For Powderfinger guitarist Darren Middleton, like most musicians of his generation, The Beatles loomed large in his musical upbringing.
“Golden Slumbers was actually one of the first songs I learned on the piano, so the Beatles have always been a big part of my musical life,” Darren told Newcastle Live.
Now, Darren is set to should his Beatles love from the rooftops as part of ARC – a supergroup featuring the talents of Spiderbait’s Kram, You Am I’s Davey Lane and Jet’s Mark Wilson – who will be celebrating the Beatles classic slab Abbey Road at NEX this month.
“This show is incredibly exciting on many levels,” Darren added.
Firstly because of the amount of talent that I’m playing with, secondly because I get the chance to tackle these gorgeous songs and thirdly because it gives me a great excuse to get back out on the road, which I just love.”
Aside from the formidable talent that makes up ARC, this show will see them joined by some pretty special guests in the form of vocal powerhouse Linda Bull, Even frontman Ash Naylor, The Pictures’ Brett Wolfenden and James Fleming from Eagle And The Wom.
There’s no denying that Abbey Road is one of if not THE most enduring Beatles records and while Let It Be was to be their swansong, it was Abbey Road should be considered the Beatles’ final statement as the sessions for the album were the last that all four members participated in.
“For me, Abbey Road is the definitive statement from the Beatles,” Darren said.
“It really did show the band at the height of their musical and songwriting powers and features some of the best realised and most complete songs.
“There is just so much gold on the first side – Come Together, Maxwell’s Silver Hammer, I Want You – and then the second side is this kind of strange amalgam of medleys and bits that just seem to work so well.”
For me, Abbey Road is the definitive statement from the Beatles.
Darren Middleton
While detractors might write the Beatles off as being too simplistic in their songwriting and structures, Darren said that he felt that was a disingenuous appraisal of the ‘Fab Four.”
“You kind of don’t realise until you start tackling these songs that they aren’t as easy to pull off as you might think,” Darren said.
“George Harrison’s guitar lines, especially on Abbey Road are just masterful and couple that with the soul and raw emotion of john Lennon’s playing and you’ve got something truly unique.”
Catch ARC when they rip through Abbey Road at NEX on Thursday 22 August. Get your tickets here.
