2003 00 00 Popular Music - V 22 I 3 - Space Oddities, Aliens Futurism and Meaning in Popular Music - McLeod

Magazine Overview

This document is an academic article titled "Space Oddities: Aliens, Futurism and Meaning in Popular Music" by Ken McLeod, published in the journal *Popular Music*, Volume 22, Issue 3, in October 2003, by Cambridge University Press. The article explores the complex relationship between space, alien, and futuristic themes in popular music and their role in constructing various marginalized identities.

Abstract

The article notes the widespread popularity of space, alien, and futuristic imagery in popular culture, yet highlights the limited scholarly attention given to its impact on popular music. It examines how these themes have been used in music from early 1950s rock and roll to late 1990s techno to promote nonconformist ideologies and identities, including African-American empowerment and LGBTQ+ agendas. The author relates these musical developments to scientific space research and popular science fiction, suggesting that music's use of these themes often signifies a withdrawal from traditional cultural structures and an attempt to foster unity through a shared sense of 'otherness' that transcends divisions of race, gender, sexual preference, religion, or nationality.

Introduction

The introduction contextualizes the prevalence of space and alien imagery in contemporary pop culture through film and television. It then asserts that the impact of these themes on popular music remains largely unrecognized. The article posits that notions of 'alien anxiety' have historically permeated Western culture, often serving to deflect responsibility for social problems. It draws parallels between historical sightings of mythical beings and modern scientific visions of aliens, suggesting a shared fascination with the unknown. The author argues that space, aliens, and the future offer an alternative to the rational, scientific, and militaristic notions of progress that characterized late 20th and early 21st-century life. Music is identified as a key medium for creating and colonizing this imaginary space, mediating internal feelings with external reality.

Music and Imaginary Space

As cultural musicologist Jody Berland is cited, music creates an embodied but imaginary space that connects listeners to fantasy and an elusive future. This music can take listeners outside of their immediate physical reality while simultaneously grounding them in their own location. The article's discussion of space, alien, and techno-futuristic themes in popular music is not intended to be exhaustive but rather illustrative of the phenomenon's scope. Such themes are prevalent in various media, including music videos, album art, and merchandise. The author notes that while some artists, like Michael Jackson, used alien iconography incidentally, for others, it is central to their artistic identity.

The article highlights that the appropriation and evocation of space and alien themes in music span numerous styles and agendas, reflecting a general sense of alienation and a quest for higher states of being. While popular music has sometimes offered a superficial distraction from the realities of space exploration, space and alien imagery have consistently served as a trope in rock music that resists reductive worldviews and empowers marginalized identities.

Youth Culture and 'Alienation'

The article delves into the concept of 'alienation' within youth culture, referencing sociological theories by Marx, Durkheim, and Merton, and the Birmingham School's work on youth subcultures. It discusses how adolescents identifying with specific music styles were often targets of alienating labeling processes. The author suggests that futuristic or alien personification in popular music is often an attempt to circumvent notions of 'authenticity' by drawing on the fantastical. These artists use alien aesthetics to question identities, create new mythologies, and employ metaphors that are inherently unknowable, thus 'differing' the notion of authentic identity. This functions similarly to a camp aesthetic that subverts claims to artistic privilege. The article references the Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies' exploration of youth music as resistance to dominant values, arguing that alien tropes resist the bourgeois concept of normality. Psychoanalytic and Derridian theories are also invoked to explain 'Otherness' and 'difference' in rock music. The article notes that literal representations of resistance and metaphoric 'difference' are central to space and alienation appropriation in music. Furthermore, space alien imagery allows for pluralistic definitions, such as the space alien as a transcendent 'Other' capable of challenging simplistic binaries of male/female, black/white, or rich/poor. This is particularly evident in rave culture, where alien labeling facilitates the symbolic incorporation of an idealized raceless, classless, and genderless plurality. Susan McClary is quoted on the power of the disenfranchised to articulate different ways of construing the body, leading to potential for different experiential worlds, with the adoption of alien personas being a powerful articulation of this.

