New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Canadian musician Chris Dale is pretty sure you've never seen or really heard a Birotron. But, that you've heard its older brother - the Mellotron at the beginning of the Beatles 'Strawberry Fields Forever'. He also believes you've heard the end of Oasis' song 'Wonderwall', where a Mellotron cello sound drones on for 8 seconds before coming to a strangulated wobbly stop.
The famous Mellotron keyboard could play pre-recorded flutes, violins or cellos on tape for 8 seconds. However it's younger brother - the Birotron, could play infinite tape loops, but went unreleased despite over 1000 orders in the mid 70's, and is considered the 'world's rarest pop/rock instrument'.
Chris Dale is hoping the public might partake in making some music history. He has one of the only two existing complete and functioning Birotrons , as well as the original master tape library. He hopes to use crowdfunding at www.gofundme.com/birotron to preserve the Birotron sounds digitally, and save the 'world's rarest instrument' from extinction.
His project includes music producer Mark Plancke, Breaking Bad Vince Gilligan's 'hologram arts' instructor Jason Sapan, and moral support from Birotron inventor Dave Biro, and Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman.
In 1976, the Birotron was coveted all by the biggest names in music and received by almost no one. It was funded by Rick Wakeman and Pepperidge Farm grandson Hank Rudkin. It's an odd but interesting piece of music history awaiting to be re-discovered.
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