Author Topic: Sci-Fi Music  (Read 61660 times)

birdless

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Reply #75 on: June 20, 2008, 06:36:55 PM
Finally got a chance to check out Abney Park. I really liked what i heard, but it also seemed like most of their stuff sounds the same. Granted, my sampling was limited to what they have on their site.

I would also suggest Zoe Keating's music. I haven't listened to as much as i'd like, but she has some a pretty good sample on her site, as well as being the composer for the music on Stranger Things.



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Reply #76 on: July 10, 2008, 09:32:03 PM
I can't believe it's taken me this long to remember Ayreon.

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Planish

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Reply #77 on: July 13, 2008, 02:39:04 AM
Have a listen to Tom Recchion
The tunes I'm more familiar with are the ones I got from  http://epitonic.com/artists/tomrecchion.html - but you may have to register to listen or download.
The Epitonic blurb sez:
Quote
Tom Recchion
Birdman Records

You might not think of exotica as the most likely candidate among music genres for the sci-fi treatment, but that's just what Tom Recchion gives it. The alumnus of the legendary '70s avant-garde collective the Los Angeles Free Music Society deconstructs the familiar Polynesian bounce and tropical flutter that endeared artists like Martin Denny, Esquivel, and Les Baxter to the hearts of many in the '50s (and then again in the '90s). On his aptly titled 1996 Birdman release, Chaotica (actually recorded in 1985-6), Recchion uses prerecorded tape loops, keyboards, and effects to turn exotica into something positively otherworldly. The results are deliciously and dizzyingly strange: this is the music you'd expect to hear in the tiki bar of a 22nd century space station.


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KSeuss

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Reply #78 on: July 13, 2008, 11:26:40 PM
There have been a lot of bands that do sci-fi/fantasy material. A lot of my favorites have been mentioned but here are a few that seem to have been missed:

Sci-fi-
Lost in Space (theme) - Apollo 440
The Done The Impossible Album - Various Artists (All about Firefly)
Veteran Of The Psychick Wars - Blue Oyster Cult
Starman - David Bowie
Degh - Degh (If you can find it, it's Klingon Techno... In Klingon)
Final Countdown - Europe
Down In The Park - Gary Numan
Pure Energy - Information Society
Veteran Cosmic Rocker - Moody Blues
Weird Science - Oingo Boingo
Rule The Planet (Remix) - Paul Oakenfold (From Planet of the Apes)

Not to mention all the stuff that Dr. Demento has gotten his hands on through the years (Like Star Trekkin' and The Ballad of Will Robinson perfomed by Bill Mumy) and a ton of other music that could be argued as sci-fi depending on your definition.

For Fantasy, I can think of enough off hand that would have me typing all night but I would definitely look into:

Nearly anything by Manowar
Burnt Offerings - Iced Earth
Dante's Inferno - Iced Earth
Anything from Rhapsody of Fire (They recently did some marvelous work with guest vocalist Christopher Lee... Yes *that* Christopher Lee)
O Fortuna - Apotheosis (Again, *if* you can find it. It was on the original Rave Till Dawn album before they ran into copyright issues)
The Queen II album - Queen
Anything by Running Wild (All pirate themed)

And, of course, there's a wide variety of soundtracks and classical music that fit the bill. (Wagner, Orff, Holst, etc.)

Sorry I came to the party late, but I hope you take the time to check some of these out. I will also second the recommendation of the album Time by ELO. It is entirely sci-fi themed and in my opinion one of the best constructed albums, from beginning to end, that I've ever heard.

Good Listening!!



stePH

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Reply #79 on: July 14, 2008, 01:35:50 AM
For Fantasy, I can think of enough off hand that would have me typing all night but I would definitely look into:

Nearly anything by Manowar
Burnt Offerings - Iced Earth
Dante's Inferno - Iced Earth
Anything from Rhapsody of Fire (They recently did some marvelous work with guest vocalist Christopher Lee... Yes *that* Christopher Lee)
O Fortuna - Apotheosis (Again, *if* you can find it. It was on the original Rave Till Dawn album before they ran into copyright issues)
The Queen II album - Queen
Anything by Running Wild (All pirate themed)

... and I've just remembered Symphony X, particularly The Divine Wings of Tragedy and V: The New Mythology Suite

You're quite correct, heavy metal offers an embarassment of riches for those in search of fantasy-themed material.

