve forgotten what it is they originally asked for. How long the process takes seems to depend on which part is being recorded – with more people in the studio, you get more disagreements – and it was lucky for me, I think, that they recorded the tenors and basses first, and left the altos and sopranos until later.

Afterwards, there was time to sit in the café, or the garden, and chat, or walk back and forth over the newly-laid crossing, and mainly marvel at how much we – as a choir – have done since 2012. Since the 2015 campaign, there are a few people who are always involved when it comes to organising. Over time, they’ve formed relationships with people who know people who know people, and they’ve had the drive and the enthusiasm to get things done. It’s a thankless task, largely because the people who haven’t been involved in the organising are so busy enjoying themselves on the day that they forget all the hard work that goes into making things happen. Either that, or they’re too busy complaining about the venue or the catering to remember that it takes effort to arrange even the smallest gigs.

None of which should detract from the fact that it was a real privilege to be in such an historic building – let’s hope that the rumours of it being sold for flats aren’t true.