Early Visitors

The 'space age' is marked by the launch of Sputnik 1 in 1957, followed by Sputnik II, the Lunik probes, and early lunar photography. The article notes that public fascination was initially more with rockets' terrestrial capabilities than space destinations. The threat of nuclear war in the 1950s, following US hydrogen bomb tests, provided a unique perspective on humanity's place in the world. This era also saw a rise in popular culture concerned with space and the future, particularly in science fiction literature and Hollywood films. Rock and roll emerged concurrently with space exploration and the science fiction boom. Early rock 'n' roll records, like 'Rocket 88', linked space travel with teenage rebellion. Artists like Bill Haley and His Comets used space-related imagery. Allan Freed's radio show also contributed to this association. The article states that space and alien themes have impacted nearly all stylistic manifestations of rock music, citing examples from glam rock (David Bowie) to techno dance music. It highlights Afro-futurism in the music of Sun Ra, George Clinton, and Lee Perry, where artists project empowering images of black power through futuristic imagery and technology. The most recent and prevalent manifestation of alien imagery is found in electronica and techno dance music.

The 1960s reinforced interest in alien and science fiction themes, coinciding with human space flights and the launch of the first weather satellite and live transatlantic television broadcast. Paperback science fiction became popular, and influential films and TV series like 'Star Trek' emerged. The article notes that while space and alien themes existed in 1950s rock 'n' roll, they particularly blossomed after the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing, a period marked by socio-political unrest. Influential artists used these themes to represent political and sexual liberation, and the use of mind-expanding drugs. David Bowie's alter-ego Ziggy Stardust is presented as a key exponent, embodying a 'Martian messiah' and a bi-sexual alien rock superstar. Bowie's song 'Space Oddity' (1969) and his film 'The Man Who Fell to Earth' are discussed as examples of his engagement with these themes, exploring technological nihilism, alienation, and the artificiality of rock music. Bowie's alien persona also symbolized his bi-sexual alienation from the male-dominated rock music world, influencing numerous artists in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Afro-futurism

The article introduces 'Afro-futurism', a term coined by cultural critic Mark Dery, to describe African-American signification that appropriates images of advanced technology and alien or cyborg futures. Afro-futurism is found in literature, film, and art, and is typically concerned with black nationalism, empowerment, and the creation of mythologies that confront historical imagination with modern black existence. Dery's assertion that 'African-Americans are, in a very real sense, the descendents of alien abductees' is presented. Paul Gilroy's discussion of Black diaspora in terms of dispersal and the search for an imaginary utopian homeland is also mentioned. This sense of African-alienation is transferable to other marginalized groups, as noted by Samuel R. Delany regarding the marginalization of women and Hispanics from technology. The article connects the seemingly disparate mix of black dance music and science fiction imagery in hip-hop to these notions. Proto-hip-hop works, like Afrika Bambaataa's 'Planet Rock', embraced android synth-pop, reflecting a condition of being 'robots' or labor for capitalism. Hip-hop is interpreted as a social emancipation of the robot slave.

Other musical realms also reflect an Afro-futuristic fusion of space, techno-futurism, and magical/mystical African heritage, seen in the experimental jazz of Sun Ra, Miles Davis' 'On the Corner', Herbie Hancock's 'Future Shock', and Bernie Worrel's 'Blacktronic Science'. Jimi Hendrix's 'Third stone from the sun' and 'Astro man' are cited for their psychedelic use of effects to project a futuristic image of black exploration. The Jamaican dub/reggae producer Lee Scratch Perry is highlighted for infusing his dub productions with Christian, African, and Jamaican folk references, creating a 'spacey' sonic effect through electronic manipulation and the use of analogue effects devices. Perry's studio, 'Black Ark', is described as resonating with prophetic crafts and Marcus Garvey's Black Star Line. Perry's later eccentric behavior, including seeing UFOs, led him to burn down Black Ark.

George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic are presented as another significant example of musical Afro-futurism, drawing heavily on space and alien themes. Clinton's alter ego, 'Starchild', was an allegorical representation of freedom and positive energy, aiming to empower African-American society. His work combined science fiction fantasy, street slang, and ancient black history, often presented as a fairy tale. Clinton's music, characterized by layered, otherworldly grooves created with synthesizers and effects, is described as a sonic fingerprint that reflects and empowers the alienation experienced by black audiences from mainstream white society. His lyrics and live shows further emphasized this futuristic and alien imagery.

