I was listening to The Score, a programme about film music on Oneword Radio, a UK digital station.

On June 24 they played both scores for Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. I was unaware there were two scores but you may not be so ignorant. However if you are then it is a fact that Stanley Kubrick commissioned Alex North to write the score for his film 2001: A Space Odyssey, but decided against it in favour of the classics we know. North’s score is in two movements, reflecting the first and second chapters of the film.

Wikipedia states:

‘The 2001: A Space Odyssey score is an unused film score composed by Alex North for Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 film, 2001: A Space Odyssey.’

‘North, unaware that Kubrick had decided not to use the score in his film was “devastated” at the 1968 New York City premiere screening of 2001 not to hear his work, and later offered this account of his experience:

“Well, what can I say? It was a great, frustrating experience, and despite the mixed reaction to the music, I think the Victorian approach with mid-European overtones was just not in keeping with the brilliant concept of Clarke and Kubrick.”‘

Wiki also indicates scholars and critics seem to have opposing views on which score is best.

Oneword’s Score programme on 24 June, played pieces from sci-fi soundtracks, as follows

1. Prelude & Outer Space - Bernard Herrmann; from The Day The Earth
Stood Still.

2. Also Sprach Zarathustra - Richard Strauss; from 2001: A Space
Odyssey.

3. Main Title - Alex North; from Alex North’s 2001.

4. The Blue Danube (excerpt) - Johann Strauss; from 2001: A Space
Odyssey.

5. Space Station Docking - Alex North; from Alex North’s 2001.

6. Ontological Shock (excerpt) - Don Davis; from The Matrix.

7. The Artifact And Living - Michael Andrews; from Donnie Darko.

8. We Don’t Have To Think Like That Anymore - Cliff Martinez; from
Solaris.

9. Main Title - Jerry Goldsmith; from Alien.

10. Throne Room/End Title - John Williams; from Star Wars Episode IV: A
New Hope.

Unfortunately that programme will not be repeated (I have asked) and the music copyright prevents a downloadable ‘listen again’ version but you can find the music via the Score’s website.

As the Soviet Union and United States battled to win the early 60s space space, one of the music vicors emerged from London’s Holloway Road. Named after the world’s first communications satellite (nod to Arthur C. Clarke) launched on 10 July 1962, Telstar made the Tornados the first British group in the pre-Beatles era to have a US chart-topping single as well as topping the charts in the UK.

It also confirmed Joe Meek, a former Royal Air Force technician and the man who penned and planned space-age sound, as one of the era’s most successful producers.

The group - Alan Caddy, Hienz Burt, Roger Jackson, George Bellamy and Clem Cattini - briefy rivalled the Shadows as Britains’s premier instrumental combo, scoring UK a Top 5 follow-up with Globetrotter and three lesser hits in 1963 including The Ice Cream Man. But having survived Hienz’s departure for a solo career they split in 1965 with vocal groups clearly in ascendancy; Cattini went on to become British’s top session drummer.

If you like a good beat, and some weird sounds - go for it, get the album; or go get the single Telstar.

It’s a shame they got wiped out by vocal bands, because they actually do have voices on some of their songs, but to me they are a bit short - they’re still wanting to do their future sounds of Telstar - they had much more in them. I kinda hark back to this time, I don’t remember the last time someone wrote a song actually based or named after technology.

It gets me into the mood of 60s scifi.

It could also bring me onto another subject: why aren’t the general public as enthused and excited about space flight as they were in the 50s and 60s?

Thunderbirds, War of the Worlds , Images of Sci-Fi. Artist Mike Trim Featured in NewBook Slated for July Release

“A book of Mike Trim’s design work is a thing to be treasured.” — Richard Taylor

Five-time Academy Award winner & Special Effects Director of Lord of the Rings, King Kong, Master & Commander: The Far Side of the World, and director of Weta Workshop.

