My first copy of this album was an 8-track, but shortly thereafter I got an Apple Records vinyl pressing in 1974. However, I first heard this album when my out-of-town teenage cousin let me borrow his copy in 1967 when I was 7 years old (who lets a 7-year-old borrow fragile records anyway?) When it was time for him to return home, I didn't want to give it back.
Magical album with crispy drums - love it! And Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields are forever on my version to correct "Martin's Greatest Mistake"
Unofficial countdown to 60th anniversary Super Deluxe Edition edition begins now... Let's get "Carnival Of Light" released so I can finally hear it before I die!
"Sgt. Pepper..." is in one of the oldest memories I have. I think I was 3 or 4 (mid 1980s) and dad was listening to it when the door bell rang and he went to see who it was. I remember the orchestral crescendo of "A Day In The Life" playing when it rang, and I was quite impressed by it. I mean, the music not the bell.
'Sgt Pepper's...' was the second album I bought. In those early record buying days of my youth all the albums I got were just fantastic to me and I assumed all records were great. I soon discovered this wasn't the case much to my chagrin.
Of course I’m a huge fan of the good “Sgt” and by any standard, this album is deserving of the word, “masterpiece” on many levels. But I gotta say, hearing it for the very first time on Christmas Day of 1967 (I was ten), I wasn’t quite blown away. This was very unusual for me as I usually fell head over heels for anything “Beatles”, instantaneously. But that was then. I guess the mind of a ten year old needed a little time to catch up with the wondrous content of this brilliant album.
Coupled with Revolverъ - and even had the rare lyrics booklet (which got lost in the fogs of time...)
I believe Lennon thought the album would be their downfall. I would have to dig for a source on that, but he indeed looks out of sorts at the launch.
I remember I saw an interview with John filmed around the time Pepper came out, his words I believe were, "it was a good vehicle for my music". He didn't sound thrilled at all. I saw the interview on youtube, don't know if I could find it though, but I remember seeing the interview.
I can remember in 1987 seeing the album being celebrated on British TV because it was 20 years ago today Sgt Pepper taught the band to play. It felt ancient, somehow to my 14 year old mind but I was already of the view that this band was at another level compared to the 80s music I was hearing. Now it is 56 years old. I never tire of it, always coming back to it every few months. Mono, stereo and now remix. It's good to have the different varieties. It captures something very special about the time it was created, the summer of love and all that, but it is also more deeply rooted in its Englishness as well as more exotic themes and influences. One of the most important works of art of the twentieth century.
At the time it was the perfect vehicle for John's music. Read a quote somewhere where he talked about electronic music being the future or their future. Photo of John from the Pepper sessions with a copy of Electronic Music John signing a copy of "Strawberry Fields Forever" / "Penny Lane"