91福利社

It's strange to think about it now, given the benefit of hindsight, but 1965 was a year of great unrest for The Beatles.

After a whirlwind couple of years, the strain of being the world's biggest band was beginning to show, a never-ending stream of public engagements, TV and radio appearances, recording sessions, and live performances in front of screaming fans, the music relegated to background noise.

Something had to give, and unusually for the era, it was the live performances. The Beatles' announcement that they'd no longer be playing live was met with astonishment. At a time where gigs were the lifeblood of any performer, this sounded like the death knell for the Fab Four.

Instead, it prompted a creative rebirth, a new chapter to their story which took them to uncharted territory, as they became a studio-bound band, using technology to make their imaginations come to life on record.

This is the story of the first historic step on that journey, 1965's Rubber Soul.