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Composers in Context
Solid State: The Story of Abbey Road and the End of the Beatles
Acclaimed Beatles historian Kenneth Womack offers the most definitive account yet of the writing, recording, mixing, and reception of Abbey Road.
In February 1969, the Beatles began working on what became their final album together. Abbey Road introduced a number of new techniques and technologies to the Beatles' sound, and included "Come Together," "Something," and "Here Comes the Sun," which all emerged as classics.
Womack's colorful retelling of how this landmark album was written and recorded is a treat for fans of the Beatles. Solid State takes readers back to 1969 and into EMI's Abbey Road Studio, which boasted an advanced solid state transistor mixing desk. Womack focuses on the dynamics between John, Paul, George, Ringo, and producer George Martin and his team of engineers, who set aside (for the most part) the tensions and conflicts that had arisen on previous albums to create a work with an innovative (and, among some fans and critics, controversial) studio-bound sound that prominently included the new Moog synthesizer, among other novelties.
As Womack shows, Abbey Road was the culmination of the instrumental skills, recording equipment, and artistic vision that the band and George Martin had developed since their early days in the same studio seven years earlier. A testament to the group's creativity and their producer's ingenuity, Solid State is required reading for all fans of the Beatles and the history of rock 'n' roll.
In February 1969, the Beatles began working on what became their final album together. Abbey Road introduced a number of new techniques and technologies to the Beatles' sound, and included "Come Together," "Something," and "Here Comes the Sun," which all emerged as classics.
Womack's colorful retelling of how this landmark album was written and recorded is a treat for fans of the Beatles. Solid State takes readers back to 1969 and into EMI's Abbey Road Studio, which boasted an advanced solid state transistor mixing desk. Womack focuses on the dynamics between John, Paul, George, Ringo, and producer George Martin and his team of engineers, who set aside (for the most part) the tensions and conflicts that had arisen on previous albums to create a work with an innovative (and, among some fans and critics, controversial) studio-bound sound that prominently included the new Moog synthesizer, among other novelties.
As Womack shows, Abbey Road was the culmination of the instrumental skills, recording equipment, and artistic vision that the band and George Martin had developed since their early days in the same studio seven years earlier. A testament to the group's creativity and their producer's ingenuity, Solid State is required reading for all fans of the Beatles and the history of rock 'n' roll.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2013
115 people are currently reading
532 people want to read
About the author
Kenneth Womack
76 books170 followersKenneth Womack is a world-renowned authority on the Beatles and their enduring cultural influence. His latest book project involves a two-volume, full-length biography devoted to famed Beatles producer Sir George Martin.
Womack's Beatles-related books include Long and Winding Roads: The Evolving Artistry of the Beatles (2007), The Cambridge Companion to the Beatles (2009), and The Beatles Encyclopedia: Everything Fab Four (2014).
Womack is also the author of four novels, including John Doe No. 2 and the Dreamland Motel (2010), The Restaurant at the End of the World (2012), Playing the Angel (2013), and I Am Lemonade Lucy! (2019).
Womack's Beatles-related books include Long and Winding Roads: The Evolving Artistry of the Beatles (2007), The Cambridge Companion to the Beatles (2009), and The Beatles Encyclopedia: Everything Fab Four (2014).
Womack is also the author of four novels, including John Doe No. 2 and the Dreamland Motel (2010), The Restaurant at the End of the World (2012), Playing the Angel (2013), and I Am Lemonade Lucy! (2019).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
December 1, 2019
Solid State: The Story of Abbey Road and the End of the Beatles by Kenneth Womack is a 2019 Cornell University Press publication.
Come together, right now-
Over me
Beatles fans never pass up an opportunity to read a new book about the group, no matter how many others they have read in the past. The Beatles are endlessly fascinating and even after all these years, when one might wonder what there might be left to talk about that hasn’t already been analyzed to death, it turns out there are always fresh angles to explore and discuss.
Even if you aren’t a diehard fan of The Beatles, this book will still hold your interest, especially if you have any knowledge of recording technology or music history.
While there can be a little confusion about the last Beatles album- Abbey Road was the last official Beatles album all four members worked on together. (Let it Be was released after the group disbanded-and is a story for another day.)
In 1969, the group was coming apart at the seams. While the machine still rolled on, they were in the process of mentally and emotionally divorcing themselves from each other and the group as a whole, having moved on to other planes- at least spiritually, if not bodily.
You're asking me will my love grow
I don't know, I don't know
You stick around, now it may show
I don't know, I don't know
While their frustrations with legal matters, and their palpable burnout simmers within the pages of this book, the forefront of the book is focused on the various recording techniques used in the making of the album and how the songs and music came together to eventually become one of the best albums of all time.
The Moog synthesizer, stereophonic sound, eight track reel to reel, as opposed to 4- track and other studio polish and garnishes used for the first time by The Beatles, which contributes to its historical significance. Oddly enough, at the time, it was this production that led many critics to initially complain about its lack of authenticity.
Of course, the Alan Parsons name drop may also be of interest to those who were not aware of his participation in the making of this album. His most notable claim to fame, besides his own personal projects, was his work on ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’ by Pink Floyd- and for his work on the Lord of the Rings movies.
It is amazing how this album came together, considering everything going on behind the scenes. The exciting studio wizardry juxtaposed against the turmoil within the band’s stratosphere, shows the various ways the music is symbolic and a mirror into the lives of the group at that time. While so many things The Beatles did musically inspired people and blazed trails artistically, The Abbey Road album influenced the way music was made and continued to be an example for years to come.
Overall, this is an interesting book, especially for Beatles fans, but also for anyone who enjoys music history.
Little darling, the smiles returning to the faces
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been here
Here comes the sun
Here comes the sun, and I say
It's all right
4 stars
Come together, right now-
Over me
Beatles fans never pass up an opportunity to read a new book about the group, no matter how many others they have read in the past. The Beatles are endlessly fascinating and even after all these years, when one might wonder what there might be left to talk about that hasn’t already been analyzed to death, it turns out there are always fresh angles to explore and discuss.
Even if you aren’t a diehard fan of The Beatles, this book will still hold your interest, especially if you have any knowledge of recording technology or music history.
While there can be a little confusion about the last Beatles album- Abbey Road was the last official Beatles album all four members worked on together. (Let it Be was released after the group disbanded-and is a story for another day.)
In 1969, the group was coming apart at the seams. While the machine still rolled on, they were in the process of mentally and emotionally divorcing themselves from each other and the group as a whole, having moved on to other planes- at least spiritually, if not bodily.
You're asking me will my love grow
I don't know, I don't know
You stick around, now it may show
I don't know, I don't know
While their frustrations with legal matters, and their palpable burnout simmers within the pages of this book, the forefront of the book is focused on the various recording techniques used in the making of the album and how the songs and music came together to eventually become one of the best albums of all time.
The Moog synthesizer, stereophonic sound, eight track reel to reel, as opposed to 4- track and other studio polish and garnishes used for the first time by The Beatles, which contributes to its historical significance. Oddly enough, at the time, it was this production that led many critics to initially complain about its lack of authenticity.
Of course, the Alan Parsons name drop may also be of interest to those who were not aware of his participation in the making of this album. His most notable claim to fame, besides his own personal projects, was his work on ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’ by Pink Floyd- and for his work on the Lord of the Rings movies.
It is amazing how this album came together, considering everything going on behind the scenes. The exciting studio wizardry juxtaposed against the turmoil within the band’s stratosphere, shows the various ways the music is symbolic and a mirror into the lives of the group at that time. While so many things The Beatles did musically inspired people and blazed trails artistically, The Abbey Road album influenced the way music was made and continued to be an example for years to come.
