Apollo: Atmospheres & Soundtracks, the seminal collaboration between Brian Eno, his brother Roger Eno, and Daniel Lanois was recorded as the score for what ultimately became For All Mankind, the landmark, Oscar-winning 1989 feature documentary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. The music was made in 1983 when director Al Reinhart was still calling the work-in-progress “Apollo.” It would take Reinhart nearly a decade to sort through six million feet of 16mm film related to the moon mission and then enlarge the individual frames to 35mm. The film features footage of the landing with real-time commentary, as well as the Apollo astronauts sharing their recollections of the momentous events surrounding it.
Now the original album has been expanded with additional material and remastered by Abbey Road’s Miles Showell. The music from Apollo has been used to great effect elsewhere, making it familiar to millions. Danny Boyle seems especially fond of it, using the Apollo music in Trainspotting, 28 Days Later, and during his opening ceremony for the 2012 Olympics held in London.
But what’s with the pedal steel guitar? Have you ever wondered about that? New Scientist magazine interviewed Eno in 2009 when his moon music was performed at London’s Science Museum and here’s what he said:
Why is there pedal steel guitar in the Apollo composition?
When director Al Reinert approached me about doing the Apollo music – which ended up in the 1989 film For All Mankind – he told me there was music on the moon shot. Every astronaut was allowed to take one cassette of their favourite music. All but one took country and western. They were cowboys exploring a new frontier, this one just happened to be in space. We worked the piece around the idea of zero-gravity country music.
Now you know. The eleven new tracks on Apollo: Atmospheres & Soundtracks finds the brothers Eno and Lanois working collectively again for the first time since the original sessions in 1983. It will be available on July 19 as a 2XLP 180 gram vinyl release in a gatefold sleeve, as a limited numbered 2CD edition with 24-page full color hardcover book, standard 2CD edition, special digital edition with exclusive cover art and a standard digital edition.
