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WITH THE BEATLES (Room 201)
After the runaway success of ‘She Loves You’, there was huge excitement surrounding the release of their second album, With The Beatles. Released in late November 1963, The Beatles were by now, without question, the biggest act on the British pop scene. The album was recorded between July and October amid a chaotic schedule that included British and Swedish tours, TV appearances, radio programmes, and the release of new EPs and singles.
Advance orders for the album were staggering—so much so that The Beatles received a silver disc a week before it had even been released! The album featured double-tracking and overdubbing of vocals, giving it a much richer sound than their debut. They also began making use of the latest technology and studio techniques.
The format of seven original tracks and seven covers—songs they had performed at The Cavern Club—was retained, but the overall production felt significantly more polished. The album cover, photographed by Robert Freeman, appeared revolutionary, using stark black-and-white contrasts. This highly acclaimed image became one of their most iconic, though its origins lay in the early Hamburg photographs taken by Astrid Kirchherr.
The album reflected their recent past, yet there was only one direction the band were heading—and that was forward, at great speed.
Artwork © Shannon
WITH THE BEATLES (Room 201)
After the runaway success of ‘She Loves You’, there was huge excitement surrounding the release of their second album, With The Beatles. Released in late November 1963, The Beatles were by now, without question, the biggest act on the British pop scene. The album was recorded between July and October amid a chaotic schedule that included British and Swedish tours, TV appearances, radio programmes, and the release of new EPs and singles.
Advance orders for the album were staggering—so much so that The Beatles received a silver disc a week before it had even been released! The album featured double-tracking and overdubbing of vocals, giving it a much richer sound than their debut. They also began making use of the latest technology and studio techniques.
The format of seven original tracks and seven covers—songs they had performed at The Cavern Club—was retained, but the overall production felt significantly more polished. The album cover, photographed by Robert Freeman, appeared revolutionary, using stark black-and-white contrasts. This highly acclaimed image became one of their most iconic, though its origins lay in the early Hamburg photographs taken by Astrid Kirchherr.
The album reflected their recent past, yet there was only one direction the band were heading—and that was forward, at great speed.
Artwork © Shannon