March/April 1967: Paul's Record

 

    Here is another Sgt Pepper-era Paul McCartney on a rainy evening in March-April 1967 holding a record from his collection while arriving to or leaving EMI Studios. It is unknown who the woman sitting next to Paul is, although it is possibly Jann Haworth (artist in her own right and wife of artist Peter Blake, both of whom were working on the Sgt Pepper cover at this time).

    The album we see held to Paul's chest is the back cover of Roy Harper's Sophisticated Beggar LP. Released in the week ending 18 March, this album came out on the short-lived Strike label (co-owned by Lionel Segal and Adrian Jacobs; founded in 1966 and folded in 1967 - later revived for a year in 1988). While I cannot hear a strong influence of Harper's folky style on Pepper, he was widely influential on the UK music scene and bands such as Led Zeppelin (whose 1970 Led Zeppelin III album closed with the track 'Hats Off to (Roy) Harper') and Pink Floyd (who featured Harper on 1975's 'Have A Cigar' from Wish You Were Here).