Press launch for Sgt Pepper ā 19 May 1967
Sunday 19 May 1967 | Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
24 Chapel Street, Belgravia, London
A press launch for Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band was held at Brian Epstein's home at 24 Chapel Street, Belgravia, London. Around a dozen journalists and broadcasters attended, along with several photographers. It was one of the most significant evenings in the album's pre-release story ā and the occasion on which Linda Eastman photographed The Beatles for the first time.
Brian Epstein's Home
24 Chapel Street was a four-storey Georgian townhouse in Belgravia, one of London's most exclusive residential districts, a short walk from Buckingham Palace. Epstein had moved there in 1964 as The Beatles' success made his previous accommodation inadequate. The house was known for its lavish parties and gatherings; Epstein was a generous and sociable host who entertained widely. He would die there of an accidental drug overdose on 27 August 1967, just three months after this press launch.
The Album
Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band had been recorded between November 1966 and April 1967, at a cost of approximately Ā£25,000 ā an extraordinary sum for a pop album at the time. The sessions had occupied over 700 hours of studio time at EMI Studios, Abbey Road. The album was scheduled for release on 1 June 1967 in the UK and 2 June in the US. It would spend 27 weeks at number one in the UK and 15 weeks at number one in the US, and is widely regarded as one of the most influential albums ever made.
The press launch came at a moment of intense public anticipation. The BBC had banned 'A Day In The Life' the previous day ā 19 May ā on the grounds that it promoted a permissive attitude towards drug taking, which had only increased interest in the album. Kenny Everett would preview the album on BBC radio the following day, playing every track except the banned finale.
Linda Eastman
Among the photographers present was Linda Eastman, an American photographer who had been working in London covering the rock music scene. She had met Paul McCartney for the first time just four days earlier, on 15 May 1967, at the Bag O'Nails club in Soho, where Georgie Fame was performing. The Sgt Pepper press launch was the first occasion on which she photographed The Beatles.
Linda Eastman would go on to marry Paul McCartney on 12 March 1969. She became a photographer of considerable reputation, publishing several books of her work, and was a committed animal rights activist. She died of breast cancer on 17 April 1998.
The Photographers
The most celebrated photographs from the evening were taken by Linda Eastman and by Michael Cooper, who had also photographed the Sgt Pepper album cover. Cooper's images from the press launch ā showing The Beatles in their Sgt Pepper military uniforms against the backdrop of Epstein's drawing room ā are among the most reproduced photographs of the group from this period.
Key Facts: 19 May 1967
- Location: 24 Chapel Street, Belgravia, London (Brian Epstein's home)
- Album: Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
- UK release date: 1 June 1967
- Recording cost: Approximately Ā£25,000
- Studio hours: Over 700
- Linda Eastman: First photographed The Beatles at this event; had met McCartney for the first time on 15 May 1967
- Context: BBC had banned 'A Day In The Life' the previous day
- Brian Epstein: Died at 24 Chapel Street on 27 August 1967
Frequently Asked Questions
Where was the Sgt Pepper press launch held?
At Brian Epstein's home at 24 Chapel Street, Belgravia, London, on 19 May 1967 ā thirteen days before the album's UK release on 1 June 1967.
When did Linda Eastman first photograph The Beatles?
At the Sgt Pepper press launch on 19 May 1967. She had met Paul McCartney for the first time just four days earlier, on 15 May 1967, at the Bag O'Nails club in Soho. She and McCartney married on 12 March 1969.
How much did Sgt Pepper cost to record?
Approximately Ā£25,000 ā an extraordinary sum for a pop album in 1967. The sessions occupied over 700 hours of studio time at EMI Studios, Abbey Road, between November 1966 and April 1967.
What happened to Brian Epstein after the Sgt Pepper press launch?
Brian Epstein died at 24 Chapel Street on 27 August 1967, just three months after the press launch, from an accidental overdose of the prescription drug Carbitol. He was 32. His death had a profound effect on The Beatles and is widely seen as a turning point in the group's history.
Why was there such anticipation around Sgt Pepper?
The album had been in production for over six months ā an unusually long time in 1967 ā and rumours of its ambition had circulated widely. The BBC's ban on 'A Day In The Life' the day before the press launch had further heightened public interest. The album would go on to spend 27 weeks at number one in the UK.
Ā
ā 20 May 1967: The BBC bans A Day In The Life and Kenny Everett previews Sgt Pepper
ā Paul McCartney | John Lennon | George Harrison | Ringo Starr
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