New exhibition goes behind the scenes at Abbey Road

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Pink Floyd recording at Abbey Road, Wish You Were Here, 1975

Many a British music fan has dreamt of being a fly on the wall at Abbey Road Studios, but for rock photographer Jill Furmanovsky, it’s another day at the office.

She has turned her lense on everybody from Pink Floyd to making music at the iconic recording studio in West London, and now the images are going on display as part of a new exhibition at Barbican Music Library.

Inside Abbey Road Studios – Through the lens of Jill Furmanovsky presents an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at some of the biggest names in the business in the process of recording music that was to define their generation.

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The Gallagher brothers put on a united front for the shoot. Photo by Jill Furmanovsky

Images show Pink Floyd sat around the mixing desk during the recording of Wish You Were Here in 1975, and Noel and Liam Gallagher in a show of unity amidst rumours swirling of their split in October 1996.

More recent shots taken during her time as Abbey Road’s artist in residence capture legends like Nile Rodgers, as well as emerging musical talent like Novelist and Mura Masa working in the two new studios at the complex.

Inside Abbey Road follows the Barbican Music Library’s Chunk of Punk exhibition in 2017, which offered a look back over 40 years of punk music through Jill’s personal archive.

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Jill has spent the last year as an artist in residence at Abbey Road photographing rising stars like Mura Masa. Photo by Jill Furmanovsky

Despite having travelled the world with some of music’s biggest names over the past four decades, she said the excitement of getting a glimpse at “what goes on beyond the famous zebra crossing” has not worn off.

“As a 14-year old devoted member of the Beatles’ Fan Club, I dreamt of being allowed into Abbey Road Studios, so I’ve never gotten over the thrill of stepping into that holy building,” she said.

“My first visit was in 1976 with Pink Floyd, who were recording Wish You Were Here, and I’ve subsequently been back many times to photograph some of the world’s greatest musicians making music, which was an incredible privilege.”

Inside Abbey Road Studios – Through the lens of Jill Furmanovsky is on at Barbican Music Library from 9 April to 27 June.