Overall, this is an interesting book, especially for Beatles fans, but also for anyone who enjoys music history.
Little darling, the smiles returning to the faces
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been here
Here comes the sun
Here comes the sun, and I say
It's all right
4 stars
October 23, 2019
I am a child of the sixties and a lifelong Beatles fan. I also have a substantial library of Beatles biographies spanning the decades back to 1980. Reading as many Beatles biographies as I have over my lifetime, I have become very discerning when picking up a new one. Redundancy and mediocrity are what I'm hoping to avoid. There must be some new kernels of information to make it all worthwhile, which isn't easy on such a well-trodden subject. My interest was piqued when I noticed that Alan Parsons wrote the forward to this book. I was familiar with his musical outfit "The Alan Parsons Project" and his hit song "Eye in the Sky", but was totally surprised to learn that at the tender age of 19 he worked at EMI Studios and with The Beatles! He was a young, burgeoning second engineer on the "Abbey Road" album. In fact, his first assignment was to go over to 3 Savile Road where The Beatles' offices Apple Corps were located, because they were in the midst of recording tracks for the "Let it Be" project. The Beatles had commissioned John Lennon's Greek friend "Magic Alex" (who fancied himself a brilliant electronics inventor) with creating them a recording studio in Apple's basement, only to discover that it was a total fraud. So, Alan Parsons brought over mobile recording equipment so The Beatles could get back in business recording what would become the "Let it Be" album.
I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of this new book about the making of The Beatles' final album, "Abbey Road". Many people think the "Let it Be" album was their final LP because it was released after "Abbey Road", but that happened because the "Let it Be" tapes sounded so substandard to their normal musical quality that it took many re-mixings to get them into a decent state. It took producer Phil Spector and his "Wall of Sound" techniques to spruce them up. This journey is covered in the book also, as it is crucial to explain The Beatles ultimate demise. This is also a book about the installation of a vital new piece of equipment at EMI Studios, the TG12345 solid-state transistor recording console which provided 8 available tracks (replacing the old REDD.51 4-track console which operated on valve circuitry/vacuum tubes for its power supply). The Abbey Road album was the first Beatles album recorded on this new console.
The Beatles had actually utilized the 8-track console at Trident Studios located in Soho to avail themselves of the latest technology. They were the first recording studio in London to possess this equipment. However, EMI actually had acquired the new 8-track console, but were secretly testing it out before installing it. I didn't understand a lot of the technical details contrasting the old and the new consoles, but came away with a few certainties: Although the board was much bigger, it was 250 pounds lighter. This was due to the absence of the valves, replaced by the solid state circuitry. It also had a much cleaner sound referred to as a "top-end sparkle".
One of the best attributes of this book was the vast amount of minute details regarding the creation of the final album "Abbey Road". Every instrument utilized, which Beatles were on each song (A surprise for me...John Lennon wasn't even on some of the songs!), the mastery of a new piece of musical equipment called The Moog (note the breezy, heavenly arc of music that moves from left to right in your earphones at the beginning of "Hear Comes the Sun"), and so many more. I savored this exquisite book, gleaning some new juicy details all the way through. This book comes at the perfect time, since it is the 50th Anniversary of the Abbey Road album, and it has recently been remastered by Giles Martin (son of Beatles legendary producer the late George Martin). If you are a hard core Beatles fan, you will certainly enjoy this treasure trove of information about one of the most iconic albums in musical history.
Thank you to Cornell University Press for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley
I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of this new book about the making of The Beatles' final album, "Abbey Road". Many people think the "Let it Be" album was their final LP because it was released after "Abbey Road", but that happened because the "Let it Be" tapes sounded so substandard to their normal musical quality that it took many re-mixings to get them into a decent state. It took producer Phil Spector and his "Wall of Sound" techniques to spruce them up. This journey is covered in the book also, as it is crucial to explain The Beatles ultimate demise. This is also a book about the installation of a vital new piece of equipment at EMI Studios, the TG12345 solid-state transistor recording console which provided 8 available tracks (replacing the old REDD.51 4-track console which operated on valve circuitry/vacuum tubes for its power supply). The Abbey Road album was the first Beatles album recorded on this new console.
The Beatles had actually utilized the 8-track console at Trident Studios located in Soho to avail themselves of the latest technology. They were the first recording studio in London to possess this equipment. However, EMI actually had acquired the new 8-track console, but were secretly testing it out before installing it. I didn't understand a lot of the technical details contrasting the old and the new consoles, but came away with a few certainties: Although the board was much bigger, it was 250 pounds lighter. This was due to the absence of the valves, replaced by the solid state circuitry. It also had a much cleaner sound referred to as a "top-end sparkle".
One of the best attributes of this book was the vast amount of minute details regarding the creation of the final album "Abbey Road". Every instrument utilized, which Beatles were on each song (A surprise for me...John Lennon wasn't even on some of the songs!), the mastery of a new piece of musical equipment called The Moog (note the breezy, heavenly arc of music that moves from left to right in your earphones at the beginning of "Hear Comes the Sun"), and so many more. I savored this exquisite book, gleaning some new juicy details all the way through. This book comes at the perfect time, since it is the 50th Anniversary of the Abbey Road album, and it has recently been remastered by Giles Martin (son of Beatles legendary producer the late George Martin). If you are a hard core Beatles fan, you will certainly enjoy this treasure trove of information about one of the most iconic albums in musical history.
Thank you to Cornell University Press for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley
August 3, 2019
My takeaways from having spent a happy week with this book are these:
The author presents and, as far as I’m concerned, hands-down triumphs, in selling me on his argument in Solid State: The Story of “Abbey Road” and the End of the Beatles that expounds that 1) the Beatles as a group, and 2) Abbey Road as an album are the clear catalyst that moved the entire recording industry forward by leaps and bounds as it relates to Western (and maybe even World?) music.
Kenneth Womack’s knowledge and experience covered this reader with that easy feeling I have when lean back into the IT Guy’s Wealth of Knowledge – I don’t have to think about this because He’s got it covered. There were details about equipment, details about processes and techniques that were beyond my grey cells. Even when the narrative became more about who did what when, the author’s details were those of an insider, yet I still felt part of the group, listening to what really went down. It was yummy rubbing shoulders with these great people, and eventually I owned a little of the fan guilt when it became so apparent of that terrible burden "celebrity" imposed . . . .for some exacting a higher price than for others.
Ultimately, all good things come to an end, and I was sad to close this book. I am happy to recommend it to anyone who loves and respects the work of the Beatles, together and separate, and to the many invisible, unnamed, millions who strive for their moment in the sun, and those who work the equipment, tote boxes and instruments, and who see very little of the dollars that end producers do. It makes me sad to think that the words and notes, and scraps of lyrics and midnight guitar riffs float up into the cosmos and that often IS as good as it gets for the originators of the art; sad that the treasure-bought fancies usually end in locked castles owned by Shakers&Movers who have ears more set to hear the clinking of coins rather than winsome harmonies.
Lastly – this book really was written for someone much smarter than me. It was written by a technician, and a bright one at that. Like-minded people will enjoy this book even more than I did. Those who are even more passionate about the personalities involved in the industry will also have a deeper grasp on the experiences described, moment by moment having to do with all things related to the making of the Abbey Road album. Helpful in that process will be the impressive and thorough end-of-book materials in the form of acknowledgments, chapter notes, bibliography and index. These justify well-deserved high marks for the author’s attention to detail.
