Here, There, and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of The Beatles by Geoff Emerick
Geoff Emerick’s Here, There, and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of The Beatles is ikely my very favorite Beatles connected book. Why? Because it offers such a fascinating and lifelike perspective on recording The Beatles classic albums such as 1967’s Sgt. Pepper.
I like that this book is targeted on what was going on in the studio instead of what the members of the band were doing in their personal lives. In comparison other such books are far too targeted on the biography of The Beatles and not enough on the music that made them famous. It’s as a result of of the music that anyone is interested in their personal stories.
The book is not entirely concerning The Beatles, it’s more of a Geoff Emerick biography (with an obvious focus on his time with The Beatles) but if you’re thinking that that may make it less interesting, I really do not think that is true. I truly think it helps make his stories about The Beatles appear more “real.”
In fact the book’s “realness” is one of the best things about it. I have read a lot of books on the band but many of them appear kind of clinical in comparison. Like a bunch of facts pieced together. With this book I felt like I was really there at Abbey Road in the ’60s. Like a fly on the wall, taking it all in.
This book offers a great look into The Beatles as musicians there’s actually a series of books called The Beatles as Musicians which goes into that more indepth.) We get a glimpse of Paul McCartney working tirelessly to get his bass guitar parts just right and we see George greatly improve his guitar playing talents through the decade.
Emerick was a very vital part of the band’s sound during their most creative period in the mid ’60s. Amazingly on his first full day as lead recording engineer he came up with concepts that helped make the last track on Revolver, “Tomorrow Never Knows,” sound so incredible.
If you’re interested in shopping for this book you aren’t stuck with shopping for it on old fashioned paper, you’ll be able to also obtain it for your Kindle. If you don’t have a Kindle yet then I recommend shopping for the 9.7″ Kindle DX because of it’s larger size, it makes it easier to read. If you live outside of the US, you will need to purchase a Global Kindle.
Of course reading about The Beatles will only get you half way there, you’ll also want to get The Beatles in Stereo Box Set so you will be able to easily follow along with Geoff Emerick’s book with a suitable soundtrack.
