A PENARTH man got the opportunity to record a Christmas single at the most famous music studio in the world.

Paul Monaghan and his group Low Key have released a version Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - originally sung by Judy Garland in the musical Meet Me in St. Louis, and later by Frank Sinatra.

And the group got to record the song at the famous Abbey Road Studio in London, with a video filmed locally in Penarth.

Mr Monaghan said: “Originally, I arranged the song factoring in covid, there were six parts from memory, but then I decided once I joined this group to arrange it for ten parts that we have in the group.

“The modern-day arrangement of Christmas songs that you’ll hear are all very holly and holly, so this arrangement is intended to recognise those who have had perhaps a have not had a very good year.

“It was meant to act as essentially a musical hug to provide comfort when they feel others are having a great time at Christmas and perhaps, they may feel forgotten.”

Whilst Mr Monaghan, a former member of Only Boys Allowed arranged the vocals, his former schoolmate at Stanwell School Alex Milner filmed and directed the video.

The video was filmed around iconic locations in Penarth such as the Penarth Pier Pavilion and the home of Paul.

He told the Penarth Times how the group had exclusive access to record vocals at Abbey Road Studios.

He added: “One of my friends who is also in the group Emily Pulford recently completed a postgraduate course in music and production at the Abbey Road Institute.

“As part of the course she had access to Abbey Road Studios and all the vocals you hear were recorded there all in one day.

“A good chuck of the video was also filmed there, with the rest in Penarth by my friend Alex.”

The group started in October last year, with Mr Monaghan feeling honoured to record vocals at Abbey Road.

He added: “It was a very enjoyable experience and not one that I thought I would ever do in my lifetime.

“I am very honoured and privileged to have the chance to go there and record amongst the likes of the Beatles. It was a very inspiring experience.”

The single will be broadcast on the Irish radio channel Ocean FM on Christmas Day.