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lvjmusic

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Reply #80 on: July 22, 2008, 04:52:17 AM
All of these comments about Sci-Fi music but no mention of John-Luc Ponty?  ???
Who here is older than 30???  ;D ;D ;D ;D
OMG!  ::)
Such a waste of electrons on the plasma screens to spout about Rush and Yes and have never listened to some of the musicians who creating Imiginary Planets right between ours ears... <<<sigh>>> [/rant] ;D ;D



stePH

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Reply #81 on: July 22, 2008, 05:01:59 AM
All of these comments about Sci-Fi music but no mention of John-Luc Ponty?  ???
Who here is older than 30???  ;D ;D ;D ;D
OMG!  ::)
Such a waste of electrons on the plasma screens to spout about Rush and Yes and have never listened to some of the musicians who creating Imiginary Planets right between ours ears... <<<sigh>>> [/rant] ;D ;D

I have King Kong: Jean-Luc Ponty Plays the Music of Frank Zappa on CD.  I didn't know there was anything particularly SFnal about him.

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lvjmusic

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Reply #82 on: July 25, 2008, 06:20:55 AM
All of these comments about Sci-Fi music but no mention of John-Luc Ponty?  ???
Who here is older than 30???  ;D ;D ;D ;D
OMG!  ::)
Such a waste of electrons on the plasma screens to spout about Rush and Yes and have never listened to some of the musicians who creating Imiginary Planets right between ours ears... <<<sigh>>> [/rant] ;D ;D

I have King Kong: Jean-Luc Ponty Plays the Music of Frank Zappa on CD.  I didn't know there was anything particularly SFnal about him.

re: King Kong/Zappa CD Never heard it... but of course, you didn't answer the "over 30" question...

http://www.ponty.com/index.php?section=discography&page=1&search=1&category=81

JLP's music in the late 70's period was not as contrived - and never got the critical recognition it deserved. The early 80's period definitely classifies as SciFi as he was able to use the then-new digital tools for recording and composing. Many of the musicians he worked with (there was really never a JLP band) rate as the "most inventive" and "beyond category" artists even today. Seeing Allen Holdsworth demo the (then new ) synthAxe controller at the 1986 NAMM show... wow!
Why wait  another 30 years before you check out his catologue?
Link above will give you a taste... let me know... ( I'm partial to "Imaginary Voyages" myself, but I digress...)



stePH

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Reply #83 on: July 25, 2008, 01:20:29 PM
re: King Kong/Zappa CD Never heard it... but of course, you didn't answer the "over 30" question...

I turned 39 on Monday last week if you must know.

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Liminal

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Reply #84 on: September 09, 2008, 09:22:32 PM
IO9 has a great post about concept albums based on or inspired by science fiction: http://io9.com/5047212/the-greatest-concept-album-adaptations-of-classic-scifi-tales

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BethPeters

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Reply #85 on: March 20, 2009, 05:40:06 PM



Planish

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Reply #86 on: March 23, 2009, 06:10:06 AM
How could I have forgotten Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds (1978), featuring Justin Hayward (Moody Blues), narration by Richard Burton (the actor, not the explorer/adventurer). It was okay, at best.


Quote
The repetition of "Ulla!", the cry made by the Martians, and certain musical refrains throughout the musical act as leitmotifs.
Oh yeah. I did think of it when I listened to the EP episode "Ulla".

PS. Pushing 56, next April.

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goatkeeper

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Reply #87 on: July 18, 2009, 01:25:45 PM
Thought I'd share this.  Mr. Tweedy made a music video to my song Pimp My Satellite, and it might make ya chuckle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMXk5Y7Gv6Y



stePH

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Reply #88 on: July 19, 2009, 05:42:17 AM
Thought I'd share this.  Mr. Tweedy made a music video to my song Pimp My Satellite, and it might make ya chuckle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMXk5Y7Gv6Y

You're Norm Sherman?  I didn't know that.  :-\

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Planish

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Reply #89 on: July 19, 2009, 09:34:40 AM
Oh yeah. My earlier reference to Justin Hayward remided me of The Moody Blues' album To Our Children's Children's Children

Like it sez:
Quote
It was inspired by the 1969 moon landing, and the songs center around the twin themes of space travel and children, with minor-key tonalities and a distinct psychedelic influence.

On an earlier (1969) album, the song In The Beginning starts off with a bit of spoken word stuff...
Quote
First Man: I think, I think I am, therefore I am, I think.

Establishment: Of course you are my bright little star,
I've miles
And miles
Of files
Pretty files of your forefather's fruit and now to suit our great computer,
You're magnetic ink.

