Q

Sgt. Pepper at 50: Jann Haworth tackles the conspiracy theories surrounding the iconic album artwork

Artist Haworth reflects on the process of co-designing the Sgt. Pepper album cover.
The cover for The Beatles album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

The Sgt. Pepper album cover is arguably the most famous in popular music. Its pop art group portrait has been attributed to Peter Blake, but his then wife, Jann Haworth, was his collaborator and her contribution was overlooked at the time.

Haworth talks to q host Tom Power about the creative process behind the iconic image, which was supposed to be comprised of people whom the Beatles admired. Haworth also discusses some of the mythology surrounding the album  — "It's the grassy knoll" — and how she has processed the many interpretations of the album cover from the world at large.

"It's a very good lesson in being humble, sober and awake," she reflects.

— Produced by Vanessa Nigro