OFF: space rock?

Nick Medford nick at HERMIT0.DEMON.CO.UK
Sun Feb 3 16:34:34 EST 2002


In message <Pine.GSO.4.21.0202031343100.8936-100000 at harper.uchi
cago.edu>, Arin Komins <akomins at MIDWAY.UCHICAGO.EDU>
writes
>
>Anyone know who first coined the term "space rock"?

Not sure, but Calvert describes Nik Turner using the term in '69 or '70
(in the interview at Tim Gadd's site, URL should be in the archives), and
that this was the first time he (Calvert) had heard it.

However it's possible that the term may have already been around: it
wouldn't surprise me if its first usage was in connection with Pink Floyd,
who had already been playing "spacey" music for 2-3 years by then. Not
only did they *sound* spacey but like HW they were keen on sc-fi
imagery and lyrics in their early days (e.g. "Astronomy Domine", "Let
There Be More Light", "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun"). And
they were AFAIK the first band to use psychedelic lighting effects and
oil projections etc. So my *guess* is that the term "space rock" was first
used by someone attempting to describe the early Floyd experience. Can
anyone confirm or deny this?
--
Nick Medford



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