Tuesday, May 30, 2017

A Few Words on the Sgt. Pepper 50th Anniversary Remix Package

I got my copy on Friday. I'd like to thank the EMI Group of Companies for sending me the actual original master tapes for review.


I kid, I kid.

That said, I've listened to the new stereo version of the album, which is, as today's youngsters say, the bees knees. Haven't heard any of the bonus material yet, but the Making Of documentary is pretty cool. George Martin -- you were the greatest.

And I should add that -- yes, it's official.

Bob Lefsetz...

No one listened to “Sgt. Pepper” and immediately pronounced it a classic, it was just too different.

...is a fucking idiot.

Seriously, read his piece at the link above. There's clueless, there's Clueless, and then there's him.

11 comments:

steve simels said...

BTW -- just so you guys know. I was kidding yesterday about "Summer in the City."

:-)

Anna said...

...which is the reason I posted "Summer In The City" (a great lipsynched version with both Sebastian and Zal mugging hilariously while the traffic noises played *and* Hot Fun In The Summertime", the quad/stereo mix [!]) on my FB page! We got your back, Simels! :)

Anna

Gummo said...

He's nuts.

I was 10 going on 11 that summer. Sgt. Pepper was EVERYWHERE. It was an EVENT. It WAS the summer of '67.

mainuh said...

Steve,
I was going to roast Lefsetz but thought better than post it here aND delected it.
He and I are close in generation - 64 him, 66 me.

Anyhow, how much fun did I have this weekend, driving along the Atlantic Ocean, top down listening to the new Beatles station on Sirius.

rob

mainuh said...

Ps - is it possible to edit post (spelling, etc.) after posting?

rob

steve simels said...

Rob -- it may be possible, but if so I for one don't know how.

cthulhu said...

I still prefer "Revolver" and hold to my likely minority opinion that "Sgt. Pepper" is the first casualty of the band's decision to stop playing live. "Lucy" and "Mr. Kite" are way too overproduced for my tastes; I tend to prefer the power pop of "Getting Better" and "Rita". But "A Day in the Life" remains a masterpiece.

And speaking of masterpieces, I've been revisiting parts of the Big Daddy cover of "Sgt. Pepper", which is a lot more nuanced than you might think given their shtick: e.g., the Killer take on "Lucy" is flat-out hilarious, but the Buddy Holly inspired version of "A Day in the Life" is a moving, heartfelt cover that will have you sniffling by the end.

steve simels said...

I love -- nay, LURVE -- the Big Daddy version.

Anonymous said...

Bob Lefsetz should lose his job. He has no business writing about music. The piece is laughable.

He asserts that almost nobody was buying LP's in 1967. Ridiculous. I think 1967 was the year LP's overtook 45's in total sales.

He asserts Sgt. Pepper was not on the radio because it had no singles. The fact is, Sgt. Pepper was on the radio nearly two months before its official release. Capitol was filing injunctions against radio stations for jumping the gun. Also, during May, June and July radio was having a Sgt. Pepper orgasm, saturating the airwaves with the long awaited album. Thanks to this, we knew virtually the entire LP before it was even officially released. Because of this, there was a stampede to get the LP upon release.

He asserts that sales were anemic compared to now. What?

He compares the track "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" to Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and Metallica.

He claims that since record buyers funds were limited, they were forced to flip the record over and over until they got used to it and began to like it. This is because it was too revolutionary for us to handle. What a bunch of shit.

Fire this guy.

VR

Anonymous said...

I couldn't read more then of a third of the Lefshitz article. He truly is a moron.

Vickie is spot on with how AM radio was all over the album months in advance of the release date. I remember hearing "A Day in the Life" on WMCA out of NYC twice, 3-4 months before the release and dying to hear it again, waiting, waiting for the release date to arrive.

I played "Within You, Without You" and "Day in the Life" on "Lost at Sea" today and this remix does seem significantly different from previous mixes. Much punchier bass and crystal clarity. I swear there are bongos on "Day in the Life" in the right channel, never heard that before. Someone put on your headphones and see if I'm correct.

The Beatles will out live all of us at this rate and they should.

Captain Al

BG in Q said...

Cthulhu speaks for me. I've grown very fond of Pepper, but the obvious fact that they would never perform live again broke my teenage heart.