inner nerd » Space

Robot Rock du Jour: Zodiac – Zodiac (1980)

beaker — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 05:42:41 +0000

Communist disco?! YES! This Latvian state-sponsored disco was actually composed in a music conservatory.

Zodiac is some seriously spaced-out synthy disco goodness. The simple composition of this eponymous track from their 1980 debut LP Disco Alliance brings the lush sythscapes and analog textures to the forefront. Loving those live drums. This exceptional track is essentially unknown in NA and generally available for about US$20 + international shipping. And peep that cover art!!

SCHEMATIC: Three more videos and some fantastic cover art…

Mysterious Galaxy is the lead track off the band’s second LP, Music in the Universe released in 1982. This track takes a funkier approach than found on the first album, as evidenced by the Latvians tearing up the parquet.

Provincial Disco is the third track off the Disco Alliance LP. Although clearly weaker than Zodiac, the synths are still highly unusual. I’m sure you’ll pick out quite a few interesting musical elements and a couple skillful transitions (2:15 & 3:36).

Pacific was the second track on the Disco Alliance LP. Again, clearly a weaker track than Zodiac, but pretty funky nonetheless.

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Snort: Domestic Stormtroopers

beaker — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 23:08:28 +0000

For you design nerds, this classic posting on Core 77 chronicles the cartooned adventures of Lunchbreath and Fueledbycoffee at the International Housewares Show in chi-town. Great for a laugh.

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Robot Rock du Jour: The Droids – (Do You Feel) The Force (1977)

beaker — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 23:01:06 +0000

Silver droids + wall of speakers + dancing space chick = hot video. Leave it to a Frenchman (Barclay manager Fabrice Cuitad) to put out a super-cool concept 7″, 12″ and LP based on the iconic film Star Wars. This video covers Part I. Part II has a funkier vibe.

SCHEMATIC: HQ vinyl rips of Part I and Part II, sources, cover art…

This is a very affordable, and relatively available record as a 7″. I totally recommend picking it up from discogs or ebay.

(Do You Feel) The Force Part I

(Do You Feel) The Force Part II

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Party Time: Saturday Robot Party @ The Idle Hour (Baltimore, MD)

beaker — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 04:52:53 +0000

VIGR is in the house. 4+ hour rare vinyl set. Need I say more? Hope to see you there! I’ll try to keep track of the setlist…

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Keyser Söze Alert: Trophy – Slow Flight (1982)

beaker — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 07:24:30 +0000

This unstoppable Italo electro-disco jam from 1982 spawned the fabled Fuzz Dance label. Italo master Maurizio Dami (aka Alexander Robotnick) was heavily involved with this label as both a producer and remixer. Does anyone out there know if he produced this track, too?

Here’s the spacey instrumental version ripped from my vinyl copy.

SCHEMATIC: Record scans and Alexander Robotnick dropping some disco knowledge…

This video spurred me to go on a one-year rare disco vinyl collecting rampage and start this blog. Consider yourself warned!

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Robot Rock du Jour: Space – Magic Fly (1977)

beaker — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:14:52 +0000

This video is totally out of control! Pictutre this: Robots rocking out on analog synths and live drums while a hot female humanoid dances seductively for your tripped out 1970s pleasure. French band Space clearly had it going on in 1977.

The audio player below comes pre-loaded with the 12″ b-side track, Fasten Seat Belt, which was ripped at 24/96 from my personal copy and converted to MP3 at 192kbps. Although Fasten Seat Belt is a funkier journey into the cosmos, it still totally rocks!

SCHEMATIC: High quality vinyl rips from their second LP, Just Blue…

Despite the sweeeeeet album artwork, the 1978 follow up LP Just Blue was a collection of seven underground disco tracks that were, IMHO, alchemical failures. The musicianship is certainly there, as is the trippy space-disco feel, but they stopped short of the philosopher’s stone. On the whole, the album reminds me of a soft-core space disco porn soundtrack. Here are my favorite three of the seven tracks.

Just Blue

Final Signal

Blue Tears

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Snort: Rémi Gaillard – The Astronaut Golfer

beaker — Sat, 16 May 2009 20:22:41 +0000

This frenchman is pretty much off his rocker.

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Space Aviation Artifact Auction

beaker — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 20:23:40 +0000

Goldberg Coins is holding an auction this Saturday featuring flight manuals, space suits and actual pieces of various space shuttles and rockets. The catalog is available online here. If you’re a collector or looking for an awesome, albeit expensive, costume for halloween, this is your jam.

Apollo 17, Scale Replica A7LB EVA Space Suit (EMU)

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