It’s Getting Better All the Time: 50 Years of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

I was probably around 12 years old when I got my first copy of the Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band LP, perhaps just a little earlier.

That’s the age -- 12 -- of the protagonist in my new novel Obsessica. Have had some more readers and a couple of very nice reviews over on Amazon since the last time I brought it up over here. I’m actually in the middle of getting the ebook version together, and also have some other plans to promote it a little more going forward -- more on that soon.

I was chatting with someone about the book and stumbled into an observation about 12-year-olds. It’s an idea that might well have come from the narrator of Obsessica, who is writing as an adult about something he experienced when he was that age.

“We’re all 12, really, or thereabouts,” I said. “That is, there’s a point in there somewhere before we’ve grown up when we become who we end up being, and no matter how much we change after that we can’t really leave behind that first-finished-draft of ourselves.”

If that’s true, it matters that I was around 12 when I first listened to and loved Sgt. Pepper.

Later I would learn more about the Beatles, reading books and like many engaging in a kind of protracted study of every little detail of their history, including all things Sgt. Pepper. But well before that more intellectual engagement took place came the deep impression caused by many, many listenings back when I was a kid -- back when the record, like other things I experienced, inevitably became part of who I am.

I love the songs. All of them. And the idea. During their first few years of recording and performing, the Beatles provided a kind of template for the whole concept of a “band” (at least in the realm of popular music). Then with Sgt. Pepper they invented a fictional version of themselves to enable even greater experimentation.

They were already larger than life by then. But Sgt. Pepper was an even greater revelation -- about what the Beatles could do, and about what could be done by others, too.

In the title song, Sgt. Pepper is a character described as having “taught the band to play.” Like a mentor or muse or something. Which, of course, is what the album has served as for countless bands and musicians and people who yearn to be creative in other ways.

People talk about it being a “concept album” which it is. To me the analogue is a short story collection like Dubliners, Winesburg, Ohio, Nine Stories, or What We Talk About When We Talk About Love. Different episodes, different characters, different moods, all connected by common thematic threads relating a particular ethos and vision emanating from the artist.

Sgt. Pepper features a variety of characters and voices and perspectives, complemented by the many different styles -- rock, blues, music hall, psychedelic, vaudeville, classical, traditional Indian, avant-garde -- all made to fit inside so-called “pop” formats.

The variety was more than enough to stimulate my still forming brain, with the record almost feeling like one “novelty” song after another. It’s rocking and relaxing, moving and melodramatic, catchy and complex, funny and frightening.

I suppose it’s true that an impressionable 12-year-old probably experiences these things more deeply than a cynical adult. But there I was, listening to Sgt. Pepper over and again on the stereo console, ensuring that decades later I’d still be thinking these thoughts and feeling these feelings when listening again.

I’ve written here about the Beatles many times before, including telling the story of my father playing the Red and Blue albums on eight-track player that came with an old Plymouth Valiant, and going with Vera to see the Cirque du Soleil show Love, and going to see Cheap Trick perform the whole of Sgt. Pepper, also in Las Vegas.

And (I must not omit) describing the card game I invented last year called “Sgt. Pepper,” a Badugi variant. Here are the complete rules:

Pulling out my Sgt. Pepper LP today, I’m finding tucked inside a copy of the fan mag The Beatles Monthly, dated June 1987. Yes, I’m old enough to remember when it was twenty years ago today the Beatles released their album that begins with the lyric “it was twenty years ago today.”

And now it’s fifty years ago today, the LP being released in the U.K. on June 1, 1967 and in the U.S. the next day. And everyone is listening to and talking about Sgt. Pepper and acting like kids again.

And I’m setting the needle down to listen -- again -- knowing even before the orchestra starts warming up that it’s guaranteed to raise a smile.

Surrender, But Don’t Give Yourself Away

Am following those NBA finals, natch, and intrigued by this phenomenon that’s been occurring here and there throughout the playoffs -- teams falling behind by double-digits, then essentially getting “knocked out” early in games that subsequently become lopsided, ending with margins of 15 or more.

That’s what happened to the Golden State Warriors in Game 3 in their game in Cleveland versus the Cavaliers. Happened a couple of times to the Dubs during the Oklahoma City series, too, causing them to fall to a dangerous 3-1 deficit before they stormed back to clinch that one.

Other teams have shown that tendency as well. Just went back counted and out of 82 playoff games so far 33 of them have been decided by 15 or more (just over 40%) -- including all three so far in the finals -- with well over half having ended with wins by at least double-digits.

