London Beatles Tour

We began at Abbey Road, the best-known recording studio in the world. There was some disappointment, as the Liverpool Tours web site talked about the group recording inside Abbey Road. This didn't happen. We didn't get past the gate. But it was still amazing to stand outside the building where most Beatles records were recorded. And crossing that famous crosswalk pictured on the cover of the Abbey Road.

Then it was on to the Asher home, where Paul lived (in a separate room) with Jane Asher and her parents, for three years.

We drove by the building where the Apple Boutique was once located.

Then it was on to Montegue Square, where one apartment was sequentially home to George, Ringo and John & Yoko. The cover for Two Virgins was shot inside.

We also visited the place where Paul married Linda, and where Ringo married Barbara Bach.

Next up: Marylebone train station, the same one from which I had gone to Stratford-upon-Avon. But more importantly, its where all the train station scenes at the beginning of "A Hard Day's Night" were filmed. Even the small street running along the side of the station is famous: it was the opening shot of running Beatles (and falling George). I enjoyed a lovely pasty inside the station.

Then, the Empire Theatre, home of many Beatles performances. And Twickenham Film Studios, where "A Hard Day's Night," parts of "Help!" and many other films were shot.

We next visited Turks Head Pub, where Ringo made a mess of things in "A Hard Day's Night." The main pub was closed for refurbishment, but an annex was opened, and I had a tasty pint of London Pride.

Our next stop, the houses that served as exteriors for the Beatles homes in "Help!" Then on to Chiswick Gardens, where such videos as "Rain," "Paperback Writer" and "Strawberry Fields Forever" were filmed.

We next visited the Royal Albert Hall. Bet you know how many holes it takes to fill that!

Then we went to the home where Brian Epstein lived. He died there 40 years ago. Behind the house is a pub called the Horse & Groom. Its off the street, and was a haunt of the Beatles. Then we went to what was once the Indica Gallery, which Paul helped set up, and where John & Yoko first met. There's an alley nearby where the cover of the Rolling Stones album "Out of our Heads" or "December's Children (and everybody's) was photographed.

Next was LA Fitness. Actually, it was once called the BBC Paris Studio, and many Beatles radio shows were recorded there. It's seen on the cover of "The Beatles at the BBC."

Then it was on to 3 Saville Row, former home of Apple Corps. Cardboard covers the door to discourage graffiti. We also stopped outside a nightclub that was formerly the Bag o' Nails. And the London Palladium, home of "Sunday Night at the Palladium" and the royal command concert at which the Beatles appeared in 1963.

Carnaby street was next; then a public toilet outside which John was photographed for a promotion. We then walked by Trident Studios, where a few Beatles tracks were recorded, including "Hey Jude."

We peeked in the window of MPL, Paul's offices.

That night, we went to the Hard Rock Café and got to visit the vault, where many of the rarest artifacts are displayed, including some great John Lennon stuff. I was photographed with the jacket he wore in the Madison Square Garden concert.