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Iconic Abbey Road album cover shot 50 years ago today

Paul, John, Ringo and George of The Beatles walked across the north London zebra crossing for the photo
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A behind the scenes photo, taken by Linda McCartney during the Abbey Road album cover photo shoot on Aug. 8, 1969. (Paul McCartney Twitter)

It’s been 50 years to the day that Paul, John, Ringo and George walked across the north London zebra crossing, for the iconic album cover Abbey Road.

The photo, captured by Iain Macmillan, sparked a number of conspiracy theories after an American newspaper reported McCartney had died in a car accident in 1966 and the man in the photo was a look a like called William Campbell.

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According to Louder some of the clues giving way to the theory included the fact that McCartney was out of step with the other three, his eyes were closed and he was holding a cigarette in his right hand despite being left handed. Judging by his latest tour, McCartney is alive and well, playing three-hour shows at the age of 77.

While Abbey Road was the last time The Beatles members were in studio together, it wasn’t the last photo shoot they experienced together. The band gathered at Lennon’s house at Tittenhurst Park on Aug. 22, 1969 for what would be their last photo shoot together.

Lennon was fatally shot on Dec. 8, 1980, and Harrison passed away on Nov. 29, 2001, after battling lung cancer. Starr and McCartney are still touring.

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The road outside EMI Studios, where the band spent the majority of their recording career, has become a tourist attraction fully equipped with a gift shop, but for those in the music industry you can still record there for a mere £500 — that’s $803 Canadian. The walls outside the studio are covered in hand-written messages from fans around the world and has to be painted over every two months or so because so many people visit.

A 24/7 live stream of the Abbey Road crosswalk can be seen here.



kendra.crighton@blackpress.ca

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