A time capsule containing music from The Who, Santana, Jimi Hendrix, Marvin Gaye, and more than 200 other artists is now sitting on the Moon, thanks to a private space company called Space Blue.
The company launched the Odysseus spacecraft last week, and successfully landed it on the lunar surface last Thursday.
The spacecraft carries a playlist of 25,000 songs, selected by Santana and his team, to represent the history and diversity of rock and roll, as well as its message of peace and love.
Santana said he wanted to create a musical tribute to the artists who inspired him, and to share their music with the universe. “This is music that stands the test of time,” he said.
Among the songs are those that focus on the year 1969, when the U.S. first landed on the Moon, and when the legendary Woodstock festival took place, featuring some of the most iconic performances of all time.
“We need peace on Earth right now,” Santana said. “We’ve brought to the Moon the 'Summer of Love', the people and artists and messages that are needed on Earth right now.” He was referring to the cultural movement of 1967, when hippies, activists, and musicians advocated for social change and harmony.
Other artists represented in the time capsule are Bob Marley, Elvis Presley, and Chuck Berry, who are widely regarded as pioneers of rock and roll. The time capsule also contains photos from Woodstock, and the album art for Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon, which features a prism and a rainbow, symbolizing light and sound.
One of the most intriguing items in the time capsule is a set of unreleased recordings by Jimi Hendrix. The recordings were made before he formed his Jimi Hendrix Experience, in 1966, and show his early experimentation with different styles and genres.
Santana said he obtained the recordings from a friend of Hendrix, who gave him permission to use them for the time capsule. He said he was honored to share them with the world, and to preserve them for posterity.
The time capsule is expected to remain on the Moon for at least 10 years, according to Space Blue. The company said it plans to send more musical time capsules to other celestial bodies in the future, such as Mars, asteroids, and comets.
Santana said he hopes that his project will inspire people to appreciate the power and beauty of music, and to celebrate the legacy of rock and roll. “Music is the universal language,” he said. “It transcends time and space and connects us all.”
[Source: Classic Hits Today]