5 Stars from me. Now I’ve got to go calm down my gently weeping guitars. . . . .catch ya later.
A very sincere thank you to Kenneth Womack, Cornell University Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review a copy of this book.
The author presents and, as far as I’m concerned, hands-down triumphs, in selling me on his argument in Solid State: The Story of “Abbey Road” and the End of the Beatles that expounds that 1) the Beatles as a group, and 2) Abbey Road as an album are the clear catalyst that moved the entire recording industry forward by leaps and bounds as it relates to Western (and maybe even World?) music.
Kenneth Womack’s knowledge and experience covered this reader with that easy feeling I have when lean back into the IT Guy’s Wealth of Knowledge – I don’t have to think about this because He’s got it covered. There were details about equipment, details about processes and techniques that were beyond my grey cells. Even when the narrative became more about who did what when, the author’s details were those of an insider, yet I still felt part of the group, listening to what really went down. It was yummy rubbing shoulders with these great people, and eventually I owned a little of the fan guilt when it became so apparent of that terrible burden "celebrity" imposed . . . .for some exacting a higher price than for others.
Ultimately, all good things come to an end, and I was sad to close this book. I am happy to recommend it to anyone who loves and respects the work of the Beatles, together and separate, and to the many invisible, unnamed, millions who strive for their moment in the sun, and those who work the equipment, tote boxes and instruments, and who see very little of the dollars that end producers do. It makes me sad to think that the words and notes, and scraps of lyrics and midnight guitar riffs float up into the cosmos and that often IS as good as it gets for the originators of the art; sad that the treasure-bought fancies usually end in locked castles owned by Shakers&Movers who have ears more set to hear the clinking of coins rather than winsome harmonies.
Lastly – this book really was written for someone much smarter than me. It was written by a technician, and a bright one at that. Like-minded people will enjoy this book even more than I did. Those who are even more passionate about the personalities involved in the industry will also have a deeper grasp on the experiences described, moment by moment having to do with all things related to the making of the Abbey Road album. Helpful in that process will be the impressive and thorough end-of-book materials in the form of acknowledgments, chapter notes, bibliography and index. These justify well-deserved high marks for the author’s attention to detail.
5 Stars from me. Now I’ve got to go calm down my gently weeping guitars. . . . .catch ya later.
A very sincere thank you to Kenneth Womack, Cornell University Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review a copy of this book.
September 3, 2019
I immensely enjoyed this book. I can't boast a lot of knowledge about the Beatles, apart from having listened to some of their albums, so I wondered if I'd be able to enjoy a book that details the history of making their last album before they broke up. But as it turns out, you literally don't have to know anything - the book is so detailed and engaging that you'll just enjoy it, no matter how much you already know. I can't say for sure about hardcore fans, but I'm almost certain it would appeal to them too. Solid State is a very detailed history of the making of Abbey Road (both the album and the studio), and I mean it goes as deep as telling you about the backstory of every song, how and why it was made and what were the challenges. I have to admit I had never listened to the album before I read this book, so listening along to it as I go was certainly a very unique and very rewarding experience. It made the songs so much more interesting - that's not even considering the fact that Abbey Road is one stunning album.
I can really recommend this book. Whether you are a true fan, or just trying to learn something new about the music of the Beatles, I'm certain you'll enjoy it. I absolutely loved it.
I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook through NetGalley in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
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I can really recommend this book. Whether you are a true fan, or just trying to learn something new about the music of the Beatles, I'm certain you'll enjoy it. I absolutely loved it.
I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook through NetGalley in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
Book Blog | Bookstagram | Bookish Twitter
October 8, 2019
I have always enjoyed the Beatles music and in particular the album 'Abby Road' so this book was a must read for me personally. 50 years ago the Beatles created their last album and this book tells of the arguments within the band, the use of new technology and most importantly the music. I found this book full of fascinating information as well as allowing me to relive the album. I do not have the background in technology to fully understand much of the details when explaining certain tracks but yet it still hit a chord with me.
I feel that all music lovers would enjoy this book but obviously will appeal to the big fans of the group.
I would like to thank both Net Galley and Cornell University Press for supplying a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I feel that all music lovers would enjoy this book but obviously will appeal to the big fans of the group.
I would like to thank both Net Galley and Cornell University Press for supplying a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 25, 2020
If you love this album, this book will only enhance your appreciation -- and gratitude that The Beatles pulled together to even make it at all. Could easily have been otherwise. Happy reading and listening to all.
November 27, 2019
Solid State: The Story of “Abbey Road” and the End of the Beatles by Kenneth Womack is full of many interesting facts. For instance, at one time there seems to have been a musical band named “the Beatles”.
The Beatles, in my opinion, should be considered the preeminent artists in the history of all mankind. Influential, innovative, endearing, enduring, and accessible. We should nickname them the Marv Quartet. I feel the Beatles are also always evolving. For instance when I was a young child and my mother shared with me their music I absolutely adored their songs. Then as a teenager more into alternative rock such as Nirvana I realized they were lame. Now as a parent sharing their music with Ringo, my own young son, on the Sirius satellite Beatles radio station I understand once again how great their musical compositions are.
In Solid State we are given a view of this band in the last moments before they implode. Paul is becoming more controlling. John is addicted to heroin. George is writing great songs but feeling held back. Ringo is great because Ringo is always great, so there is no problem with Ringo, leave Ringo alone and cherish this man like the saint he is, peace and love. But things have changed. For the most part everyone is cranky, their faces are now carpeted in hair, and without doubt they are much smellier than they were in 1962 when they broke big onto the scene.
Womack’s book is enlightening and interesting. The in depth technical information about the cutting edge tech boards and recording mechanics at EMI’s Abby Road studios does slow down the story, but overall this is an engaging read. Overall a sense of dread permeates the pages. Even though the Marv Quartet is happily creating classic songs such as “Come Together”, “Here Comes the Sun”, and “Something” you are waiting for the other shoe to drop and the final fight among band members to arrive resulting in the destruction of this great group. It is like the killer in the Halloween movies. No matter how great things are going with those teens, you know he is out there lurking with his knife.
The Beatles, in my opinion, should be considered the preeminent artists in the history of all mankind. Influential, innovative, endearing, enduring, and accessible. We should nickname them the Marv Quartet. I feel the Beatles are also always evolving. For instance when I was a young child and my mother shared with me their music I absolutely adored their songs. Then as a teenager more into alternative rock such as Nirvana I realized they were lame. Now as a parent sharing their music with Ringo, my own young son, on the Sirius satellite Beatles radio station I understand once again how great their musical compositions are.
In Solid State we are given a view of this band in the last moments before they implode. Paul is becoming more controlling. John is addicted to heroin. George is writing great songs but feeling held back. Ringo is great because Ringo is always great, so there is no problem with Ringo, leave Ringo alone and cherish this man like the saint he is, peace and love. But things have changed. For the most part everyone is cranky, their faces are now carpeted in hair, and without doubt they are much smellier than they were in 1962 when they broke big onto the scene.
Womack’s book is enlightening and interesting. The in depth technical information about the cutting edge tech boards and recording mechanics at EMI’s Abby Road studios does slow down the story, but overall this is an engaging read. Overall a sense of dread permeates the pages. Even though the Marv Quartet is happily creating classic songs such as “Come Together”, “Here Comes the Sun”, and “Something” you are waiting for the other shoe to drop and the final fight among band members to arrive resulting in the destruction of this great group. It is like the killer in the Halloween movies. No matter how great things are going with those teens, you know he is out there lurking with his knife.
