SGT. PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND

I have often wondered why the Beatles and this album in particular were not included in this site. True if you listen to it now it doesn't sound that different - but in 1967 it caused a revolution in music which we will probably never see again. I first bought a copy in 1968 and it is still the only record I have kept since then. But is it "progressive rock"? If by progressive we mean new ideas, techniques and musical direction - then it fits the bill - not so much by today's standards but certainly the 60s ---- It was the first album that segued songs - first album to have a gatefold cover - first to print the words to the songs on the cover - it had fake live tracks - there was a soundbyte in the runoff track which would repeat if your player allowed - it had some kind of theme covering the songs - it suggested that "turning on" was the way to go. NOBODY was doing anything remotely like it in 1967. Many of the songs are pure pop that is true but that was the Beatles way. They realised they didn't fit the mould and moved on eventually to the 'white' album - almost the antithesis of Pepper, pure, simple pop songs with none of the elements of the former album. Sgt Pepper is not my favourite Beatles album but it definitely deserves to be included in any progressive rock site. I love the modern prog rockers like Flower Kings, Porcupine Tree, Neal Morse, Riverside, Fates Warning, Dream Theater to name a few and they all owe some homage to the Beatles who always did things differently - like plugging the guitar directly into the recording desk to get the heavy distortion on Revolution or the feedback on I Feel Fine or the backwards guitar on Rain --- we probably just don't think of them that way.