Blue Oyster Cult’s Richie Castellano Thinks Beatles’ AI Album Better Than Theirs

Blue Öyster Cult’s Richie Castellano has openly acknowledged that their latest album, Ghost Stories, aided by AI technology, doesn’t quite measure up to The Beatles’ achievements in this realm. The album, slated for release on April 15 through Frontiers, is a compilation of tracks from Blue Öyster Cult’s archives spanning 1978 to 1983, except for one piece recorded in 2016. It features a mix of original compositions and covers of iconic rock tunes by The MC5, The Doors, and The Animals, all reimagined with the assistance of artificial intelligence.

The process began with longtime band engineer George Geranios digitizing the original analog tapes. These tapes were then processed through AI software by Castellano and Steve Schenck for demixing and remixing. Despite the technological advancements, Castellano expressed that the AI demixing process isn’t flawless, stating, “It gave us something to mix with, but that process – even though it’s getting better – it’s not perfect.” Schenck noted the disparity between their approach and the advanced AI demixing utilized by Peter Jackson, mentioning the “dime store version” they had to employ compared to Jackson’s sophisticated MAL (machine audio learning) software utilized by The Beatles.

The album’s development included the addition of new elements by original Blue Öyster Cult members Eric Bloom and Donald ‘Buck Dharma’ Roeser, along with Albert Bouchard and Rick Downey on drums, and further overdubs by Joe Bouchard. This collaborative endeavor aimed to fuse the essence of classic rock with contemporary AI enhancements.

Accompanying the album announcement was the release of the single So Supernatural, which blends the band’s classic sound reminiscent of their ‘Spectres’ era with modern production, offering a fresh perspective.