It's the pelvic thrusts, that really drive you insa-a-a-a-ne...

Let's do the time-warp again!

I thought it would be fun to 'take a jump to the left' and have a look a songs which have a science fiction theme...and they are an intersting and gruesome bunch.

I heard one of these on the radio, which set me thinking... what goes through the minds of a band (not to mention a record label) when they record anything a bit off the beaten track, whether it be one of these space-oddities, a novelty record or - adn probably the worst - a country and western song.

OK, to be sure, some have become classics - like David Bowie's 'Space Oddity', to which he even recorded a sequal of sorts (Ashes to Ashes). Most just provide some brief amusement and there is no doubt that plenty of today's Pop
Princesses use lots of SF imagery in their videos - Rhianna, Sugababes, Christina, Britney...but I am not sure that any of their songs will qualify for the list. I'll have to think a bit further on that one (wasn't Britney on Mars for the 'Oops, I did it again' Video? Why??).



I've put together a short list, which is hardly extensive or exhaustive and I'm only including songs which actually have a SF theme or reference, so no Aerosmith, thank god!, and I refuse to ever include an Elton John song no matter what, because he is a grumpy, fat old git - so no Rocket Man.

I give you Darkweather's Science Fiction pop songs!

Another Girl, Another Planet - The Only Ones
Are Friends Electric? - Gary Numan -
Black Planet - Sisters of Mercy
Calling Occupants... - Carpenters
Do You Believe in the Westworld? - Theatre of Hate
Doctorin' the tardis - Time Lords
Flight 19 - BA Robertson
Girl From Mars - Ash
International Rescue - Fuzzbox
Mulder and Scully - Catatonia
O Superman - Laurie Anderson
Planet Claire - B 52s
Planet Earth - Duran Duran
Planet of Sound - Pixies
Space Oddity - David Bowie
Science Fiction - Divinyls
Sex Crimes (1984) - Eurithymics
Space Girl Blues - Devo
Star Trekkin'- The Firm
Starship Trooper - Sarah Brightman
Super Hero Suits - Those Dancing Days
Surfing on A Rocket - Air
Technologic (and, well, anything really) - Daft Punk
Time Warp - Rocky Horror
Twighlight Zone - Gloden Earring
Where's Captain Kirk? - Spizz



Definitely gruesome!

Mercury Theatre on the Air ... again.

Although for so long I have resisted having a blog, finally I figured that I may as well add my ramblings to the endless babble that spews forth from the internet, even if it's just to amuse myself . But then, after all, if only one person reads my blog and gets something from it, I figure it's worth it. Music would be my blog of choice, but to constrain it to such a narrow subject would be an injustice and I do want to try to be interesting or at least entertaining...

Which brings me to the title of the blog. I am not that old that I remember, or even heard about Mercury Theatre on the Air when I was young. It wasn't until University and seriously getting into 'fringe culture' that I came across the reference to this 1930's radio drama show. That and my older brother's punk rock records.

Dealing with the 1930's radio show first, while it may not be immediately recognised, if I said 'Orsen Welles' and 'War of the Worlds' you might start to get the idea. (Unless you only associate War of the Worlds with Steven Speilberg in which case you can just ... go away). Imagine the times - between the two World Wars and a good way into the Great Depression. It couldn't have been a lot of fun and there wasn't even You Tube! Mercury Theatre on the Air was, essentially, a stage theatre on radio, with interpretations of classics performed for broadcast. Treasure Island, Dracula, Sherlock Holmes and a variety of others, performed for entertainment. Imagine that! What a concept! Welles' radio broadcast of the 'War of the Worlds' alien invasion was a masterpiece of production and played on the public fear of the time to create a real hysteria.

If you want to read all about it and listen to the programs this link is probably a good place to start: Mercury Theatre On The Air

The 1970s, I'm told, were not a lot of fun either, but althought that decade may not have been as bad as the Great Depression, there was plenty of economic and social unrest to create enough gloom and despondency. By the time the 80s arrived, Punk had fortunately sprung up and hippies were becomming an endangered species. Fear and hysteria, however, were still not far away. No one liked change and certainly anything that challenged the established order was frowned upon.

