Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band was released to universal acclaim in May 1967.

The people pictured on the cover were drawn from the entertainment industry, the world of art, literature, science and sport on the suggestion of Paul McCartney.

He hoped it would represent something more than just another Beatles album.

They included Bob Dylan, Marlon Brando, Marilyn Monroe, Marlene Dietrich, Laurel and Hardy, W.C. Fields, H.G. Wells, Oscar Wilde, Lewis Carroll, Dylan Thomas, Liverpool footballer Albert Stubbins and many more.

Actress Mae West was asked to appear and said: " What would I be doing in a lonely hearts club?" When the concept was explained to her, she agreed.

Some of the characters - Jesus, Gandhi and even Hitler - were considered at one point but were eventually dropped. Jesus was dropped because of the intense anger in the US after John had said The Beatles were more popular than Jesus Christ.

Gandhi was removed because, according to McCartney, the Head of EMI. Sir Joe Lockwood said that in India they wouldn't allow the record to be printed. Hitler almost made it, a cardboard cut out was included in some of the pictures. However, the album sleeve designer Sir Peter Blake said that after the controversial mess regarding the Jesus statement some people would see it as bad taste, so Hitler was pulled out.

Gallery owner Robert Fraser directed the cover shoot, which was photographed by Michael Cooper in his studio at Chelsea Manor, London.

The usual fee for a record cover was about £35, perhaps rising to £75 for an act as big as The Beatles. This cover broke the mould, the final cost, including copyright and retouching came to £1,367, Fraser and Cooper's fees came to £1,500 of which Blake received £200.

It spiralled him to artistic fame and he became artist in residence at the Royal Academy. He went on to produce other artists' record sleeves, which hopefully we can examine in the coming weeks.

Sgt. Pepper has worldwide sales well in excess of thirty million.

Sgt. Pepper, First pressings: Mono £150 Stereo £175

Michael Brooks

Rock historian