May 19, 2023
Unless you’re really into sound mixing, this might not be the book for you.
April 6, 2020
I cannot over estimate how excellent I thought this book was. Surely one of the truly great pieces of writing about the Beatles, how they recorded their final masterpiece and how they then split up, somewhat poignantly, just as the decade their music would come to define, was ending.
Womak’s research is impeccable, with first person accounts from many of the key folk in the room when the album was being recorded, including the legendary engineer Geoff Emerick. Plus, his own insights into how it all came together are second to none.
For the discerning Beatles fan, this book is an absolute must. Wish I could start again having not read it.
When brought up on his guitar tone by the first timer second engineer George Harrison said to the youngster, ‘You don’t talk to a Beatle like that.’
Womak’s research is impeccable, with first person accounts from many of the key folk in the room when the album was being recorded, including the legendary engineer Geoff Emerick. Plus, his own insights into how it all came together are second to none.
For the discerning Beatles fan, this book is an absolute must. Wish I could start again having not read it.
When brought up on his guitar tone by the first timer second engineer George Harrison said to the youngster, ‘You don’t talk to a Beatle like that.’
April 9, 2020
Womack's highly detailed account of The Beatles last few years as a group include their work on the "Let it Be" film and album and the Abbey Road album from inception to creation and consumption and review.
He dedicates the book to engineer Geoff Emerick and rightly so though it also could have been for George Martin himself as well as producer. Both were crucial to The Beatles recording career from the Please Please Me album through Abbey Road.
It was interesting to note for me that Womack writes about a group meeting in mid-October of 1969 that occurred minus Ringo who was in Los Angeles, in which John had suggested another album possibility that would include 4 songs each from him, Paul and George, but that was shot down unfortunately. The animosity between Paul and John was just too raw and fresh at that point.
But Womack relates a story that at times got a bit techie with talk of the new TG console and the advent of a warmer sound offering more options for the band.
Recommended to fans of The Beatles and this great lasting album.
He dedicates the book to engineer Geoff Emerick and rightly so though it also could have been for George Martin himself as well as producer. Both were crucial to The Beatles recording career from the Please Please Me album through Abbey Road.
It was interesting to note for me that Womack writes about a group meeting in mid-October of 1969 that occurred minus Ringo who was in Los Angeles, in which John had suggested another album possibility that would include 4 songs each from him, Paul and George, but that was shot down unfortunately. The animosity between Paul and John was just too raw and fresh at that point.
But Womack relates a story that at times got a bit techie with talk of the new TG console and the advent of a warmer sound offering more options for the band.
Recommended to fans of The Beatles and this great lasting album.
November 12, 2022
'Solid State' is probably not a five-star book, but I had a five-star experience reading it.
While I tend to love books like these in general, this one was different. It came in suddenly (courtesy of my dear friend Dan), poured all kinds of gas on my current, latest love affair with The Beatles (initially sparked by last year's 'Get Back' film), and then left, leaving me wishing I could have least a few hours more with it (and this Spotify 'soundtrack' playlist I built as I went: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5Hk...).
A definite reminder that I need to read more books about music.
While I tend to love books like these in general, this one was different. It came in suddenly (courtesy of my dear friend Dan), poured all kinds of gas on my current, latest love affair with The Beatles (initially sparked by last year's 'Get Back' film), and then left, leaving me wishing I could have least a few hours more with it (and this Spotify 'soundtrack' playlist I built as I went: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5Hk...).
A definite reminder that I need to read more books about music.
February 27, 2022
Solid State is a very detailed history of the making of Abbey Road (both the album and the studio), and I mean it goes as deep as telling you about the backstory of every song, how and why it was made and what were the challenges. It is also a book about the installation of a vital new piece of equipment at EMI Studios, the TG12345 solid-state transistor recording console which provided 8 available tracks (replacing the old REDD.51 4-track console which operated on valve circuitry/vacuum tubes for its power supply). The Abbey Road album was the first Beatles album recorded on this new console. Being a non techy this part of the book I found boring, but it did end up adding a new sound to their music as the book explains it. For me the novice album player, I can't tell or really care one way or the other if it's different or not. That whole album is great when you crank it up.
It's evident to me, after reading this book, that the Beatles really had no intention of splitting after recording Abbey Road. It was a combination of bad timing, egos, heroin addiction (Lennon), and poor management that led to the three very good friends in Lennon, Harrison, and McCartney not being able to see a path forward to future recordings. This material has been hashed over in other books so there is nothing new about that. Being a big Beatle fan, I will read anything on them, but this book just didn't do it for me. In the end what could have been great, turned out to be boring.
It's evident to me, after reading this book, that the Beatles really had no intention of splitting after recording Abbey Road. It was a combination of bad timing, egos, heroin addiction (Lennon), and poor management that led to the three very good friends in Lennon, Harrison, and McCartney not being able to see a path forward to future recordings. This material has been hashed over in other books so there is nothing new about that. Being a big Beatle fan, I will read anything on them, but this book just didn't do it for me. In the end what could have been great, turned out to be boring.
August 15, 2023
Abbey Road is my favorite Beatles album. So much so that I've been learning the bass guitar parts for every song, in order. I'm up through "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" (George plays bass on that one) at this point. "Something" has been the most challenging, but also most fulfilling to work on. Paul is a brilliant bassist. Anyway, the book review...
Don't let the 3-star fool you. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There was a little more focus on the technical aspects of recording, sound engineering, and production than I expected. Should have guessed that from the title.
Still, there is a lot of great content here about the inner workings of the Beatles' operations and the relationships among the bandmates as things began to fray.
One of the fun things about these rock biographies is being able to stop reading—listening, in my case; digested this one as an audio book—and go listen to the music I'm reading about. I must have listened to the medley countless times and will never hear it the same again.
Don't let the 3-star fool you. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There was a little more focus on the technical aspects of recording, sound engineering, and production than I expected. Should have guessed that from the title.
Still, there is a lot of great content here about the inner workings of the Beatles' operations and the relationships among the bandmates as things began to fray.
One of the fun things about these rock biographies is being able to stop reading—listening, in my case; digested this one as an audio book—and go listen to the music I'm reading about. I must have listened to the medley countless times and will never hear it the same again.
May 5, 2022
Good 👍 book for Beatles fans. Lots of good information in it. The title of the book tells you the story. It's not a big history of the group. If you want that, choose another book. It strictly tells the story of Abbey Road and the break up shortly after. Thumbs up. Must for Beatles fans.
Phil J Kuhn
Phil J Kuhn
January 15, 2020
The Long One
Kenneth Womack, author of Long and Winding Road, The Beatle Encyclopedia, Maximum Volume, and other books Beatle has continued his explication of the minutia of Beatle worship with Solid State: The Story of "Abbey Road" and the End of the Beatles, detailing the musical, egotistical, financial, and technological influences that led to the culmination of the album Abbey Road and the finale of the fab four.
There are more than a few enlightening gems that come out of the book including the note that George Harrison’s song “Something” had been introduced by the quiet Beatle as far back as when the ban was completing The White Album but was considered too insignificant by John and Paul to be included on the upcoming Let it Be album. Eventually George’s song was polished and came to be revered by John and Paul and has since become a classic, covered by artists around the world in various languages.
The overriding ego-driven rift between the Beatles had been coming to a head for some time, since the untimely death of manager Brian Epstein, and without the man’s insightful acumen the band had been moving forward artistically unfocused, but financially losing much of the royalties coming to them. When the clash between Paul and the other three, John, George and Ringo emerged concerning management between either Allen Klein or John Eastman wedged the band apart, they continued to produce musical product essentially to keep the money coming in.