In 1964, young Mike Trim answered a newspaper advertisement seeking model makers for a film production crew and embarked on an odyssey that would last for more than four decades. Beginning in the final days of Stingray, Trim went to work as a model maker and designer for Gerry and Sylvia Anderson’s television series Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet, Joe 90, The Secret Service and UFO - as well as their feature films: Thunderbirds Are GO, Thunderbird 6 and Journey to the Far Side of the Sun (aka Doppelganger).

Starting out in the model shop, Trim later became Special Effects Director Derek Meddings’ assistant in designing the fabulous futuristic architecture, vehicles, and distinctive look of the Andersons’ imaginative series. Eventually, he assumed responsibility for the majority of the design work for the series as Meddings (who won an Academy Award for his work on the 1978 film Superman) became more involved in feature films.

After contributing a single (unused) vehicle design and model to the series Space: 1999, Trim moved into freelance illustration, creating an iconic cover painting for one of the best-selling albums of all time, Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the Worlds, in 1978.

The Art Of Mike Trim. Images Of SciFi.

Celebrating more than forty years as a designer, Trim has now collaborated with author Anthony Taylor to produce a full-color collection of his works. The Future Was FAB: The Art of Mike Trim is an in-depth review of the artist’s entire career as a sci-fi designer and illustrator. Featuring hundreds of full-color and black-and-white drawings, paintings, marker comps and photos, the book offers a one-of-a-kind, up-close-and-personal view of how the artist foretells the future at the end of a paintbrush. The illustrations are annotated by Trim via his anecdotes and insights as he worked with the Andersons, Meddings and the crew of Century 21 Films, as well as his experiences as a freelance artist and his account of how the instantly recognizable cover art for The War of the Worlds LP was created. Also chronicled: his techniques and influences, unproduced and upcoming projects, and more. With chapters covering his techniques and early influences, unproduced and upcoming projects and more, The Future was FAB: The Art of Mike Trim is a fitting tribute to an artist whose work has permeated the pop culture landscape for more than forty years, and a meticulous archive of his seminal works in the field of sci-fi art and design.

The Art Of Mike Trim. Images Of SciFi.

AVAILABLE JULY 25, 2006
from Fabgearusa.com, Amazon.com, and book stores worldwide.

All Mike Trim Images Are Copyright.

# # #

The Future Was FAB: The Art of Mike Trim

By Anthony Taylor with Mike Trim

Forewords by Richard Taylor and David Tremont of Weta Workshop

Published by Hermes Press. 128 pages. Trade Paperback, 9×12 inches, $29.95

ISBN: 1932563822

If you’re into hearing interviews from key actors from TV SciFi shows, then you’ll probably like this. It allows you to download archived interviews. Personally, I can’t wait for the Battlestar Galactica interviews.

Content : Stuart Claw interviews Anthony Montgomery/Steve Yarwood’s Sci-fi Zone. Duration : 9 mins 49 seconds

This first show includes Part 1 of an exclusive interview between Area 51 Radio Station’s Stuart Claw and Anthony Montgomery, who played Ensign Travis Mayweather in Star Trek Enterprise. He gives us an insight into the Enterprise series and the part he played in it. As you will hear, he is clearly more than just an actor. (Part 2 of Stuart’s interview with Anthony will be available soon for a limited period only).

Also on this download is one of our excellent Sci-fi Zones with Steve Yarwood. In this one, Steve takes a look at a classic episode of Star Trek and explains why he thinks William Shatner was unsurpassed as captain of the Enterprise. (Will you agree? Listen to this Sci-fi zone and e-mail us your views. They will go out live on air.)

Information in respect of the next Sci-fi on Demand will be included in our newsletter.

The Area 51 Radio Station newsletter is a must for all sci-fi fans and includes the latest happenings at Area 51 Radio Station. If you haven’t signed up yet, be sure to do so now. There are no risks and it’s free. Why not have a look at the mailing list page and see how easy it is ?

Coming soon to Sci-fi on Demand

Jamie Bamber from New BattleStar Galactica
Captain Janeway from Star Trek Voyager
The Best of the Geoff Carter Show
Highlights from the Stuart Claw Show
Steve Yarwood’s engaging Sci-fi Zone
Interviews with the crew of Star Trek New Voyages

A new online streaming radio station for scifi fans has been set up. Entitled area 51 radio station (AF1RS) it will include all manner of content such as live outside broadcasts from large events. The next big events are the California SciFi Convention and The London Expo (broadcasting to 30,000 people). There will be SciFi roundups and music from the 70s through until the present day.

