The Beatles on June 30th, 1967 relax at 'Abbey Road' studios during the Sgt Pepper era

George Harrison is fined for speeding

George Harrison received a £6 fine on this day for breaking the speed limit in his black Mini Cooper car.

He had been caught speeding in Roehampton Lane, Putney, London. The fine was issued in the city's South Western Court.

The Beatles taking a break today

Studio Two, EMI Studios in London

A 4:00 to 8:00 pm session which saw the overdubbing of a snare drum roll by Ringo for the opening of "All You Need Is Love" followed by final mono mixing. Backed with "Baby, You're a Rich Man", the song was issued as a single in Britain on Friday, July 7, 1967.

Here and elsewhere, it cruised effortlessly to Number One. With the Our World promotion, it could hardly have failed. The release of "All You Need Is Love" occurred just five weeks after the issue of the LP Sgt. Pepper and yet the single did not appear on the album. Nor were any of the album's songs issued as singles. Such a quality and quantity of output was the understandable envy of all the Beatles' contemporaries.

Source: The Complete Beatles Chronicle - Mark Lewisohn

The Beatles on Our World: All You Need Is Love

With seemingly unstoppable momentum during the summer of 1967, on May 18th, The Beatles signed a contract to represent the BBC, and Britain, on Our World, the world's first live television satellite link-up to be seen by approximately 400 million people across five continents.

The Beatles' appearance was announced four days later, on May 22nd, John Lennon wrote the song All You Need Is Love especially for the occasion, to the brief given by the BBC: it had to be simple so that viewers around the world would understand it.

"We were big enough to command an audience of that size, and it was for love. It was for love and bloody peace. It was a fabulous time. I even get excited now when I realise that's what it was for: peace and love, people putting flowers in guns." (Ringo Starr)

Our World took place on June 25, 1967. Between the announcement and the broadcast date, The Beatles recorded the rhythm track and some basic vocals.

The satellite link-up was devised by the BBC, which took the idea to the European Broadcasting Union in 1966. The project editor was BBC executive Aubrey Singer. Personalities, including Maria Callas and Pablo Picasso, from 19 nations performed in separate items from their respective countries. The event, which lasted two-and-a-half hours, had the largest television audience to date.

No politicians or heads of state were allowed to take part in the broadcast, and no pre-recorded videotape or film was allowed. Around 10,000 technicians, producers and translators helped make the event happen; each country had its own announcers, with translators narrating where necessary.

For the first time ever, linking five continents and bringing man face to face with mankind, in places as far apart as Canberra and Cape Kennedy, Moscow and Montreal, Samarkand and Söderfors, Takamatsu and Tunis.

National broadcasting companies from 14 countries provided material for the 125-minute programme, which was shown in black-and-white. The organizations involved were: Australia (ABC), Austria (ORF), Canada (CBC), Denmark (DZR), France (ORTF), Italy (RAI), Japan (NHK), Mexico (TS Mexicana), Spain (TVE), Sweden (SRT), Tunisia (RTT), United Kingdom (BBC), USA (NET) and West Germany (ARD), and the programme was also shown - without contributing their own content - in Belgium, Bulgaria, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and Switzerland.

In the week before broadcast, seven Eastern bloc countries - led by the Soviet Union - pulled out, apparently in protest to the Western nations' response to the Six Day War.

The Beatles' day began at 2pm with a camera rehearsal in EMI's Studio One. An outside broadcast van was situated in the studio car park, which relayed the signal around the world via the Intelsat I (Early Bird), Intelsat II (Lana Bird) and ATS-1 satellites.

For the live performance, which took place at 9.36pm GMT, The Beatles played along to their pre-recorded backing track. The vocals, bass guitar, guitar solo, drums and 13-piece orchestra were live. To reduce the chances of on-air errors, the event was carefully arranged, although care was taken to make it seem spontaneous.

The televised sequence of events seem a little corny now and studio tapes reveal the considerable rehearsal time which went into the "spontaneous" performance. Using material taped from 5:00 pm up to the actual live sequence, Steve Race introduced the Beatles playing and singing the basic song, the cameras then cut out to the control room where George Martin suggested it was time to bring the orchestra, the musicians filed in, and Mal Evans got into the picture by collecting empty tea cups.

