SIR ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER PROMETE SALVAR ABBEY ROAD

I'll save Abbey Road: Andrew Lloyd Webber promises £30m-plus to buy studios

By Sara Nathan and Ben Todd

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Interest: Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber

Andrew Lloyd Webber has vowed to buy the Abbey Road studios at any cost to preserve its status as the home of British music.

The composer, who has an estimated fortune of £750million, wants to step in and take ownership of the studios in St John's Wood, North-West London, after troubled record group EMI put the building up for sale.

The showbusiness world has launched a full-scale bid to prevent the site being sold to property developers and being bulldozed.

The studios are steeped in history, with the Beatles recording their greatest hits there and featuring the zebra crossing outside on the cover of their Abbey Road album.

Sir Paul McCartney is 'desperate' for the building to remain a working recording studio. The National Trust has also said it is interested in buying it.

EMI is believed to have turned down an offer of just over £30million and yesterday a source close to Lord Lloyd-Webber said: 'Andrew knows that any offer will have to be north of £30million.

'He wants to buy Abbey Road because it is very dear to his heart. When he records there, he uses an orchestra with up to 90 musicians, and there aren't many places you can do that.'

A spokesman for the composer told the Mail: 'Andrew first recorded there in 1967 with Tim Rice and has since recorded most of his musicals there, from Jesus Christ Superstar to his new musical Love Never Dies.

'He thinks it is vital that the studios are saved for the future of the music industry in the UK. Abbey Road has such great facilities, with three major recording studios.'

Musical history: The studio building in St John's Wood

The informal leader of the 'Save Abbey Road' campaign is DJ Chris Evans, who believes the studios should be sold to the National Trust, which already owns both Sir Paul's and John Lennon's childhood homes in Liverpool.

However, McCartney wants the building to continue as a recording studio.

A source close to the former Beatle said: 'Sir Paul is desperate to keep Abbey Road open as a working studio.

'Of course, if that could be married with the National Trust's ownership that would be a good scenario.'

The source ruled out Sir Paul, who lives in St John's Wood, rescuing the property himself, saying he was 'not in the business of buying recording studios'.

Dame Fiona Reynolds, director general of the National Trust, said the charity would be interested in buying the property.

Iconic: The cover of teh Beatles' 1969 album Abbey Road

She said: 'We were absolutely bowled over by Chris Evans, Sir Paul McCartney and other people saying the studios really needed to be saved, and could we help.

'The answer is only if people really want us to and only if they help us. So I really want to know what people think.'

She revealed there had already been interest from the U.S. to help the National Trust purchase the site and said she expected support from Japan as well.

She urged pop legends who have recorded at the studios to help the National Trust secure the building for the nation.

She said: 'Not just The Beatles, but Cliff Richard, Pink Floyd, Radiohead and Oasis.

'Maybe they can help us because they are the kind of people who have huge affection for this place.'

Evans is planning to play only records that have been recorded at Abbey Road on his Radio 2 show this morning.

He said: 'All records lead to Abbey Road. We will have a big pre-weekend push in our innocent but sincere efforts to heighten awareness of the importance of saving Abbey Road as a musical landmark.

'The National Trust wants it to happen - and has the power to move mountains - but only if there is public support. So come on, gang, today is the day.'

EN VENTA ESTUDIO USADO POR LOS BEATLES

Problemas financieros llevan a ejecutivos de Abbey Road Studios a tomar la medida extrema.

La compañía EMI Group Ltd., aquejada por falta de dinero, busca un comprador para los estudios Abbey Road, dijo el martes una persona familiarizada con la situación.

La fuente dijo que las conversaciones llevaban varios meses, pero que aún no se ha encontrado un comprador. Habló a condición de anonimato por ser privadas las negociaciones.

Un vocero de EMI se negó a comentar sobre el intento de venta, que podría representar decenas de millones de dólares para el sello.

EMI, cuyos artistas incluyen a Coldplay, Lily Allen y Robbie Williams, ha tenido problemas financieros desde que la firma de capital privado Terra Firma Capital Partners la adquirió en el 2007 por 2.400 millones de libras esterlinas.

