Blue Öyster Cult release previously unseen homage to The Beatles

(Image credit: Blue Öyster Cult)

Rock legends Blue Öyster Cult have released a previously unseen video of the band performing an acoustic, harmony-laden version of The Beatles' 1964 single If I Fell. The footage was originally shot in April 2016 at Red Studios, Hollywood, on the day the band filmed the DVD release Agents of Fortune: 40th Anniversary Live.

"The decision was made not to use it at the time, but we were provided a 'rough cut' copy from which this is derived," say the band. "The audio was given the 'demix/remix' treatment and the video was processed to monochrome as an homage to A Hard Days Night."

The footage arrives in the wake of BÖC's 15th studio album, Ghost Stories, which was released last month. The songs on the album were originally recorded between 1978 and 1983 – with the exception of If I Fell – and include originals alongside a number of other covers, including The MC5's classic Kick Out The Jams, The Doors' Roadhouse Blues and We Gotta Get out of This Place by The Animals.

"Once we made the decision on what we were going to use, we used AI demixing software to separate the elements from the original tapes," said guitarist Richie Castellano, in a video accompanying news of the album's release. "It gave us something to mix with, but that process – even though it's getting better – it's not perfect."

Castellano is also a member of The Band Geeks, who back former Yes frontman Jon Anderson on his upcoming studio album TRUE.

Blue Öyster Cult have previously covered a number of Beatles' songs on stage, including I Want You/She's So Heavy, I Need You, Think For Yourself, Blackbird, Birthday and When I'm 64.

Artists

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 40 years in music industry, online for 27. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.