Music

3 Hours At Abbey Road Studios Celebrating 60 Years Of James Bond

When British audio company Bowers & Wilkins invited me to celebrate the 60-year legacy of James Bond films, I brushed up on my 007 knowledge and headed to London.

by Bustle Editors
The Royal Philharmonic performs at Abbey Road Studios as part of The Sound of 007, hosted by British...
Courtesy of Bowers & Wilkins

Though it was the Beatles who made Abbey Road famous, the London studio has a long history of hosting musical greats, from “Pomp and Circumstance” composer Edward Elgar — who conducted the London Symphony Orchestra playing his work there in 1931 — to Lady Gaga.

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Many famous film scores, from Raiders of the Lost Ark to Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, have also been recorded at Abbey Road. (Pictured here is Quentin Tarantino with Italian film composer Ennio Morricone during the recording of The Hateful Eight soundtrack.)

Bowers & Wilkins has a storied history with the studio, too. Its iconic 800 series loudspeakers have been used to monitor recordings made here, including two James Bond soundtracks: Skyfall (2012) and Spectre (2015).

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So, to honor 60 years of James Bond music, Bowers & Wilkins hosted an event to celebrate the sound of 007 at Abbey Road Studios.

Courtesy of Bowers & Wilkins

Courtesy of Bowers & Wilkins

In Studio 1, guests were treated to a live performance of James Bond theme songs by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, introduced by composer David Arnold, who scored five Bond films.

Courtesy of Bowers & Wilkins

Guests also were invited into the studio’s control room, where they experienced live playback of the orchestra performance and learned about the mixing process.

Courtesy of Bowers & Wilkins

Audiophiles interested in a third listening experience could test out Bowers & Wilkins’ special 007 version of its Px8 wireless headphones, which come in the same midnight blue finish as Sean Connery’s dinner jacket from the inaugural Bond film, 1962’s Dr. No.

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That’s the one!

Courtesy of Bowers & Wilkins

Of course, a 007 night isn’t complete without a martini bar, and guests had their pick of gin, vodka, or vesper martinis. Shaken, not stirred.