I don’t know if this is typical or not for the NBA playoffs, but it’s sure seemed like there have been more blowouts than normal this year. Feels as though a lot of it has to do with fatigue -- that teams get down, then reach a “tipping point” of sorts where the energy needed to mount a comeback either isn’t available or needs to be conserved in order to remain competitive in the next game.

“On to the next one,” teams seem to be saying, although in a few cases the “next one” has meant next season, as the blowouts have happened in series clinchers. More often than not, that’s what has happened to all this season’s losers of the year.

It reminds me a little of “taking a hand off” (so to speak) in poker after having gotten involved in several in a row, or even just one important one that required an extra dose of attention and focus.

It’s the sort of thing that makes the more conspiracy-minded fans (and sports bettors) wonder about things being “rigged” somehow, since technically speaking teams are more or less conceding games (without giving it away that’s what is happening).

But like I say I think it’s probably just the product of the natural rhythm of energy and attention available to non-perfect humans, perhaps exaggerated somewhat given the challenge of such a long season.

In other words, the Dubs are all right, the Cavs are all right, they just seem a little weird.

Image: “A white flag,” Viktorvoigt. CC BY-SA 3.0.

My, My, My Such a High Roller

So that $51K World Championship of Online Poker on PokerStars finished a little while ago. Not just a high roller, but a “super high roller.” Or so the official name went. Saw it also referred to here and there as an “ultra high roller,” which I guess it was, relatively speaking.

It ended up drawing 46 entrants, making for a $2.3 million prize pool. Decent-sized turnout, it seemed to me, although it sounded like some thought there would be even more taking part.

Ben “Ben86” Tollerene took it down, earning over $616K after a three-way chop at the end. Tollerene has won a high roller ‘COOP before (a $21K heads-up SCOOP event), and is a regular in all of these high buy-in events on Stars.

José Ángel “Cejakas14” Latorre finished runner-up. As I mentioned on Friday, PokerStars offered betting on players in the event, and looking back at a list of odds from yesterday, Latorre was on there (at 16-to-1), as was the third-place finisher Nikita “fish2013” Bodyakovskiy (at 20-to-1).

Nopaleva who finished fourth -- and who won his way into the event with FPPs -- was on there, too (at 50-to-1). Meanwhile Mike “Tîmex” McDonald (who finished fifth) and 2014 WCOOP Main Event champ Fedor “CrownUpGuy” Holz (who finished sixth) registered late (like Tollerene) and thus aren’t on the list. They had final table betting, too, I believe. (All of that is a little fuzzy for those of us here in the U.S., of course.)

Will be curious going forward to see whether or not the $51K thing is tried again, or even bigger buy-in events, as well as whether betting on online events will become more common. In any case, the WCOOP continues to rage on, doing well as usual without the Americans.

Meanwhile, every time I see another one of these high rollers come around lately, can’t help but think of a certain Cheap Trick track:

2010 WSOP, Day 23: The Act You’ve Known for All These Years

Was an especially fun day off from the WSOP for your humble gumshoe yesterday, spent entirely with Vera Valmore.

The day began with a pleasant visit with Poker Grump and Cardgrrl at the Hash House where we enjoyed a big brunch. Vera and I then drove over to the Stratosphere -- something we’d never done -- and went to the top. Didn’t partake in any of the rides or bungee jumping, satisfied just to look and wonder there some 1,100 feet above Sin City.

Kind of reminded me a little of Vera and I going to the top of the Eiffel Tower many years ago. It wasn’t long before we were in the shadow of the Vegas version of the Eiffel Tower as by dinner time we were driving over to the Paris for the Cheap Trick concert.

We got there early, picked up our tickets, and wandered around a bit before stopping at La Creperie where we had a light dinner and did a bit of people watching. The doors of the Paris Théâtre opened at seven, and we were in our seats not too long after that, watching the place gradually fill to capacity by the eight o’clock starting time.

The show began with a brief film featuring interviews with Cheap Trick about the show. The film interspersed some funny pop culture clips in which Cheap Trick comes up as well, e.g., Mike Damone scalping Cheap Trick tix in Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Homer Simpson championing the band, and clip of Bob Dole (from “SNL”?) saying how “Bob Dole stands by his voting record” and also that “Bob Dole stands by his favorite record -- Cheap Trick Live at the Budakon.”

The curtain went up, revealing the Sgt. Pepper Orchestra (about 20 strong) situated on an upper tier above the stage, with a half-dozen singers over to the left, with the stage and lighting all reflecting that late-Beatles psychedelia style one would expect. The show began with a nifty rendition of “I Am the Walrus,” then Cheap Trick came out.