The Connection to Technology and Futurism

The article notes that Clinton's futuristic lyrical references served as powerful markers of the potential for black wealth and power, envisioning a future where marginalized aliens assume control. Sun Ra, Lee Perry, and George Clinton are seen as linking their diasporic African history to extraterrestriality through metaphors of space and alienation, employing aliases, technology, costuming, and language manipulation. Cultural scholar John Corbett theorizes that in black music, 'madness and extraterrestriality go hand in hand,' linking eccentricity to the metaphor of alien marginalization and empowering creative self-determination.

Afro-futurism is also a significant aspect of rave and techno music. The formation of Cybotron in 1981 is highlighted as a seminal moment in the Detroit techno scene. Influenced by European synth-pop, their music aimed to interface human spirituality with the cybernetic matrix. The stripped-down aesthetic of Cybotron also reflected Detroit's economic collapse. The subgenre 'Drum 'n' Bass' or 'Jungle' is discussed, emphasizing intense polyrhythmic drum and bass lines, atmospheric vocals, and soundscape ambience. A central idea in techno is the emphasis on the harmony between man and machine. The article contrasts this with criticisms of technology's detrimental impact on music and the body, citing Donald Clarke's comments on disco music.

In contemporary club/dance music, the use of technology and repetitive beats allows for a 'technological spirituality,' where the spirit is transferred from the machine to the body, thus countering Adorno's view of mechanization's alienating effect. The connection between alien or futurist personas and Black Nationalism is established through the importance of technology in creating a shared sense of communal identity, drawing on Benedict Anderson's work on technology and 'print capitalism.' The use of sampling and multi-tracking in African-American music allows for aural time travel, juxtaposing past and present to signify a collective African-American historical memory. The increasing use of technology, alien, and futuristic imagery in African-American music, particularly in dance music and hip-hop, questions human agency and conjures images of cyborgian artists. This imagery, while seemingly antithetical to the notion of 'authentic' black music, can be interpreted as a response to the postindustrial landscape. The fear/fascination with machines and their influence on the human body is personified in the cyborg concept, popularized by Star Trek's 'Borg' characters.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this article revolve around the intersection of popular music, science fiction tropes (space, aliens, futurism), and the construction of identity, particularly marginalized identities. The article adopts an academic and analytical stance, exploring how these themes function as forms of resistance, empowerment, and cultural commentary. It emphasizes the role of music in creating alternative realities and challenging dominant societal norms. The concept of 'otherness,' both literal and metaphorical, is central to the analysis, as is the exploration of Afro-futurism as a significant cultural and artistic movement. The article implicitly argues for the importance of recognizing the depth and complexity of these themes within popular music, moving beyond superficial interpretations to understand their profound impact on identity formation and social commentary.

This issue of "Space Oddities" (pages 346-355) is a scholarly exploration of the pervasive use of space, alien, and futuristic themes in popular music from the 1970s through the 1990s, authored by Ken McLeod. The magazine delves into how these themes have been utilized across various genres, including progressive rock, Afro-futurism, New Wave, cyberpunk, and rave/techno music, often serving as metaphors for societal alienation, technological advancement, and the desire for transcendence.

Progressive Rock: Colonising Technology

The article begins by contrasting the Afro-futurism of artists like Lee Perry and George Clinton with the approach of progressive rock bands such as Pink Floyd, Hawkwind, King Crimson, and Yes. Pink Floyd's 1973 album "Dark Side of the Moon" is highlighted for its use of space imagery and heavy reliance on synthesizers and studio experimentation, achieving immense popularity and defining the album-oriented rock era. Unlike the utopian visions of Afro-futurism, progressive rock's space imagery is presented as stemming from a desire to master and colonize technology, with the complex instrumentation and virtuosity mirroring the advancements of the real space program. This era also reflected the increasing US space race militarism and the Vietnam War.

African-American Music and Technology Misuse

A contrasting perspective is offered on the use of technology in African-American music, particularly hip-hop. Samuel Delany's notion of hip-hop as a 'specific miss-use [sic] and conscientious desecration of the artifacts of technology' is discussed. This includes the creative repurposing of instruments like the oil drum and Roland 808 drum machine, and the art of turntable scratching. Kodwo Eshun's concept of 'AfroDiasporic futurism' is introduced, describing a digital diaspora of 'computer rhythms, machine mythology and conceptechnics' that routes through the Black Atlantic, linking this to a general sense of black alienation.

