Sgt. Pepper was released 58 years ago today!
Today marks a special anniversary for Beatles’ fans – especially for us here at Kite! On the 26th May 1967, the Beatles released Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
This iconic and beloved album is bolder than the band’s early pop records, and is influenced by a range of sounds–from Indian classical music to experimental rock. In fact, experimentation was a key part of the album’s creation. The band used innovative techniques in the studio to create new sounds that continue to mesmerise listeners today. With masterful track layering and swirling tape loops, the band pushed the limits of what could be achieved. This experimentation paved the way for the future of pop music.
Here at Kite, our favourite Sgt. Pepper track is ‘Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!’, a surreal and song inspired by an 1843 circus poster that John Lennon came across in an antique shop whilst filming the music video for ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’. The song features a dizzying array of sound effects and production techniques, including gorgeous Hammond organ, distorted circus horns, and a frenetic tape loop that gives the song a sense of motion and chaos. (Our Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite poster is a recreation of the Victorian circus poster that inspired John Lennon!)
Despite–or perhaps because of–its experimental and avant-garde leanings, Sgt. Pepper was a commercial success, topping the charts on both sides of the Atlantic and cementing the Beatles' status as one of the most innovative and influential bands of all time.
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It was 58 years ago today…
Here at Kite, Beatles history is one of our interests. We’ve covered everything from the band’s inception to its breakup, but there’s one Beatles moment we’ll never forget.
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