Now just one day from The Big Event, the Beatles and EMI threw open the usually closed Abbey Road studio doors to more than a hundred journalists and photographers for a press-call that took up most of the late-morning. Between 2:00 and 4:00 pm there was a BBC camera rehearsal for the Beatles and their 13 plus conductor, and then between 5:00 and 8:00 pm everyone settled down to tape overdubs onto the "All You Need Is Love" rhythm track, made especially important by a new decision to swiftly issue "All You Need Is Love" as a single after the worldwide television boradcast.

Source: The Complete Beatles Chronicle - Mark Lewisohn

Studio Three, EMI Studios in London

Enter the orchestra for the first time in the "All You Need Is Love" story, recording a number of takes as overdubs onto a reduction of take ten in this 8:00 to 11:00 pm session.

John Lennon walking out of EMI Studios, in London (see below) after the first recording of All You Need Is Love. The song would be globally broadcasted by satellite two days later for Our World, the first live global television link .

The New Yorker, June 24, 1967 P. 22 - By Lillian Ross

Talk story about the Beatles' thirteenth and latest (June, 1967) record album, "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," which has sold 1,200,000 copies to date, with 95,000 more in back orders. John, Paul, George, and Ringo appear in old-timey band costumes amongst the faces of many other artists on the cover. On this record, the Beatles (with Paul singing most of the solos) create the effect of a live show. Mentions songs on the new album and lists previous Beatles' albums. There was a slump in the Beatles' popularity about a year ago. Now "Sgt. Pepper" is out and it's a big success. WMCA disc jockey Joe O'Brien was the first to play it on the air. O'Brien said listeners are unprepared because this album is not a teen-age album, but a terribly intellectural one. The college students are now the hard-core Beatles fans. This album is really a cantata. Teen-agers don't want that. Murray-the-K said the album is positive proof of the Beatles' musical maturity. The reporter spoke to people buying the album at Sam Goody's and at the Colony Record Center. There Lawrence LeFevre lectured about the album: In musical substance, "Sgt. Pepper" is a bigger step forward, from a musical point of view, than "Revolver." New and interesting musical structures appear in combinations of rhythms, chord progressions, instrumentations, and maintaining the flow of melody. This album is a whole, little world created by the Beatles. The Beatles, like Duke Ellington, are unclassifiable musicians.

Studio Three, EMI Studios, London

From 4:30-5:00 pm, in Room 53, without the Beatles in attendence, "All You Need Is Love" was mixed into mono. Between 7:00 and 11:30 pm, the job was done again, this time with the Beatles on hand. An acetate pressing of this latter mix was given to Derek Burrell-Davis, director of the BBC outside broadcast team for June 25th.

Note: A studio two session booked for the evening of June 22nd did not take place.

Source: The Complete Beatles Chronicles - Mark Lewisohn

Paul McCartney admits taking LSD (Interview from June 19, 1967)

Paul McCartney was the first British pop star to publicly admit using LSD, in chatting with a reporter who had enquired about it. Paul's LSD quote appeared in Queen, a UK-based magazine at the time. The quote was also then reprinted by Life magazine in their June 16th 1967 feature, 'The New Far-Out Beatles: They're grown men now and creating extraordinary musical sounds' by Thomas Thompson.

In both articles, Paul McCartney was quoted as saying, "After I took it (LSD), it opened my eyes. We only use one-tenth of our brain. Just think what we could accomplish if we could only tap that hidden part. It would mean a whole new world."

ITV seized the opportunity to interview Paul about this public admission. The controversy would become a springboard for discussing the responsibilities of celebrities and journalists.

The following interview was filmed by ITV on June 19th 1967, in Paul's backyard garden on Cavendish Avenue, and would be telecast in Britain later that evening.

Paul had just celebrated his 25th birthday the previous day. The Beatles' latest LP 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' was number one on the album charts -- released less than three weeks prior on June 1st.

Q: "Paul, how often have you taken LSD?"

PAUL: (pause) "About four times."

Q: "And where did you get it from?"

PAUL: "Well, you know, if I was to say where I got it from, you know, I mean... it's illegal and everything... it's silly to say that, you know. So I'd rather not say that."

Q: "Don't you believe that this is a matter which you should have kept private?"

