Before there was the Beatles Love in Las Vegas, there was another Beatles music extravaganza that was sanctioned by Lennon and McCartney (but not by Harrison or Starkey) called "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band on the Road." It played on Broadway for about 6 weeks at the Beacon theater. It had very mixed reviews. It seemed that people either loved it or hated it. Mostly it seems that everyone loved the music and the performers, but the story line and the strange costuming is what was disliked.
I am a big fan of Broadway musicals and I especially love the era of the "Rock Opera" and the boom of new musicals that hit the stage in the early 1970's, so this store of one of the original Broadway starring actors of the Sgt. Pepper play, B.G. Gibson was very interesting to me.
There were several things that stood out in this piece: I had no idea that Yoko Ono was at the premier of the musical the same night that John and May were there, the club that the after party was held was the Hippopotamus and not the Rhinoceros, the mental image of O.J. Simpson and Ben Veereen dancing is almost too much for me to take, I didn't realize that Peter Brown was so heavily involved with this musical.
This article comes from the Autumn 1994 issue of the Good Day Sunshine fanzine.
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band on the Road
(How a Beatle fan made it to Broadway on a Beatles Show!)
By B.G. Gibson
It was June of 1973 when I finished seven months of touring
in the concert version of “Jesus Christ Superstar” in Toronto, Canada. Having performed in the show on Broadway for
the better part of a year prior to the tour, I was anxious for a new musical
experience. Fortunately for those in New
York who were part of the rock musical theater/ concert scene in the late
1960’s/early 1970’s there were ample opportunities for employment. “Jesus Christ Superstar” had firmly
established the legitimacy of the rock opera on Broadway, more and more heavy
rock groups were booking engagements at theatres and traditional venues like
Carnegie Hall and contemporary musical works were being written specifically to
those ends.
After a short period of rest and relaxation in my hometown
of Trenton, New Jersey, I began making the rounds in New York City, reading the
trade papers and making contacts to decide what my next audition might be. I heard of an audition that would be held
for an upcoming rock spectacular based on the music of John Lennon and Paul
McCartney. There was no question that
that was the job I wanted. I was a
Beatles fanatic and had all their records and knew all their music backwards
and forwards. I couldn’t bear the thought
that I could miss out on this once in a lifetime dream opportunity!
Well, I got my music ready and when audition day rolled
around I hopped on the New York express train from Trenton ready to rock! As I recall. There were quite a few singers
at the audition (which I was used to by that time, but still not too happy
about) and by the end of the day no one had heard anything definite about the
casting of the show. All I did learn was
that the show was to be in the rock opera format comprised of Lennon/McCartney
compositions from the Sgt. Pepper and Abbey Road albums. So, in essence, my excitement peaked by my
anxiety deepened. As it turned out,
callback auditions were scheduled and throughout the summer of 1973 the process
of casting the Beatles spectacular continued until finally, in late August, I
received word that I had been cast and that further details would be
forthcoming!
To say that I was euphoric would have been a major understatement. However, my euphoria was short lived. Repeated calls to producer Robert Stigwood’s
office in New York proved fruitless.
Either I couldn’t get through to someone “in the know”, or my calls were
unreturned. After what seemed like years
of waiting. I received a call from Peter
Brown, president of the Stigwood Organization American Operations, who told me
that due to unforeseen and continued litigation concerning rights and
royalties, “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band on the Road” would be delayed
indefinitely. He said that all cast members
would be notified as soon as the production schedule and rehearsal dates were
firmed up. What a roller coaster ride
this had become in such a short time!
All things considered, except for periodic contacts with the Stigwood
office, the future of “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band on the Road” was a
mystery to me. All I kept hearing was “Negotiations
are still going on. We’ll let you know
when we know something definite.” Or “Nothing
new to report at this end, give us a ring in a couple of weeks.” Meanwhile, I had used up a complete
unemployment claim and had performed in two separate bus and truck tours of “Jesus
Christ Superstar” all the while hoping to hear something definite and positive
about “Sgt. Pepper.” Rumors were always
flying about what was happening with the show and it was beginning to be quite
confusing, frustrating, and depressing.
