The Abbey Road cover is in the news today, since it's 40 years since people have felt compelled to recreate the crossing.
There's some funny, endearing stuff on the telly about it (unless you're a bus driver who can't take a different route). Today there's apparently a mass crossing happening. And lots of grumpy taxi drivers muttering to their passengers probably.
The thing I like about fans is no matter how uncool a tribute thing might seem, it's such fun they just have to do it. I've been to Abbey Road a few times and really like seeing the simple joy it gives people to do what seems a tiny pointless thing to non-fans. Bless em.
That's a bit different from the bandwagony hysteria that goes on with other situations (but that's not the subject of this post).
What fan things have you seen or done like recreating things or putting graffiti on walls?
I remember when I went to see U2 in Dublin in 1989 and went to see the fan wall in Windmill Lane which the band looked out on from the studio. The owner of the wall wanted to paint over it so the band reportedly bought the wall. Cynics may say that's savvy PR but it's also a show of respect for fans' expression.
The day after John Lennon was shot, some graffiti went up in Sydney and was still untouched 10 years later (by other scrawlers or by the council.)
It's not just the Simpsons and Ren&Stimpy on that crossing
Cheers, Caitlin (who's written on the Abbey Road wall amongst other fannish things. Out and proud.)
