Here are a few tips to enhance your experience.
Our story is told with words, images and sound. So I recommend you enjoy the book on the largest computer screen and best audio equipment available to you. Using your phone is okay too but – believe me – you will enjoy the book more on a computer screen with good audio.
Once you’re in the book, make yourself familiar with the ‘dashboard’ at the bottom of the screen. There are 5 controls to master:
- To get the best view, click on the icon at the bottom right – the book will fill up your screen.
- The next icon to the left allows you to experience the book with sound. Definitely worthwhile to turn it on!
- To turn the pages – forwards or backwards – just click on the arrows at the bottom center.
- If you’re the type who likes ‘auto-pilot,’ there’s an icon on the left side of the arrows which will automatically flip the pages for you.
- The final icon on the left allows you to zoom in on any pages you like.
We’ve also installed a link at the end of the book which makes it easy for you to let us know what you thought of “Becoming Sgt. Pepper”. You can also use the comment section below this text to share your thoughts.
Click the icons below to go to the first book (Becoming Sgt. Pepper), the second book (Mad Days Out) or the third book (The Beatles The End).
Thanks again for your interest. Enjoy the ride!
M. Frank
Leave your comments below please!
Just fab!
Thanks Terry.
Perhaps ‘gear’ too?
M.
A great job done by all and The Beatles weren’t half bad either.
Well produced and easy to navigate clearly a lot of time and thought went into what you put in (and what you left out), I thought the balance in this respect was just right. Too much and therefore too long, you can lose your audience.
However “With The Beatles” you’re hardly likely to lose any audience.
The quotes were an excellent idea. The many American releases, that are less familiar here in the UK, make for an interesting contrast to what I recall from my upbringing in England.
Well done again.
Bill,
A lot of time – nearly 3 years – went into deciding what we put in (and what we left out). A very perceptive observation on your part.
The quotes were our Graphic Designer’s idea. All credit goes to her!
I was really conflicted over how much attention to give to the American releases vs the British ones. The Beatles were very frustrated by the way Capitol Records marketed them in America. They finally wrestled control away from Capitol with ‘Sgt. Pepper’ and kept that control ever after.
Thanks again for your kind words.
M
Michael,
What a marvelous piece of work you and your team have produced – many congratulations. Exceptional in every sense of the word! It brought back fond memories of my time in the 60’s when the world of music was dominated by the Fab 4. Thank you for rekindling those times in such an elaborate and evocative manner.
Really looking forward to the next step in the trilogy.
Ray
Ray,
High praise indeed! I’m touched.
It truly was a team effort. I’m not being humble when I say that I ‘only’ did the writing. The book would never have been finished without our Editor. And most of the positive feedback seems focused on the Graphics & the music.
Thanks also for sharing the book with your fellow ‘muckers.’ I’ve already heard from some of them!
M
I just wanted to comment most positively on your recent publication “Becoming Sgt. Pepper”.
It was a real trip down memory lane for me being of an age to have enjoyed every Beatles’ song as each was released. A few years after they disbanded my pop group The Scales of Justice played practically all the music that they had recorded.
But back to Becoming Sgt. Pepper….I loved the gently authoritative writing style of your publication with the facts rolled out in respect of each song. The book brought to my attention the subtle differences of some of the singles but mainly the content of some of the albums that were released in the States compared with the UK. I’m glad they quickly dropped the disturbing cover on Yesterday and Today! I had also not remembered the PR fiasco of their tour of the Philippines – upsetting Imelda Marcos, not a good idea.
The structure of your publication combining the prose with the associated song was particularly clever
All in all a very creative piece of work
Dave,
I greatly prefer the way Parlophone Records (the Beatles UK label) released the Beatles music – compared to the way Capitol Records handled it in America.
Parlophone was much less aggressive and basically released what the Beatles wanted released. But in America, Capitol was simply trying to release as much material as possible – as fast as possible.
This was a real sore point for the Beatles. And it was only when they re-negotiated their contracts with Capitol that they gained the upper hand and took control of what was released in America. Sgt. Pepper was the first album to contain identical material on both sides of the Atlantic.
Thanks again Dave.
M
I loved it. I had
forgot what really happened to cause the downfall. but the music was the best listening to all the old songs that ring true for today yet.
Hi Sandy. Thanks for your kind words. I completely agree with you: the old songs still sound great today!
M