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The Beatles were perhaps the most successful British band of the ’60s in the world, with a great repercussion, to the point that their songs still listen to today. Their history and trajectory were exciting, and the English considered it an important part of their culture.
Their successes and places that helped their rise, both in Liverpool and London, have served as main destinations for tourists; and no wonder, since they have been the most influential and popular band of all times.
Nowadays some companies offer tours to get to know these important places; however, you can also do the tour on your own. Below, we will name some of the most relevant places that in some way had contact with the band.
What were the origins of the Beatles?
In 1956 John Lennon had created, together with his friend Shotton Peter, a band of Skiffle in combination with rock and roll (Skiffle being understood as the music that came from the black and poor workers of the USA around 1920) and the band was called The Quarry Men. But his friend Peter did not last long in the band. Later George Harrison, Paul McCartney and Stuart Sutcliffe joined the group.
They changed the name of the new group and called it The Beatles. They were then joined by a drummer named Pete Best and began performing in various clubs in their beloved Liverpool and Hamburg. But by 1961, Stuart and Best left the group, and Ringo Starr joined them, thus becoming the definitive band.
Later, Brian Epstein proposed to them to be their manager. With the help of producer Martin George, they released the first single in 1962, called Love me do, and so began their first commercial successes. Then came more recordings and began touring.
It is from this moment that begins what is called the Beatlemania, both in England and in the United States, where they toured the country in 1964, with great successes, leading their music strongly in only one month. At the same time and in the same year, they were asked to shoot a movie, where the group’s life was shown during three days, called A hard day’s night, together with the album of the same name.
But they also released the album Beatles for Sale. Therefore, 1964 was a year of great work and intensity. Thus, The Beatles were achieving more and more fame more international tours, to the point where they were releasing one or several albums a year. By 1965 they were already very tired, and from this moment on, they decided to start recording at the studio level.
Then, in this new stage, they added other musical styles, such as blues, country, psychedelic rock, and by 1966, they released their new album, called Revolver; and by 1967, another one called Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Club Band. More hits followed.
But suddenly, their manager Brian Epstein died, and it was from this moment they published works that had been pending. But at the same time, both Lennon and George released some solo works.
From that moment, certain disagreements began in the group, and to this was added the presence of Yoko Ono in the recordings, which was not to the liking of the members because it had broken the commitment they had of not taking the couples when they went to the Studios; bringing more distancing and ending in their division.
The split officially took place in 1975, after a lawsuit filed by Paul McCartney in 1970, a year in which the last work and movie, called Let it be, was presented. Then in 1980, John Lennon was murdered, and they reunited to offer a tribute; years later, they reunited again for the Anthology project.
Then in 2016, they launched the last project, a documentary where the group’s tours are recounted, achieving a Grammy award. To this day, only Paul McCarney and Ringo Starr remain since George Harrison died in 2001.
Beatles’ must-see places in London:
The Cavern Club or Cavern Club, in Liverpool:
This is one of the most important places in the group’s career, as it was the club where they played in 1961 for the first time, and then about 300 times more. But more and more people came to listen to them, and the space was insufficient until they had to look for a larger venue.
Unfortunately, the original club in the Cavern had to be demolished due to the construction of the subway. However, years later, another venue was built on the same site, respecting the decoration of the Beatles’ era and seeing objects that belonged to the group. They play live weekly, and it is said that the place is very warm.
In London, the Abbey Road:
We are talking about the Abbey Road pedestrian crossing, perhaps one of the most famous streets in the city of London. Its fame was accelerated by the cover of the Beatles’ album of the same name. The four members of the band were seen passing through it when they were leaving the recording studio of the same name, Abbey Road, located just a few meters away.
This pedestrian area is a true icon for fans of the group. That is why almost everyone who visits it has taken replicas imitating the 1969 photo, and sometimes they generate a little discomfort in traffic. The passage is located between the boroughs of Westminster and Camden. In the following photo, you can see the order, from left to right, of John, Ringo, Paul and George.
Montagu Square or Montagu Square
In 1960 Ringo Starr rented a house on the first floor with a basement in Montagu Square, specifically in Number 34. All the group members very frequented housing, and where McCartney had the inspiration to compose the song, Michelle.
Also in this house lived for three months Lennon and Yoko Ono and where was taken the famous photo of both naked for the album Two Virgins. Today the house is still standing, and on the outside, there is a blue plaque commemorating this member of the Beatles.
The Beatles Story or Beatles Museum:
This beautiful museum is located in the hometown of the Beatles, in Liverpool. It is said to be the largest exhibition of the life of its members, their culture, the history of their evolution as a band, including their childhood, their first hits and how they conquered greater and greater heights until they became the most famous brand in the world at that time.
It is located at the level of Liverpool’s Albert Dock. Its content has been narrated by their relatives, where visitors can learn about different aspects of the conventional ones; there is an audio guide available in different languages such as English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Japanese, Russian and Spanish.
Some of the Beatles’ recording studios:
The Famous Abbey Road Studios:
We had mentioned earlier that the group walked across the crosswalk that bears the same name once they left this Studio. The Studio is located right in front of this crosswalk and was where the Beatles recorded a good part of all their works.
This Studio is considered one of the most famous and is located towards the northwest part of London; many famous artists besides the Beatles have passed through it, such as Pink Floyd, Lady Gaga, Amy Winehouse, Adel, among others.
The famous Apple Studio:
If you go through Savile Row, you will reach the famous Apple Studio building in London. Its rooftop served as a stage for a Beatles concert. It was improvised with several scaffolding boards to support the equipment, and the microphones were wrapped with socks to attenuate the noise of the strong wind.
The Apple Studio was where the band usually played, but not at roof level. However, they performed several songs on top of the building that day, such as Get Back, Don’t Let Me Down, I Want You (She’s So Heavy).
Moreover, that was their last concert, in January 1969. Nowadays, the studio no longer exists, but at the building entrance, there is a store, and in the hall, there are showcases decorated with objects of the group, such as albums guitars, among others.
