Abbey Road Studios may be one of the most legendary locations to record music in the world. But as far as we know, it's never been used as a bed-and-breakfast — until now.
That's about to change: On October 15, four winners of a new contest from Airbnb will get to spend a night inside the London-based studios where, among other things, The Beatles recorded several classic albums.
Mark Ronson, the DJ/musician/producer behind such hits as Bruno Mars' "Uptown Funk," Adele's album "19" and Amy Winehouse's "Back to Black" is also part of the deal. He'll be there to greet the winners and share production tips ... and then help them record their own track in the studio that night.
"I was born and grew up 'round the corner from Abbey Road Studios, one of the greatest studios ever," Ronson said in a statement. "Over the years working at Abbey Road, I’ve gotten to know many of the engineers there and hearing the legendary stories of recording albums is one of the great perks of being in the building. It's incredible that Airbnb are getting Abbey Road to open up the doors so I can share it with people who love music as much as I do."
According to the contest listing, there are particular "house rules" to stick to:
- Turn it up to 11 — we've got good soundproofing.
- If you catch nostalgia, don't worry. It’s not contagious.
- No smoking near the Moog.
- If the phone rings, a standard "Hello, it's me" will do.
- No matter what happens, just ... let it be.
- Don't go chasing pavements.
- Leave your mark.
Abbey Road Studios started out in 1831 as a nine-bedroom Georgian townhome; 100 years later, it was acquired by the Gramophone Company (which eventually became EMI) and turned into recording studios.
Over the years hundreds of artists ranging from The Beatles (who named their 11th studio album after it and were famously photographed in a nearby crosswalk for the album's cover), Pink Floyd, Michael Bublé, Miley Cyrus and Duran Duran have all recorded albums or songs inside. Movie soundtracks, including "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, have also been recorded there.
And with a little luck, now it could be your turn!
MORE: Is famed Abbey Road getting a crossing guard?
To enter the contest, just click here. Winners will be announced after Oct. 6. And if you're worried that you aren't exactly in easy commuting distance of London, don't worry: Your travel is included!
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