Monday, March 26, 2012

Calling occupants of interplanetary craft, or, the Southern Television broadcast interruption hoax

Per the Wikipedia write-up... This is the supposed extraterrestrial broadcast interruption in England in 1977. The message, from "Asteron" (Ashtar?) warns Earthlings to destroy their "weapons of evil." While this is a laudable admonition--whoever it's from--I had an "ah ha" moment today... It reminded me of the Klaatu song that came out a few months earlier (which I taped off of a college radio station in early '77): Klaatu's "Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft." I really liked Klaatu's song. Those not of my generation will have no idea of what I'm talking about, but this song created a minor buzz, since a rumor was allowed to spread implying that Klaatu was really the Beatles (think, Green Day and their several anonymous bands). So I'm thinking that the Southern Television anomaly was likely a spoof of the Klaatu song (which the Carpenters covered, not very well).

A side note: I bought the CD single of the Carpenters song in the early '90s at a record convention from the late David Hall, Nashville DJ and one of the greats. So this song is quite imprinted in my psyche.The year 1977 was quite abuzz with rumors of both a Beatles reunion, and, landings from interplanetary craft. Neither, to my knowledge, happened.

Klaatu has since been reincarnated and now survives as the band called "Beady Eye" (who's "Still Speeding" LP is fab).

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