32 M: 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.
32 M: Sci-Fi References in Music List
M:
"The Official Secrets Act" (an innocent gets caught up in government
plots and secret police, a la 1984)
MC-5:
On "Kick Out the Jams", "Rocket Reducer" and "Starship".
MacDonald & Giles:
Two alumni of the early King Crimson, who released an LP who
second side is a long suite called "Birdman" about a scientist
who invents wings that work.
Machover, Ted:
"VALIS", an electronic space opera version of Philip K. Dick's novel.
Magma:
"Inedits", "Udu Wudu"...sort of cross between German language research
and H.P. Lovecraft. Curious reference to "Ork" on Udu Wudu.
Here's a bit of background on the band...
About Magma & its founder Christian Vander...what he invented was rather a
cult than a subculture. Most Magma material deals with a mythology that
Vander claims to have been given knowledge of during a revelation. This is
when he also was given the umlaut-seasoned language "Kobaian" that pervades
the lyrics on the Magma albums. In short, according to the mythology, there
is a "highest being" in the Universe by the name of "Kreuhn Ko:hrmann". (I
use ":" after a letter to denote umlaut, two dots over it.) Vander sees
himself as some sort of prophet, and the people of the Earth have to listen
and convert their lives to be more in accordance with the Right Way or a
global disaster, a sort of divine punishment, will be the result. Also
appearing are "orks" which "are to machines what machines are to men". All
this sounds like bad heavy metal fantasies but Vander has persisted for many
years so maybe he really believes in it, who knows? A good example of the
Vander/Magma type of stuff is the album "Mekhanik Destruktiw Kommando:h"
that is a sort of mass with lots of mystical chanting. The second side of
"U:du Wu:du:", "De Futura", is about travelling in time which according to
the liner notes on the sleeve enables us to see the orks. --Bjorn Lisper
Magnum:
Many songs with generic SF&F themes such as "On A Storyteller's Night",
"Firebird" and possibly "Don't Wake the Lion". (There's some speculation
that the latter might really be about WW I.)
Manhattan Transfer:
Recorded a (snappy) version of the theme to the TV show "Twilight Zone".
Man or Astro-Man?:
[the question mark is part of the band's name] A current
instrumental band who make science fiction part of their identity.
The band has constructed an elaborate mythology about its members being
visitors sent from space by The Unmentionable One. Their live shows
feature half a dozen TVs on stage showing sci-fi images ranging from
1950s B movies to recent Ultraman episodes. Their 1993 debut album "Is
it ... Man or Astro-Man?" (Estrus Records) features cover art by Richard
Powers, who I'm told is famous for sci-fi novel covers. Song titles
include "Invasion of the Dragonmen," "Illudium Q-36," "Escape Through the
Air Vent," "Alien Visitors." Many tracks begin with dialogue clips of
corresponding sci-fi content. They have lots more music, similarly
themed, in the pipeline for late 1993 and 1994 release. For more info write
them at Man or Astro-Man? HQ, 429 Moores Mill Rd. #4, Auburn, AL 36830.
Mannfred Mann's Earth Band:
"Solar Fire" (interpretation of Holst's "The Planets"), "Time is Right".
Manowar:
They generally sing about heroic deeds, from days of old, when
men were bold. They like to dress like Conan, and their music
brings to mind images of Viking feasts and adventures.
"Defender", from "Fighting the World" is an example wherein the
hero goes off on some mighty quest.
Manufacture:
An industrial band from Boston. "Pain Amplifier" on
"Voice of World Control" takes its title from the device in _Dune_.
Marillion:
"Grendel", i.e. Beowulf & friends is the B side of "Market Square Heroes",
a 12-inch EP. This track is now also available on an import CD called
"B'Sides Themselves". (The band took its name from "Silmarillion".)
"Season's End" from the LP of the same name, talks about global warming.
Martha and the Muffins:
"Echo Beach" seems to be about a desire to travel back in time to
a beach at pre-war Hiroshima. Update: nope, doesn't look like it.
It's apparently about a beach in northern Ontario (Canada), near Barrie.
Mary's Danish:
Their album "Circa" includes the song "Venus loves Leonard", which is
sort of a '50s SF movie soundalike.
Continue to:
My Books
