gts180 “armshtrong”
Gimme my Tang!
01-01 Patti Smith – Easter 102 – Space Monkey (1978)
— best song off this album is one we can, unfortunately, no longer play on the radio.
01-02 2001 Sprach Kazoostra
— ahhh, finally some kazoo!
01-03 Deodato – Prelude 101 – Also Sprach Zarathustra (1973)
— appearance in the movie “Being There” with Peter Sellers is one of the top 10 greatest film scoring achievements of all time.
02-01 Willliam Shatner & Brad Paisley & Steve Miller – Seeking Major Tom 104 – Space Cowboy (2011)
— if we’d known it leads to eternal fame, everyone would’ve been smooching green girls.
02-02 Sly & The Family Stone – There’s A Riot Goin’ On 204 – Spaced Cowboy (1971)
— and here’s our weekly yodel, from an unlikely source.
02-03 Stoner Train – Bannermen Of Lost Generations 06 – Space Trucker (2016)
— it’s a natural rhyme with “trucker”.
02-04 Aeph & Neonlight – Black Box Two 14 – Space Truckers (2013)
— only released on this compilation album, all-electronic but pretty inventive.
03-01 Attention Deficit – Idiot King 07 – My Fellow Astronauts (2001)
— propulsion system is fusion power… jazz fusion!
03-02 Angst – Angst 101 – Neil Armstrong (1983)
— leading off Angst’s eponymous EP, also has some love for John Glenn.
03-03 Massena – Quiero Ser Como Tú 02 – Neil Armstrong (2012)
— dunno what he’s saying, other than the song title and the album title, but excellent rock.
03-04 Bap Kennedy – Howl On 12 – Ballad Of Neil Armstrong (2009)
— the theme of a space western keeps emerging here, this is pure cowpoke ballad.
03-05 The Vigilantes – Pye 7N.25082 – Man In Space (1961)
— space western meets spaghetti!
04-01 Man Or Astroman – Five Ring Circus 06 – Escape Velocity (1996)
— soooo many candidates from these space-a-surf-a-billy masters. When I saw them, in an outdoor “bowl” stage, they brought out some down pillows and slashed them open, turning the venue into a sno-globe.
04-02 The Twisters – Felco F103 – Count Down 1-2-3 (1959)
— not the only tune tonight, which opens/closes with the famous Sputnik beep.
04-03 Rap Reiplinger – Do I Dare Disturb The Universe? 102 – Hawaiian Space Program (1979)
— on Earth, no. But in zero-G, maybe he CAN kiss Uranus?
04-04 Sopwith Camel – The Miraculous Hump Returns From The Moon 205 – Astronaut Food (1973)
— Sopwith Camel also has one on this album about monkeys on the moon.
04-05 Oscar Harris & The Twinkle Stars – Oscar Harris & The Twinkle Stars 102 – Mr. Astronaut (1972)
— Dutch twinklers look everywhere for baby, but this one has a surprise hidden in the last minute.
04-06 Kitchens Of Distinction – Love Is Hell 201 – The 3rd Time We Opened The Capsule (1989)
— think it goes “squish”… mind your airlock sequence, lads!
05-01 Elton John – Honky Château 105 – Rocket Man (1972)
— popped up abnormally often during the past week’s regular radio listening. A sign from the stars?
05-02 Natalie Merchant – Live In Concert 04 – Space Oddity (1999)
— comes pretty close to besting the original, which is impossible.
05-03 Ren & Stimpy – You Eediot! 10 – Captain’s Log/Space Madness (1993)
— psych evaluations were lax for this mission, but great guitar jazz from an unexpected source.
05-04 The Drivers – King 5645 – Mr. Astronaut (1962)
— there’s that Sputnik beep again.
06-01 The Satellite Singers – Journey To The Moon 102 – Meet Space Pilot Jones (1974)
— unsure if this a childrens record, or if it’s meant to be comedy.
06-02 Joe Bussard & Oscar Myers – Fonotone 6211 – The Flight Of Astronaut John Glenn (1962)
— Joe made this 78rpm at his home, using acetate instead of shellac.
06-03 Jeff Hughes – Karen Records 59 – Our Space Man Came Back (1962)
— another one with that Sputnik beep, a parody of a popular Australian hit of the time: “My Boomerang Won’t Come Back”.
06-04 Lightnin’ Hopkins – Prestige Bluesville 820 – Happy Blues For John Glenn (1962)
— reportedly, Hopkins recorded this on the same day Glenn landed.
06-05 Walter Brennan – Liberty 55436 – The Epic Ride Of John H. Glenn (1962)
— this is the A-side on the 45rpm, will be using the B-side later!