Here There And Everywhere

I'm a big Beatles fan, and I've read a pretty large number of books on the Beatles. So many that I pretty much have given up on looking at any new books that have come out. But, the other day I was at Barnes & Noble and came across the book Here There and Everywhere by Geoff Emerick. Emerick was the balance engineer for a lot of the Beatles recording sessions, and this book documents those sessions, along with a few other details of his career.

I'm about 1/3 of the way through this, and it's really great. Emerick must have kept a diary or have a photographic memory (or perhaps access to the original studio tapes have refreshed his memory) as the book is amazingly detailed. Lots of stories from the recording sessions; really interesting things about how songs came together and the recording effects used, as well as rememberances of things that happened; from the day that fans ran riot at Abbey Road, and recording Strawberry Fields, to how the Beatles interacted with each other, and with other people, including the session musicians that were brought in. It's great stuff.

This may even replace my previous favorite Beatles book; The Beatles: Recording Sessions, the Official Abbey Road Studio Session Notes 1962-1970 by Mark Lewisohn. While that book is very detailed about the sessions, it lacks the more personal details that Emerick adds.

So if you're a Beatles nut, definitely pick this book up; you won't be dissapointed.