Space Rock


The Jetsons, First Family on the Moon

Space Rock spans the age of the LP, as space themes were enormously popular from the 1950s through long after the moon landing. The pioneering "Astro Rock" types of the '50s blasted off in Atomic Age rock-itry. In the 1960s instrumental groups, looking for something reasonably hip to replace surf and hot-rod music, found fertile new frontiers in space. "Telstar" signalled a new age of electronic recording for guitar groups like the Ventures and Marketts. After the 1960s, space, rock, and electronica all came to mean different things. In the 1970s (a Dark Side of the Moon decade), David Bowie ejected Major Tom, Lou Reed launched the roque "Satellite of Love," and the B52's dropped the "Planet Claire" bomb.

Buying: 45s are where the rarities are, some more so than others.



Space-Rock LPs

Rating
7The Chantays: Two Sides of the Chantays; Dot DLP-25771/DLP-3771; 1965 (space rock)
7Jimmie Haskell: Countdown; Imperial LP-9068
6Paul Kantner/Jefferson Starship: Blows Against the Empire; RCA Victor AFL1-4448; 1970 (Victor AYL1-3868)
4The Love Machine: Electronic Music to Blow Your Mind By!!!; Design SDLP-282 (psyche/electronica exploitation)
7The Marketts: Out of Limits; Warner Bros. WS-1537
6Neil Norman: Not of this Earth; GNPS-2111
6Neil Norman & his Cosmic Orchestra: Greatest Science Fiction Hits; GNPS-2128; 1980 (w/Les Baxter)
5Neil Norman & his Cosmic Orchestra: Greatest Science Fiction Hits 2; GNPS-2133; 1981/1980-81 (w/Les Baxter)
5Neil Norman & his Cosmic Orchestra: Greatest Science Fiction Hits 3; GNPS-2163; 1984 (w/Les Baxter)
9Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon; Capitol/Harvest SMAS-11163; 1973
6The Ventures: The Ventures in Space; Dolton BST-8027; 1964


Partly Space-Rock LPs

Rating
7Sheldon Allman: Folk Songs for the 21st Century; HiFi R415 (space rock[abilly] & space folk/spoofs a la Katie Lee)
7Annette [Funicello]: Annette; Buena Vista BV-3301; 1959 ("That Crazy Place from Outer Space")
5The B52s; Warner Bros. BSK 3355; 1979 ("Planet Claire")
8The Beach Boys: Surfin' Safari; Capitol T-4572 ("Moon Dawg")
5The Byrds; Columbia CS-9942 ("Armstrong, Aldrin, & Collins")
5John Cacavas, Don Woolf, Bonnie Becker, Kimberly Blake: The Space Alphabet--Journey Through the Basic Facts About Space in Song; Golden LP-269
8The Challengers: Surfing with the Challengers; Atco/Vault 101-A; 1963 ("Moondawg")
7The Challengers: 25 Greatest Instrumental Hits; GNP Crescendo GNP-609 (2-LP part-compilation)
8Jerry Cole and his Spacemen: Outer Limits; Capitol ST-2044 (surf/dance rock/space rock "Outer Limits")
6Frank David Selection: Blues & Electronics; BASF 21150; 1972
8Wade Denning & the Port Washingtons/Uncredited: The Amazing TV Themes; MGM/Leo the Lion CH-1023 (children's LP)
9Dean Hightower: Guitar Twangy--with a Beat; ABC-Paramount ABCS-312 (heavy contributions by George Barnes; "Moon Rocket")
6The Jetsons: First Family on the Moon; Hanna Barbera (kids; Columbia Special Products P-13903; 1977)
7Paul Kantner/Jefferson Starship: Blows Against the Empire; RCA Victor AFL1-4448; 1970 ("X-M")
7Cledus Maggard: Two More Sides; Mercury SRM-1-1112; 1976 (Jay Huguely; "Martian Modulation")
6Peter Moon: Tropical Storm; Panini PS-1009; 1979/1978-9 (Hawaii/space rock "UFO"; with Milt Holland)
3Sandy Nelson: Teen Beat '65; Imperial; 1965 ("Beat from Outer Space")
8The Pyramids: The Original Penetration; London/Best BRS-36501/BR-16501; 1963 (surf; "Out of Limits")
8The Raybeats: Guitar Beat; Passport PVC-8904; 1981 ('80s/guitar/surf "The Calhoun Surf/hot rod "B-Gas Rickshaw"/space-rock "Big Black Sneakers"/crime "Big Black Sneakers"/spy "International Operator")
6The Revillos: Totally Alive in London; 1998
8The Rezillos: Can't Stand the Rezillos
6The Routers: The Routers Play 1963's Great Instrumental Hits; Warner Bros. WS-1524 (guitar/surf/space rock "Marie Elena"/dance rock; Marketts/"wrecking crew" studio group)
6Sound of Genesis/Victor Jay/Astronauts: Journey to the Moon; Buddah BDS-5045 (partly spoken; rock w/sitar & electronic effects)
7The Spotnicks in Paris/Dansons avec Les Spotnicks; Karusell KALPS-1014 (guitar/space rock "Le dernier train de 'espace")
7Axel Stordahl & Orchestra: Guitars Around the World; Decca DL-74337 ("Astro Guitar"; with Joe Maphis, Howard Roberts, Laurindo Almeida, Fred Tavares, Allan Reuss)
8Sun Ra & his Arkestra: Rocket Ship Rock; Norton ED-354; 2009/1957-68 (space funk/space rock; compilation of singles by various Sun Ra entities)
8The Super Dupers: The Super Record of Super Heroes Played by the Super Dupers; Design SDLP-257 (Batman/funky rock/space rock "Flash Gordon"/breakbeats; jacket: "Tarzan, The Green Hornet, Batman, [etc.]")
4The Surfaris: Hit City, USA; Decca DL-74560
3The T-Bones: Everyone's Gone to the Moon (And Other Trips); Liberty LST-7471
9Takeshi Terauchi: Nippon Guitars; Ace/Big Beat WIKD-297; 2011/1966-74 (Japan/guitar/surf/space rock; compilation of Takeshi Terauchi & the Bunnys/Takeshi Terauchi & Blue Jeans on Japanese King)
9Takeshi Terauchi: [title unknown]; Japanese King SKA-96; 1974 (Japan/guitar/surf/exotic rock)
4The Tornadoes: Telstar--The Sounds of the Tornadoes; London LL-3279 ("Telstar")
9Speedy West: Guitar Spectacular; Capitol ST-1835 (steel guitar; w/Billy Strange, Earl Palmer..; "Space Man in Orbit" & "Reflections from the Moon")
9Various: Diggin' Out; Mr. Manicotti 329; ?/1962-5 (surf/space rock Vistas: "Moon Relay"/mideast rock Dace & the Customs: "Ali Baba"/exotic rock Irridescents: "Bali Hai")
5Various: TV Record Hop; RCA Victor LPM-1803; 1958 (The Equadors: "Sputnik Dance")
8Various: We Got a Party!--The Best of RON Records Vol. 1; Rounder 2076; 1988/1958-62 (compilation; New Orleans R&B; w/Eddie Bo; Chris Kenner--"Rocket to the Moon")


