Mary McCartney on the importance of Abbey Road
Ahead of Mary McCartney’s upcoming documentary, If These Walls Could Sing, the photographer-turned-filmmaker discussed the importance of Abbey Road Studios as more than just The Beatles‘ regular recording place.
In her documentary, Mary, daughter of Beatle Paul McCartney, interviews her father and ex-bandmate Ringo Starr, who reveal fascinating stories about the studio and how it shaped The Beatles. Yet, the documentary proves that the studio was more than just the Fab Four’s frequent recording space and inspiration behind their seminal 1969 album Abbey Road. Instead, McCartney interviews other successful musicians who used Abbey Road Studios, such as Roger Waters from Pink Floyd and Star Wars composer John Williams.
Discussing her intentions behind the documentary, which will air on Disney+ on December 16th, McCartney said: “Some of my earliest memories as a young child come from time spent at Abbey Road. I’ve long wanted to tell the story of this historic place.”
The documentary also features interviews with Elton John, Liam Gallagher, and recent Academy Award and Mercury Prize-nominated singer Celeste. Speaking to Screenrant, McCartney discussed the importance of highlighting Abbey Road’s legacy, which has reached far beyond The Beatles.
She said: “I had no idea that Abbey Road Studios had first opened 90 years ago, and when I was asked to direct this documentary, I spent the first part of the process learning all of the history, all of the artists that had gone through there.”
“There was way too much to put into a feature documentary, but I picked the famous names like the Beatles and Pink Floyd when they did Dark Side of the Moon. I was also really happy to explore the lesser-known artists like Jacqueline du Pré and peppered it with stories that I think will surprise and entertain the viewer,” she continued.
McCartney also “knew in the documentary that we needed a tribute to all of the classical music that had been recorded at Abbey Road over the years.” Furthermore, she chose to end the documentary with a performance by Celeste to demonstrate the studio’s ongoing importance to modern-day artists. “Abbey Road is a really active studio,” she explained.
Watch the trailer below.
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