INTERSTELLAR OVERDRIVE
The new edition of "Supernatural Strategies for Making a Rock 'n' Roll Group" enjoyed a recent "launch."
As you may have heard, “Supernatural Strategies For Making A Rock ‘N’ Roll Group” by Ian F Svenonius, the metaphysical how-to manual for making your own band1 has been re-issued after an oh-so desolate dark age on Earth when it was out-of-print & unavailable.
While many modern rock memoirs are actually “ghost written”— i.e. secretly penned by an anonymous, uncredited figure— this book, “Supernatural Strategies ..,” is openly advertised as having been authored by a gaggle of dead rockers whose spirits were contacted via seance in order that they impart their insights to modern day ingenues; this book wasn’t just ghost written — it employed an entire cemetery!
The re -issue — some are calling it a “revival” due to all the excitement surrounding it (i.e. revival tent)— of “Supernatural Strategies For Making A Rock ‘n’ Roll Group,” was sure to precipitate some special event; for the launch party we all expected a bonfire on the beach or a confetti parade or something but the author really outdid everyone’s expectations by arranging an actual launch of a group into space followed by an interstellar concert by said group on the moon. Lets take a look!
THE DIONYSUS MISSION: THE FIRST GROUP ON THE MOON
Ground Control: This is a remarkable occasion ladies & gentlemen, the first group on the moon.
They aren’t driving a dune buggy or any other nonsense; they’re doing something entirely practical: playing a concert on the moon.
It’s high time this happened and there’s a reason it feels so right. After all, there’s been a space race in rock ’n’ roll almost from its inception. Sun Records’ artist Billy Lee Riley kicked it off with “Flying Saucer Rock ’n’ Roll” in 1956. Afterwards, Pink Floyd responded with “Interstellar Overdrive,” to which Bowie proposed a “Space Oddity,” with George Clinton promulgating the “Mothership Connection” and so on. These were fantastic tunes and a great part of rock ’n’ roll’s tableaux but now we’ve gone farther, we’ve finally done it; we have put a rock ’n’ roll group on the Moon!
Humanity has finally pierced the stratosphere with something beyond the usual space garbage, i.e. military hardware, surveillance satellites, and broadcast antennae for propaganda. We finally have an exponent of the people’s art on the Moon.
Indeed, why should the cosmos be the exclusive purview of the most despicable elements of our species? Billionaires, spy agencies, “NASA,” — another front group
for the military industrial complex — not to mention those syphilitic Silicon Valley elements. Before any other organization or corporation should be allowed to step into space, we need a rock ’n’ roll group to do so ... and now, finally, we have one.
Base: Hello, Hello, this is Alpha Base Echo Park calling ... first band on the Moon! Are you receiving me?
Band member 1: Yes, Echo Park we are receiving you
Base: Ok– that’s amazing. Technology is just fantastic isn’t it? What’s it like up on the moon?
Band member 2: It’s pretty cool, some nice topography where we are.
Base: What is the group called? You were talking about changing the name before you left I remember .. you used to be called something else.
Band member 2: Yes; now we are called “Dionysus 1” ... named after our lunar module; the name is a refutation of the Apollo mission
.Base: You mean NASA’s Apollo flight which supposedly brought Americans to the Moon?
Band member 1: Yes, exactly ... the “Apollo” missions were part of the capitalistic ideological conflict against socialism known as “The Cold War” .. it was the military industrial complex asserting itself in space ... an imperialistic foray to conquer the unknown. These people are so greedy; they already have everything here on Earth... now they want to own the unknown.
Band member 2: They put a flag on the Moon somewhere supposedly but we haven’t seen it yet.
Band Member 1: It’s pretty big up here, a lot of square footage.
Band member 2: Every other US space mission up to now was in the service of the military industrial complex, the surveillance state or for the purpose of capitalist exploitation. This is the first moon mission that is purely for rock ’n’ roll; a rock ’n’ roll’s mission to the Moon. It’s a Dionysian bacchanal; a refutation of the Apollonian character of the military’s previous outer space forays.
Band member 1: You could say rock ’n’ roll is Dionysian. Dionysus represents the irrational, ritual madness, rebellion ... as opposed to Apollo’s methodical approach. Nietzsche proposed that, in art, there is a Dionysian impulse toward intoxication, irrationality, and ecstasy; an inverse to the Apollonian urge for harmony, clarity, and logic.
Band member 2: Dionysus 1 is also the first D.I.Y. space mission; entirely funded through contributions by our fans and T shirt sales.
Base: But isn’t your own flight to space a little colonial?
Band member 1: Dionysus is the counterpoint to Apollo ... the Dionysian is the opposite of the Apollonian. We are not here to corral the Moon as part of the capitalist imperialist project; we are here to tell the Moon it can be free.
Base: Free? How so?
Band member 2: It doesn’t need to wax and wane according to humanity’s expectations for example. And if it wants to take a night off, we want to encourage that as well.
Band member 1: People take so much from the Moon ... lovers always use it for their midnight strolls. It’s used when people want to bolster their insanity. And in lycanthropy, the full Moon is indispensable for turning people into wolves. Its also constantly invoked in song lyrics; “Fly me to the Moon,” Everybody’s Gone to the Moon,” “That’s Amore,” et al. As part of our performance, we want to let the moon know it doesn’t have to conform to Earth people’s expectations. We are gonna let it know it can break free of the Earth’s orbit if it wants.
