Space-Age Bachleor Pa-aaaah Oh God No!

June 30, 2009 9:50 AM

Music Mix Filter: Long story short, next week the model at my event is coming dressed as the Alien Queen from the ALIEN movies. I have no idea what kind of music to play for the background. The film scores seem obvious but who wants to listen to clanking and increasing strings for 3 hours? I can either go scary-horror-sci-fi or campy-alien-novelty songs. Ideally I could do both. What kind of weird space music recommendations do you have? Gotta have songs about alien invaders?
posted by The Whelk to media & arts (33 comments total)

I suppose you could go with some soundtracks from classic SF films. I like the one for Mysterious Island a lot (Herrmann) but there are plenty of others available on CD to choose from.

But really, I just came in here to beg that you Flickr a post-event photo or two -- I can't quite imagine how that "Alien Queen" costume is going to look!
posted by Guy_Inamonkeysuit at 10:02 AM on June 30

How about the soundtrack to The Day The Earth Stood Still (Bernard Herrmann with theremin), Forbidden Planet (cybernetic circuit recordings, could be a bit dry but the pieces are short), Tom Dissevelt and Kid Baltan's Song of the Second Moon for early atmospheric "space" music?

And a spot of Space Disco.
posted by galaksit at 10:02 AM on June 30

If it helps, the set will be all white, trying to suggest the infirmary from the first movie, with dark green latex cut into webbing around the objects. There will also be a plush facehugger.

I want to construct eggs but stuck on how. Meeting with my Propmistress tomorrow bout that
posted by The Whelk at 10:05 AM on June 30

Loving the Alien, or Loving the Alien? Or Alien Sex Fiend, or anything by Alien Sex Fiend?
posted by misteraitch at 10:06 AM on June 30

The soundtrack to the Soderbergh version of Solaris is perfect for background music - eerie and ethereal, but also beautiful.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:08 AM on June 30

came here to recommend The Day The Earth Stood Still (1950's version). Available on iTunes.
posted by Gungho at 10:09 AM on June 30

Not strictly alien related, but the quake soundtrack by Trent Reznor is great for dark, creepy, and gloomy ambience.
posted by utsutsu at 10:09 AM on June 30

a couple of suggestions off the top of my head for fun/novelty music:
i'm a bitch
flying purple people eater
posted by rmd1023 at 10:14 AM on June 30

The Twilight Zone theme fits the creepy music filter for me.

Hey, an Alien Egg instructable!
posted by misha at 10:17 AM on June 30 [1 favorite has favorites]

Subterranean Homesick Alien would be awesome.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 10:21 AM on June 30

If you're going for campy: Spooks in Space
posted by sarahj at 10:21 AM on June 30

Misha: holy shit I had no idea. You are now my Spouse Of The Day.

(P.S this is the fastest I've ever gotten suggestions for a music mix. Mefites like thier space sounds, eh?)
posted by The Whelk at 10:23 AM on June 30 [1 favorite has favorites]

Or: something by Space!
posted by sarahj at 10:25 AM on June 30

Who doesn't love the famed five-note "communicating with the aliens" theme from Close Encounters of the Third Kind? I kind of like the disjointedness of applying it to Alien, but I'm not noted for my sense of, uh, anything.
posted by Skot at 10:28 AM on June 30

I'm partial to Spaceship Zero by the Darkest of the Hillside Thickets.
posted by adamdschneider at 10:28 AM on June 30

under the "campy-alien-novelty" banner:

Add (n) to X: Avant Hard

Or, just put the Star Wars Cantina Band Song on repeat.
posted by reverend cuttle at 10:41 AM on June 30

If you really want to hit all of the irony buttons, do "The Alien Song," by Milla, from The Divine Comedy.
posted by adipocere at 10:45 AM on June 30

The film scores seem obvious but who wants to listen to clanking and increasing strings for 3 hours?

Sure, James Horner's score for the second film is all strings and clanking, but Jerry Goldsmith's score for the first movie is pure, distilled creeping menace. See what you think.
posted by jjg at 10:52 AM on June 30

The soundtrack to Le Planete Sauvage is fun and Vampyros Lesbos Sexadelic Dance Party is just as weird and groovy.
posted by cazoo at 10:53 AM on June 30

One of the greatest pieces of classic sci-fi movie 'sinister invading alien' music—the piece that John Williams ripped off for the imperial theme from Star Wars—is Gustav Holst's Mars: Bringer of War from his Planets cycle. Instantly recognizable and evocative, I've never known anybody who didn't think 'scary aliens and huge space cruisers' when they heard it.
posted by koeselitz at 11:01 AM on June 30

Not campy or clanky... But space based.

The band Spiritualized is a space rock band. They're good. The lead singer even goes by the name J. Spaceman from time to time.

Aimee Mann has an album "Lost in Space" the title track is space themed.

