Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Sgt. Pepper/Giants/Troopfest

Sgt. Pepper/Giants/Troopfest

On this date in 1967, the Beatles released Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band. I remember going to the record store that very day (I think it was a weekend) and staring at the cover and wondering what new madness the Beatles had dreamed up this time. We loved the Beatles and the release of every album was a major event.



It blew our minds. What a cover! There were cut-outs inside, plus printed lyrics!



Looking back, it's hard to believe that one band could hold us all in their sway like that- but the Beatles did! They were magic. Music really mattered back then. In fact, music was the most important thing in our lives.

In those days it wasn't unusual for people to go to the record store the very day a record came out just so they could be the first on their block to own it. I went with a buddy of mine. We both had enough money to buy one album. After hours of discussion we decided that he would buy Sgt. Pepper and I would buy Jimi Hendrix (Are You Experienced?) which had just come out that same week. We each kept our respective albums for a week, then switched. I loved the first Hendrix album... but Sgt. Pepper was beyond the beyond.

It was the greatest rock and roll album of all time.

It still is.

I traveled all the way to Abbey Road Studios in London a few years ago for the anniversary of Sgt. Pepper and I got to sit down at the famous piano in Studio One, and play the final monumental chord of A Day In The Life. It was spectacular... except for one thing. When I got back to the States and checked it, I found out that I had spent all that energy to play the WRONG CHORD! I played a "G" chord and it turns out the last chord of A Day In The Life was an "F!" God, did I feel like an idiot!



Thanks to all the listeners who showed up on Sunday at AT&T Park for the Giants Vs. Arizona. I sang God Bless America and Take Me Out To The Ball Game during the 7th inning stretch. Operation Care and Comfort was there to collect money and everyone had a great time. I'll have the video of that posted here shortly.



Speaking of Operation Care and Comfort- this year's TROOPFEST will be coming up in 2 weeks June 19 at the Britannia Arms and I will be performing an acoustic set. There are a limited amount of tickets so it might be a good idea to buy early. More on that later...

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