The Beatles 1967

The Beatles 1967, hand-drawn in their iconic pose for a Look Magazine fold-out spread, published January 9, 1968. L to R: Paul McCartney age 25, Ringo Starr age 27, George Harrison age 24 and John Lennon age 27.

In August, 1967, The Beatles began recording their experimentation album, “Magical Mystery Tour”.

The sessions have been characterized by some biographers as aimless and unfocused, with the band members overly indulging in sound experimentation and exerting greater control over production.
McCartney contributed three of the soundtrack songs, including the widely covered “The Fool on the Hill”, while John Lennon and George Harrison contributed “I Am the Walrus” and “Blue Jay Way”, respectively.
The sessions also produced “Hello, Goodbye”, issued as a single accompanying the soundtrack record, and items of incidental music for the film, including “Flying”.

Previously released tracks – “Penny Lane”, “Baby, You’re a Rich Man”, “Strawberry Fields Forever”, and “All You Need Is Love” – were presented in stereo sound on Capitol’s stereo version of the United States LP.
Further to the Beatles’ desire to experiment with record formats and packaging, the EP and LP included a 24-page booklet containing song lyrics, colour photos from film production, and colour story illustrations by cartoonist Bob Gibson.

In late 1967, at the apex of the “Flower Power” era, Look Magazine commissioned famed photographer Richard Avedon to do a set of individual portraits of the members of the most popular rock and roll group of the day – the Beatles.
They had just completed recording “Magical Mystery Tour”.
Along with the Look article, there was a 4-page spread, dark landscape photographic fold-out print of the Fab Four by Avedon done for Look, as shown here. All four wearing dark black cloaks.

After appearing in the magazine, Look also offered the other photos as a set of four prints.
These original 1967 posters, in all their “far-out” colors, can truly be called psychedelic.

John Lennon’s kaleidoscope eyes, George Harrison as a mystical guru, Paul McCartney with his flowers, and Ringo Starr with the dove of peace, perfectly capture that fleeting moment in history.

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