POWEER ISSUE
Power: Living up to the legacy of Abbey Road
Following the Abbey Road
Bianca Davino debates with Australian supergroup ARC on the powers of Abbey Road, and whether it is truly the best Beatles album of all time
T
he year 1969 is romanticised for its triumphant authenticity, free love, and dizzying colours.
David Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity’ elucidated every Cold War obsession with the wider galaxy with perfectly absurdist poetry of curiosity and fear. Woodstock defined a generation with its fearsome, gentle roars of peace amidst history’s most grim atrocities. Bob Dylan emerges after three years of absence from the limelight. The Who unveil Tommy. Digging up milestones from the year is an endless task. In 1969, music was transformed – as society evolved, musicians became ingrained with the psyches of the people fighting against a world on the brink of utter madness. Bookending The Beatles’ decade of popconquering, Abbey Road similarly reflected the impending feeling of uncertainty that permeated society and wholly encompassed the lightningin-a-bottle genius in creativity that defined their career. Its imprint on modern music is felt in every psychedelic rabbit hole spread across the album, every meandering guitar lick that sings in the sweetest of melodies, each string hauntingly beautiful in its accompaniment.
One of Australia’s most beloved supergroups, ARC, comprising Kram (Spiderbait), Mark Wilson (Jet), Davey Lane (You Am I) and Darren Middleton (Powderfinger) are hitting the stage to celebrate the album’s long standing legacy this August. Just one listen of the record beckons the age old question – is it The Beatles’ best album? Whilst everyone has their personal favourite, music fans and critics have pondered the almost impossible question for years now. Not many artforms accrue such an incredible reputation like this. As a self-confessed Beatles fanatic, Kram of Aus-rock icons Spiderbait’s connection with the world-changing record traces back to high school – and the rest is history. “So when I was in high school, a teacher gave me a couple of tapes – one was Abbey Road and I was pretty much hooked from that moment. The Beatles made me want to sing and write songs and write really varied music you know”, said Kram, reminiscing on his introduction to the Fab Four.
ARC photos by Jay Wennington
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This year marks 50 years of the album. Half a century has passed and the world is still fixated
on the bittersweet nostalgia induced every time the opening arpeggio of ‘Here Comes The Sun’ begins to hum. We’re still engulfed in goosebumps over the jaunty, percussive ‘Come Together’ intro. The B-Side medley remains an instant tear-jerking emotional rollercoaster.
12 :: BRAG :: 746 :: 05:06:19
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