I have never been a huge fan of the Beatles. I think they were just overplayed all through my childhood. On the radio and everywhere. The singles on, for instance, Sergeant Peppers are like old folk songs, ingrained in my conscousness. I never discovered them for myself. I was and still am always a bit bemused by the attention lavished upon them.

But one year I picked up a bootleg Russian cd with extra tracks of Abbey Road. I was, to say the very least, surprised.

Here were marvellous songs that I had never heard before. The sound was great and included some very impressive bass. Also, there is a great variety of music on the disc; a song for every occasion. And plenty of it sounds damn funky. But I thought the Beatles were a pop band!!

So here we are looking at an early English pressing of Abbey Road. It has an Apple label and in the dead wax the matrices read -4 on side one and -3 on side two.

Side one starts off with 'Come together', familiar to a philistine such as me because of the version released a few years ago for Warchild, the charity. It was sung by the Beatles fanclub including Noel Gallagher and Paul weller. I wsn't mad about that but this, the original, is beginning to grow on me. It has a very impressive and original bass line. Its a forceful song; slowly and surely it gets its message across and into your mind.

The harrison penned 'Something' is a gorgeous bluesy piece. Guitar playing reminds me of Fleetwood Mac's Albatross. Dreamy electric guitar. Soaring melodic vocals complete the greatness.

Complete change of tempo for the next track. Its playful, typical McCartney, complete with funny sound effects and wacky lyrics. It is 'Maxwell's silver hammer'. Is it a joke? (With a nasty punchline) I don't know, but you can't not like it.

'Oh! darling' is a real bluesy rocker. Isn't it? Not to my taste.

The Ringo track, 'Octupus' garden', is next and is light, fun and great to sing along to on a road trip. Yet it has some blinding guitar work, strong drumming and some more great sound effects.

'I want you' is another real bluesy track. Feirce guitar playing and fabulous bass. And is that an organ I hear in there? Its a long noisy track and at times sounds like 'house of New Orleans'. But that could just be the organ.

So ends side one. On CD it must sound strange because the next track is a complete sea change with no side swapping to interrupt it. From complete chaotic noise we turn to the beautiful gentle melody of George Harrison's 'Here comes the sun'. This is one of the best songs by the Beatles. we even get some hand clapping just to make things more interesting.

Next up we have a medley comprising the dreamy, harmony drenched, Because and 'You never give me your money'. We then head into bluesier territory and the second half of this track sounds like its sung down a phone line. sounds like its sung down a phone line. Is rocky and will defintely have your body twitching. The medley nearly fades out, leaving a few crickets twirping, before coming back in what again sounds like 'Albatross'. It isn't but it is the bass led 'Sun King'. And 'everybody', apparently, 'is laughing'. Too many drugs I'd say.

Anyway enough laughing. From dreamy psychedelic 'Sun Kings' to 'Mean Mr. Mustard'. Still could be LSD though. Its another rocker and giving out about this 'dirty old man'. If you thought he was bad, wait till you see 'Polythene Pam'. Most of this side seems to be taken up by playfulness, experimentation. Let's try this out and see what sticks. Did the Beatles know this would be their last album. I guess, if anyone did, it was them. Again, some great guitar solos.

'She came in through the backroom window' keeps up the guitar playing but has a more focused McCartney vocal.

We segue into 'Golden Slumbers' which is a very noisy lullaby. Well actually its a loud/quiet/loud kind of lullaby. Its McCartney sung and to me sounds a bit more like some of his later stuff. Beautiful string arrangements here, provided by the emminent George Martin.

Next, we all join in on 'Carry that weight'. A realy let's all pull together chant(does it get sung in soccer stadiums? It should) with some great horns going on there. The most rousing song on the album. I presume its all the beatles who are singing together. fitting seeing as its nearly the end of the album.

It sounds like Jerry Lee lewis entered the studio just ahead of a Haarlem gospel choir.

The last song is fittingly called 'The End' and sounds like the Beatles are ascending into heaven.

Silence.

Just before the run off groove, there is a simple ditty being sung by McCartney about her majesty. He's goingto make her mine. I wonder if he ever did.

Wow! What a rollercoaster. It sounds like they had so many ideas that rather than work out many separate songs they'd roll them into one. And it came off. Abbey Road is brilliant. If you don't know where to start with the Beatles, start here, at the end, and work your way back. this album has everything. And this pressing at least sounds magnificent. Remember, current vinyl issues are digitally remastered and will probably sound like shite. You might as well buy the cd. But good copies of this should be readily available.