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A review by ederwin
Strange Stars: David Bowie, Pop Music, and the Decade Sci-Fi Exploded by Jason Heller
4.0
Great overview of the many, many artists who were influenced by Sci-Fi and incorporated it into their music in the 1970's. (There is only brief mention of music after 1980.) Many of the examples are well known, such as David Bowie, Sun Ra, Hawkwind, and Rush, but many more are not. This took a long time to read because I kept wanting to search for and listen to the listed songs. (There is probably no reason to read this unless you also want to seek out the songs.) I wish there were a website accompanying the book with quick and easy links to all songs, but that is too much to ask for.
Some of the new-to-me things I found from this book:
Paul Kantner - "Blows Against the Empire": perhaps the first Sci-Fi concept album. Nominated for a Hugo Award in 1971.
Marvin Gaye - "A Funky Space Reincarnation". Not great, but still, it's Marvin Gaye!
Dream Boys - "Outer Limits". A future actor who played Dr. Who was already singing Sci-Fi punk in the 70's.
George Duke - "The alien succumbs to the mucho intergalactic funkativity of the funkblaster". Hey, P-Funk weren't the only ones to make space funky! Fabulous!
Jimmy Castor Bunch - "Bertha Butt Encounters Vader". One of many Star-Wars influenced songs.
Alan Parsons Project - "I Robot". Note the absence of a comma in the title. The rights for "I, Robot" had been sold to someone else.
Queen - "39". Inspired by Heinlein.
Julian's Treatment - 'A Time Before This'. Another early Sci-Fi concept album, with related novels: [b:Waiters on the Dance|15834495|Waiters on the Dance|Julian Jay Savarin|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1345290055s/15834495.jpg|21571448]
I need to add this book to my collection so I can slowly listen through all the songs mentioned.
Some of the new-to-me things I found from this book:
Paul Kantner - "Blows Against the Empire": perhaps the first Sci-Fi concept album. Nominated for a Hugo Award in 1971.
Marvin Gaye - "A Funky Space Reincarnation". Not great, but still, it's Marvin Gaye!
Dream Boys - "Outer Limits". A future actor who played Dr. Who was already singing Sci-Fi punk in the 70's.
George Duke - "The alien succumbs to the mucho intergalactic funkativity of the funkblaster". Hey, P-Funk weren't the only ones to make space funky! Fabulous!
Jimmy Castor Bunch - "Bertha Butt Encounters Vader". One of many Star-Wars influenced songs.
Alan Parsons Project - "I Robot". Note the absence of a comma in the title. The rights for "I, Robot" had been sold to someone else.
Queen - "39". Inspired by Heinlein.
Julian's Treatment - 'A Time Before This'. Another early Sci-Fi concept album, with related novels: [b:Waiters on the Dance|15834495|Waiters on the Dance|Julian Jay Savarin|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1345290055s/15834495.jpg|21571448]
I need to add this book to my collection so I can slowly listen through all the songs mentioned.