There will also be guest appearences, including John Billingsley who plays Dr. Phlox in Star Trek Enterprise. John will officially open the station at 12:00 Midday on Saturday October 22 2005 - and it will run for 24/7.

At the time or writing, the radio station is being tested from October 15th, with the golive October 22nd. Therefore, until it is actually live, there may not be a stream available. Keep coming back to check.

Click on the logo to tune into world’s first SciFi Radio Station now! It will start up a popular media streaming program such as iTunes, WinAmp or RealMedia (depending on which you have installed). You can download winamp from here.

If you have any difficulties, please let us know on the contact form.

You can see the current agenda, programmes, news and extra info on the official radio site here.

Firstly, the official blurb from Holy McGrail. (Which unfortunately you will notice says that’s it’s no longer in production due to being a limited release - which is a shame and should be rectified by making it digitally downloadable).

SMASHED AMPS & SUNN GUITARS, a 2-part 24 minute behemoth was recorded and released to co-incide with my involvement in SUNN 0)))’s 2004 UK tour. It was released on FUCK OFF & DI in a limited pressing of 100 (a second pressing of 100 was delayed beyond the moment and subsequently cancelled to keep the release limited).

SMASHED AMPS & SUNN GUITARS, whilst in obvious homage to Earth’s monumental SUNN AMPS & SMASHED GUITARS, features some particularly glam soloing from Doggen & Oracular vocals from Bristol’s May Lucken. The release is now sold out but may be made available for digital download in the near future.

Ok, that’s the blurb overwith. Why am I so interested in this?

I guess you could say that this will be a no review - as the product is no longer available. But stick with me and I’ll try and explain.

There is Science Fiction music which we all know and mostly love. Take Jeff Wayne’s War Of The Worlds; music of a SciFi narrative. Then there’s the signature tunes to various programmes; say Doctor Who, Star Wars, Blakes 7 et al. This is music which we recognise as being SciFi simply because we associate them with SciFi Programmes.

Ok, so far so good. Two kinds of SciFi music, one is of and the other is to.

After hearing this pretty simple but weird and alluring gem, it made me think that there is also another kind of SFi music - a track which takes music/sound/notes and strips away the crap which is not needed, focuses on what is important, to give a clean/crisp display of aural delight.

It’s rather like certain SF artwork (Mike Bohatch), where the subject is taken, then twisted, merged, darkened and changed into something from a parallel reality, only barely recognisable as the original subject. SAASG manages to do exactly the opposite, it strips music down to it’s bare essentials. Starting as short guitar riff, it gradually strips out what it doesn’t need to leave a crisp sounding single but ever changing note track.

It’s a shame it’s not available though.

Track Listings
Disc: 1
1. The Eve Of The War - Jeff Wayne Featuring Richard Burton And Justin Hayward
2. Horsell Common And The Heat Ray - Jeff Wayne Featuring Richard Burton
3. The Artilleryman And The Fighting Machine - Jeff Wayne Featuring Richard Burton And David Essex
4. Forever Autumn - Featuring Richard Burton And Justin Hayward
5. Thunder Child - Featuring Richard Burton And Chris Thompson

Disc: 2
1. The Red Weed (Part 1) - Jeff Wayne Featuring Richard Burton
2. The Spirit Of Man - Featuring Richard Burton, Phil Lynott And Julie Covington
3. The Red Weed (Part 2) - Jeff Wayne Featuring Richard Burton
4. The Artilleryman Returns - Jeff Wayne Featuring Richard Burton
5. Brave New World - Featuring Richard Burton And David Essex
6. Dead London - Jeff Wayne Featuring Richard Burton
7. Epilogue (Part 1) - Featuring Richard Burton
8. Epilogue (Part 2) (Nasa)