Britain salutes Sgt Pepper
2007-06-01 11:30
London - Britain is marking the 40th anniversary of the Beatles's iconic Sgt Pepper's album with a modern rockers' recreation of the songs, amid renewed debate over its cultural significance.
Among a series of events, the BBC is set to broadcast a documentary on the 1967 album featuring cover versions of the Beatles tunes by Oasis, The Killers and Kaiser Chiefs among others.
The album, with its famous cover depicting the Fab Four flanked by a host of celebrities, includes such songs as A Day In The Life, Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds, When I'm 64 and With A Little Help From My Friends.
Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band was The Beatles's eighth album and was released on June 1 1967.
In Liverpool, where the Beatles were formed, the anniversary will be marked with a collaboration between two of the north-western city's Beatles tourists attractions.
The Beatles Story, which presents the band's story to visitors and the Beatles-linked Casbah Coffee Club have come together to display items featured on Peter Blake's ground-breaking Sgt Pepper's cover art.
Debate on significance of album
These will include the medals worn by John Lennon on the multi-coloured album front, which were borrowed from Mona Best, mother of original Beatles drummer Pete Best.
Meanwhile academics are preparing to hold a debate on the significance of the album, considered by many to be one of the most influential records of all time.
British and US experts will gather at the University of Leeds in northern England on June 19 to discuss its social and cultural impact, in an event open to the public.
"Put simply, it's the most important album by the most important group," said the organiser of the seminar, Simon Warner.
"It was a ground-breaking moment for popular music.
"The whole album has so many colours and nuances - and that amazing multicoloured sleeve perfectly echoes what's going on inside," he added.
Fitting tribute to great album
For the BBC documentary, Geoff Emerick, the audio engineer who recorded the original album at Abbey Road studios in north-west London, has recorded the new versions with the same four-track equipment originally used.
"This will be not only a unique radio event, but a very special musical moment," said Lesley Douglas, controller of the BBC Radio 2 channel.
"The range and quality of artists involved ensure that this will be a fitting tribute to one of the great albums of all time."
Other top acts who have recorded new versions for the BBC documentary, to be aired on Saturday, include The Fratellis, Travis, Razorlight and James Morrison.