In late September of 1974, I got a call from Richard “Cy”
Denton, stage member of the “Pepper Company”, a little more than a year since
my first audition for the show. I was
told that rehearsals would be starting in early October. Specific details would follow. Elation immediately took over when I learned
that official rehearsals for the John Lennon/Paul McCartney rock spectacular
would commence at 10am on Monday, October 7, 1974 at the Ukrainian National
Hall, Greenwich Village, New York City, New York.
If I hadn’t worn groove through my Sgt. Pepper album by this
time, I certainly finished it off during the weekend prior to the first day of
rehearsal.
Throughout the 12 month waiting period we all endured, I
heard about the other cast members. I
was already acquainted with some and other would soon become new friends and
colleagues. When I think back to the
very early days in “Sgt. Pepper”, I remember it as one of the most exciting, positive
times I’ve had.
On the first day of rehearsal, the cast gathered and was
introduced to one another and things were brought to order by Tom O’Horgan, our
director. O’Horgan’s directorial achievements
include: Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, Lenny, Inner
City, The Leaf People, Dude, the Conjuror and many pieces for film and television
in America and Europe. Man of the cast
had worked under Tom’s direction in the past.
He is the ultimate professional, teacher, and inspiration. I was honored to be working with him
again. During my tenure in “Jesus Christ
Superstar” on Broadway, while I was finishing up my senior year of college by
day and commuting to New York to do the show at night, Tom showed continued
interest in my studies and added valuable insight for me. That’s Tom.
He always had time to share. To
this day, I am grateful for the influence he has had on my life.
As The Pepper Company, we sat together on that first day of
rehearsal and Tom welcomed us. He gave
us a quick synopsis of what had been going on with the production for the past
year. Among other things, royalty rates
and percentages had to be negotiated and agreed upon by Robert Stigwood and
John and Paul. The owners of the
Bushnell Theatre in Hartford, Connecticut, and the owners of the Beacon Theatre
in New York City had to come to terms with the producer concerning prices,
concessions, and length of run. And a
wide-spread national tour had to be, at least, partially put together before
rehearsals could begin. The
unpredictable schedules and varied commitments of John Lennon and Paul McCartney
were responsible for many of the delays, a fact that is easily
understandable. We all appreciated that
some of our questions had been answered, but, for me, quite frankly, just
knowing that rehearsals were finally underway and that I was part of this great
experience made up for all of the frustrations and disappointments I may have encountered along the way.
Tom turned the discussion to the business at hand and talked
us all through his conception of “Sgt. Pepper.”
It sounded like the typical extravaganza in true O’Horgan
tradition: “Sgt. Pepper” begins with a presentation of the “one and only Billy
Shears” who needs “somebody to love.” To
his rescue comes Maxwell’s Silver Hammermen:
Jack, Claw and Sledge, who are only too willing to help as long as the
price is right. In an effort to totally
control Billy, the Hammermen utilize a pair of magic spectacles to lead him
into the decadent life of sleazy dreams and the super hype of illusion. Billy Shears, however, repeatedly rejects
their advances and each time he does the hammermen reclaim the magic
spectacles, withdraw the enticing fantasy, and leave Billy all alone to
contemplate the “Nowhere man” that he has become. Finally, in a last ditch effort to win him
over, the Hammermen reveal Strawberry Fields, a pretty young girl who is in
their power and who Billy takes a liking
to right away. The happiness of Billy Shears and Strawberry Fields being
evident, the Hammermen waste no time in exploiting Billy and turning him into a
big star. Caught up in a whirlwind of
his own sudden self-importance, Billy takes off in his career with reckless
abandon, promptly forgetting Strawberry Fields.