Base: Whoa, that might have some major repercussions on the motion of the ocean.
Band member 2: That’s not the Moon’s problem y’know? The Earth’s oceans will justhave to work it out.
Band member 1: That’s sort of rock ’n’ roll’s raison d’etre isn’t it?; inciting rebellion. We have to bring that impulse into space.
Band member 2: Rock stars like Bowie, Bolan, George Clinton, Sun Ra, and Elton John were always talking about going to space but our band DIONYSUS 1 is the first bandto actually play on the Moon. All those other guys are kinda poseurs; we are putting our money where our mouth is.
Band member 1: They weren’t poseurs per se but rather dreamers; we are simply manifesting their beautiful proposals.
Base: What about the outfits? Style is such an important part of a band’s identity; perhaps the most important part. Do you feel confined by the limitations of utilitarian space wear?
Band member 2: There’s a long tradition of space wear in rock so I think space suits are actually pretty conventional; traditional rock ’n’ roll wear really.
Band member 1: Rock ’n’ roll started during the Cold War and the space-race with Sputnik and Telstar and all that, so the futuristic space thing has always been a big part of rock ’n’ roll; it really hit its stride with disco and glam and all that.
Band member 2: Glam rock of course was a sort of ‘50s throwback aesthetic —particularly its glitter and space obsession.
Base: Whats the scene like up there? Do you expect anyone at the show? Any sort of extraterrestrial life perhaps?
Band member 2: We recognize that this first show might not be huge but we are gonna give it our all nonetheless. An audience isn’t built overnight. We ‘re going to keep playing and building.
Base: If extraterrestrials do show up, do you think they will have particular expecta- tions?
Band member 1: who knows? They might be quite sophisticated. Some radio waves might have bounced their way and they might have some exposure to the classics on account of these new fangled satellites that are floating around up here.
Band member 2: We can’t presume what they like or what they will prefer so we’re just gonna do our thing y’know?
Band member 1: The important thing is that we are DIONYSUS 1 and we maintain our identity and vision.
Base: So I guess your set time is pretty much right now. Is there any perceptible audience?
Band member 2: We aren’t seeing anyone but we trust there’s something or someone out there listening.
Base: Well we are listening here back home and rooting for you. Let’s hear a song. What song are you gonna start with?
Band member 1: Well, to start with we thought we should do a classic rock ’n’ roll tune; one that maybe the space people might have heard before. But we couldn’t find any electrical outlets up here and there’s no PA to speak of so the set will have to be more or less acoustic. But that’s OK. The theaters in Ancient Greece didn’t have amplification as far as we know and they still had their bacchanals.
Base: Do you think whatever moon people or Extra-Terrestrials will understand the themes in the music?
Band member 2: We think emotions and feelings plus a little stomping and scream- ing, are probably pretty universal even if the audience is a cloud of gaseous matter or a space virus or a black hole or something.
Base: They say “in space no one can hear you scream.”
Band member 1: Well, nevertheless, we are gonna try.
Base: What are you gonna start the set off with?
Band member 2: Our first song is called My Prayer For The Moon.
Base: Let’s hear it.
Band member 1 & 2 together:
MY PRAYER FOR THE MOON
The Moon is always waxing
the Moon is always waning Always on the go
It never gets a break it never stops
working around the clock
trotting around the globe
It gives and gives. But people still want more.
Lovers gaze at it expectantly, demanding that it spur their libidinal impulses & pull the heart-strings of their paramour.
People use it to organize their menstrual cycle, their full moon rituals and to bless their magic potions.
Lunar rays are extracted, used as an aphrodisiac or to augment mental illness.
Lycanthropes require it for their transformation.
Every time there’s a full Moon
The Moon people or “loonies” use it to perform their machinations.
How long before the Moon collapses from these many obligations and expectations?
Occasionally of course there’s a lunar eclipse which obscures the Moon from view when it goes into hiding or into its toilette to perform its ablutions. On these occasions, just when it seeks a retreat, enormous crowds gather to catch a glimpse of the Moon in repose.
Ironically, this is the moment when the Moon gets the most attention; when it is seeking a modicum of solitude.
People land on the Moon and explore it, searching for precious minerals.
They still haven’t found oil on the Moon but they’re trying.
One day I pray that the Moon will break away from its obit and find peace like other rocks in the galaxy.
Base: That was fantastic. Let’s have round of applause for Dionysus 1.
Band member 1: Thanks!
BASE: As the first group on the moon, do you have any words of advice for the audience here in Los Angeles? Many of them are rock ’n’ roll stars themselves.
Band member 2: All of this would have been impossible without the help of the book Supernatural Strategies for Making a Rock ’n’ Roll Group which helped us understand what was possible in regards to a group’s proposal, its character, its values and its mission.
Band Member 1: Without Supernatural Strategies for Making a Rock ’n’ Roll Group, Dionysus 1 would probably be content trying to have a traditional rock career playing in clubs and finding a manager and getting big numbers on spotify.
Band Member 2: Instead we are playing on the Moon, playing to the Moon. But we wish we could be there with you.
Band Member 1: I urge everyone present to read this book and if you have already read it, to re visit it.
Band member 2: We will attempt to spread its lessons across the universe.
Base: Thanks for the words of encouragement Dionysus 1! And have a great show. Band Member 1 & 2: Thanks!
Models: Michelle & Alex, Photography: Ian F Svenonius