Robin Zander (lead vocals, rhythm guitar) was outfitted in all white with a military-looking hat, Tom Petersson (bass, backing vocals) was in a lime green suit jacket, and Rick Nielsen (lead guitar, backing vocals) had a black baseball cap and wacky jacket. They were supported by a keyboardist and another guitarist, plus Daxx Nielsen (Rick’s son) on drums, filling in for Bun E. Carlos (still in band, but not touring).

They crashed into the opening title song, then swiftly and ably moved through “With a Little Help from My Friends,” “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” “Getting Better,” and “Fixing a Hole.” The covers were all quite faithful, though they opened up space occasionally to rock out, particularly in the latter two. These guys are all in their late 50s or early 60s, but you’d never guess they weren’t in their 20s given the energy they exert. Nielsen remains a blistering pop/rock guitarist, and there doesn’t seem to have been any dropping off for Zander’s voice. (Compare Roger Daltrey at the Super Bowl.)

Case in point was “She’s Leaving Home,” in which Zander hit all of those melancholy-producing high notes perfectly. For that one the band had left the stage, with only the orchestra supporting Zander. They returned for “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite,” then an Indian ensemble was brought out for an especially cool, spot-on cover of “Within You Without You,” sung by Petersson.

Zander donned all black for the remainder of side two of the LP. Nielsen donned a series of loud jackets and guitars throughout the night. They moved through “When I’m Sixty-Four,” “Lovely Rita,” and “Good Morning, Good Morning,” with the band again incorporating a few jams along the way, especially in the latter song, although mainly keeping to the originals. They rocked the “Sgt. Pepper” reprise as well, then “A Day in the Life” followed, which made full use of the orchestra, of course.

The show was only half over at that point. There was a brief instrumental interlude with the orchestra playing “The Flame,” then the band returned to play about a half-dozen of their own hits, including “Dream Police,” “I Want You to Want Me,” and “Surrender.” Being a fan of the band for all these years, I was really pleased about that segment being included in the show.

The show ended with the final medley from Abbey Road (“Golden Slumbers” through “The End”), with an “All You Need Is Love” postscript replete with paper hearts falling from the ceiling.

We had excellent seats, about 10 rows from the stage, left of center a little and thus almost in range to catch one of Nielsen’s guitar picks, of which he tossed out probably 200 by night’s end. (I think the dude sitting in front of me got one.) A great show, and obviously one that fans of the Beatles and/or Cheap Trick should enjoy.

In a way, the Sgt. Pepper album was always kind of a put-on, that is, the Beatles pretending to be another band putting on a show. So conceptually speaking, it didn’t seem odd at all for another band to take a turn at playing the role. And they played the hell out of it, giving it their own personality. Everyone leaving the theater had big grins on their face. Guaranteed to raise a smile, indeed.

Today I resume my role as Shamus, helping cover the WSOP for PokerNews. I return to the $10,000 Heads-Up NLHE event (Event No. 35), which is now down to just eight players. The quarters and semis will be one and done today, then the finals will be a best-of-three affair. The round of eight match-ups are Jason Somerville vs. Kido Pham, Faraz Jaka vs. Ayaz Mahmood, Alexander Kostritsyn vs. Ludovic Lacay, and Ernst Schmejkal vs. Vanessa Rousso.

See who among them takes down the $625,682 first prize and bracelet over at PokerNews.

2010 WSOP, Day 21: Crazy Rhythms

Covered the final day of Event No. 28, the $2,500 pot-limit Omaha event yesterday. Had a ton of big names in that one early on, but by the final table we were watching a lot of players with only modest career winnings, many of whom were from various European countries.

Crazy rhythm to the day, with long sluggish stretches punctuated by breathless flurries of action.

We returned to 12 players, and it didn’t take long to lose a couple at which point we moved over to one of the feature tables where they played ten-handed. The next elimination came quickly, too, and we were thinking the night might continue to move along at the same rapid pace.

Then suddenly things slowed down considerably, and it seemed like we’d never lose another player. Took a couple of hours for the first to fall from the final table, and we went to dinner with eight left. Got back and Tommy Le -- who had been the chip leader for a short while at one point -- became real aggressive and as a result quickly lost most, then all of his chips to go out in eighth.

Then another big lull, then suddenly four eliminations within a single one-hour level. Took awhile to get to heads-up between L.J. Klein and Miguel Proulx, and when both players started out showing patience it looked once again like we were going to be there a good while.

