Taking their name from the movie "The Day the Earth Stood Still", in 1976 Canadian band Klaatu released their album 3:47 EST, which refers to the time that the alien, Klaatu, arrived in Washington, D.C. in the film. In the U.S. and elsewhere, the album title was changed to Klaatu.
I bought this album partly for the music and partly for the hype.
COULD KLAATU BE THE BEATLES
In 1977 a journalist published an article speculating that this album could be by a secretly reunited Beatles. The story took hold and was almost as big as the 'Paul is dead' rumour.
Several things added fuel to the flames. The album had no names, no photos, no credits other than 'written by Klaatu' and the vocals and musical stylings were very close to Starr’s drumming, Harrison’s guitars and Lennon and McCartney’s voices.
SONGS
Klaatu were NOT the Beatles, obviously, but listen to 'Doctor Marvello' and especially 'Sub-Rosa Subway' and you could be swayed.
The two main tracks from the album were 'California Jam' which was a low level hit, and 'Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft', a 7+ minute song used to open the night transmission of pirate radio station Radio Caroline and later reached the Top Ten for The Carpenters.
If you miss the Beatles and have played all The Rutles, give Klaatu a listen.
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