First Man: I'm more than that, I know I am, at least, I think I must be.
... which I always took to mean that the "First Man" is trying to convince himself that he is is "real" and not an A.I. Fairly advanced concept for a popular music album.
A more mundane interpretation might be that he is ranting against being treated as a mere statistic.

BTW: That track segues into Lovely to See You, my favourite Moody Blues song, evar.

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DarkKnightJRK

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Reply #90 on: July 19, 2009, 08:13:52 PM
Anyone ever heard of MC Lars?

YES. Love me some Lars. His track "Space Game" is probably his most sci-fi song. :D

I think a lot of post-rock would work as sci-fi, such as Godspeed You! Black Emperor, World's End Girlfriend, and God is an Astronaut.



goatkeeper

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Reply #91 on: July 19, 2009, 10:03:18 PM
Thought I'd share this.  Mr. Tweedy made a music video to my song Pimp My Satellite, and it might make ya chuckle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMXk5Y7Gv6Y

You're Norm Sherman?  I didn't know that.  :-\

Thanks for the warm, fuzzy feeling.



Praxis

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Reply #92 on: July 20, 2009, 01:04:27 AM
Otherwise, what about Kraftwerk, the German electronic band? 

Only just saw this thread now, sorry for the lateness of the reply.....

Kraftwerk are not just 'the electronic band', they are The electronic band.  They weren't just electronic, they pretty much created the style of music.

I mean, without them, we'd never have had works of genius like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DP1tkspU5yw



Russell Nash

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Reply #93 on: July 20, 2009, 12:00:23 PM
Well then Kraftwerk is at the top of my most hated list.  The comedian in the clip didn't seem to like them either.



Praxis

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Reply #94 on: July 20, 2009, 08:15:47 PM
Oh no, all his spoofs and assorted homages are meant with love.



Darwinist

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Reply #95 on: July 21, 2009, 11:50:35 PM
Thought I'd share this.  Mr. Tweedy made a music video to my song Pimp My Satellite, and it might make ya chuckle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMXk5Y7Gv6Y

You're Norm Sherman?  I didn't know that.  :-\

Thanks for the warm, fuzzy feeling.


Cool video!

For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.    -  Carl Sagan


stePH

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Reply #96 on: July 22, 2009, 01:25:44 AM
I like the song.  The video is useful for me to provide a link so my friends can hear it.

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Praxis

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Reply #97 on: July 22, 2009, 10:20:08 PM
Speak of the devil......

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00lqpl7#synopsis

"Steve Lamacq presents The War Of The Worlds performed live at London's 02 Arena, with Jeff Wayne conducting The Black Smoke Band, The ULLAdubULLA Strings; and featuring Jennifer Ellison, The Moody Blues' Justin Hayward, Manfred Mann's Chris Thompson; and the voice of Richard Burton.

Inspired by HG Wells' famous novel, the prog rock and classical album was released in June 1978, and has since spent over 330 weeks in the UK Album Chart and won two Ivor Novello Awards. This multi-media stage version was produced to mark the 30th anniversary of the album's release and was recorded by Radio 2 on 21 June 2009."




Planish

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Reply #98 on: July 27, 2009, 01:37:35 AM
Kraftwerk are not just 'the electronic band', they are The electronic band.  They weren't just electronic, they pretty much created the style of music.

Oh, hardly. Kraftwerk, formed in 1970.
Tangerine Dream formed in 1967, first album released in 1970. I wouldn't say they "invented it" either. Both of them just managed to commercialize it more successfully, by making it more bland.

See also Morton Subotnick, BBC Radiophonic Workshop (who gave us the Dr. Who theme music, 1963), Iannis Xenakis, Karlheinz Stockhausen, etc.
It goes way back.

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Raving_Lunatic

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Reply #99 on: July 29, 2009, 12:14:42 PM
I would have said the BBC Radiophonic Workshop were at least partially responsible for the real genesis of electronic music, but Kraftwerk and others were the most successful with it.

It's difficult to find the origins of most music genres because virtually every artist is copying off another one, or drawing together the traits of several artists/genres like ingredients into a delicious pie. Even though you might look at an artist and say "right, alternative rock starts HERE" there's no way of knowing whether their ideas come from underground or short-lived bands which few people have heard of.

And then of course there's the Ondes Martenot, a fantastic sounding instrument which is  electronic. and that was invented in 1928! You could argue that that was the genesis of electronic music, with the first of the electronic instruments.

If you've never heard the Ondes Martenot in action, by the way, it's really something special and they remain quite rare.
« Last Edit: July 29, 2009, 12:19:50 PM by Raving_Lunatic »