Jack White is a musician who has pretty much conquered all there is to conquer in the music world. Naturally, he began to turn his attention to a new frontier: space. On July 30 in 2016, White’s Third Man Records played the first vinyl record in space. Revisit this history making moment, below.
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On This Day: Jack White’s Third Man Records Plays First Record in Space
Space has mystified artists for as long as human history can recall. White certainly was enamored with the idea of broadcasting a song or two up there. He completed that goal on this day in 2016 with the help of a space-proof turntable, courtesy of engineer Kevin Carrico.
As one could likely guess, a lot of science went into this musical pursuit. The record had to be gold plated to ensure it could survive the rigors of space. A high-altitude ballon took the turntable on its journey into the upper atmosphere.
A lot of thought went into what would be played as well. What song is fitting enough to be the very first musical piece played in space? White went with “A Glorious Dawn” by composer John Boswell. Mixed in with the composition was a soundbite of scientist Carl Sagan talking about the vast universe. It had just the right melodrama to match the grandiosity of the moment.
“Our main goal from inception to completion of this project was to inject imagination and inspiration into the daily discourse of music and vinyl lovers,” White said of the project in 2016. “We hope that in meeting our goal we inspire others to dream big and start their own missions, whatever they may be.”
White’s Third Man Records can be credited for helping rebuild the popularity of vinyl records. As such, it makes perfect sense that White would be the man for this job. Revisit the moment, below.
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