Then there is vintage Bowie. Space Oddity is very well known. Then there's "Life on Mars."
posted by magikker at 11:26 AM on June 30

Space Oddity - Bowie
Rocket Man - Elton John
Spaceman - Nilsson
Urban Spaceman - Bonzo Dog Band
posted by Guy_Inamonkeysuit at 11:27 AM on June 30

mix it up with a little flying saucer attack. can't access streaming sites at work so i can't provide a handy link for music. sorry.
posted by msconduct at 12:08 PM on June 30

Check out Eric Serra's music that opens The Fifth Element while the titles are rolling. Very good for evoking a feeling of space and unknown lurking danger.
posted by buzzv at 12:12 PM on June 30

"Telstar" – The Tornados
"Astronomy Domine," "Interstellar Overdrive," "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun," "Dark Side of the Moon"– Pink Floyd
"2000 Light Years from Home" – The Rolling Stones
"Major Tom (Coming Home)" – Peter Schilling
posted by timeistight at 12:38 PM on June 30

TMBG's For Science:

I will date the girl from Venus
Flowers die and so will I
Yes, I will kiss the girl from Venus
for science.

I'm so brave
I'm so brave
I'll be her love slave
posted by chiefthe at 12:38 PM on June 30

I forgot one:
"Third Stone from the Sun" – Jimi Hendrix Experience
posted by timeistight at 12:39 PM on June 30

Don't forget about UFOetry. Punkish. All their songs are about aliens/UFOs.
posted by heather-b at 1:09 PM on June 30

I like sarahj's choices, and would suggest more in the space-disco vein. Be sure to check out that first Space LP. Some other songs like the following should work:
Pluton & The Humanoid's 'World Invaders'
Playback - 'Space Invaders'
The Immortals - 'Ultimate Warlord'
Venus Gang - 'Space Woman'
Mirage - 'Mirage In The Space'
Charlie - 'Spacer Woman'
Sparks - 'Tryouts for the Human Race'
E.T.M.S. - 'Sounds of the Humanoid Kind'
Kano - 'It's A War'
Trophy - 'Slow Flight'
Xenon - 'Xenon Galaxy'
I Signori Della Galassia - 'Proxima Centauri'
Wanexa - 'The Man From Colours'
EGO - 'Theme From ET'
Marzio Dance DJ & Gang - 'Adventure'
Giorgio Moroder - 'The Chase' (from Midnight Express soundtrack)
Digital Emotion - 'Go Go Yellow Screen'
Blackway - 'New Life'
Alan Parsons Project - 'Mammagamma'
4M International - 'Space Operator'
Sarah Brightman & Hot Gossip - 'I Fell In Love With A Starship Trooper'

and how can you not like hiphop/electro about space
Keymatic - 'Breakin In Space'
Newcleus - 'Automan'

New disco stuff like I-F's 'Space Invaders Are Smoking Grass' and Lindstrom's 'I Feel Space' would work as well.
posted by stachemaster at 1:59 PM on June 30

About 10 years ago I made face hugger as a halloween costume. It took about three months of part time work, but I was quite happy with the results. I wish I had better pictures.

For sound tracks, I strongly recommend the soundtrack to Godzilla (or this collection). Akira Ifukube is the bomb.
posted by plinth at 5:33 PM on June 30

Nearly forgot Martian Boogie.
posted by plinth at 5:35 PM on June 30

I came in to recommend La Planete Sauvage, but I see someone beat me to it. It's really nice.

The Godzilla stuff, well, if you search my posting history, you can get it all for free.

Other stuff:

Hawkwind—Space Ritual
Scientist—Scientist Meets the Space Invaders
Kraftwerk—Spacelab
Sun Ra—Space is the Place
Chrome—Alien Soundtracks
Miles Davis—Star People

Flying Purple People Eater by whoever did that novelty song.

Aside from that, I'd go for folks like Skullflower, Sunroof! and Vibral Cathedra Orchestra for weird ambient sounds.
posted by klangklangston at 10:38 PM on June 30

Thanks everyone! The current playlist is

The Day The Earth Stood Still Intro -Bernard Hermann
Mars Attacks End Credits - SDTK
2000 Light Years From Home - The Rolling Stones
Alien Main Theme - Prague Philanthropic
Angel - Massive Attack
Timecrash - 5th Element SDTK
Timebomb - Beck
Space Is the Place - Jonzon Crew
Third Stone Of the Son - Jimmie Hendrix Experience
Telstar - The Ventures
Loving The Alien - David Bowie & Scumfrog remix
Ripley's Escape - Alien SDTK
Saw Theme - William Tryrel
Martian Loung - Mars Attacks SDTK
Lost In Space - TV Theme
Major Tom (Coming Home) - The Space Lady
Interstellar Overdrive - Pink Flyod
Badamboom - 5th Element SDTK
Calling All Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft - Klatu
Close Encounters Of the Third Kind Main Theme And Intro - SDTK
Cantina Band - Star Wars: A New Hope SDTK
Mars Forver - The Fantastic Plastic Machine
The Fall Of the Planet Eart- The Moonbillies
Science Fiction DOuble Feature - Rocky Horror Picture Show SDTK
posted by The Whelk at 10:20 PM on July 9