So it was 1983 that Action Pact! released 'Mercury Theatre on the Air!' which always struck me as a somewhat amusing and audacious title, but looking at it now, maybe even more appropriate than intended? Well, they certainly had
something to say and while the fear may not have been from an alien invasion, punk rock scared the public enough!



I missed almost all of the whole punk thing, but was fortunate enough to ride on the coat-tails of my older brother, absorbing the history like a sponge. It was fortunate that we shared the same black humour and taste in music! On
the downside, it meant that all the Ation Pact records were his and not mine. I am sure one day I'll get around to getting my own copy of 'Suicide Bag'!

..and just while I am on the subject of punk and it's waning, it really is a kick in the stomach to hear the likes of the pathetic and insipid Sandi Thom wailing 'I wish I was a punk rocker with flowers in my hair'. Unless the flowers were impaled on a spiked mohawk, methinks todays yoof haven't got the faintest idea - which is a shame, as punk ethic was a DIY reaction to tedious prog-rock guitar solos. If you are going to make a reference to the past, at least understand it...

I think I've lost the plot somewhere here, though. I guess, in a roundabout way, I am just wondering: In these days of terrorism, financial crisis and recession, Is the time right for another Mercury Theatre to take to the air?

I really would love to post some Action Pact!, but I can't. Instead I will make do with some Pixies.

Velouria, from the 1990 album Bossanova. The cool thing about this is the use of the theremin, a wierd musical instrument played by waving your arms about - which was the instrument for 1950s science fiction film soundtracks, perhaps best used in 'Forbidden Planet.'

I'm sure I'll come back to this.

The Pixies - Velouria

I hate Coldplay!

Please spare me from boring, pompous rock and the likes of Coldplay, one of the worst offenders. Who actually buys their miserable, self indulgent records? Middle aged women having a mid life crisis?

I mean really, they do give the mega-boring U2 a run for their money.Rush of Blood to the Head? To the arse, more like!

...and I'm seriously pissed by 'Viva La Vida' because the intro sounds just like that used on 'I'm Fed Up' a couple of years ago by the French Pop Nymph Alizée, which everyone ignored.

So, two fingers up to Coldplay (Tossers!) and thumbs up to French Pop!

Heres 'I'm Fed Up' in both French and English!

Klaatu Barada Nikto

To put it mildly, I am fed up.

I've always liked Science Fiction. It's hard to imagine that once upon a time it was really nerdy to like Science Fiction.

When I was young, I was hard core. Classic Science Fiction movies and books were my entertainment. Authors like Arthur C. CLarke and Robert Heinlein sat on my bookshelf alongside H G Wells and Jules Verne. It was a treat to catch an old classic onTV like 'War of the Worlds' or 'Planet of the Apes'. The days before elaborate special effects, when story content counted.

So we now have a new version of The Day the Earth Stood Still. Scinece Fiction will be peddled as mindless entertainment again. Why does Hollywood insist on plundering all my favourite films and remaking them into some grotesque parody? It's been happening for years ...Time Machine, Journey to the Centre of the Earth, Planet of the Apes, War of the Words, Iam Legend (Omega Man). I'll make an exception for 'Solaris'.

It seems bad enough that this latest offering has Keanu Reeves in it, one of my least favourite actors of all time, but the trailers for the film show the usual sort of global mahem and destruction that goes with every blockbuster. Yawn. Hasn't anyone heard of suspense anymore? I am fed up of bad remakes and brainless blockbusters.

OK, I haven't seen the film so I can't comment on how good or otherwise it is. I am just noting my view. I seriously doubt it will be a classic and will probably be cheap in the DVD shops in a month's time and then forgotten. I hope so.

And for the record, I have read H E Bates 'Farewell to the Master'. I do not expect the new film to be like the story. The original 'Day the Earth Stood Still' was based on the story, but did not follow it exactly. That's one reason it has become a classic.

"You lot - quit hanging around, take your new film and piss off!

Or else I'll set my Master on to you!"