As producer George Martin updated EMI studio to the re-named Abbey Road studios in February 1969 to new digital recording capabilities from the dated tube-type boards, the sound difference became apparent to all the musicians as well as the engineers. The sound seemed mellower in many ways to all as the highs were basically clipped in the EQ output and the lows lost much of the punchy feel that was present with the old boards.
A number of songs effected the creators differently due to the new updated recording board as well as the new Moog synthesizer that George Harrison purchased and had installed in Abbey Road studios for the completion of the Abbey Road album. His own song “Here Comes the Sun” utilizes the synthesized sound effectively and subtly.
Overall the artistic innovations of the band in many ways culminated in the writing of the medley of songs that end the album. "You Never Give Me Your Money" transitions into Lennon's "Sun King", then into "Because", then "Mean Mr. Mustard", and "Polythene Pam", then McCartney’s "She Came In Through the Bathroom Window", then "Golden Slumbers", "Carry That Weight" and finishing with "The End". The sequence of songs was intended to reflect the trend of musicians like Pete Townshend who was creating impressive long albums of narrative-based sings.
According to Kenneth Womack the collection of material that comprises Abbey Road in many ways suffered from developmental deficiencies due to the management clashes within the band as well as artistic equity that was being challenged by members George Harrison and Ringo Starr. The fact that “Come Together”, “Something”, and “Here Comes the Sun” emerged as classics is testament to the artistic integrity of the four band members as well as the burning desire to see an artistic concept fully realized.
In some ways the book shows how the four Beatles had developed and grown artistically and in other ways in the six-plus years that they had banded together and risen in popularity, and how what had succeeded for them before with their manager and producer, now was falling away due essentially to new musical talents that were coming up as well as new issues involving politics, and finances.
Solid State: The Story of "Abbey Road" and the End of the Beatles is an essential read for any Beatle fan.
Kenneth Womack, author of Long and Winding Road, The Beatle Encyclopedia, Maximum Volume, and other books Beatle has continued his explication of the minutia of Beatle worship with Solid State: The Story of "Abbey Road" and the End of the Beatles, detailing the musical, egotistical, financial, and technological influences that led to the culmination of the album Abbey Road and the finale of the fab four.
There are more than a few enlightening gems that come out of the book including the note that George Harrison’s song “Something” had been introduced by the quiet Beatle as far back as when the ban was completing The White Album but was considered too insignificant by John and Paul to be included on the upcoming Let it Be album. Eventually George’s song was polished and came to be revered by John and Paul and has since become a classic, covered by artists around the world in various languages.
The overriding ego-driven rift between the Beatles had been coming to a head for some time, since the untimely death of manager Brian Epstein, and without the man’s insightful acumen the band had been moving forward artistically unfocused, but financially losing much of the royalties coming to them. When the clash between Paul and the other three, John, George and Ringo emerged concerning management between either Allen Klein or John Eastman wedged the band apart, they continued to produce musical product essentially to keep the money coming in.
As producer George Martin updated EMI studio to the re-named Abbey Road studios in February 1969 to new digital recording capabilities from the dated tube-type boards, the sound difference became apparent to all the musicians as well as the engineers. The sound seemed mellower in many ways to all as the highs were basically clipped in the EQ output and the lows lost much of the punchy feel that was present with the old boards.
A number of songs effected the creators differently due to the new updated recording board as well as the new Moog synthesizer that George Harrison purchased and had installed in Abbey Road studios for the completion of the Abbey Road album. His own song “Here Comes the Sun” utilizes the synthesized sound effectively and subtly.
Overall the artistic innovations of the band in many ways culminated in the writing of the medley of songs that end the album. "You Never Give Me Your Money" transitions into Lennon's "Sun King", then into "Because", then "Mean Mr. Mustard", and "Polythene Pam", then McCartney’s "She Came In Through the Bathroom Window", then "Golden Slumbers", "Carry That Weight" and finishing with "The End". The sequence of songs was intended to reflect the trend of musicians like Pete Townshend who was creating impressive long albums of narrative-based sings.
According to Kenneth Womack the collection of material that comprises Abbey Road in many ways suffered from developmental deficiencies due to the management clashes within the band as well as artistic equity that was being challenged by members George Harrison and Ringo Starr. The fact that “Come Together”, “Something”, and “Here Comes the Sun” emerged as classics is testament to the artistic integrity of the four band members as well as the burning desire to see an artistic concept fully realized.
In some ways the book shows how the four Beatles had developed and grown artistically and in other ways in the six-plus years that they had banded together and risen in popularity, and how what had succeeded for them before with their manager and producer, now was falling away due essentially to new musical talents that were coming up as well as new issues involving politics, and finances.
Solid State: The Story of "Abbey Road" and the End of the Beatles is an essential read for any Beatle fan.
September 13, 2019
The story behind my favorite Beatles album. This will probably be a great companion to the 50th anniversary edition of Abbey Road when it comes out. Womack gives an in depth account of who played what and with whom during the recording process. He doesn't go too deep into the issues that plagued the band by this point but that's pretty common knowledge anyways.
It left me super excited to get my copy of the anniversary edition Abbey Road but also a little sad at the reminder that egos, and she who shall not be named, prematurely ended the world's greatest rock band.
It left me super excited to get my copy of the anniversary edition Abbey Road but also a little sad at the reminder that egos, and she who shall not be named, prematurely ended the world's greatest rock band.
April 1, 2020
Fair warning: if you are not into The Beatles, you will probably find Solid State, by Kevin Womack, tedious. But if you are a Beatle-maniac, this book will be like manna from heaven. It is a detailed account of how the Beatles recorded their last album, Abbey Road, and how they self-destructed.
The title is kind of odd, as one doesn't associate it with the Beatles, but it refers to the technology used to record the album. "With Abbey Road, as [George] Martin and [Geoff] Emerick deployed solid-state technology in tandem with the group’s virtuosic musical talents, the Beatles succeeded in ending their career in fine style, not only for themselves but for legions of listeners. In this way, “solid state” exists as a metaphor for the technologies that made the album possible and also for the sense of completion, of finality, that the album represents."
Indeed, the first part of the book is very technical, and much of it was over my head. "Plainly and simply, Abbey Road sounded vastly different from the Beatles’ previous studio efforts due to a series of technological upgrades that EMI Studios had undertaken during the late autumn months of 1968—namely, the adoption of a new eight-track mixing desk that afforded the bandmates and their production team with solid-state technology after years of working, for the most part, with tube equipment." The change from four-track to eight-track was huge.
Then the book gets into an almost day-by-day chronicle of what the band was up to from roughly January 1969 to April 1970, when the end was nigh. Many thought that the band was finished after what was called the "Get Back" sessions, when a documentary was filmed and emotions were frayed. The rooftop concert in January '69 was thought to be a swan song (indeed, it was the last time they would play together in public). But, after John and Paul cut a single "The Ballad Of John and Yoko," the band formed to record a new album. Many were doubtful. "Martin harbored understandable doubts about the Beatles’ longevity—even their ability to last through April, much less record a new album’s worth of songs."
Even with many obstacles--the fight over who would manage the group, the bleeding of money at Apple Corps, and Lennon and McCartney's loss of the publishing rights to their own songs--they came together and worked harmoniously, for the most part. This even though Lennon had a serious car accident in Scotland and was on heroin.
