Beatles offer new way to 'Love' music

LONDON, Nov. 21 (UPI) -- The Beatles "as you've never heard them before" was the mission behind a new album of the group's music.

"Love" is the soundtrack to the Cirque du Soleil production based on the Beatles' music that's showing in Las Vegas. Original producer George Martin and his son, Giles, were charged with creating new, contemporized versions of the group's songs by raiding the vaults and mixing several songs together in fresh, imaginative arrangements.

"The pressure wasn't to protect the Beatles," said Giles Martin. "The pressure was to try to impress them all by making it more adventurous and further out -- so long as it made sense for the songs."

The younger Martin said that he "really thought I'd get the boot" after the Beatles camp heard his creations but he was pleasantly surprised that they were well received.

"We did this 'cause we were trying to do a show," he said, "but the byproduct is an album that's a really good listen -- dramatically a really good album to listen to."