Intergalactic Funfair

 

Here we are, with another mix, another angle, another dimension of the vast paintbox of sonic colours we can play around in. 

This time around I'm kinda attempting to summon up the sounds of my early youth, when a day at Luna Park, The Royal Easter Show, or just the local travelling funfair took my young mind into states of fantasy and exhilaration.  There was always the that swirling, twirling, magic, outer space music playing through tinny speakers, with some guy on the mike calling out something illegible.

I'm not saying that these are the songs that were played at those houses of fun, it's just my attempt to summon up that funfair vibe, in tandem with the constant sci-fi vibe that was ever present in those innocent times. 

There's that pre-Beatles thing, especially in the UK, that sometimes bordered on a weird reinterpretation of R&B and Rock & Roll. Joe Meek really captures the sound that catapulted the idea of this mix. It's a kind of spooky, space age, out-a-sight thing. Joe Meek, the original 'Indie' Producer, who created a stable of young hopefuls, all recording in the claustrophobic environs of his Islington flat. Meek was a major innovator in the early days of mutlitracking, inventing new effects and recording techniques. The track Telstar, released under the banner of The Tornados was a huge hit, with incredible sound effects all conjured up in his slightly unhinged mind. I've included four of his works here. There's also two tracks by Jean-Jacques Perrey a French electronic music innovator, for one of those tracks he has teamed up with Gershon Kingsley, the German-American composer and electronic music pioneer. Their music, singularly and together were ground breaking, freaky, funky and downright off the planet. Two other outaspace cats and major music innovators featured here are Sun Ra and Bruce Haack. Haack's tune here is one of the latest releases in the mix, but his journey with experimental tape manipulations and futuristic sound explorations began in the mid fifties.

Outside of these electronic mavericks I've thrown in other works that I feel are connected in some way, possibly a way that only I can fathom. Tunes like 'Dance On' by Kathy Kirby that totally intoxicated me as a child, with its irregular changes and shapes, there's the iconic sounds of John Barry, he of James Bond and The Blob, the Ipcress Files and The Knack. 

I Have sourced both soundtracks and soundtrack remakes, a smattering of Easy Listening and even Lee Scratch Perry in my attempt to bring you my Intergalactic Funfair. Enjoy the ride - Here's your TICKET

1. Passport To The Future - Jacques Perrey - Mood Indigo

2. Globetrotter - The Tornadoes

3. Soulful I - The Upsetters - Return of Django

4. That Happy Feeling - Vincent Bell - Pop Goes The Electric Sitar

5. Dreamin' - The Mark Wirtz orchestra - The Go Go Music Of...

6. Orbit around the moon - Joe meek - I Hear a New World

7. Life’s too short - the Lafayettes - 7"

8. Dance on - Kathy Kirby - 7"

9. Tanganyika - Gene Sikora & The Irrationals - Technicolour Paradise

10. Attack On The Bulldozer - N Nardmi - The Prisoner OST

11. Visa To The Stars - Perrey-Kingsley - In Sound From Way Out

12. Atlantis - The Blue bells - Technicolour Paradise 

13. Starfire - John Barry - Stringbeat

14. Promenade - Lee Allen - 7"

15. Catnip - Johnny And The Hurricanes - Beatnik Fly

16. Electric To Me Turn (Alternate Version) - Bruce Haack - The Electric Lucifer

17. Disco 2100 - Sun Ra and His Arkestra

18. Murder At The Gallop - John Green - Twilight of Honour

19. Deadlier Than The Male - Walker Brothers - The Fabulous Walker brothers

20. I Lost My Heart At the Fairground - Glenda Collins - Let’s go Joe Meek’s Girls!

21. Theme From Star Trek - The Secret Agents - Mission Impossible & Other Action Themes

22. Holiday With Raymond - Les Reed - Girl On A Motorcycle OST

23. Petite Paullete - Enoch Light - 4 Channel Stereo

24. Telstar - The Tornados

The sonic connectors are taken from: 'Stereo Space Odyssey', 'The Flintstones and Jose' Jiminez in the Time Machine' and 'Major Records Presents Sound Effects Volume 23'