Jack, Claw and Sledge Hammer, anxious to seize the moment and make Billy
one of them, devise an appropriate initiation ceremony for him. With success within their grasp, there is a sudden,
unexpected turn of events, leaving Billy to learn that “the love you take is
equal to the love you make.”
Although none of us knew how any of this would work out
theatrically or musically, our enthusiasm was high. As a matter of fact, the more impossible it
seemed, the more I was anxious to do it.
Musical scores were distributed, and we all sat around the piano and
sang through the show.
This is what a chronological list of musical numbers looked like:
Act I
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
With a Little Help from my Friends
Nowhere Man
With a Little Help from my Friends (reprise)
Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
I Want You
Come Together
Nowhere Man
Sun Queen
Lovely Rita
Polythene Pam
She Came in Through the Bathroom Window
You Never Give Me your Money
Lovely Rita (reprise)
Her Majesty
A Day in the Life
She’s Leaving Home
Strawberry Fields Forever
Getting Better
Act II
Because
When I’m Sixty-Four
Because (reprise)
Good Morning, Good Morning
Being for the Benefit for Mr. Kite
Oh! Darling
Fixing a Hole
Oh! Darling (Reprise)
Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite
Mean Mr. Mustard
Maxwell’s Silver Hammer
Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite
Carry that Weight
Golden Slumbers
Carry that Weight (Reprise)
The Long and Winding Road
Get Back
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
The End
The energy was so high during the first sing-through of the
show that it was incredible! It was such
a magical time that it seemed to me as if everyone knew the score perfectly and
we were ready to put on the show that very night. Of course, my adrenaline level had a lot to
do with that observation, but nonetheless it was the beginning of a very
special chapter in my life and I knew it was only going to get better. A real thrill for me personally was the
realization that the way the music had been arranged, the Hammermen were
largely responsible for singing the Beatle harmonies just as they were originally
recorded. So, being “Claw Hammer” the
tenor of the group, I got to sing most of Paul McCartney’s parts throughout the
show! What more could I ask for?
 |
| B.G. and the other Hammermen |
It was also interesting to see that couple of songs from the
Let it Be album had been included. After
a year of involuntary hiatus, the excitement was building fast and furious from
day one! After lunch break, Tom staged
as many scenes as time would allow and at 6 p.m. the first day of “Sgt. Pepper”
rehearsals came to an end.
The train ride back to Trenton that night was like floating
on air. I was tired and hungry and
filled with the satisfaction of work well done and the exciting anticipation of
the days and events yet to come. After
just one day, I was thoroughly convinced that it had been well worth the wait,
and I had renewed pride in my convection to stick with the Beatles through it
all!
As rehearsals progressed one day was more phenomenal than the
next. I loved every second of it! Tom directed with his usual brilliance and incorporated
many of the little amusing and pertinent “bits” that we tried out for him
during the course of blocking the show.
Certain ideas and conceptions that Tom laid out of us at the beginning
of any particular segment of rehearsal would frequently grow and evolve into
something even more fantastic or bizarre as the cast went with their gut
reactions and tendencies based upon where the music and theatrics were taking
them. We would find ourselves in a
different place than where we started out to be and, usually the result was so
right that Tom would revamp his original premise to fit what had happened.
To my elation, the Hammermen were required to be onstage for
about 85% of the sum total of the show.
And the large majority of our stage “business”, singing and non-singing
was to be done in perfect cadence with one another, sort of loosely
choreographed or street-synchronized. (Tom was a master at taking street
reality and putting it, seemingly untouched, on the stage).
It was said somewhere along the way that the Hammermen were
rock’s version of the Marx Brothers.
Bill Parry (Sledge,) Allan Nicholls (Jack) and I were virtually
inseparable from the first day of rehearsal.
