To promote its new record label, Beck’s took inspiration from Thomas Edison’s phonograph — a precursor to the record player that used wax cylinders instead of vinyl discs — to create what it’s claiming is the world’s first playable beer bottle. And since Guinness is still battling with U2 over music rights, they just might be right.
Using a custom engraver and advanced software to help minimise the amount of noise being introduced during the ‘recording’ process, a pristine Beck’s bottle became the most unorthodox way to listen to Auckland band Ghost Wave’s single Here She Comes.
But unlike Pepsi’s past iTunes promotions, don’t expect to find one of these etched bottles in a 12-pack of Beck’s. Because no one outside of a museum really has access to a phonograph anymore, let alone one that can play back a beer bottle, it was a one-off creation designed to promote Beck’s label. And it’s too bad, because instead of scouring recycling bins to get a bottle’s deposit, it could have been a great way to build your music collection.
[Shine Limited via Laughing Squid]