We then get the details on the recording of each song--how it came to be, who played what on it, and so forth. Lennon, despite his infirmity, came up with Come Together, which was left over from a song he was writing for the presidential campaign for Timothy Leary. Paul, inspired by the rock operas by The Who, envisioned "the long one," a medley that would end up dominating side two, culminating in "The End," which had a drum solo by Ringo Starr and then the other three Beatles trading off on guitar solos. "Singing “and in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make,” McCartney succeeded in concluding the medley with “a cosmic, philosophical line,” in Lennon’s words. And with that, the Beatles seemed to have brought “The End” to fruition, save for a planned orchestral overdub." “Out of the ashes of all that madness,” said Starr, “that last section is one of the finest pieces we put together.”
For his part, George Harrison contributed two songs that are rightly considered classics, "Something" and "Here Comes The Sun." So long considered a sub-par composer, he was starting to come into his own as a songwriter. He also purchased a Moog, a synthesizer that ended up being used on many of the songs.
There was some acrimony. Paul spent a lot of time on "Maxwell's Silver Hammer," which John considered time wasted. He despised this type of McCartney composition. He called them "granny songs." And that spring the band almost came to the end over the fight over management. John, George, and Ringo wanted Allen Klein, while Paul wanted his father-in-law, John Eastman. In fact, Paul never did sign the paperwork agreeing to Klein's representation.
The cover shoot happened that August, and the resulting photo is one of the most iconic album covers of all time. "Abbey Road’s innovative cover art depicts the bandmates strolling away from the studio where they made their art and into the waiting arms of history." As for the title, the simple use of the name of the studio where they recorded also came late: "Since early summer, the title had been a running issue among the group, with several names being bandied about, including Four in the Bar, All Good Children Go to Heaven, and the absurd Billy’s Left Foot. One of the strongest contenders had been to name the album Everest in honor of the brand of cigarettes that Emerick smoked."
By the end of the recording session, John had already decided he was quitting the band, but had not gone public. Womack writes of a remarkable meeting among three of them, John, Paul, and George (Ringo was on vacation) in October, just after the release of the album, in which they aired it out. John was for doing another album, with each of them contributing four songs. He voiced his disgust at Paul spending so much time on songs that even Paul didn't think were that good, and George let out his feelings about being considered second-rate. "With the idea of recording an album seemingly off the table, Lennon suggested that they produce a Christmas single instead. After all, he reasoned, their annual holiday fan club record would be due before long. When this was met with silence and indifference, Lennon soberly concluded, “I guess that’s the end of the Beatles.”"
It was. The "Get Back" sessions turned into the album Let It Be, with Phil Spector taking over. The last recording any Beatle did on a Beatle record was Ringo drumming for "The Long And Winding Road," which Spector supplemented with a choir and strings, making everyone angry. "Martin was disgusted, later remarking that “the album credit reads ‘Produced by Phil Spector,’ but I wanted it changed to ‘Produced by George Martin. Overproduced by Phil Spector.’”
John recorded "Cold Turkey," about his trying to kick heroin, but the other Beatles showed no interest in recording it, so he did himself, and for the first time the credit for songwriting was simply John Lennon, not Lennon and McCartney. Paul recorded his own album in secret, simply called McCartney, and when he was asked to push its release date back to avoid conflicting with Let It Be he was livid, throwing Ringo out of his house. In the liner notes for his album, he basically stated the Beatles were over, which was the first public declaration of the end.
And so the Beatles ended. In retrospect it was inevitable, as they were brilliant and headstrong. Unless you're the Rolling Stones, a collaboration like that is bound to reach a natural end, and Womack captures it perfectly. Solid State is a must for any serious Beatles fan.
The title is kind of odd, as one doesn't associate it with the Beatles, but it refers to the technology used to record the album. "With Abbey Road, as [George] Martin and [Geoff] Emerick deployed solid-state technology in tandem with the group’s virtuosic musical talents, the Beatles succeeded in ending their career in fine style, not only for themselves but for legions of listeners. In this way, “solid state” exists as a metaphor for the technologies that made the album possible and also for the sense of completion, of finality, that the album represents."
Indeed, the first part of the book is very technical, and much of it was over my head. "Plainly and simply, Abbey Road sounded vastly different from the Beatles’ previous studio efforts due to a series of technological upgrades that EMI Studios had undertaken during the late autumn months of 1968—namely, the adoption of a new eight-track mixing desk that afforded the bandmates and their production team with solid-state technology after years of working, for the most part, with tube equipment." The change from four-track to eight-track was huge.
Then the book gets into an almost day-by-day chronicle of what the band was up to from roughly January 1969 to April 1970, when the end was nigh. Many thought that the band was finished after what was called the "Get Back" sessions, when a documentary was filmed and emotions were frayed. The rooftop concert in January '69 was thought to be a swan song (indeed, it was the last time they would play together in public). But, after John and Paul cut a single "The Ballad Of John and Yoko," the band formed to record a new album. Many were doubtful. "Martin harbored understandable doubts about the Beatles’ longevity—even their ability to last through April, much less record a new album’s worth of songs."
Even with many obstacles--the fight over who would manage the group, the bleeding of money at Apple Corps, and Lennon and McCartney's loss of the publishing rights to their own songs--they came together and worked harmoniously, for the most part. This even though Lennon had a serious car accident in Scotland and was on heroin.
We then get the details on the recording of each song--how it came to be, who played what on it, and so forth. Lennon, despite his infirmity, came up with Come Together, which was left over from a song he was writing for the presidential campaign for Timothy Leary. Paul, inspired by the rock operas by The Who, envisioned "the long one," a medley that would end up dominating side two, culminating in "The End," which had a drum solo by Ringo Starr and then the other three Beatles trading off on guitar solos. "Singing “and in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make,” McCartney succeeded in concluding the medley with “a cosmic, philosophical line,” in Lennon’s words. And with that, the Beatles seemed to have brought “The End” to fruition, save for a planned orchestral overdub." “Out of the ashes of all that madness,” said Starr, “that last section is one of the finest pieces we put together.”
For his part, George Harrison contributed two songs that are rightly considered classics, "Something" and "Here Comes The Sun." So long considered a sub-par composer, he was starting to come into his own as a songwriter. He also purchased a Moog, a synthesizer that ended up being used on many of the songs.
There was some acrimony. Paul spent a lot of time on "Maxwell's Silver Hammer," which John considered time wasted. He despised this type of McCartney composition. He called them "granny songs." And that spring the band almost came to the end over the fight over management. John, George, and Ringo wanted Allen Klein, while Paul wanted his father-in-law, John Eastman. In fact, Paul never did sign the paperwork agreeing to Klein's representation.
The cover shoot happened that August, and the resulting photo is one of the most iconic album covers of all time. "Abbey Road’s innovative cover art depicts the bandmates strolling away from the studio where they made their art and into the waiting arms of history." As for the title, the simple use of the name of the studio where they recorded also came late: "Since early summer, the title had been a running issue among the group, with several names being bandied about, including Four in the Bar, All Good Children Go to Heaven, and the absurd Billy’s Left Foot. One of the strongest contenders had been to name the album Everest in honor of the brand of cigarettes that Emerick smoked."
By the end of the recording session, John had already decided he was quitting the band, but had not gone public. Womack writes of a remarkable meeting among three of them, John, Paul, and George (Ringo was on vacation) in October, just after the release of the album, in which they aired it out. John was for doing another album, with each of them contributing four songs. He voiced his disgust at Paul spending so much time on songs that even Paul didn't think were that good, and George let out his feelings about being considered second-rate. "With the idea of recording an album seemingly off the table, Lennon suggested that they produce a Christmas single instead. After all, he reasoned, their annual holiday fan club record would be due before long. When this was met with silence and indifference, Lennon soberly concluded, “I guess that’s the end of the Beatles.”"