Space-Rock 45s

Rating
6Winifred Atwell & her Other Piano: Struttin' Down Jane Street/Space Ship Boogie; London 45-1750(fast boogie-woogie w/effects)
8The Baskerville Hounds: Space Rock Parts 1 & 2; Dot/Tema PXT-128 (great rock w/organ presumably lending the "space" touch)
8Jimmy Caster & his Quintet (sic-Castor!): The American Twist Parts 1 & 2; Clown 1015 (space-rock/twist; sic-Jimmy Castor!)
9The Centuries: The Outer Limits/Polynesian Paradise; Cleopatra C-2 (surf or space-rock/exotic rock guitar)
7The Citations: Moon Race/Slippin' & Slidin'; CBS/Epic 5-9603 (Ventures-esque guitar)
7Crazy Elephant: There's a Better Day Comin' (Na Na Na)/Space Buggy; Bell B-846 (B-side guitar/synth instrumental)
7The Echoes: Scratch Me Back/The Little Green Man; Swan S-4013 (B- side space-calypso)
9Barry Gray & his Spacemakers: Fireball/XL5; ABC Paramount 10424; 1963 (both sides by Gray; see also Don Spencer, below)
8Pepper Hellard & the New Hollywood Argyles: They're Out There/mono; RCA JH-10312; 1975 (similar to Stranglers/Men in Black)
8Glen Holden's Astro-Notes: Rocket to the Moon/Your Cheatin' Heart; Troubadour 6
8Chris Kenner: Rocket to the Moon/Life is Just a Struggle; Ron 335; 1960/1959
7Jackie Lowell with Duane Diamond & the Astronauts: Rocket Trip/Warpath; RM RMA-1013 (rockabilly)
8The Maffers: Martian Gin/mono; Stax/Volt VOA-4102; 1973 (hick boozin' in UFO daze)
7Aaron Neville: She Took You for a Ride/Spaceman; Parlo 103
9Nervous Norvus: The Fang/Bullfrog Hop; Dot 15500 (A-side)
6Glen Pace & the Starlites: My Night Off/Outer Space; Satellite J80W-3472-3
8Harvey Pylant, the Bishops, & the Mark Wayne IV: The Lift-Off (Astronauts Lift-Off)/The Recovery; Orbit 1501; 1962
4The Spacemen: The Clouds/The Lonely Jet Pilot; Alton A254
9Don Spencer: Fireball/XL5 (Zero G); 20th Century Fox 440 (see also Barry Gray, above; A-side w/lyrics)
8The Tornadoes: Telstar/Jungle Fever; London 45-LON-9561 (also on Telstar LP)
6Jesse Lee Turner: The Little Space Girl/Shake Baby Shake; Carlton 496 (A-side Chipmunks-esque novelty; B-side '50s rockabilly is better)


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