Publius Enigma

When I was a teenager, this was the first example I encountered of fandom being thrilled by a phenomenon, only for the band itself to say they had no idea of it and it was a marketing department’s idea. In spite of whatever cachet of rebelliousness and individual creativity rock still had then, many bands were already functioning as whole corporations, with teams of assistants producing much of the band’s image.

About 1970, there was much speculation that Paul McCartney was dead. Offered as evidence were the album cover of Abbey Road, in which Paul walks barefoot, the others shod, and a song that played backwards might include the words "Paul is dead." There may have been other bits of evidence, but those are the only I remember. The speculation ended after some days when McCartney, who had been relaxing on one of his properties, returned to the public eye.

It did not occur to me then that this might have been somebody's publicity stunt, but I was a lot younger and hadn't heard the word "marketing".

The same pseudonym "Pubilus" was used by James Madison & crew to write the federalist papers.

Perhaps just an early attempt at viral marketing?

Given the time I suspect there was to much dope involved. Also the internet was the wild west so I suspect a guerrilla action from EMI records.

As another user pointed out, the internet was the wild west at the time. So it could very well be a guerrilla action from EMI records.

If you think this is cryptic, just check out some of the numerology around Boards Of Canada.

Craig Wright did it.