Our mutual admiration for the Beatles was understood and it was
suggested at the outset that we spend considerable time together in an effort
to more effectively develop our group characters. As it happened, this suggestion was hardly
necessary. WE spent most every rehearsal
day together, even staying at the rehearsal hall most days when the rest of the
cast took their lunch break so we could toss around a baseball or football, or
experiment with our “Hammer Harmonies” or other songs around the piano. The energy among us was natural and
incredibly high.
With the Broadway opening of “Hair,” Tom O’Horgan was the
originator of the use of hand-held microphones for advanced sound production in
American Theatre. For Sgt. Pepper,
hand-held microphones were also used and although the sound was sensational,
the implementation of hand-held microphones brought with it a necessary evil
which came to be known as “mike traffic”
“Mike traffic” is not too difficult to understand. Each microphone is
connected by a cable to a sound soloists throughout the show must share
microphones. In trading off the
microphones, the actors must be aware that the cables don’t get crossed or
knotted and cause disaster onstage. To
avoid such disaster, entire segments of rehearsals were devoted to “mike
traffic,” the careful passing of microphones over and under appropriate cables
to eliminate dangerous stage obstruction.
Literally hours at a time were spent this way; no singing, no staging,
just meticulous microphone handling with special attention to the position and condition
of cable wires. In rehearsal, where no
sound equipment was set up, we used cut-off broom handles for microphones which
were tied to clotheslines. This worked perfectly, as clotheslines proved
to be just as difficult to deal with as cable wire. On this particular day of rehearsal, we had
worked the first half of the day on Acts I and II, stopping often to clean up
scenes which weren’t just what Tom wanted.
This type of rehearsing is particularly trying, as it causes you to
constantly break concentration and energy and start up again and again.
Rehearsals had been in progress a couple of weeks now and I
was always in anticipation of seeing someone wildly famous shows up like—you know
who! My expectations were supported just
a few days later when I was surprised to see Elliot Gould sitting the audience
section of the hall watching rehearsal in progress. Elliot Gould was a friend of Tom O’Horgan’s
and stopped by to say hi and observe the goings on.
Well on this day, we finished touching up Acts I and II and
broke for lunch. The Hammermen stayed
behind, as usual, and had lunch while playing kick-soccer with a balloon, confined
to three wooden chairs! Just one of the
zany ways we had of relaxing. The cast
reassembled after lunch and Director O’Horgan called for Act I “mike traffic” rehearsal. That’s show biz! So, we began the tedious procedure form the
top of the show and worked out way through most of the act, weaving broom handles through
yards of clotheslines, trying to work it to perfection so that Tom would be
satisfied and so that “mike traffic” rehearsal might decrease in frequency in
the future. After about an hour, the
stage manager called for a ten minute break and every broom handle in the
building hit the floor. Bill Parry and I
headed for a couple of folding chairs, out of break and perspiring after what
was proving to be a somewhat frustrating day.
I leaned back in my chair as Bill leaned forward to retie his
sneaks. I glanced in the direction of
the doorway leading into the rehearsal area.
A small group of people were making their way into the room. As I remember, there were three men and a
woman. Bill and I, meanwhile, were
discussing the progress of the rehearsal and how we had both seen better
days. Again I glanced at the four
visitors heading our way.
“Hey, Bill,” I stated casually, “this guy looks something like
Lennon. What d’ya think?” Bill looked up for a moment and said nothing,
then went back to adjusting his knee pads.
Almost shocking myself with what I had just said and what I
was seeing, I looked again. The tallest
of the three men was bespectacled and wore a floppy hat, and a diminutive
oriental woman walked beside him. They
were rapidly advancing and I nudged Bill in the shoulder with my arm. With urgency in y voice, I whispered in the direction
of his head, my eyes glued to this mysterious visitor, “Bill! This guy REALLY looks like Lennon!”
Ever in control and world-class guy, Bill finally answered
back, “Well of course it is, B.G.. What do
you need, a written invitation for proof?”
I was totally awestruck.