Earlier in the evening my blogging partner, Chad, asked me what was the most boring final table I’d ever covered. I had to think a little, but was reminded of an event from 2008 -- the $5,000 No-Limit Hold’em Six-Handed event -- which wasn’t necessarily the most boring final table I’ve seen but was certainly one of the strangest.

In that one, the first four eliminations came very quickly (in less than 70 hands), then Joe Commisso and Richard Lyndaker ended up playing 209 hands -- something like six hours’ worth -- before Commisso finally won. I knew it was that many hands because we were reporting hand-for-hand at that one, and my mind was fairly fried by the end. “Kafkaesque, It Was” was how I titled the post here describing that night.

Was reminded of that again after Klein and Proulx had pushed back and forth for 45 minutes with the result being their stacks being relatively even. It was after 1 a.m., each player had about 70-75 big blinds, and as I say it looked like we might be there a while.

Then boom, it was over. The last hand began with an all-spade flop, and it really didn’t seem like these two patient players were going to get too crazy in this spot. Klein led on the flop, and Proulx just called. The turn was a blank, and this time Proulx bet out rather big, and Klein called. The river didn’t pair the board either, and when Proulx checked it really felt as though we’d see either Klein check back or perhaps make a small bet to take it.

But Klein surprisingly shoved -- the pot was big enough at this point for him to do so -- and Proulx instacalled, flipping over the nut flush. Klein only had two pair, and his losing hand was scooped up so quickly we only caught a quick glimpse of his cards (a little frustrating). Ended up talking to the dealer and tourney director/announcer afterwards just to confirm what we could of the hand before reporting it.

Still a very late night again, not getting to bed until 2:30 a.m. When you factor in the couple of hours of prep that go into these days (writing intros, player bios, handling various back-end things for the blog), we’re talking another 14-15 hour shift full of scribblin’.

But I’m up early today, excited because the lovely Vera Valmore at last arrives this morning for a week-long visit. Will get to spend most of the day with her today, then I’ll be working again tonight. Snoopy and I will be reporting from Day 1 of Event No. 35, the $10,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold’em Championship, which doesn’t start until 5 p.m.

Then I’m off tomorrow. That pic above is the cover of the The Feelies’ great 1980 LP Crazy Rhythms. They do a Beatles cover on that one. Speaking of, Vera and I are going to be seeing Cheap Trick do their Sgt. Pepper show at the Paris tomorrow evening, which ought to be a good time. (Was writing about that show months ago, in fact.)

Couldn’t be more happy about Vera coming now. This summer has been more exhausting than in the past, I think, for various reasons. Folks are being stretched thin, plus there has been extra pressure on everyone this time around that isn’t necessarily making it easier to perform and/or endure. As was demonstrated by those guys at the final table yesterday, one can only operate at a high level of concentration for so long before something gives.

So I’m doubly glad that Vera will be here to help make things seem a little more normal for the next week. To help when it comes to these crazy rhythms.

Cheap Trick Getting Better All the Time

“This next one is from our new album. It just came out this week, and the song is called ‘Surrender.’”

Recognize that, don’t ya?

I like all sorts of music, tending most often to listen to jazz (from Birth of the Cool through ’70s fusion), funk/R&B, so-called “classic” rock, prog rock (with a special affection for German “Krautrock” of the 70s), various ambient/electronic stuff, and what might be called Beatlesque pop.

Regarding the latter, I chose that adjective “Beatlesque” to distinguish a certain kind of popular music -- that kind with connections to Vaudeville/Tin Pan Alley in which the goal is to create those little three-minute pleasure-producers that often combine sweet melodies and singalong lyrics -- from other chart-topping (i.e., also “popular”) varieties.

The Beatles (about whom I’ve written here more than once) transcended genres, sure, but they are their own genre, too. And I have a soft spot for those bands whose ethos tends toward the “Beatlesque.” Which would include acts like XTC/Dukes of Stratosphear, Robyn Hitchcock, Todd Rundgren/Utopia, Klaatu, Belle and Sebastian, Tears for Fears, the Smithereens, Electric Light Orchestra, and others I’m not remembering at the moment. Even Radiohead or Coldplay could be said to fall into the category now and then. In fact, given the extent of the Beatles’ influence, you could probably take just about any popular act from the ’70s onward and find at least one tune that lands them at least temporarily in the category.

The ’70s, of course, is where that quote from above comes from. 1979, specifically, from the Beatlesque band Cheap Trick’s Live at Budokan.

A couple of years ago I wrote a post here about Cheap Trick praising their early career. I still think their first four studio albums, plus the endlessly fun Live at Budokan, are about as good as it gets when it comes to power pop drawing from both the early (“red album”) and late (“blue album”) Beatles modes.

