Well actually we’re massively out as it was actually 50 years ago that The Beatles hugely influential Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club band album came out and a new Beatles film marking the 50th anniversary of the seminal album is in post-production.
‘It Was Fifty Years Ago Today…Sgt Pepper And Beyond’ is directed by Alan G. Parker a writer and documentary maker whose previous music-themed films include Who Killed Nancy? and Hello Quo. The documentary will pick up on the mop topped quartet immediately as they end their gruelling tour schedule in August 1966 (which was featured in the recent Ron Howard’s documentary ‘Eight Days A Week’) and return to the studio to record the landmark album which was to be one of the biggest selling records of all time and described by Rolling Stone magazine as “The most important rock & roll album ever made…” though they clearly have ignored ‘The Saturdays’ Greatest Hits’ album (‘You’re fired!’ – Ed).
Released in June 1967 it marked a pivotal moment in the 60’s, cementing the advent of Psychedelia and the Summer of Love. The film will cover the band members various solo projects to the release of Strawberry Fields Forever/Penny Lane, taking in flower power, when John Lennon met Yoko Ono, LSD, meditation, Jimi Hendrix, the death of Brian Epstein, Abbey Road Studios and the Magical Mystery Tour.
“We’re combining first-hand accounts of the events that allowed ‘Sgt. Pepper’ to happen with rare and unseen footage that we’ve forensically unearthed from mainstream archives and private collectors. The last days of touring…. the execution of the album…. and the aftermath that it left behind will, I hope, give the audience an intimate sense of the band, the time and the impact of this extraordinary album,” Parker commented.
The film will feature interviews with Hunter Davies (the band’s official biographer), Pete Best (the band’s original drummer), music manager Simon Napier-Bell and author Philip Norman, who has written biographies of the Beatles and of Paul McCartney.
Bizarrely however the film will not feature music from the group but has a score from tribute band The Bootleg Beatles who’ve been knocking around since 1980 (and are pretty good too).
Release date to be confirmed
