Sgt. Pepper's, what's the big deal?

Jacob M · #1 09-27-2004, 08:22 PM

It seems that culturally, it's kind of an accepted fact that Sgt. Pepper's is the best Beatles album ever, and the best Album ever. People will say things like "This is the best thing since Sgt. Pepper's!" or things like it, and I just don't get the fuss.

I'm a huge Beatles fan, and I like Sgt. Peppers, but I think that every album from Revolver onward (excluding Let it Be) is much better than Sgt. Pepper's. I realize that it's alot to do with personal opinion, but do people here really thing Sgt. Pepper's is so much better than the other Beatles Albums?

thinking of you · #2 09-27-2004, 08:27 PM

I like Abbey Road alot. Good album.

DigMe · #3 09-27-2004, 08:50 PM

Sgt Pepper's was just kind of groundbreaking at the time as far as the recording methods used and whatnot. My faves are Revolver and Magical Mystery Tour.

brad cook

Mark Latimour · #4 09-27-2004, 08:55 PM

Pfft all that Beatle's stuff is okay..but Wings...that was where the real action was!

ApeIsHigh81 · #5 09-27-2004, 08:57 PM

I've always disliked the beatles. Shocking, I know.

**Adam Barkley** · #6 09-27-2004, 09:27 PM

Abbey Road is where it's at for me. Every Beatles cd I have heard has been great though.

dls59 · #7 09-27-2004, 09:33 PM

Yep. Abbey Road for me. But it's hard to argue with any of them.

odie · #8 09-27-2004, 09:47 PM

Jacob- Check out the faq for posting in OT. Not a biggie, but OT is for non-music talk. I will it to recordings. The mod there might like it better in misc. But we will try.

**Blackbird** · #9 09-27-2004, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jacob M

I'm a huge Beatles fan, and I like Sgt. Peppers, but I think that every album from Rubber Soul onward (excluding Let it Be) is much better than Sgt. Pepper's...

Fixed it for you.

Pepper was groundbreaking because the production methods were as cutting edge as they could be at the time

Rubber Soul is where it's at for me - great songs without pretense and all very doable live. Not so much of that doubletracking and backward looping they got into later, even though that was brilliant too.

lbanks · #10 09-27-2004, 10:54 PM

Beatle's never really crossed my radar, except remotely.

Against Will · #11 09-28-2004, 12:18 AM

I really like the "White Album", mainly because it's the only one I own, and because SOMEONE'S got to like it. Sgt. Pepper's was innovative and all that, hooray for it, I have trouble relating to it.

FireAarro · #12 09-28-2004, 12:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Against Will

I really like the "White Album", mainly because it's the only one I own, and because SOMEONE'S got to like it. Sgt. Pepper's was innovative and all that, hooray for it, I have trouble relating to it.

Well it's winning now...

I like Revolver, White Album, Abbey Road and Rubber Soul all alot, but Revolver most probably.

andruca · #13 09-28-2004, 02:39 AM

Abbey Road, Revolver and Magical Mistery Tour in that order...

ANDRUCA

andruca · #14 09-28-2004, 02:48 AM

One more thing. I heard sometime that for the concept of Sgt. Pepper's... Paul McCartney was inspired by Beach Boys' "Pet sounds" album. I got to hear it and, although I could notice some common guidelines with Sgt. Pepper's. If you're a Sgt. Pepper's fan you should check out Pet Sounds, a rather non-typical album you would never expect from the Beach Boys.

ANDRUCA

Bruce Lindfield · #15 09-28-2004, 03:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jacob M

It seems that culturally, it's kind of an accepted fact that Sgt. Pepper's is the best Beatles album ever, and the best Album ever. People will say things like "This is the best thing since Sgt. Pepper's!" or things like it, and I just don't get the fuss.

As others have said - it's really about the time and context and it's impossible to take it out of that context.

So - it was the first time that certain recording techniques were used and the sound palette of pop music was expanded.

Also - it virtually invented the "concept album" in pop music - before, albums tended to be just like compilations of singles.

The idea here was that the album as whole meant something and was a unified piece of work - this was hugely influential and changed the focus from singles to albums - a massive step and it spawned legions of similar things!

Also - it was a question of how much it influenced other musicians around - so Jimi Hendrix famously pronounced it a work of genius and started playing the songs live - all sorts of stuff was around this album at the time.

It's more of an important album than one you'd want to listen to, a lot!!!

JimK · #16 09-28-2004, 04:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andruca

One more thing. I heard sometime that for the concept of Sgt. Pepper's... Paul McCartney was inspired by Beach Boys' "Pet sounds" album. I got to hear it and, although I could notice some common guidelines with Sgt. Pepper's. If you're a Sgt. Pepper's fan you should check out Pet Sounds, a rather non-typical album you would never expect from the Beach Boys.

ANDRUCA

You wouldn't have Peppers without Pet Sounds.
You wouldn't have Pet Sounds without Revolver.

Revolver is where it's at.
The tape loops, the backwards guitars, the Indian/sitar influence, orchestral tunes, etc. all started with Revolver.
Definitely Avant-Pop...still!

JimK · #17 09-28-2004, 04:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Against Will

I really like the "White Album", mainly because it's the only one I own, and because SOMEONE'S got to like it.

Just be aware that The Beatles were really no longer 'a band' at the point The Beatles was written/recorded.
The tunes still say Lennon-McCartney...they were not writing together at that time, though. The amount of songs where all 4 are actually playing together is pretty minimal.
McCartney was doing pretty much everything on his tunes.

On of the best Beatles' tunes to never make an album was recorded during those sessions-
Harrison's "Not Guilty". Check it out on Anthology 3.

andruca · #18 09-28-2004, 04:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimK

You wouldn't have Peppers without Pet Sounds.
You wouldn't have Pet Sounds without Revolver.

Revolver is where it's at.
The tape loops, the backwards guitars, the Indian/sitar influence, orchestral tunes, etc. all started with Revolver.
Definitely Avant-Pop...still!

What everybody says is that Pet Sounds is hardly influenced by Rubber Soul (not Revolver). I don't frankly see a clear link with any of them...

ANDRUCA

Squidfinger · #19 09-28-2004, 07:16 AM

From what I understand two things:

1) Sgt. Pepper was the first album where the bass broke away from following the guitar and did its own thing (and still worked). Paul and John called it "lead" bass.

2) It was the first album where the bass was directly recorded into the board instead of using a mic'ed cabinet.

Lyle Caldwell · #20 09-28-2004, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squidfinger

From what I understand two things:

1) Sgt. Pepper was the first album where the bass broke away from following the guitar and did its own thing (and still worked). Paul and John called it "lead" bass.

2) It was the first album where the bass was directly recorded into the board instead of using a mic'ed cabinet.

Nope, James Jamerson had been doing both for years when Pepper came out. And most of the Beatles bass sounds were a miked cabinet.

It was a bass breakthrough for rock, but it was parallel to Brian Wilson's Pet Sounds bass parts, and was heavily inspired by Motown.

That said, Lovely Rita has a killer bass part.