The irony of Cheap Trick’s career, I suppose, is that when they finally fully acknowledged their “Beatlesque” identity and recruited George Martin -- the Beatles’ producer -- to take the helm on an album (1980’s All Shook Up), they kind of lost their way a bit. Still managed to churn out a few modest pop gems here and there, but never (to me) managed to produce anything quite like the consistently enthralling (and rocking) pop suites of their early records. The rock critic Ira Robbins feels similarly, and has written eloquently in many places (including Cheap Trick liner notes) about the band. Here’s his overview of their career.

Now, thirty-plus years after those early days, Cheap Trick is still kicking. And they’ve returned to acknowledging unashamedly their Beatle-ness. In that post from a couple of years ago, I mentioned how the band had performed in its entirety Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band a few times that year in order to mark the 40th anniversary of the LP. At the end of the post I mentioned how cool it would be to hear the performance. I did end up seeing some YouTube clips of it with so-so sound, but hadn’t really come across a decent audio recording out there.

Now there is one. It just came out this week.

A new CD and a DVD of the show have been released, featuring the entire Pepper album, plus a track from the show’s first act when they played non-Pepper Beatles stuff. And it rocks. If you like Cheap Trick and/or the Beatles, pick it up. You won’t be disappointed.

The releases come in time for Cheap Trick’s revival of the Pepper show next month -- in Las Vegas, in fact. I remember all summer hearing the ads for the new performances. There will be nine shows (Sept. 13-15, 17-19 and 21-23) at the Las Vegas Hilton. (More info here.) Wish I could go, but there’s no chance I can escape the “real” life (again) and get over there.

Now that I think about it, the Beatles were pretending to be another band, too, when they did Sgt. Pepper, putting on the costumes and making like they were someone else. Maybe it is this “role-playing” idea that further fascinates me here, since I, too, am so frequently playing a role (as the poker player and reporter, Shamus)? Maybe that’s why I’m digging this new release so much?

Nah. No need for psychological self-scrutiny here. I know why I like Cheap Trick’s Sgt. Pepper Live. Same reason why I like their early records so much.

It kicks ass!

Cheap Trick Kicks Ass

“What happened here?”

Vera Valmore was at the computer yesterday and saw I had left this here scribbled-on post-it note next to the keyboard.

“Bad session, huh?” she asked. I laughed.

The other night I’d caught part of something called “Cheap Trick or Treat Halloween Ball” on the box -- a concert from last year featuring the Rockford, Illinois quartet. I still have Cheap Trick’s first five albums (on now-hopelessly scratchy vinyl, natch). Always liked everything up through Dream Police or so, then kind of lost track of ’em.

The Halloween show rocked. Didn’t pay much attention to the other acts, but Cheap Trick seemed in pretty good form, particularly considering we’re coming up on three decades removed from when they were in their prime.

Somewhere in there they did a song called “If You Want My Love” (which I see is from the 1982 album One on One).

“I like that one,” Vera had said. I only vaguely recalled it, confusing the song in my mind with that late-era Roy Orbison number with a similar chorus. As I say, anything after 1980 from them is a bit fuzzy for me.

I had decided to go online and see if there were any other downloadable gems in the Cheap Trick catalogue from the later albums. That’s where the post-it came from. I’d jotted down a couple of titles, intending to seek ’em out later. These two -- “Stop This Game” and “I Can’t Take It” -- are not bad. I hadn’t written down “She’s Tight” or “Everything Works if You Let It,” both of which are a notch above these two. Listing those might have further added to the poker-themed suggestion of the note.

All fun stuff, although for pure power pop, none of these later tracks quite compete with In Color or Heaven Tonight, as far as I’m concerned. Or the band’s first, self-titled album (from 1977), which friggin’ rocks without a misstep from beginning to end.

Poking around online, I also learned about the band’s August 2007 shows at the Hollywood Bowl where they performed all of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band along with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and some other guests. (Have documented my affection for the Beatles here before.)

The show was in two acts. The first part featured the band performing a slate of non-Pepper Beatles’ tunes, including “Magical Mystery Tour,” “Strawberry Fields Forever,” “I Want You/She’s So Heavy,” and the “Golden Slumbers” suite from side two of Abbey Road. After the intermission, they came back and played all of Sgt. Pepper’s, then did “All You Need Is Love” for an encore.

How cool must that have been? Dunno if any audio copies of the show are floating around, but damn I’d love to hear it. (Anyone have any leads?)

Glad to see these guys are still all all right.