I’m sure Tom introduced john to the cast, but I really don’t remember
any of that. I was definitely in some
type of number state. Thinking back now,
the next think I remember is rehearsing from the top of Act II while John
Lennon sat and watched! I guess Act II
rehearsal went really well. I had all I could
do to keep from gawking in John’s direction like the world’s biggest Beatlemaniac
the entire time. What I do remember and
shall never forget for as long as I breathe is being introduced to John by
Peter Brown in the company of Tom O’Horgan, Bill Parry, and Allan Nicholls at
the end of that day’s rehearsal. He didn’t
say much to anyone but he did say to the Hammermen as a group that he enjoyed
our harmonies! To make the best day of
my career absolutely perfect, the Hammermen got to pose with John Lennon for a
picture! Again my mind blanks at this
point and resumes on the Amtrak Trenton local somewhere outside of New York,
hurling darkly through the vast industrial wasteland of New Jersey. I can recall thinking that if the train
suddenly disappeared from the face of the earth, it would be o.k. It was if my entire life had come full circle
on that very day. Also, John’s
companion, who I was later introduced to, was May Pang. I was to learn that this was a period of
separation for John and Yoko and that his steady partner through it all was Ms.
Pang. But the only thing that mattered
to me as I traveled back to the town where I heard my first Beatle songs and
bought my first Beatle record was that I had met John Lennon!
Lennon was the high point for everyone in the cast as we all
buzzed with excitement for at least a week after his visit. Adding to the excitement was the need to be
ready for the world premiere of “Sgt. Pepper” at the Bushnell Theatre in
Hartford. Wrapping up rehearsals at the
Ukrainian National Hall, Tom got us ready for our first performance before a
live audience. The bus ride to Hartford
from New York City was a magical mystery tour in itself for the cast. Spirits were never higher as we checked into
the Hartford Hilton and headed to the theatre to rehearse. With our first performance only days away, we
had only a couple of rehearsals with lights, sets, costumes, props, and make-up
to be ready. This was an awesome task
considering the types of special effects Tom had employed: there were the helium-filled weather
balloons, which projections bounced off of while the Hammermen rotated them out
over the audience in slow motion. There
were the hundreds of pink Styrofoam Frisbees which the cast hurled into the
audience at the end of Act I. There was
a 30-foot Lucille Ball look-alike Statue of Liberty which was moved onto center
stage to reveal “Polythene Pam.” There
were the “Hammer Headdresses” that the Hammermen wore in Act II. There were the giant grandma and grandpa
puppets who danced to “When I’m Sixty-Four.”
There were the super life-sized busts of Mick Jagger and David Cassidy,
the huge wristwatch and hand, the smiling lips and teeth, and the
larger-than-life octopus. There was also
a Mylar confetti shower to be timed with “The End.” Adding to all this was the announcement by
the City Council of Hartford that the Saturday of the world premier weekend had
been declared “Sgt. Pepper Day” in honor of the Beatles and the show!
Bushnell Park, across from the Bushnell Theatre, was the
site of “Sgt. Pepper Day,” replete with games, music, balloons, and general celebration
of the Beatles. It was quite informal,
peaceful, and very enjoyable and relaxing.
Glaringly missing from the day’s events was any hype of the show’s
opening or ticket information. “Sgt.
Pepper” had been completely sold out in Hartford long before the cast had even boarded
the bus in New York City.
As a member of the cast, I would say that the world premiere
of “Sgt. Pepper” went much as expected.
A sell-out, standing room only crowd cheered, whistled, and stomped
through the production, although the reality of performance indicated to all of
us that we still needed work on problem areas and unforeseen spots, which only
performance experience could make us aware of.
Fortunately, the production schedule allowed for this happenstance and we
left Hartford to “set up shop” in Beacon Theatre on 74th and
Broadway for several days of rehearsal prior to the New York opening.
Using the Harford premiere as a guideline, Tom O’Horgan rectified
problem areas and began to customize the show to the Beacon Theatre stage,
which was to be our home for a while.
