Beatles MP3 sent "Accross the Universe" by NASA Today

In approximately 300 years Earth time little green aliens in the Polaris star system will get their first taste of the Beatles, as today NASA has beamed an MP3 of Across the Universe from a base in Spain. They live an astounding 2.5 quadrillions miles away, whatever quadrillions are.

All this is to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the song and the 45th anniversary of the Deep Space Network that picks up and send signals from deep space.

Apparently Apple Records joked by saying that they don’t usually allow this kind of thing, but they will on this occasions because they “are always looking for new markets”.

One of the big questions is do aliens have ipod’s. NASA has reported that any listener would need the technology to encrypt the musical signal!

Paul McCartney’s written response to NAS on hearing the news has been , "amazing! Well done, NASA! Send my love to the aliens”.

Source: Christian Science Monitor

Image: Digger Digger Dogstar (the man's a genius)

Rock Revival's Top Twenty Beatles Covers

Found a new site today, The Compleat Beatles Covers, compiled by Karim Latib http://www.iro.umontreal.ca/~ratib/ which has every cover ever recorded, including a mind-boggling 10,768 covers of Yesterday. There is some horrendous stuff in there, here's some from 'A'

Acker Bilk Norwegian Wood

Andy Williams Something

Arthur Fielder and Boston Pops Hey Jude.

Alice Donut (?) Helter Skelter

Here is Rock Revival's list of the top 20 Beatles covers of all time (don't worry I didnt scroll through the whole site)

1. With a Little Help From My Friends: Joe Cocker (Woodstock)

2. Hey Jude Wilson Pickett (w. Duane Allman)

3. Here Comes the Sun Richie Havens

4. Day Tripper JimiHendrix

5. We Can Work It Out Stevie Wonder

6. Tomorrow Never Knows Phil Collins

7. Dear Prudence Siouxsie and the Banshees

8. In My Life Johnny Cash

9. Maybe I'm Amazed Joe Cocker

10. Help Roy Orbison

11. Got to Get You Into My Life Earth, Wind and Fire

12. Taxman (Start) The Jam

13. Day Tripper Vanilla Fudge

14. She's Leaving Home Billy Bragg

15. The Long and Winding Road Aretha Franklin

16. Happiness is a Warm Gun The Breeders

17. Come Together Zakk Wylde

18. Let it Be Ray Charles

19. Blackbird Jaco Pastorius

20. Let it Be Carol Woods/Timothy Mitchum

Image: Courtesy Apple

New Beatles Recordings Found ?

The New Musical Express, a British Magazine that had something to do with the success of the Beatles way back when, reports that an independent Miami-based record Company is in possession of never-before-heard Beatles tracks. We all know the story of the Beatles German success before conquering Liverpool and then the world. It seems tapes of the band's concert at Hamburg's Star Club (1962) have emerged, among the first with Ringo Starr.

A fifteen track CD is planned, with early covers, including those by Hank Williams and Maurice Williams and some of their own early published songs, including 'I saw her standing there'.

While we are on the subject I must recommend the great book, Can't Buy Me Love by Jonathan Gould, published late last year, just read it and while we know most of the stories it is very strong on providing the social and political background that explains some of the phenomenon that was the Beatles, why the girls screamed so much, why England was ready for Beatlemania, and how St Peppers was a critical product of it's time. He also takes great oains to explicate each album and each song, so it's a great reference book as well if you like to know about what your listening to.

Image: Courtesy Apple

Don't Believe The Hype ! Thom Yorke Says New Album is as Good As Revolver

With the recent release of Radiohead's In Rainbows in physical CD format Thom Yorke likens it to The Beatles Revovler, Bowie's Hunky Dory and Lou Reed's, Transformer. He claims, in a recent edition of Der Spiegel, that In Rainbows is their definitive album and harks back to the classic days of 45 minute LP's.

"I believe in the rock album as an artistic form of expression. In Rainbows is a conscious return to this form of 45-minute statement. Of course it was possible to make it shorter, but our aim was to describe in 45 minutes, as coherently and conclusively as possible, what moves us." Radiohead recived alot of press in October for releasing the album for free on their internet site, or rather asking fans to pay what they would like.

In Rainbows is clearly a good album but can it be compared with these classic albums in the history of rock ?

Which other modern albums could be candidates ? Here are my top 5

Nirvana Nevermind
Johnny Cash American Series
Rollins Band End of Silence
The Verve Urban Hymns
The Eels Blinking Lights and Other Revelations

Make your comments here........

Image: Courtesy Parlophone Capitol EMI