Jump to content


Please note: You can easily log in to MPN using your Facebook account!

Spaceship Superstar


WillNeverPost

Recommended Posts

This is an oldie but, IMO, a goldie. It's the name of a song from 1977 by Canadian band Prism. It was always a guilty pleasure of mine back in the day when I was mostly listening to bands like Yes, Rush, Supertramp, etc (along with purely electronic stuff). The song always seemed a little silly to me (e.g., "solar-powered, laser-beam guitar") but what redeemed it was the bitchin' synth solo starting at about 3:00 in the LP version (see link below). From the live version I have also linked you can see it was done on an Oberheim Four Voice (assuming they toured with the same synth they used in the studio for that). Can anyone identify the keyboards the Oberheim is sitting on top of? The video is unfortunately of very poor quality and I can't quite make them out.

 

[video:youtube]

 

[video:youtube]

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites



  • Replies 3
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Yep, and to his left he's got a Minimoog on top of a couple of keyboards - Most likely an ARP Omni or String Ensemble (I heard it in the studio recording) and some kind of electric piano.

 

Thanks for the links! That was actually one of the first rock tunes I heard that was carried by a polysynth riff. To this day I sometimes catch myself playing that riff when trying out polysynth patches. :/

 

And yes, the lyrics of the song are goofy. But what made me laugh harder were the BGVs singing "He's a spaceship superstar" etc. - Like they borrowed from Gladys Knight & The Pips. :laugh: And the camera work on the live video is hilarious - They focus on the keyboardist at the beginning of the solo and obscure his right hand. Then when he starts getting busy they cut away to the lead singer rocking the tambourine! :D Then they go back to the keyboardist, just in time to show him holding that last whole note chord. Jeez... :rolleyes:

><>

Steve

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmmm...personally I couldn't make out what the top keyboard on the player's left is, the one he is fiddling with at 2:04 in the live video. I thought it might be an ARP 2600. None of the shots show him playing it but he must have at some point if he bothered to fiddle with it, right? Yes, the camera placement is horrid: You never clearly see the keyboard player's right hand while he plays the Four Voice.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...