PAUL: "Mmm, but the thing is -- I was asked a question by a newspaper, and the decision was whether to tell a lie or tell him the truth. I decided to tell him the truth... but I really didn't want to say anything, you know, because if I had my way I wouldn't have told anyone. I'm not trying to spread the word about this. But the man from the newspaper is the man from the mass medium. I'll keep it a personal thing if he does too you know... if he keeps it quiet. But he wanted to spread it so it's his responsibility, you know, for spreading it not mine."

Q: "But you're a public figure and you said it in the first place and you must have known it would make the newspaper."

PAUL: "Yeah, but to say it is only to tell the truth. I'm telling the truth, you know. I don't know what everyone's so angry about."

Q: "Do you think that you have now encouraged your fans to take drugs?"

PAUL: (clearly and calmly) "I don't think it'll make any difference. I don't think my fans are going to take drugs just because I did, you know. But the thing is -- that's not the point anyway. I was asked whether I had or not. And from then on, the whole bit about how far it's gonna go and how many people it's going to encourage is up to the newspapers, and up to you on television. I mean, you're spreading this now, at this moment. This is going into all the homes in Britain. And I'd rather it didn't. But you're asking me the question -- You want me to be honest -- I'll be honest."

Q: "But as a public figure, surely you've got the responsibility to..."

PAUL: "...No, it's you who've got the responsibility. You've got the responsibility not to spread this NOW. You know, I'm quite prepared to keep it as a very personal thing if you will too. If you'll shut up about it, I will."

Studio Three, EMI Studios in London

A 7:00 pm to 1:45 am session in which the Beatles overdubbed lead and backing vocals, drums, piano and banjo onto a newly made copy of the "All You Need is Love" take ten.

Note: A studio two session booked for the evening of June 20th did not take place.

Source: The Complete Beatles Chronicles - Mark Lewisohn

Paul McCartney signing autographs in his Aston Martin, June 18,1967.

The Beatles and drugs

On June 17, 1967 Life magazine published an interview with Paul McCartney in which he admitted having taken LSD. Two days later, following intense press attention, he gave an interview to Independent Television News in which he discussed his use of the drug and the media reaction. remember a couple of men from ITN showed up, and then the newscaster arrived: 'Is it true you've had drugs?' They were at my door - I couldn't tell them to go away - so I thought, 'Well, I'm either going to try to bluff this, or I'm going to tell him the truth.' I made a lightning decision: 'Sod it. I'll give them the truth.'

I spoke to the reporter beforehand, and said, 'You know what's going to happen here: I'm going to get the blame for telling everyone I take drugs. But you're the people who are going to distribute the news.' I said, 'I'll tell you. But if you've got any worries about the news having an effect on kids, then don't show it. I'll tell you the truth, but if you disseminate the whole thing to the public then it won't be my responsibility. I'm not sure I want to preach this but, seeing as you're asking - yeah, I've taken LSD.' I'd had it about four times at the stage, and I told him so. I felt it was reasonable, but it became a big news item.

The Beatles appear on the cover of Life, while Time magazine profiles their producer, George Martin, praising his latest work on their Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album.

Disc & Music Echo "All You Need Is Love"

Recording: All You Need Is Love

Studio One, Olympic Sound Studios, London

On May 18, 967 a contract was signed committing The Beatles to represent the BBC and Britain in a worldwide satellite broadcast on Sunday, June 25th. They were to be shown performing an especially-written song: All you Need Is Love.

Unable to book space at EMI Studios at short notice, the group assembled at Olympic Sound Studios in Barnes, London, on this day to record the rhythm track. They mostly used unfamiliar instruments: John Lennon played harpsichord; Paul McCartney used a double bass; George Harrison played a violin; and Ringo Starr was on drums.

The Beatles recorded 33 takes, but felt that take 10 was the best. A reduction mix was then made, with all instruments copied onto track one of a new four-track tape.

Studio One, Olympic Sound Studios, London

On May 18, 967 a contract was signed committing The Beatles to represent the BBC and Britain in a worldwide satellite broadcast on Sunday, June 25th. They were to be shown performing an especially-written song: All you Need Is Love.

Unable to book space at EMI Studios at short notice, the group assembled at Olympic Sound Studios in Barnes, London, on this day to record the rhythm track. They mostly used unfamiliar instruments: John Lennon played harpsichord; Paul McCartney used a double bass; George Harrison played a violin; and Ringo Starr was on drums.

