29 K: Sci-Fi References in Music List
Description
This article is from the SF references in music List FAQ, by Rich Kulawiec rsk@gsp.org with numerous contributions by others.
29 K: Sci-Fi References in Music List
KLF:
A British rap group, formerly known as both the JAMS (Justified Ancients of Mu
Mu) and the Timelords (Dr. Who reference, of course). Both the JAMS and
the KLF are Discordian groups mentioned in Robert Shea and Robert
Anton Wilson's "Illuminatus!" trilogy. Jimmy Cauty from the KLF did an
album called "Space" under the name Space - perhaps not really SF but it
is very spacey (hence the name).
Kaleidoscope:
The song "The Sky Children", an epic fairytale.
Kansas:
Lots of stuff. See "Kansas", "Song For America", "Masque" and
"Leftoverture" for details...note, though, that Kerry Livgren is
heavily into Chrisianity, lending an alternative interpretation to many
of the lyrics. But "Icarus: Borne on Wings of Steel" (from "Masque" is
pretty clearly mythological, and "Portrait (He Knew)" from "Point of
Know Return" is about Einstein. "Point of Know Return" also has
sf-related stuff, such as "Nobody's Home". Livgren says that he didn't
consciously think of himself as writing Christian-influenced songs
until "Monolith", the LP after "Point...", so interpretation of his
earlier work in an SF context is probably not reaching too much. Note
also the influence of Native American mythos on several albums such as
"Monolith". Finally, "Taking in the View" and "Tomb 19" from "Power"
have a historical fantasy tinge.
Kayak:
Nearly all of their work is fantasy/sf-related. The tracks
"Journey Through Time", "Daphne (Laurel Tree)", "Phantom of the Night"
are interesting examples from the LP "Phantom of the Night". The first
is an interesting time-travel song and the last two deal mostly with
Greek-mythology and its associated fantasy story-lines. The album
"Periscope Life" contains "Astral Aliens". The "Starlight Dancer" LP
contains the title track, an interesting piece. The song "Relics
from a Distant Age" from "The Last Encore" is an SF piece. Another is
"Trust in the Machine" from their first LP, Kayak.
Keel:
80's US-Metal band. Their 1986 LP "The Final Frontier" is dedicated to the
crew of the Challenger Space Shuttle. It contains the track
"The final frontier" about space exploration.
Khan:
Early Steve Hillage group. Had album "Space Shanty".
Killdozer:
The quentissential mid-80's Wisconsen grundge-hardcore band
has a song off "Twelve Point Buck" named after that ancient British TV
series "Space: 1999", but it's pretty much about "babes."
The band's name is also the title of a terrible movie about a
possessed Caterpillar D-8 bulldozer, which in turn quite probably
comes from an old Theodore Sturgeon novelet of the same name, first
published in "Astounding" in the late 40's.
King Crimson:
"Epitaph" and "21st Century Schizoid Man" from "In The Court of the
Crimson King". Also "Dig Me", from "Three of a Perfect Pair",
is about an automobile found in the wild which begs the listener
to "Dig me, but don't...bury me". The LP "Lizard"'s second side
is about a terrible war in a fantasy world. (Lyrics by Pete Sinfield.)
"Earthbound" from album of same name (not released in U.S.).
King Missile:
Took their name from a Japanese comic-book [and
'Detachable Penis' could be seen as a farce on cybernetics].
[Or not. :-) ---Rsk ]
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