Iconic British audio brand Bowers & Wilkins hosted a special event at London’s Abbey Road Studios on Thursday, November 10th, uniting audiophiles and James Bond diehards for a unique night of music (and, of course, martinis).
Celebrating 60 years of iconic James Bond music, the event, dubbed The Sound of 007, featured an incredible live performance of Bond theme songs by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra inside the storied Studio One. The orchestra was introduced by composer and songwriter David Arnold, who is known for five Bond films, as well as shows like Good Omens and BBC’s Sherlock.
Speaking to Consequence in a most secret room at Abbey Road (no photos allowed, so you’ll have to take our word for it), Arnold recalls teaming up with the late Chris Cornell for “You Know My Name,” the theme for 2006’s Casino Royale, which also happened to see Daniel Craig make his debut as Bond. “I felt the weight of the entire thing,” Arnold remembers, “But more than anything, [Chris] just felt like a proper friend… it was probably the best collaborative experience I’ve ever had.”
The event was the culmination of a 40-year relationship between Bowers & Wilkins and Abbey Road Studios; countless artists passing through those hallowed halls have recorded music accompanied by playback on the brand’s 801 D4 loudspeakers and 800 Series loudspeakers. (The latter were used to monitor the recording of the scores for Skyfall and Spectre.)
Meanwhile, Bowers & Wilkins have also launched a bespoke version of its pristine Px8 wireless headphones. The Px8 007 Edition features a Midnight Blue finish inspired by the dinner jacket worn by Bond in his first-ever onscreen appearance in 1962’s Dr. No, making for a very suave collaboration indeed.
Pick up a pair of the Px8 007 Edition headphones here, and check out the full interview with Arnold below.