For Christmas, I was given a subscription to Paste Magazine, a music, literature and film magazine from the States with a decidedly alternative slant. Each mag comes with a sample CD and I have been listening to get an idea of the changing face of alternative music. Although it’s not my style, it is interesting and helps pass the hours at work.

I have noticed, however, that there is an increasing use of backwards samples – especially guitar – in ‘alternative’ music. Of the 15 songs on the album, 3 had backwards guitar samples. I have been informed that the Beatles started the trend on either Rubber Soul or Revolver when John Lennon started mucking around with the mixing desk. However, this may be a blatant lie. Either way, it is an interesting trend and I guess we’ll have to see how long it stays around…

[LATER POST] – This is what Wiki has to say on the Matter -

“Lennon was the main writer of “I’m Only Sleeping”. Harrison played the notes for the lead guitar (and for the second guitar in the solo) in reverse order, then reversed the tape and mixed it in. The backwards guitar sound builds the sleepy, ominous, and weeping tone of the song. This, along with backwards vocals used on the Beatles song “Rain” (recorded at the sessions and released separately, as B-side to the “Paperback Writer” Single) was the first recorded instance of backmasking, which Lennon discovered after mistakenly loading a reel-to-reel tape backwards under the influence of marijuana.”