SF/F MAPL? SVP! ASAP!
March 5, 2016 6:48 PM Subscribe
My wife and I do a radio show on a community station in Canada, usually roughly theming the show around something in the community (or going on with us) every week. A comic-book/SF convention is rolling through town next weekend. We try to have a lot of Canadian content on the show. What Canadian musicians have performed songs about SF/fantasy/comic-book themes?
For those not in the know, "Canadian Content" is derived by meeting 50% of the following criteria:
"Canadian": defined as somebody who has spent a substantial amount of time residing in Canada, not necessarily current citizenship
M: Music is composed by a Canadian.
A: The artist(s) performing the music is Canadian.
P: The track was produced in Canada.
L: The lyrics were written by a Canadian.
A missing letter (say, no L for instrumentals) means two of the remaining three must qualify.
Looking for songs about comics, SF, fantasy, or similar themes...
For those not in the know, "Canadian Content" is derived by meeting 50% of the following criteria:
"Canadian": defined as somebody who has spent a substantial amount of time residing in Canada, not necessarily current citizenship
M: Music is composed by a Canadian.
A: The artist(s) performing the music is Canadian.
P: The track was produced in Canada.
L: The lyrics were written by a Canadian.
A missing letter (say, no L for instrumentals) means two of the remaining three must qualify.
Looking for songs about comics, SF, fantasy, or similar themes...
Before I knew that Astronomy Domine was a Pink Floyd song, I was introduced by Voivod via Much Music.
It's a good metal cover of the song.
Thanks, CanCon!
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 7:00 PM on March 5, 2016
It's a good metal cover of the song.
Thanks, CanCon!
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 7:00 PM on March 5, 2016
Maybe too obvious? but Superman's Song by Crash Test Dummies.
posted by methroach at 7:03 PM on March 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by methroach at 7:03 PM on March 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
Arrogant Worms: Killer Robots from Venus, Tokyo Love Song (and very likely others?)
Arcade Fire: Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) has always seemed science-fictional to me.
Rush : Cygnus, 2112
Our Lady Peace: In Repair
There is a large overlap between Stan Rogers fans and people who go to Canadian science fiction conventions, but I'm not sure of any directly sf/fantasy songs of his except for "Witch of the Westmoreland."
posted by Jeanne at 7:03 PM on March 5, 2016
Arcade Fire: Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) has always seemed science-fictional to me.
Rush : Cygnus, 2112
Our Lady Peace: In Repair
There is a large overlap between Stan Rogers fans and people who go to Canadian science fiction conventions, but I'm not sure of any directly sf/fantasy songs of his except for "Witch of the Westmoreland."
posted by Jeanne at 7:03 PM on March 5, 2016
Moxy Früvous did a cover of the famous Spiderman theme song on their album Bargainville. It's a cover, so no M or L, but it does fulfill conditions A and P. (song on YouTube, with amateur video)
(If people don't get uncomfortable with Moxy Früvous at the moment what with Jian Ghomeshi and all. I've read that the verdict in his trial is supposed to be given toward the end of this month.)
posted by theatro at 7:03 PM on March 5, 2016
(If people don't get uncomfortable with Moxy Früvous at the moment what with Jian Ghomeshi and all. I've read that the verdict in his trial is supposed to be given toward the end of this month.)
posted by theatro at 7:03 PM on March 5, 2016
The Big Bang Theory theme song isn't about comics, but it is heavily associated with comics fans because of the show. The Barenarked Ladies wrote it and perform it, so I'm assuming it qualifies, but I can't promise that. There is a much longer version than what is actually used in the credits of the show.
posted by jacquilynne at 7:17 PM on March 5, 2016
posted by jacquilynne at 7:17 PM on March 5, 2016
Kurt Swinghammer's Vostok 6 - a concept album about the first woman in space.
posted by davebush at 7:37 PM on March 5, 2016
posted by davebush at 7:37 PM on March 5, 2016
Pretty much anything Rush would qualify, yeah! I'll admit these aren't necessarily about comics/SFF but are at least inspired by them:
Our Lady Peace also (famously) wrote Superman's Dead.
Matthew Good Band have a song called Generation X-Wing which is at least partially about growing up with Star Wars.
posted by capricorn at 7:59 PM on March 5, 2016
Our Lady Peace also (famously) wrote Superman's Dead.
Matthew Good Band have a song called Generation X-Wing which is at least partially about growing up with Star Wars.
posted by capricorn at 7:59 PM on March 5, 2016
New Pornographers What Turns Up in the Dark. Belvedere And You Thought the Doctor's Probe Hurt. Klattu's Calling Occupants. Neil Young After the Gold Rush (last verse).
posted by Cuke at 8:59 PM on March 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Cuke at 8:59 PM on March 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
Kid Koala Space Cadet. Neko Case I Wish I Was the Moon.
posted by Cuke at 9:26 PM on March 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Cuke at 9:26 PM on March 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
The Soupcans are a Toronto band that has more than one song about David Cronenberg movies, and other sci-fi/horror/weird themes. Crimes of the Future, part 2.
