Did you know that Colin Mitchell, who until recently lived at the top of Chapel Lane, played a crucial role in the production of the Beatles’ Rubber Soul cover in 1965. And 60 years later, the Rubber Soul album will be here in Rushlake Green as part of the Nothing is Real gig (Saturday 27th Sept 7.00pm) where the band will play Rubber Sould and Help! – the two Beatles albums released in 1965. Tickets here: https://littleartsfestival.co.uk/big-little-arts-weekend/big-little-saturday-gig/
The idea for the distinctive “stretched” image resulted from an accident when Beatles photographer Robert Freeman was projecting the photo onto an LP-size piece of cardboard as the band prepared for the release of Rubber Soul in late 1965. When the board fell back at an angle, distorting the image of the Beatles, George Harrison said the edgier effect would help the group to lose its “Little Innocents” tag. And Colin Mitchell was given the task of recreating that distorted effect for the album cover. This was done by projecting the original transparency of the Beatles onto an angled screen in such a way that it would fit well within an LP cover format. Here’s a copy of the actual original photograph, before the distortion was applied.
Colin then rephotographed warped image on the screen, which then became the master copy, used for the cover.
Today this would be done in an instant, using digital manipulation. But in the 60’s this demanded painstaking trial and error. But the result was amazing, and Collin’s work was soon being gazed at by hundreds of thousands of Beatles fans around the world as they listened to an album that came to be recognised as a turning point for the band. Colin and Yvonne have moved to St Leonards on Sea. We wish them both all the best, and we’re sorry that they are not able to make the Nothing is Real gig. Oh, and yes, here’s a picture of Colin, very much looking the part, in the swinging 60’s.