Bowie, Clinton, and Pink Floyd's Use of Space

The article reiterates that artists like David Bowie, George Clinton, and Pink Floyd used space and alien themes for various ends, including sexual or racial alienation and drug experimentation. A common thread is their use of advanced studio recording technology to represent these themes. "Dark Side of the Moon," recorded at Abbey Road, utilized state-of-the-art equipment and was among the first to feature Dolby noise reduction and quadraphonic stereo mixing. The association of synthesizers with outer space is traced back to early science-fiction films and the theremin, an instrument whose sound embodied an alien voice. The increasing reliance on P.A. systems in large venues also contributed to a sense of distance between artists and audiences.

New Wave and 80s Alienation

In the post-Star Wars era of the early 1980s, New Wave artists like Nina Hagen, Klaus Nomi, and Gary Numan adopted alien stage personas to symbolize their transgression of sexual and musical boundaries, rebelling against punk's social realism. Nina Hagen's music and persona were characterized by alien themes, guttural vocalizations, and outrageous performances. Klaus Nomi, a counter tenor, created a glamorous space alien persona, blending opera and rock. Gary Numan, influenced by science fiction, adopted an expressionless, robot-like vocal delivery and focused on synthesizer arrangements, viewing human beings as fundamentally weak compared to machines.

Alternative Aliens and 1990s Futurism

The 1990s saw a surge in space and alien themes in alternative rock and electronica/techno dance music, influenced by a postmodern erosion of historical narratives. Bands like Shonen Knife, Spacehog, and Smashing Pumpkins explored these themes, often with a nostalgic reverence for 1970s glam rock or a playful parody of earlier optimism. Smashing Pumpkins' song 'Rocket' and its video evoked 1970s production techniques and Georges Méliès' film "A Trip to the Moon." Shonen Knife, an all-girl trio from Japan, offered a more playful take on space exploration with their catchy melodies and naïve lyrics.

Cyberpunk and Rave Culture

The genre of cyberpunk, emerging in the 1980s with William Gibson's "Neuromancer," explored the darker side of human-machine interaction. This aesthetic, characterized by its confrontational style and focus on alienated victims using technology, influenced bands like Front Line Assembly. In the 1990s, rave and techno dance music embraced alien imagery as a powerful symbol for creating an idealized, temporary, classless, raceless, and genderless society. The sensory overload of rave culture, combined with drugs, facilitated a communal experience often described as being 'abducted by aliens,' reflecting a postmodern loss of subjectivity and a desire for utopian ideals.

The DJ as Alien Messiah and Postmodernism

The typical live DJ presentation, surrounded by blinking equipment and laser lights, contributed to an alien iconography, evoking the trope of an alien messiah descending to bring enlightenment. This, along with the futuristic atmosphere of club spaces and the transient nature of rave venues, reinforced the alien mythos. The article connects this phenomenon to Frederic Jameson's concept of the postmodern condition, marked by the disappearance of the subject and a shrinking of temporality, leading to a self-alienated state of distraction and a focus on the present.

Conclusion

The term 'music' is increasingly signifying a fluid, never-finalized entity, particularly in rave/techno dance culture. The widespread use of sampling and digital technologies has made music less geographically bound. The article concludes that the fascination with space, futurism, and alien imagery in popular music is symptomatic of a general alienation from late-twentieth-century life and an increasing need to strive for higher, alternative ideals. This often represents a neo-Gnostic withdrawal from traditional structures, offering an artificial escape into a utopian future, with the openness to democratic pluralistic possibilities being a lasting legacy of new music culture.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes throughout this issue are the exploration of space and alien imagery in music, the role of technology in shaping musical expression, and the concept of alienation as a driving force. The editorial stance appears to be analytical and academic, examining these themes through the lens of cultural theory, sociology, and musicology. It positions the use of alien and futuristic themes not merely as aesthetic choices but as significant cultural metaphors reflecting broader societal anxieties and aspirations, particularly in the context of technological advancement and the postmodern condition.