The Beatles recorded 33 takes, but felt that take 10 was the best. A reduction mix was then made, with all instruments copied onto track one of a new four-track tape.

The Beatles enjoying a day off.

Lennon and McCartney sing on The Rolling Stones’ We Love You

John Lennon and Paul McCartney attended a Rolling Stones recording session at Decca on this day, where they contributed backing vocals to the song We Love You.

The song was written as a token of appreciation to the fans who stood by the Stones in the wake of their drugs busts, and was also an ironic commentary on the authorities.

Beat poet Allen Ginsberg had been in London for a pro-marijuana rally at Hyde Park, and met Mick Jagger at Paul McCartney's house. Jagger invited Ginsberg, Lennon and McCartney to the session that night, although Ginsberg did not perform. "They looked like little angels," he later wrote of the groups, "like Botticelli Graces singing together for the first time."

The Beatles are relaxing today.

The Beatles are in-between recording today.

Studio Two, EMI Studios, London

"You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)" was first collated into something resembling the final form during this 7:00 to 11:00 pm session, with the editing and mono mixing of its various parts into one whole. This mix was then copied across to one track of a four-track tape ready for vocal over-dubbing.

Source: The Complete Beatles Chronicle - Mark Lewisohn

Recording: You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)

Studio Two, EMI Studios, Abbey Road

The third recording session for You Know My Name (Look Up The Number) was one of the most interesting, involving a guest appearance from a Rolling Stone, and the recording of four separate parts of the song.

It was Brian Jones of the Stones. He turned up very, very nervous with a sax, and we said 'Oh, we thought you'd bring a guitar!' and he'd brought a sax. I invited him to the session. Absolutely definitely Brian of the Stones. Unequivocably, as they say.

The Beatles had decided to record numerous versions of You Know My Name (Look Up The Number), which would be edited together at a later date. Part one was to consist of take nine from May 17, 1967 which had been given overdubs on June 7th.

The only common instrument in the other four parts was McCartney's piano. Part two was recorded in 12 takes; part three in four; part four in six takes; and the final part in a single attempt.

Brian Jones performed on two parts: a ska section with piano, drums, guitar and saxophone, and a jazz rendition featuring piano, drums, guitar, saxophone, bass guitar and vibraphone.

Also recorded was a nightclub section in a rhumba style featuring piano, drums, maracas and congas; and the final part had bongos and piano playing alongside various comedic sound effects including bird whistles and quacking sounds. The session ended at 1am on the morning of 9 June 1967.

Studio Two, EMI Studios, London

More crazy "You Know My Name (Look Up The Number) recordings, developing into more crazy untitled, unstructured instrumental jams, with numerous takes of an amateurish flute track (played, presumably, by a Beatle), electric guitar, drums, organ and tambourine. George Harrison took home a rough mono mix of take 24, comprising 20 minutes of just such sounds, at the end of this 7:00 pm to 2:00 am session.

A press release announces the beginning of the "Yellow Submarine" film project. It is reported that The Beatles will provide at least three new songs for the soundtrack.

The Beatles in-between recording

The Beatles' album, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band reaches #1 in the UK charts. It will hold the #1 position for 27 weeks.

The night Jimi Hendrix played "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band to The Beatles, June 3, 1967

Jimi Hendrix made a public display of his admiration for The Beatles when their seminal classic 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' was released during the 'Summer of Love' in 1967.

Purchasing the record on the day of its release, he performed the title track just two days later at the Saville Theatre in London's Shaftesbury Avenue.

Unbeknown to Hendrix, some of The Beatles were actually in the audience, listening intently to his audacious performance.

Speaking at a later date, Paul McCartney spoke of his honour of the tribute, calling the performance "simply incredible, perhaps the best I have ever seen him play".

US album release: Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

The day after it was released in the United Kingdom, The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely HEarts Club Band was issued in the United States of America.

Sgt Pepper was the first Beatles album to be released with identical track listings in both the UK and USA, as stipulated by the group. As it was arguably their first long-player to be a conceptual whole rather than a straightforward collection of songs, it was important to them that Capitol issued it in the form envisaged by the creators.

US copies of Sgt Pepper, however, didn't include the high-pitched run-out whistle following A Day In The Life, nor the gibberish in the side two runout groove.