The one album that changed everything for Bryan Cranston: “That blew my mind”
Bryan Cranston is a master of reinvention. He first rose to prominence as the title character’s dentist on the sitcom Seinfeld before landing a regular role in another hit comedy, Malcolm in the Middle. Then, in 2008, he shocked the world with his nuanced and terrifying portrayal of Walter White, the morally dubious chemistry teacher at the centre of AMC’s hit show Breaking Bad. Now, he has settled into an elder statesman sort of role, able to play pretty much whatever he wants with aplomb and respect.
Acting was always going to be a possibility for the young Cranston. His father, Joseph, was a jobbing performer in the 1950s and 1960s, appearing on TV shows like General Electric Theater, an anthology series presented by future president of the United States, Ronald Raegan. Performers like his dad weren’t the only inspiration in Cranston’s youth, however, as he also found creative fulfilment in the world of music.
Speaking with NME, the Oscar-nominated performer laid out some of the songs and records that meant the most to him. He referred to Simon and Garfunkel’s ‘Mrs Robinson’ as the first song he fell in love with and recalled the first concert he ever went to, a show by BB King secured by a friend’s father. However, there was only one answer to the question of which album ‘changed his life’.
“I was 11 years old when Sgt. Pepper’s came out and that blew my mind,” he said. “I thought: ‘Can they actually do this? This is The Beatles, right?’ It was incredibly bold to take on characters with their music. I was exploring too, as a young actor doing plays and theatre. I didn’t then realise that bands could take on personas and go into a completely different realm to what I was familiar with. When I listen to it now it’s still amazing.”
Cranston wasn’t the only person blown away by Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (to give it its full name) upon its release in 1967. The first album released by the Fab Four following their decision to retire from touring, this was the first of their records designed solely to be listened to on vinyl. That meant they were limited by performing the songs live, so were able to push the boundaries of what was capable by a pop band. The idea to embody each song with a character, in the spirit of an Edwardian variety show, is actually abandoned about two songs into the album, but its imagery, aided by its legendary cover art, remains one of music’s most enduring sights.
While Cranston has never appeared in any of the thousands of Beatles movies that exist in the world, he has come close. In 1996, Cranston appeared in the Tom Hanks-directed That Thing You Do!, playing real-life American astronaut Gus Grissom. The movie follows the exploits of a band called The Wonders (originally spelt ‘Oneders’) as they rise to fame following the success of their debut single. The movie takes more than a few cues from a certain group from Liverpool and their own story.
Maybe one day Cranston will fulfil his dream and work with a Beatle or two, but for now, he’s probably just happy to have had his life touched by the kaleidoscopic magic of their revolutionary album.
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