It was 50 years ago this June 1st when The Beatles’ John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr astonished and delighted the world, ushering in the Summer of Love with Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, a groundbreaking masterwork that became popular music’s most universally acclaimed album. To salute the occasion, The Beatles will release a suite of lavishly presented ‘Sgt. Pepper’ Anniversary Edition packages on May 26 (Apple Corps Ltd./Capitol/UMe). The album is newly mixed by Giles Martin and Sam Okell in stereo and 5.1 surround audio and expanded with early takes from the studio sessions, including no fewer than 34 previously unreleased recordings.
“It’s crazy to think that 50 years later we are looking back on this project with such fondness and a little bit of amazement at how four guys, a great producer and his engineers could make such a lasting piece of art,” says Paul McCartney in his newly-penned introduction for the ‘Sgt. Pepper’ Anniversary Edition.
“‘Sgt. Pepper’ seemed to capture the mood of that year, and it also allowed a lot of other people to kick off from there and to really go for it,” Ringo Starr recalls in the Anniversary Edition’s book.
Perhaps the most exciting news about this reissue is the treasure trove of alternate takes and additional material contained in the special editions.
It’s great enough that the single-CD reissue is a remastered edition of one of rock music’s most influential albums, newly mixed by Giles Martin and engineer Sam Okell in stereo, sourced directly from the four-track masters at Abbey Road Studios in London, and guided by the original, Beatles-preferred mono mix produced by his father, George Martin.
But the deluxe editions are where the fun really begins. In addition to the single-CD version, Horizon Records will also have in-stock:
– A 2xCD edition featuring the new stereo album mix on the first CD and a second CD of 18 tracks, including previously unreleased alternate takes of each of the album’s 13 songs, newly mixed in stereo and sequenced in the same order as the album. The second CD also includes a new stereo mix and a previously unreleased instrumental take of ‘Penny Lane,’ and the 2015 stereo mix and two previously unreleased alternate takes of ‘Strawberry Fields Forever.’
– A double 180gm vinyl LP pressing in gatefold jacket featuring the new stereo album mix on the first LP and adds a second LP with previously unreleased alternate takes for each of the album’s 13 songs, newly mixed in stereo and sequenced in the same order as the album.
– A 6-disc set (four CDs + DVD + Blu-ray). The audio CDs contain the new stereo mix of the album by Giles Martin, two CDs containing over 100 minutes of Sgt. Pepper Sessions and, on the fourth CD, the original 1967 mono mix of the album and bonus tracks including three previously unreleased mixes. The Blu-ray and DVD feature the fully restored 1992 documentary The Making of Sgt. Pepper, including interviews with Paul, George and Ringo and fascinating in-the-studio footage introduced by George Martin. Restored promotional films for ‘A Day In The Life’, ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ and ‘Penny Lane’. 2017 Giles Martin 5.1 surround sound mix and high-resolution stereo audio in 96KHz/24bit of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band plus ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ and ‘Penny Lane’. Also includes 144-page hardback book featuring an introduction by Sir Paul McCartney, comprehensive song-by-song details and recording information, in-depth essays about the design of the cover, the album’s musical innovations and it’s historical context… and much more. Illustrations include photographs from the recording sessions, handwritten lyrics and Abbey Road documentation. PLUS a replica of the original card insert and two bonus posters.
This is the first time Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band has been remixed and presented with additional session recordings, and it is the first Beatles album to be remixed and expanded since the 2003 release of Let It Be… Naked. To create the new stereo and 5.1 surround audio mixes for ‘Sgt. Pepper,’ producer Giles Martin and mix engineer Sam Okell worked with an expert team of engineers and audio restoration specialists at Abbey Road Studios in London. All of the Anniversary Edition releases include Martin’s new stereo mix of the album, which was sourced directly from the original four-track session tapes and guided by the original, Beatles-preferred mono mix produced by his father, George Martin.
Horizon will have all four versions of the Sgt. Pepper 50th Anniversary reissue, along with these other Fab Four classics.