Varios artistas de primera línea, como Radiohead y los Rolling Stones, renunciaron al sello en medio de recortes y reestructuraciones que siguieron a la absorción de Terra Firma.

Un informe de auditoría difundido la semana pasada reveló que Terra Firma necesita una gran suma de efectivo antes de junio para poder pagar sus préstamos de Citigroup Inc. y que podría necesitar más de 165 millones de dólares para mantenerse a flote este año.

Si no puede conseguir los fondos y pagar sus préstamos, Citigroup podría embargar EMI y ocasionar que el sello se ponga en venta o quiebre.

UNA ESTRELLA PARA RINGO

DEDICAN UNA ESTRELLA AL LEGENDARIO BEATLE EN EL PASEO DE LA FAMA DE HOLLYWOOD

Ringo Starr holds a replica of his new star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, February 8, 2010

AP photo

February 9 - Ringo Starr, former Beatle and legendary drummer, received the 2,401st star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame yesterday. The ceremony commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Walk of Fame with a special nighttime dedication which took place in front of the Capitol Records building, a building which Starr quipped, "[The Beatles] helped pay for."

The ceremony organized by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce began with members of the Los Angeles Unified School Districts' Marching Band performing a 21-drum salute in Starr's honor. Other celebrities attending the ceremony included David Lynch, Jeff Lynne and Eric Idle.

(See slideshow of the ceremony below)

The three guests who spoke on Ringo's behalf represented different periods in Ringo's solo career. Musician Joe Walsh, who also happens to be Starr's brother-in-law, first worked with Ringo on the 1980s album,Old Wave. He called Ringo "the most kind and helpful friend you could ever want." Walsh was also part of Ringo's first All-Starr Band back in 1989. This year Ringo will tour with his 11th All Starr band.

Producer Don Was, who first worked with Ringo on his 1992 album Time Takes Time, called Ringo "one of the greatest drummers in the history of rock and roll." He described Ringo's innovative style of "musical drumming" stating "Ringo's musicality, his groove and his spirit are absolutely essential components of all those great Beatle records...what I hear in his drumming is humility... respect for the song, respect for the singer...compassion for what the other musicians are doing."

Singer/songwriter Ben Harper began his praise for Ringo by saying, "Ringo Starr is simply another way of saying peace and love." Harper and his band Relentless7 have been the support band for Ringo in his recent live appearances to promote hist latest album Y NOT.

An awestruck Harper gushed that there were "no words enough to define the global cultural and spiritual effect and influence Ringo Starr has had on the entire planet." Harper became friends with Ringo after they both appeared at David Lynch's Transcendental Meditation benefit concert last year.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa presented Ringo with an official proclamation from the city and host Leron Gubler, President and CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce proclaimed it was Ringo Starr Day.

Finally when Ringo took the stage, he described how touched he was to hear all the compliments given by the three musicians: "It's hard to stand up here and to have guys like that saying what they said -- I want a record of that. I want to put it on CD and never take it down... These three guys who spoke tonight are at the top of my list."

Ringo went on to thank his wife, Barbara Bach, of 30 years, who he says he fell in love with instantly when he saw her at LAX airport in 1980. Then Ringo talked about his former bandmates:

"The Beatles in my book was the best band in the world. I have three brothers. They looked out for me, I looked out for them, and we all supported each other. It was really beautiful to be part of that and besides that, we made some great records!

"They're still my closest friends, they're nominated here in front of me - John and George. I love them both. Peace and love! And let's not forget the guy who's in England - Paul. Peace and love!"

Ringo's star is placed right next to those of John Lennon, who received his star posthumously in 1988, and George Harrison in 2009. The Beatles star was dedicated in 1998 and placed in a special location at the corner of Hollywood Blvd and La Brea next to Elvis Presley's star. Paul McCartney has been approved to receive a star but has not yet scheduled the date for his ceremony.

"I'm thrilled to be getting this star," Ringo continued. "This is the start of the next 50 years of stars and I'm proud to be the first one. It's also cool to get it at night. I don't know about you, but where I live the stars come out at night."

Ringo ended his speech with his favorite motto: "Peace and Love!"

Ben Harper summed it up best: "Today, the Hollywood Walk of Fame is receiving a star by which all other stars are measured -- Ringo Starr."