Come together (The Beatles) (LP 512 - 513)

The Beatles Abbey Road (Vinyl and CDs, Apple Records, 1969) ***** 

The Beatles Abbey Road - 3LP Anniversary Edition  (Vinyl and CDs, Apple Records, 1969) ***** 

Genre: Beatle pop/rock 

Places I remember: DJ Records; HMV Oxford St; The Warehouse; Kings Recording - Abu Dhabi

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Come Together

Gear costume: Everything else. It's the bloody Beatles! 

Active compensatory factors: It's a ritual I've had for the last 40 years: whenever moving house - first thing I do is set up my turntable, amp and speakers - select this album and turn up Come Together (and then let the album play out).

That means I've bought it a few times now!

I have a huge shit eating grin on my face every time I do it. Miraculously, every time I play it I feel like it's the first time.

When I began collecting Beatle albums in 1970 with the Hey Jude compilation, both Abbey Rd., and Let It Be were pretty much brand new, and soon to join Hey Jude on my wire record rack.

Of all the versions, I prefer my original vinyl edition. It still sounds incredible and while I applaud Giles Martin's efforts to keep them sonically current, I don't play that version (the outtakes record is great to hear all the same).

Plus: how cool is that cover? No band name - the four figures are iconic as they walk across the road a little along from the St John's Wood EMI studios. During the photo session, there would have been no doubt that John was in front, leading the way!

Where do they all belong? Their best album? So many contenders. I'm still a White Album, then Revolver, then Abbey Road kind of guy. Yes, Sgt Pepper is 4th! Crazy!! Breathtaking quality.