Sergeant Pepper tribute is guaranteed to raise a smile

Jun 1 2007 By Mike Chapple, Liverpool Daily Post

IT WAS 40 years ago today – June 1, 1967 – that The Beatles brought the Sergeant Pepper album out to play.

And last night the Karl Lornie Band, complete with string quartet, played the first of two sell-out shows at the Cavern Club when the album was performed live in its entirety.

This was one of the few times that it has ever been done as the real Beatles had quit performing as a live stage the year before in 1966.

The band also re-enacted the Fab Four’s performance of All You Need Is Love, together with hits from the Magical Mystery Tour, and other songs from their psychedelic period.

"Sgt Pepper is still considered one of the greatest albums of all time and when the Cavern asked us to do these shows they sold almost immediately," said Karl, a Liverpool-born actor and musician who plays the part of Paul McCartney complete with his trademark Hohner bass.

"We first performed some of the songs a few years back at the Neptune as part of Sgt Pepper’s Magical Mystery Trip but it wasn’t until we took the show to America that I realised how big The Beatles were – and still are. They’re a global phenomenon and their popularity is a great as it ever was."

The album is still cited by many critics as the greatest pop album of all time, although The Beatles themselves, and especially John Lennon, were customarily dismissive about its importance.

In a recent poll of Radio 2 listeners, however, it was still voted best album of all time.

Contemporary bands, too, cite the album as a major inspiration to them, no more so than Manchester’s Oasis.

As proof, the band, fronted by the Gallagher brothers Noel and Liam, together with The Killers and Razorlight, have covered songs from the album to mark its 40th anniversary.

James Morrison, The Fratellis, Travis and the Kaiser Chiefs are among the other acts taking part in the special recording sessions for BBC Radio 2 which will be broadcast tomorrow (Saturday, June 2) between 8 and 9pm. A two- parter, the second half will be broadcast two weeks later.

The modern rock bands will be recorded by audio engineer Geoff Emerick, using the one-inch four- track equipment he captured the original on at Abbey Road studios 40 years ago.

Radio 2 controller Lesley Douglas said: "This will be not only a unique radio event, but a very special musical moment.

"The range and quality of artists involved ensure that this will be a fitting tribute to one of the great albums of all time."

Beatle-themed hotel plans to sell its original artwork images to wider audience

SEVENTY pieces of original artwork that will hang in Liverpool’s new Beatle-themed hotel will also be turned into postcards and put on sale in reception.

American artist Shannon, who has been commissioned to create the images for each of the Hard Day’s Night Hotel’s 110 bedrooms and public spaces, has revealed she is working 18-hours-a-day to complete the paintings.

Last week she was in Liverpool to see how work was progressing on the £18m venue.

She met the new manager, Mike Dewey, who will now be responsible for building a team for the four-star city centre site.

Father-of-two Mr Dewey, 49, who comes from the Park Hotel, at Aintree, and was also manager at the old Moathouse, in Paradise Street, said: "There are only two hotels I’ve ever walked into and had the immediate feeling I wanted to work there, and this is one of them.

"It’s a four-star hotel with an edge – it’s unique. My job now is to find a team to work with me, about eight key members of staff, and they will employ their own teams. There will be about 80 full and part- time jobs."

Mr Dewey moved to Merseyside from Surrey seven years ago, and says now he would not want to live anywhere else.

He said: "The people here are genuinely so friendly."

Artist Shannon will also be moving from the United States to the city in August to complete her work for the North John Street hotel, before its expected opening this October.

She said: "I’m working for 18 hours a day on this at the moment. Once I get to the end of a painting, the excitement of doing the next takes away any feelings of being tired.

"I have an easel here when I’m visiting and in between meetings I’ll be back doing the paintings again."

Each room in the hotel has a Beatle-inspired name, and will feature an original artwork framed above the bed.