Abbey Road

The Beatles

In October 1967, at the age of 18, Alan Parsons went to work as an assistant engineer at Abbey Road. He was a tape operator during the Beatles' Get Back sessions, and he earned his first credit on the LP Abbey Road.

Alan had moved up to the assistant engineer position, and sadly by this point it was becoming clear it could be The Beatles’ last record. On the very last day of recording at Abbey Road Studios, Alan remembers watching from the steps as they walked out on to the crossing and captured the iconic photo for the album cover. “That same day we actually assembled the album. While listening to the final mix of She’s So Heavy, John Lennon wearing that same white suit, came up and said ‘let’s not fade out, let’s just cut the tape. Do it there.’ And with a pair of scissors, snip!”
- From the Article, "The Genius of Alan Parsons As Told By Abbey Road's Cameron Colbeck"


Parsons had already worked his way up to assistant engineer by the time the Beatles started work on "Abbey Road." On the "Get Back" sessions, he says, "I was there to change tapes and keep everything working. Abbey Road was a much more fulfilling experience, watching producer George Martin at work with engineer Geoff Emerick. I got to understand how the Beatles worked." 
- From the article, "At 19, Alan Parsons recorded the Beatles. How that 'life-changing' experience shaped him" by Ed Masley

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