Bruce Haack was an electronic music pioneer from Alberta who made a crazy psych-fi concept album called The Electric Lucifer. Song of the Death Machine.
posted by rodlymight at 9:49 PM on March 5, 2016
Bruce Haack was an electronic music pioneer from Alberta who made a crazy psych-fi concept album called The Electric Lucifer. Song of the Death Machine.
posted by rodlymight at 9:49 PM on March 5, 2016
Spider Robinson was born in the Bronx but has lived in Canada for more than 40 years and has become a Canadian citizen. He's known for being involved in Filk.
But he's had some hard times recently. His wife died in 2010. His daughter died in 2014. Robinson himself had a heart attack in 2013. I gather he doesn't get around much any more.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 9:51 PM on March 5, 2016
But he's had some hard times recently. His wife died in 2010. His daughter died in 2014. Robinson himself had a heart attack in 2013. I gather he doesn't get around much any more.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 9:51 PM on March 5, 2016
GrimSkunk, Spiderman, Vikings and Gormenghast from Autumn Flowers, Bach in the Moors of Mars from Grim Skunk and, Overture in E Minor and Lord Ogre from Meltdown.
FM, Black Noise
Something from Offenbach's St-Chrone de Néant ought to sound Sci-Fi enough.
posted by Monday, stony Monday at 9:31 AM on March 6, 2016
FM, Black Noise
Something from Offenbach's St-Chrone de Néant ought to sound Sci-Fi enough.
posted by Monday, stony Monday at 9:31 AM on March 6, 2016
Or something from IXE-13's soundtrack (a movie based on an old dime novel with a comic book aesthetic).
posted by Monday, stony Monday at 10:56 AM on March 6, 2016
posted by Monday, stony Monday at 10:56 AM on March 6, 2016
Vulcan Alberta by the Rural Alberta Advantage
Scott Pilgrim by Plumtree (inspired the comic that inspired the movie)
A lot of Metric/Emily Haines' songs I feel like have sci-fi vibes? Like Help I'm Alive or Dr Blind seems that way to me, although they're not explicitly sci-fi.
posted by LobsterMitten at 11:33 AM on March 6, 2016
Scott Pilgrim by Plumtree (inspired the comic that inspired the movie)
A lot of Metric/Emily Haines' songs I feel like have sci-fi vibes? Like Help I'm Alive or Dr Blind seems that way to me, although they're not explicitly sci-fi.
posted by LobsterMitten at 11:33 AM on March 6, 2016
Time Machine by Sweatshop Union (not really sci-fi, but sci-fi title)
posted by LobsterMitten at 11:52 AM on March 6, 2016
posted by LobsterMitten at 11:52 AM on March 6, 2016
Seconding the recommendation for KLAATU-------- Links to an article from Quick Before It Melts about the hoax that their music was suspected to be made by The Beatles and released under a pseudonym.
Owen Pallett formerly known as Final Fantasy creates music inspired by fantasy fiction.. Heartland, for example "The songs themselves form a narrative concerning a farmer named Lewis and the fictional world of Spectrum. The songs are one-sided dialogues with Lewis, a young, ultra-violent farmer, speaking to his creator."
Grimes has mentioned a science fiction influence here.
Not sure what kind of music you are looking for but Weird Canada might be a good resource
also this
posted by abhardcastle at 3:12 PM on March 6, 2016 [1 favorite]
Owen Pallett formerly known as Final Fantasy creates music inspired by fantasy fiction.. Heartland, for example "The songs themselves form a narrative concerning a farmer named Lewis and the fictional world of Spectrum. The songs are one-sided dialogues with Lewis, a young, ultra-violent farmer, speaking to his creator."
Grimes has mentioned a science fiction influence here.
Not sure what kind of music you are looking for but Weird Canada might be a good resource
also this
posted by abhardcastle at 3:12 PM on March 6, 2016 [1 favorite]
The Cybertronic Spree are a Transformers metal cover band from Toronto.
posted by Gortuk at 7:18 AM on March 7, 2016
posted by Gortuk at 7:18 AM on March 7, 2016
Response by poster: Fantastic -- thanks, everybody! You can tune in Saturday at 8AM (ET) at cfrc.ca streaming -- or via the archives -- if you want to see how it turned out. Not everything will fit the show, but there are some great ideas here.
posted by Shepherd at 3:18 AM on March 9, 2016
posted by Shepherd at 3:18 AM on March 9, 2016
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 6:53 PM on March 5, 2016