It was. The "Get Back" sessions turned into the album Let It Be, with Phil Spector taking over. The last recording any Beatle did on a Beatle record was Ringo drumming for "The Long And Winding Road," which Spector supplemented with a choir and strings, making everyone angry. "Martin was disgusted, later remarking that “the album credit reads ‘Produced by Phil Spector,’ but I wanted it changed to ‘Produced by George Martin. Overproduced by Phil Spector.’”
John recorded "Cold Turkey," about his trying to kick heroin, but the other Beatles showed no interest in recording it, so he did himself, and for the first time the credit for songwriting was simply John Lennon, not Lennon and McCartney. Paul recorded his own album in secret, simply called McCartney, and when he was asked to push its release date back to avoid conflicting with Let It Be he was livid, throwing Ringo out of his house. In the liner notes for his album, he basically stated the Beatles were over, which was the first public declaration of the end.
And so the Beatles ended. In retrospect it was inevitable, as they were brilliant and headstrong. Unless you're the Rolling Stones, a collaboration like that is bound to reach a natural end, and Womack captures it perfectly. Solid State is a must for any serious Beatles fan.
April 17, 2024
From a Beatles expert, this a detailed exploration of the recording of
Abbey Road
, the studio where it was done, and the demise of the group that recorded it. There are a lot of details on the technology and take numbers, etc. This threatens to overwhelm, though I feel it never does. EMI seemed stingy on what it supported The Beatles with, which seems short-sighted. Also, Phil "Make Mine Mono" Spector comes across as so obsessed with monophonic production as to ruin recordings for future generations by mixing down to one track practically live besides being generally irascible. The long, slow descent into group dissolution is rather sad with the sniping and half-measures.
You can support my reviews with purchases made on Amazon through this link.
You can support my reviews with purchases made on Amazon through this link.
April 5, 2022
A fascinating look behind the scenes at my all-time favorite Beatles album. It's got some geeky recording equipment sections and is glued together with incredible stories of how some of the most influential songs, in music history, came to be.
November 6, 2023
AUDIOBOOK
Love a really detailed beatles book that goes into the things that make their albums - this is the sort of thing I’ve been looking for
Love a really detailed beatles book that goes into the things that make their albums - this is the sort of thing I’ve been looking for
November 2, 2021
The title of this book, Solid State, refers to the transition in the 1960s in popular music from vacuum tube amplifiers to solid semiconductors, which opened up a world of innovation in music production and sound quality. It also serves as a metaphor for what the Beatles did to popular music - they left the old methods in the dust and paved the way for just about every musician and performer who followed them.
This a musician's book, or at least a book for people who are obsessed with music, sound technology, music history, or the Beatles. Womack includes plenty of technical information about equipment, processes, experimentation, and recording procedures that the average fan of the Beatles is going to find a bit tedious. Still, he provides a fascinating perspective on the one of the most iconic musical ensembles of the 20th century, especially their final album and their ultimate disbanding.
The back story that leads up to the Abbey Road album production makes up the bulk of the story here, including the skills and talents that each member brought to the band, how their relationships developed and sometimes broke down, and how the band interacted with business associates, producers, technicians, and other musicians. Toward the end of their run, I got the sense that Paul McCartney and John Lennon were playing a game of chicken to see who would break away from the band first.
Part of the success of the Beatles was being in the right place at the right time, especially where technology was concerned. Multi-track recording and experimentation were a big part of producing sounds and sensations that were completely new and imaginative. Sound technicians were constantly finding new ways to enhance the sound of vocals and instruments, which inspired the band members to write melodies and compose lyrics with fresh eyes and ears. I suppose the pinnacle of exploring all these musical frontiers was the Abbey Road album. It's as if once they reached that mountain top, there was no where else to go as a band, so they pursued in earnest their own solo careers or other collaborations. In retrospect, maybe that was exactly what needed to happen.
This a musician's book, or at least a book for people who are obsessed with music, sound technology, music history, or the Beatles. Womack includes plenty of technical information about equipment, processes, experimentation, and recording procedures that the average fan of the Beatles is going to find a bit tedious. Still, he provides a fascinating perspective on the one of the most iconic musical ensembles of the 20th century, especially their final album and their ultimate disbanding.
The back story that leads up to the Abbey Road album production makes up the bulk of the story here, including the skills and talents that each member brought to the band, how their relationships developed and sometimes broke down, and how the band interacted with business associates, producers, technicians, and other musicians. Toward the end of their run, I got the sense that Paul McCartney and John Lennon were playing a game of chicken to see who would break away from the band first.
Part of the success of the Beatles was being in the right place at the right time, especially where technology was concerned. Multi-track recording and experimentation were a big part of producing sounds and sensations that were completely new and imaginative. Sound technicians were constantly finding new ways to enhance the sound of vocals and instruments, which inspired the band members to write melodies and compose lyrics with fresh eyes and ears. I suppose the pinnacle of exploring all these musical frontiers was the Abbey Road album. It's as if once they reached that mountain top, there was no where else to go as a band, so they pursued in earnest their own solo careers or other collaborations. In retrospect, maybe that was exactly what needed to happen.
January 30, 2023
There is the odd digression into highly technical recording equipment, which I didn’t find interesting all, but in the main this is a really entertaining and insightful examination of The Beatles’ last hurrah.
October 8, 2019
This is a wonderfully detailed account of the making of The Beatles' album "Abbey Road" - in fact, for a layman like myself, the level of detail is perhaps a little over the top at times, but for true fans - which may be the primary target audience of the book - I am sure that all details are welcome or even necessary.
Any reader of the book will get valuable insights into the creative processes around making such an iconic album, where technological progress allows for even more creative additions to the songs, but it also lets the reader into the battle of the egos of especially John Lennon and Paul McCartney that were in a particularly critical - or perhaps destructive - phase around the time of the recording of the "Abbey Road" album.
What struck me as particularly surprising was how much time - and conflict between some band members - that went into making the short "interlude songs" (or medleys in the case of "Abbey Road"), typically about non-sensical stories and/or strange characters. I have always been somewhat annoyed by them when listening to the full albums (primarily the later Beatles albums), and now even more so.
Summing up, I would think that this is a fantastic book for hardcore fans of The Beatles, but readers with a more balanced view of the Fab Four will also appreciate the description of the creative processes of making pop/rock history. The end of the book - the gradual termination of the band and estrangement of the former best friends - is obviously sad, but it should also stand as a cautionary example to future generations of what can happen if one lets one's ego and personal ambitions stand in the way of the good of the entire band.
Four big stars - the fifth got lost in the nerdy details of the recording and mixing processes.
[An ARC of the book was generously provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review]
Any reader of the book will get valuable insights into the creative processes around making such an iconic album, where technological progress allows for even more creative additions to the songs, but it also lets the reader into the battle of the egos of especially John Lennon and Paul McCartney that were in a particularly critical - or perhaps destructive - phase around the time of the recording of the "Abbey Road" album.
What struck me as particularly surprising was how much time - and conflict between some band members - that went into making the short "interlude songs" (or medleys in the case of "Abbey Road"), typically about non-sensical stories and/or strange characters. I have always been somewhat annoyed by them when listening to the full albums (primarily the later Beatles albums), and now even more so.
Summing up, I would think that this is a fantastic book for hardcore fans of The Beatles, but readers with a more balanced view of the Fab Four will also appreciate the description of the creative processes of making pop/rock history. The end of the book - the gradual termination of the band and estrangement of the former best friends - is obviously sad, but it should also stand as a cautionary example to future generations of what can happen if one lets one's ego and personal ambitions stand in the way of the good of the entire band.
