Description
1st edition, 2017
176 pages
9″ x 9″
Hardbound
full color throughout
ISBN# 978-0-9832957-4-7
The Beatles and Sgt. Pepper: A Fans’ Perspective
The Beatles and Sgt. Pepper: A Fans’ Perspective is just that — a book about Sgt. Pepper, written by fans for fans.
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is the most famous album by the most famous band in the history of rock ’n’ roll. It became the soundtrack for the Summer of Love (1967), with its music constantly flowing out of Hi-Fi systems, portable record players and radios throughout the world. That summer, people weren’t just listening and dancing to Sgt. Pepper, they were discussing its music, its sounds, its lyrics and its remarkable cover. The attention to detail taken by The Beatles for every aspect of the album, from its recording down to the red and white psychedelic inner sleeve that held the vinyl disc, made Sgt. Pepper an all-encompassing and mind-blowing experience collectively shared by millions.
In addition to essays written by Spizer, Al Sussman, Frank Daniels, Piers Hemmingsen and Bill King, the book contains over 80 fan recollections ranging from “everyday people” to Beatles authors (Mark Lewisohn) and musicians (Peter Tork of The Monkees, Pat Dinizio of The Smithereens, former Wings drummer Denny Seiwell and Billy Joel). The book has over a hundred full color and original black and white images, including intimate photographs from 1967 of fans holding the album cover. These images and heart-felt memories add a personal touch demonstrating the true impact of the act we’ve known for all these years, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
As with Bruce’s other books, and in keeping with the spirit of the Sgt. Pepper album, The Beatles and Sgt. Pepper: A Fans’ Perspective is a treat both visually and from an information and story-telling experience.
Digital $20
Hardcover $30
Collector’s Edition $75 (includes free Digital Edition)
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Table of Contents
“And the jukebox kept on playin’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band…”
An American Beatles fan perspective by Bruce Spizer
Remember Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club is The Beatles
Canada’s Centennial Celebration Gets A Present From The Beatles by Piers Hemmingsen
The Communal Sgt. Pepper by Al Sussman
The World of Sgt. Pepper: Pop Music Came to a Crossroads in 1967by Al Sussman
Call his wife in: Influences on and of Sgt. Pepper by Frank Daniels
Fan Recollections
A Fan’s Notes: 1967— It Really Was the Summer of … Change by Bill King
Sgt. Pepper Invades the World
Who Am I To Stop A Good Rumor? The Sgt. Pepper Packaging
Recording History: Who Did What?
Fab Four Fan Favs
Collector's edition extras
Reviews
Bruce’s passion does the world a service. He creates a way station for people like me who believe that what The Beatles created (in all of its musical incarnations, manifestations and associated product analysis) is an emotional connection to something more than just pop music. Bruce helps us to see into frameworks of creative, cultural and stylistic importance that wouldn’t be mined were it not for his passion. It is all so endlessly fascinating to me and this book is so necessary because the damn album is that important!—John French
I’ve just scrolled through the pdf of the book, and then again backwards. It looks beautiful, interesting and useful, which does not, of course, surprise me at all. Looking forward to really digging into it.–Allan Kozinn
I had a vision of what the book would be like…and that vision was pretty impressive. But you (and all of your contributors from Tom Frangione…love that photo!) to Billy Joel to Mark Lewisohn (another priceless photo!) to Mark Lapidos and the story about his brother…you all exceeded any expectation I had. This book is priceless. It is absolutely beautiful. You should be So. Very. Proud. Wow.–Jude Southerland Kessler
Jim Possee –
The amazing thing about the song Sgt Peppers is the fact that Jimi Hendrix learned it and played it 3 days later as a tribute. It sounds amazing.
Dan Lawton –
My classmate George Overman skipped class (Finney Jr High) that June in 1967 to buy it. He brought it to the school’s baseball field so we could all see it: lyrics?? On the back of the album??? The cover seemed like a funeral.
My mom bought it as my Jr High graduation gift, and she loved “When I’m 64”. Listened to it on my folks’ 4-legged stereo console in the basement. All I can say is: It hit me as hard as “Meet The Beatles” & “Introducing The Beatles” did: totally unique, absolutely life-changing.
Tim Goodacre (verified owner) –
In 1967 I was growing up in regional Australia and listening to local radio on a small transistor radio. Every Thursday at 8 pm it was Beatles hour and sometime in mid 1967 I heard my first Sergeant Peppers track. It was With a Little Help From My Friends and the next day I took the bus to my local country town and at the small record bar in the electrical appliance store put in my order.
It arrived ( a mono copy) and stayed on my ‘stereogram’ record player every day for weeks. It was the first album that truly captured both my heart and mind and set my life on a path of listening to music and collecting Beatles records – all of which I treasure to this day.
I am nearly “64” and treasure the memory of that time and try to pass that love on to my children who I believe do understand at least to some extent. But then again you had to be there to feel the magic.