Hard work, long hours, and opening night was at hand. The Beacon Theatre had a seating capacity of
almost 2600 seats, which is roughly 1000 seats more than most other Broadway
houses and is one of the major reasons the Beacon was selected as the site of
the show. Major crowds of people were
expected. On the day of opening night,
the cast was to arrive early for a sound check.
The first thing to greet the Hammermen as we walked into our shared
dressed room were three bouquets of flowers, three bottles of Dom Perignon, and
cards which read, “Best wishes, Paul and Linda McCartney.” Serious jitters and stage fright like I’ve
never known before began for me right then and there. The countdown to the opening night curtain
continued. Half-hour was called by the
stage manager and we climbed into our costumes and dabbed on our make-up. I pulled the all-time theatrical no-no by
sneaking into the wings and peering out into the audience like an excited kid
at midnight on Christmas Eve. There was
tom O’Horgan, the father magician, in top hat and tails, and from the back of
the auditorium Yoko Ono emerged and paraded down the aisle to her seat.
“It was twenty years ago today…” The opening chords of “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely
Hearts Club Band” rang out into the darkened theatre and an immediate roar went
up from the crowd. As the curtains
parted and the Hammermen high-stepped out onto the open stage, the audience
gave us a standing ovation! Front row
center were Johnny and Edgar Winter. A
few rows behind them Carol Channing could be seen. Farther back in the orchestra section to the
right was Alice Cooper. And of course,
John Lennon was out there somewhere, too!
Every new Beatle song prompted a standing ovation from the wildly
enthusiastic opening night fans. It
seemed as if we were playing to a mob of adoring Beatlemaniacs! The cast gave a greatly received opening
night performance and when it was over, we all changed into our best regalia to
attend our opening night party at a club called “Rhinoceros.”
The scene at “Rhinoceros” was another example of mass
hysteria we had all witnessed at the Beacon Theatre. Security was tight and just getting in the door
took about 20 minutes! Andy Warhol sat
in a corner of the room, characteristically calm and passive. Rod Stewart, Sally Kellerman, and Andy
Williams drank with friends and admirers at the bar. O.J. Simpson and Ben Vereen were moving on
the dance floor. Howard Duff, Art
Garfunkel, Desi Arnaz Jr., Polly Bergen, Dave Loggins, and Mackenzie Phillips
all chatted with members of the cast. To
me, this was like being in the show biz hall of fame! As the party progressed into the night, I
rubbed elbows with Robert Hegyes, Andy Kaufman, Laraine Newman, Davy Jones and
film direction Robert Altman. It was an
ongoing, escalating high with culminated, for me, when the Hammermen approached
John Lennon at an opportune moment and I kiddingly asked him, “Tell me, John,
is there any truth to the rumor that the Beatles will be getting back together?” John looked at the three of us and said, “As
far as I’m concerned, the Beatles were reunited up there on stage tonight.” Seizing the moment, I got the cast
photographer to take a picture of John and myself and a couple of
party-goers. Then was back into the
opening night celebration, meeting new friends like celebrities Frankie Valli,
Meatloaf, Wood Allen and Vicki Sue Robinson.
It was in the wee hours of the morning when the party finally spilled
out into the streets of New York City, leaving the cast of Sgt. Pepper to
recreate the Beatle magic night after night.
“Sgt. Pepper” continued to play to packed houses of
enthusiastic crowds, and celebrity visitors kept dropping by to wish us
well. Beverly D’Angelo, Karen Carpenter,
Daryl Hall and John Oates, and John Kennedy Jr. (replete with a squad of Secret
Service agents) all made appearances at one time or another. Before a particular Sunday matinee in
December, stage manager Dick Denton visited our dressing room to announce yet
more celebrity visitors.
“Gentlemen,” he said, “I’m here to inform you that Paul and
Linda McCartney will be in the audience of today’s performance.”
