Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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KLAATU

Canadian rock group '76-81. Eponymous debut LP of pleasant, layered pop by unknown session players Gary Draper, David Lang, Dino Tome and John Waloschuk was leased by Capitol to Daffodil in UK with no biographical info. A rock writer in the Providence Journal speculated '77 about re-formation of the Beatles, citing Klaatu as involving Beatle members (there was a similar rumour in the '60s about a group called the Futs). Capitol (Fab Four's USA label) compounded the rumour by circulating the article; sales of the LP (with self-consciously psychedelic reference points to Sergeant Pepper, Pink Floyd etc) soared as radio got into the act. When the secret got out, media and public interest in the group quickly waned, though they produced further LPs Hope '77, Sir Army Suit '78, Endangered Species '80, Magentalane '81, compilation Klassic Klaatu '82.