My Time with The Beatles
Behind the Photo #9
This photo, taken in 1967 at Abbey Road Studios with The Beatles, captures a very special moment in my life.
You can see Ringo Starr on the left, me facing the camera, the back of George Harrison's head in the middle, and John Lennon smoking a cigarette on the right. Paul McCartney is somewhere in the room, but he’s out of frame.
You can also see Mal Evans' legs; he was their road manager from Liverpool, who tragically died after being shot by the LAPD in Los Angeles. He was a gentle giant and a lovely individual, which is why his death was so shocking. Mal was the one who asked me, “What's the secret of your animal magnetism?”
During the session I was playing a South American percussion instrument—something like a marimba, though I can't recall the exact name. I recorded with the Beatles at Abbey Road Studios a bunch of times.