Excitement and anxiety began to well up inside me, very
reminiscent of opening night. I knew it
wasn’t professional behavior but I couldn’t help but search the audience for a
glimpse of Paul. I had been tipped off
that he was sitting on the aisle somewhere in the middle of the orchestra
section. I finally did spot him. The
stage lights washed out into the house and the row that Paul was sitting in was
just about the last row visible through the illumination. Beatlemania again took me over, but with it
came a pang of paranoia. I had a solo to
sing near the end of Act I: “she’s
Leaving Home,” and out in the house on this particular day was the man who
originally co-wrote and sang it! During
the slow motion sequence at the end of “A Day in the Life,” Allan (Jack Hammer)
handed me the microphone and realizing my nervousness, smiled and whispered, “Good
luck!” Thanks Allan. Well, I got through “She’s Leaving Home” and
we all got through that Sunday’s performance.
Meanwhile, this Hammerman was ready to meet Paul!
My meeting Paul took place on the set of “Sgt. Pepper” after
the final curtain had come down and the audience had cleared the theatre. Paul looked natty in a three piece English
suit, and was accompanied by Linda and their two daughters. Peter Brown was on hand to do the
introductions all around. When Peter
introduced us he said, “Paul, this is B.G. Gibson.” As we shook hands, Paul smiled and said, “Too
much, B.G!” It was really like a family
affair, with pictures being snapped here and there, Paul chatting with members
of the Pepper Company, and Linda and the girls smiling about the set. Before too long, some posed photos were
organized and the Hammermen prepared for the camera. When it was our turn, Paul, Linda and the
Hammermen smiled and said “cheese” and it was over. Paul said, “I’ll take a dozen ten by eights.”
And we all had a laugh. Another very
satisfying trip back to Trenton that evening made me very proud indeed. Having met John Lennon and Paul McCartney—could
George and Ringo be far behind?
“Sgt. Pepper” was still going strong, when, during his
current concert tour Elton John was joined onstage at Madison Square Garden by
John Lennon. Elton had released his
cover version of “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” to coincide with the opening
of the show, and on the night of the Madison Square Garden concert, “The Pepper
Company” received word that we had been invited to Elton John’s opening night
party at the hotel Pierre in Manhattan.
After the show that night, the Hammermen headed straight for the Hotel
Pierre. When we arrived, John Lennon was
heading straight toward us and one of the cast members asked where we should
go. “Go right on in,” John quipped, “they’re
all waiting for you in there!”
Meanwhile, I ducked into the men’s room and, moments later, in came John
Lennon! He used the stall next to the
one I was using. John and I were really becoming
close friends.
The Hammermen made their way into the main ballroom and
beheld the Larry Elgart Orchestra playing dance music for the celebrity-studded
party crowd. We were seated at a table with Patti LaBelle and her singing
partners Sarah Dash and Nona Hendryx and sooner than we could realize, we were
in the receiving line to meet Elton John and Bernie Taupin. The entire evening was another super charged
experience that had become commonplace since “Sgt. Pepper” had entered my life.
It was a sad day for us all indeed when, on New Year’s Eve,
the closing notice for “Sgt. Pepper” was posted on the call board backstage at
the Beacon Theatre. Reasons for the
closing were never articulated t the members of the cast, but all plans for the
tour were also shelved, and so in early January of 1975, the last performance of
“Sgt. Pepper” became a beautiful memory for us all.
As a final note to my “Sgt. Pepper’s lonely Hearts Club Band
on the Road” story, I was invited to one fo the many parities that were thrown
following the 1975 Grammy Awards presentation in New York City a few months
after the show had closed. Again, it was
a very special time. I met former Blood,
Sweat and Tears keyboardist Dick Halligan, Dr. John, guitarist Steve Cropper,
long-time Temptations lead singer David Ruffin and Stevie Wonder who had captured
five Grammies at the awards ceremony that night. But, looking back most fondly, I remember
seeing, sitting with friends, John Lennon, who with Paul McCartney made this
dream in my life come true.
