Have you heard the "real" Sgt. Pepper?



I've got a few different Sgt. Pepper albums around here:

* An old Capitol pressing from the 70s and another, more recent Capitol pressing to replace that one because it wore out.

* A "half-speed mastered" high-fidelity version from Mobile Fidelity Soundlab.

* And, of course, the CD that came out 20 years ago.

But none of those is the real Pepper. That I have on vinyl, too, in 1967 Capitol pressing. Why is it more real than the others? Because it's in mono.

That the mono version of Sgt. Pepper is any more genuine or even more desireable than the stero version may seem odd. Afterall, don't all the way-out sounds of this record sound groovier in stereo?

And, yeah, I've got to agree the stereo mix sounds pretty darn good. But, the thing is, the mono version is the album as the Beatles intended. And it sounds quite different. It's punchier throughout. The bass comes through stronger. The "Sgt. Pepper Reprise," especially, comes through more aggressively--it rocks more. And the songs that use sound effects, such as "Good Morning, Good Morning," are mixed quite differently. In short, it's a much different listening experience and one that should be enjoyed. If you can snag a vintage mono LP, or find a homemade CD copy of the mono mix, I heartily recommend it.

And, since Apple Corps/EMI so badly dropped the ball on giving us a 40th anniversary edition of the album, let's hope they're working right now on such a project--one that will include both the stereo and mono mixes of the album.

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