The Beatles’ Surprising Contribution To Brain Science

09 Nov 2012 Leave a comment

by Ed Cyphers in General Posts Tags: ,

(Source: NPR)

The same brain system that controls our muscles also helps us remember music, scientists say.

When we listen to a new musical phrase, it is the brain’s motor system — not areas involved in hearing — that helps us remember what we’ve heard, researchers reported at the Society for Neuroscience meeting in New Orleans last month.

The finding suggests that the brain has a highly specialized system for storing sequences of information, whether those sequences contain musical notes, words or even events.

But the discovery might never have happened without The Beatles, says Josef Rauschecker of Georgetown University.

Listen to the full story here:

(Thanks, Elaine)

The Beatles’ First U.S. Show to Screen in Theaters

29 Apr 2012 Leave a comment

http://vimeo.com/39529074

he Beatles’ first show in the United States took place at the Washington Coliseum in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 11, 1964. Beatlemania unveiled its fresh face on the packed crowd of 8,092 fans in attendance over the course of a 12-song set that included “She Loves You” and “Twist and Shout.”

Over 40 years the footage of the historical event was lost, found and has yet to be seen by audiences—until now.

On May 17, Screenvision, in partnership with Ace Arts and Iambic Media will present a 92-minute documentary which features The Beatles’ first-ever U.S. concert, titled The Beatles: The Lost Concert. The documentary will be shown in theaters across America between May 17-22.

(Reprinted from Paste magazine)

Video by Ed Cyphers

The Beatles: Rooftop Concert

25 Mar 2012 Leave a comment

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=oWzs3YbtehI

On a cold day in January 1969, The Beatles, who hadn’t played live since 1965, took to the rooftop of the headquarters of Apple Records, located at 3 Savile Row, in central London. And there they played an impromptu last gig, much to the delight of Londoners on nearby rooftops … and to the chagrin of the police.

At the time, The Beatles were recording their final album, Let It Be, and the rooftop show let them run through various tracks from that last effort. Above, we have them playing “Get Back,” accompanied by Billy Preston on the keyboards. This longer clip shows them segueing from “Get Back” to “Don’t Let Me Down.” Next you can watch them jam through “I’ve Got A Feeling,” “One After 909,” and “Danny Boy.” And finally “Dig A Pony” and another version of “Get Back.”

Famously, The Beatles’ live legacy ends with the police shutting down the show (it was a noise violation, you know?) and John Lennon uttering the immortal words, “I’d like to say thank you on behalf of the group and ourselves, and I hope we passed the audition.” That’s going out in style…

Footnote: It’s not clear which band played the first rooftop concert, but one thing is for sure. Jefferson Airplane played their own rooftop gig on December 7, 1968, and Jean-Luc Godard filmed it. Once again, the police pay a friendly visit.

(Reprinted from: Open Culture)

Video by Ed Cyphers

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