Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band quietly turned 47 this year. The Beatles Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band was released around the world in June 1967. It cost £40,000 ($67,000) and took five months to record. No singles were drawn from the album nor were there any videos made for it. Despite the lack of publicity, it exploded on the scene, a one-of-a-kind pop music greeting card that had everything from barn-yard animals to pre-Hendrix distorted guitars, from orchestras playing without a score to sounds only a dog could hear. It was ridiculous. It was outragious. But it was startingly original, too. Some love it, some dont. But you cant forget it once youve heard it. For McCartneys bass playing alone, its worth another listen no matter how well you believe you know it. Around this time in 1967, Paul was celebrating his 25th birthday with nary a thought as to what hed be doing at 72 (or 64). What had you done by the time you turned 25? With young Geoff Emerick (only 20) engineering, The Beatles Sgt. Pepper had a bold new sound with deep, articulate bass, booming drums, and a collage of keyboards, tape loops, and music smears, ideas that can still be heard today in the styles of Stereolab, Radiohead, Lambchop, and many others. It was all things to all people--both whimsical and detailed, off-handed and almost desperately arranged. It was a new kind of Pop music and though many have tried, all other contenders never quite sounded as fun. Perhaps Frank Zappa was right when he quipped that the record business was in better hands when non-rock and rollers ran the labels and let young people throw things in the air to see what might stick. Today, a 20-year old engineer would not get any where near the worlds biggest rock band and nor would most big rock bands trust a youngster to help shape their sound. Once again, rock and roll is safe, predictable, and a pawn to publicity. What did The Beatles think of Pepper? In later years, Ringo joked that he learned to play chess during the making of the album (a lot of waiting around, in other words) but his Hal Blaine-inspired drumming was instantly copied by pop drummers everywhere (including Mr. Wrecking Crew/Hal Blaine himself). Contrary to popular thought, John and Paul collaborated throughout the album and especially on the albums key tracks like A Day In the Life, Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds, Shes Leaving Home, and With A Little Help from My Friends. The first two songs cut for the album--Strawberry Fields Forever and Penny Lane--didnt even make the final line-up. And though Paul did play some guitar, George Harrison played killer leads and rhythm all over the album and there are lots of photos to prove it. So just who were these guys? And where did they go? BeatlesPepper was not, as legend has it, a cut and paste album thrown together at the mixing board. Sgt. Peppers Reprise was one take. Many of the other cuts also went down pretty quick. And nor was it strictly an Abbey Road-recorded album. Most of it was, but The Beatles--already restless and tired of EMIs rule book, experimented by cutting some rhythm tracks in studios around London. And to the slight bemusement of the Abbey Road staff, it was clear upon hearing the tapes recorded elsewhere that The Beatles sounded like Sgt. Pepper wherever they went, big room or small. True, Abbey Road played a part in the sound. But in the end, the sound of Pepper came from the spirit of the musicians, not the equipment. (But hey, if youre gonna play some Pepper songs, youre gonna need a Casino. The Beatles never sounded like Pepper again and nor will planet Earth ever be the kind of place that could produce it. But after all these years, is it any good? Can there ever be a place like Pepper? Well, dear chaps--thats up to you. Give a listen. A splendid time is still guaranteed for all.
Posted on: Wed, 06 Aug 2014 04:33:44 +0000