Four big stars - the fifth got lost in the nerdy details of the recording and mixing processes.
[An ARC of the book was generously provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review]
February 28, 2021
Abbey Road has long been my favorite album by The Beatles, even more than their epic Sgt. Pepper. In this light, I knew little about their making of this epic album. For a total disclaimer, I'm already biased about this album.
The book tells the story of the making of The Beatle's final album. The "Let it Be" album/soundtrack may have been released afterward but that was actually recorded before "Abbey Road" was made. The book kind of begins with these sessions for what called at the time "GetBack" sessions which was to to be part of a documentary type of film which was highlighted by the famous rooftop performance by the group, which would be their final live appearance. The project was put on a shelf in a manner of speaking.
The work on "Abbey Road" would start shortly afterward as a more traditional studio album. In the previous work on what would be "Let it be" to a return to a more live sound, which fizzled. The subsequent work on "Abbey Road" was a return to studio work and sound which had become the group's strength at the time. It turned into the group's final work together which highlighted how much their sound had matured. Sadly the book ends with the group disbanding(spoiler: John quit first). which was quite sad but seemed inevitable.
If you're fan of The Beatles and this album this book should be of interest to you.
The book tells the story of the making of The Beatle's final album. The "Let it Be" album/soundtrack may have been released afterward but that was actually recorded before "Abbey Road" was made. The book kind of begins with these sessions for what called at the time "GetBack" sessions which was to to be part of a documentary type of film which was highlighted by the famous rooftop performance by the group, which would be their final live appearance. The project was put on a shelf in a manner of speaking.
The work on "Abbey Road" would start shortly afterward as a more traditional studio album. In the previous work on what would be "Let it be" to a return to a more live sound, which fizzled. The subsequent work on "Abbey Road" was a return to studio work and sound which had become the group's strength at the time. It turned into the group's final work together which highlighted how much their sound had matured. Sadly the book ends with the group disbanding(spoiler: John quit first). which was quite sad but seemed inevitable.
If you're fan of The Beatles and this album this book should be of interest to you.
February 18, 2020
This is SUCH a good book...I devoured it in three days and the only reason it took so long is I kept going online to hear the different songs. I had no idea so many hours of work and sweat and pain had gone into the making of Abbey Road. I liked the album, but a month after it's release In the Court of the Crimson King came out introducing me to prog rock and I lost all interest in Beatles...especially when their non-stop fighting and sniping started.
But this wonderful book brings back all the magic of the Beatles. At times it reads like a thriller...I know what happens, but in Mr Womack's hands you live the fights and the bitterness. What's a shame is I suspect both Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr wanted the Beatles to keep going, but heroin had John a complete mess and George was bitter and chafing at his third rate songwriter status. He was completely ready to leave.
Librarians...highly recommended for your male boomer readers
But this wonderful book brings back all the magic of the Beatles. At times it reads like a thriller...I know what happens, but in Mr Womack's hands you live the fights and the bitterness. What's a shame is I suspect both Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr wanted the Beatles to keep going, but heroin had John a complete mess and George was bitter and chafing at his third rate songwriter status. He was completely ready to leave.
Librarians...highly recommended for your male boomer readers
March 28, 2021
Wie einer meiner Vorrezensenten geschrieben hat: "Endlich hat mal jemand ein Buch über diese Typen von den Beatles geschrieben". Nun ja. Die Beteiligten haben gesprochen, die Augenzeugen haben (fast alle) gesprochen, und sogar die, die Band nur flüchtig gesehen haben, etwa John Lennons Klempner von dem seine Frau, machen ein Buch darüber, denn damit lässt sich Geld machen. Was jetzt noch bleibt, sind Bücher von Fans oder Akademikern.
Kenneth Womack gehört zu den Akademikern. Sein Buch über "Abbey Road" (das Album, aber auch das Studio) ist solide, gut recherchiert, bringt aber kaum neue Erkenntnisse. Sein Schreibstil ist manchmal etwas dröge. Vielleicht sind mir deswegen die Fan-Bücher lieber, denn wenn man schon über Rockmusik schreibt, sollte auch etwas Rock'n'Roll-Spirit in den Stil einfliessen, und da nimmt man gerne ein paar Übertreibungen, Ungenauigkeiten und Subjektivitäten in Kauf.
Kenneth Womack gehört zu den Akademikern. Sein Buch über "Abbey Road" (das Album, aber auch das Studio) ist solide, gut recherchiert, bringt aber kaum neue Erkenntnisse. Sein Schreibstil ist manchmal etwas dröge. Vielleicht sind mir deswegen die Fan-Bücher lieber, denn wenn man schon über Rockmusik schreibt, sollte auch etwas Rock'n'Roll-Spirit in den Stil einfliessen, und da nimmt man gerne ein paar Übertreibungen, Ungenauigkeiten und Subjektivitäten in Kauf.
April 15, 2020
Solid State is a book that put a laser-focus on the changing technology that came just in time for the last album that The Beatles ever recorded, Abbey Road. The focus lies specifically in the new board that the recording studio finally installed, giving the band the opportunity to have a richer, more vibrant sound as they recorded their songs.
This book is not necessarily for the casual Beatles fan. Although it does a good job of putting the personal and the pop culture events surrounding the time recording the album into perspective, the main focus in on the music, how it was crafted, and how different sounds and instruments were being explored. Beatles fans that like a good deep dive will want to pick this one up, along with the audiophile that likes to learn about recording techniques.
*Book provided by NetGalley
This book is not necessarily for the casual Beatles fan. Although it does a good job of putting the personal and the pop culture events surrounding the time recording the album into perspective, the main focus in on the music, how it was crafted, and how different sounds and instruments were being explored. Beatles fans that like a good deep dive will want to pick this one up, along with the audiophile that likes to learn about recording techniques.
*Book provided by NetGalley
February 14, 2020
If you ever wondered what the last days of the Beatles may have been like, then Solid State: The Story of Abbey Road and the End of the Beatles is the book for you. It seems obvious after reading this book that the band by 1969/1970 had really outgrown each other. George Harrison could no longer just be the band’s guitarist. He was too talented as a singer-songwriter for that. Also, Lennon and McCartney’s music were going in different directions. The worst of it though were the legal squabbles that a band as big as the Beatles had to wade through. Luckily in Abbey Road the Beatles saved some of their best music for last. I gave Abbey Road another listen and was thrilled by what a truly amazing album it is. After reading this fine book, I’m going to be listening to it again and again.
July 2, 2020
Great read about something I was woefully underinformed on. This covers a lot of the ins and outs of the making of “Abbey Road,” and went deep into details about how the songs came to fruition. The amount of thought and critique of every little detail is fascinating. It has offered me a newfound appreciation for The Beatles’ work. For some readers, it may be a bit too much minutia, but I found it good. The book also spends a healthy amount of time explaining how the break up occurred, and the author did a good job building up to it through the details of the making of the album. A really enjoyable book and not just if you like The Beatles. Anyone who appreciates musicality will enjoy this book.
March 27, 2020
Detailed but very readable account of the Beatles final days as they worked to complete their iconic Abbey Road album. A lot of technical information on the recording techniques and equipment that made the album so unique, but also great behind the scenes info on how they were able to pull together even as business, addiction, and a desire to explore life outside the Beatles was pulling them apart. The account of their breakup and how it affected each of them was quite moving at times. If you are a Beatles fan this is a must read.
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