Overview

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.

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

Editorial 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

Product Details

1st edition, 2017

176 pages
9″ x 9″
Hardbound

full color throughout
ISBN# 978-0-9832957-4-7