The Act You've Known for All These Years

For lack of a better term, I guess you'd call Clinton Heylin's book, The Act You've Known for All These Years: A Year in the Life of Sgt. Pepper & Friends, a piece of Rock Journalism. The book centers around the recording and release of the classic Beatles album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Heylin does well to include sections in the book concerning other important musicians and bands from the era, including: Bob Dylan, The Beach Boys, Pink Floyd, Cream, The Velvet Underground, Jimi Hendrix, etc. Extensively researched, the book contains many quotes from the band and those involved with the recording of Sgt. Pepper's, though Ringo seems conspicuously absent. An interesting read that avoids excessive hyperbole and idol worship.

Rating: 90%

(Image from amazon.ca)