Yes, I know, it's all been said before, what could I possibly post that is new and ground-breaking. Stop moaning at the back - this is for your benefit too!!
In 1995 Tracy and I met in an online chat room back in the day when everything was just text, no voice, no video chat, just text. I was in New Zealand, she was in New Jersey. Our first conversation was testing each others knowledge of Beatles trivia.
Yadda-yadda-yadda, we've been married for 23 years.
When I came over to the US I brought some vinyl, she had some vinyl, we created communal vinyl. Among her collection was the Sgt. Pepper album. Not unusual, a popular LP. However, inside the sleeve was something I hadn't seen since 1967. An intact 'cut-outs' insert.
The album cover was worn, the inner sleeve was creased and torn, but this most delicate of items, designed to be cut into pieces and played with, was pristine!! There was the Sgt. on his picture card, a false moustache, some stripes, a stand up and two badges.
The gatefold opens out to a large photo of the 'Fab Four', but it looks like a bit of a botch job. The underlying gatefold is white on one side and red on the other and the photo has been stuck over, but very badly. There are gaps at the top and bottom and the finish is rubbish.
I don't think any of this adds to the rarity of this issue, but it certainly makes it unusual. Particularly when you consider Tracy had TWO copies of this album but the other one shows none of the same flaws.
Perhaps the most amazing thing is that Tracy was only one year old when this album was released. She started her Beatlemania VERY young.
Or so I thought. Then I realised it was on the Capitol Orange label which was used between 1975-78 on a re-release of the original album, so, still a very young Beatles fan, but at least out of the cradle.
Are you waiting for the Dylan connection? It's obvious, he's on the cover. He had also released 'Blonde on Blonde' the year before 'Pepper' and The Beach Boys had put out their masterpiece 'Pet Sounds' around the same time. Both those albums were credited with paving the way for The Beatles to produce Sgt. Pepper but to my mind, from a layman's viewpoint, I think they had lain the groundwork themselves in '66 with the excellent, magnificent, better than 'Pepper', not to be missed 'Revolver'.
Often accused of jumping on the bandwagon, The Rolling Stones released their album 'Their Satanic Majesties Request' in December '67. Using psychedelic themes, weird instrumentation and a lot of Beatle type influences it was easily berated as copycat work. In fact, the Stones were in the studio for part of the time the Beatles were also still recording. On the track 'We Love You' done at the 'Satanic' sessions, McCartney and Lennon do (uncredited) backing vocals. The song was released as a single b/w 'Dandelion' 3 months before the album.
So, Sgt. Pepper. He helped bring me and Tracy together, he's still a commanding figure 50 plus years later and he influenced music for many years after his appearance.
Sgt. Pepper, we salute you.
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