11:57am UK, Saturday September 05, 2009
Almost 40 years after they split, the Beatles are set for a big comeback - as video stars of a new computer game about the Fab Four.
The video game expects to create a new generation of Beatlemaniacs
The band are set to earn millions over the next week as fans across the world snap-up Beatles Rock Band, the year's most anticipated video game.
It's hoped the software - which features many of the Fab Four's greatest hits - will help sell the band to a new generation of Beatlemaniacs.
So why has one of the most protected back-catalogues in the music world been turned into a game?
A game which is sure to have just as much success with the older generation after a few glasses of wine as it is with the kids.
Sky News took a magical mystery tour into the famous walls of Abbey Road Studio 2 with Giles Martin.
The Fab Four
He's the game's music supervisor, as well of course as being the son of a certain Sir George.
"I'd worked with my father before on Love," he says, explaining how the project came about.
"Then the game came up and I was thinking 'is this the right thing to do?'. Initially when I first started doing it I thought I was going to be lynched by a Beatles fan, but it's moved on since then."
Giles walks over to lean against two pianos, one was used for A Day In The Life, one for Lady Madonna.
It's quite a contrast to the plastic Rock Band Rickenbacker he has in his hands.
"The Beatles themselves want their music to go to new generations," he explains.
Izzy Maxwell, Sound Designer on Rock Band series.I don't know if this will replace CDs or replace downloads, but I think it's something that's going to have to be recognised.
"And I think that I do this to try to make the music as accessible to people as possible."
It's easy to see why the remaining Beatles, plus Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison want a piece of the video game market.
Over four million people bought the original Rock Band game.
And with the cost of the Beatles software and instruments ranging from £40 to £180 - it stands to be a bumper payday.
Plus there's the revenue from downloads - more Beatles Rockband albums will be made available online at a cost of about £11 each.
This is fast becoming THE new way to sell music.
"It definitely is becoming a new legitimate medium for music to be released in," explains Izzy Maxwell, who helps design the sound for the Rock Band series.
"I don't know if this will replace CDs or replace downloads, but I think it's something that's going to have to be recognised."
So what do the experts think of the digital Fab Four experience?
We enlisted the help of The Bootleg Beatles, the world's favourite tribute band, who will kick off another massive UK tour in December.
"Er, I thought we were the real thing?," says 'George', clutching his plastic Gretsch.
"No it was great. I really enjoyed it thank you, yes," he adds.
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