Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber Eyes Buying Legendary Abbey Road Studios

Will Andrew Lloyd Webber buy London’s legendary Abbey Road Studios? The Tony-winning composer, who is readying his Phantom of the Opera sequel Love Never Dies for its world premiere in London next week, would like to snap up the property made famous by the Beatles, according to U.K.’s The Daily Telegraph.

"He is very interested in buying the studios," a spokesman for Lloyd Webber told The Telegraph. “He first recorded there in 1967 with Tim Rice. Andrew has since recorded most of his musicals there, from Jesus Christ Superstar to his new musical Love Never Dies.” The composer, known for his long career of musical hits such as Cats, The Phantom of the Opera, Evita and many more, is reportedly worth an estimated $1,150 million.

Speaking of Rice, The Telegraph is reporting that Lloyd Webber’s collaborator on the musicals Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita, also has his eye on Abbey Road. The lyricist told the paper that he also wants to save the studios, but that he had not been in contact with Lloyd Webber about the matter.

It has been widely reported that EMI wants to sell the recording studio where the Beatles made many of their albums, including Abbey Road, which features on its cover an iconic photo of the fab four crossing the street in front of the studios. EMI has not confirmed that Abbey Road is for sale, but former Beatle Paul McCartney and others have spoken openly about the need to save it.