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Strange Stars
Strange Stars: How Science Fiction and Fantasy Transformed Popular Music | Jason Heller
14 posts | 5 read | 15 to read
A Hugo Award-winner explores the massive influence that science fiction has had on popular music, particularly on David Bowie and the heady, experimental 1970s scene In the 1960s and 70s old mores and lingering repressions were falling away, replaced with a new kind of hedonistic freedom that included sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll. Although it didn't factor into the stereotype, it also included science fiction. Strange Stars tells the story of how incredibly well read artists--David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, and many more--brought Sci Fi's cosmic flare to their lyrics, sounds, and styles, and changed pop music forever.
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Leniverse
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The joy of surprise bookmail when you get books you had forgotten you ordered. 😂
Waterstones had a sale, and I was a bit short of free shipping when I pre-ordered something or other. 🤔 I think. Oh well, more surprise bookmail coming up in the future then.

batsy Fabulous covers and both sound super interesting! I've always been interested in Anning. 2y
38 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Weaponxgirl
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Was talking about Bowie with @Bookwomble last night and remembered my library has this in. I must get to this soon as it is completely my jam! #tbrtemptation

Bookwomble Sounds fascinating: stacked! I've more SF books than any other genre & part of my initial attraction to Bowie's music was his use of imagery from speculative fiction & the occult. Space Oddity is the obvious one, but Hunky Dory has refs to Bulwer-Lyton's Coming Race, Alistair Crowley, Tibetan Book of the Dead & Theosophy. Much of The Man Who Sold the World & Diamond Dogs are SF, & he scatters refs to Gibran, kabbala, etc through his albums ❤📖🎶 6y
Weaponxgirl @Bookwomble my first experience with Bowie was the labyrinth growing up and my love just grew as I discovered more about him and his music. I read an interview with imam once where she said how he always had at least 2 or 3 books on the go at once which I think is so evident in his music as well as him being inspired by all culture. I'm a big sci fi watcher but not reader as I found it hard to find stuff I like but I'm expanding my horizons. 6y
Weaponxgirl @Bookwomble and talking of the labyrinth there keeps being talk of a remake. The only person I think could do a follow on imo is lady gaga. I think she's conceptual enough and her music is different enough for it to not be a straight up bad remake. 6y
See All 10 Comments
Bookwomble Have you read Tevis's The Man Who Fell to Earth? Obvious Bowie connection, but also good thoughtful sci-fi. 6y
Weaponxgirl @Bookwomble nope but I'm stacking it! I've got the left hand of darkness, the female man and native tongue to try and read soon in the genre. 6y
Bookwomble I only know a couple of LG's songs, which I'm not a fan of, but image-wise I can see her in the role. 6y
Bookwomble Given my advanced years, most of the stuff I like is old! Philip K. Dick is my favourite sci-fi author, who's much adapted these days and has made it into the mainstream. His short stories are very accessible, while his novels start out that way and become more oblique towards the end of his life. His first published story, Roog, is told from the pov of a dog trying to protect its owner from an alien invasion, which turns out to be bin men ... 6y
Bookwomble ... collecting rubbish - stupid dog! But then it's implied theymight actual be alien invaders after all! Reality is a fluid concept in PKD's work. 6y
Weaponxgirl @Bookwomble that story sounds delightful! I'm sold 6y
Weaponxgirl @Bookwomble I'm not a huge fan of hers but quite like her stuff. She's just one of the only modern artists I can think of who is actually weird and conceptual. Not as many individuals around music that I can see and I really don't want any boring rock star trying to fill those trousers 6y
58 likes3 stack adds10 comments
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Dorianna
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Latest #bookhaul. I can‘t decide which one I‘m most excited to read.

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StellarDoc
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With Jason Heller. I'm not sure what we are laughing about, but I'm sure it was clever.

britt_brooke Great photo! 6y
15 likes2 comments
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StellarDoc
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Jason Heller reads about Hawkwind.

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StellarDoc
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Waiting to listen to Jason Heller talk about Strange Stars.

dgingo Did someone autograph that chair?! 6y
StellarDoc @dgingo They have each author who visits sign the bank of a chair! 6y
dgingo Very cool! 6y
12 likes3 comments
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StellarDoc
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Pickpick

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Once Heller got to the back half of the seventies and the music I remember from my childhood, I found this book hard to put down. I learned so many interesting tidbits. Looking forward to hearing the author talk about this book on Tuesday.

17 likes1 stack add
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StellarDoc
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Here we are again. Funny how often we find ourselves in this position. #Loki #CatsOfLitsy

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StellarDoc
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When bath time interferes with your reading. #Loki #CatsOfLitsy

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StellarDoc
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It's storming outside, so I'm headed to bed, and I'm taking these with me.

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2BR02B
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Every once and awhile, I come across a book that appears to represent everything I am and book buying bans can just be damned.

Thanks for posting this beauty (and facilitating my downfall), @REPollock!

Weaponxgirl This really does look Devine 7y
REPollock No problem. I‘m here to help. 😄👨🏻‍🎤⚡️ 7y
38 likes2 comments
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REPollock
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Out today!!! 💙✨⚡️🌈👨🏻‍🎤

2BR02B BOWIE. SCI FI. I. NEED. THIS. 7y
REPollock @2BR02B I am now 25% in and it‘s fascinating to follow the interrelated influences from music to film to fiction. 7y
10 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Liberty
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Evening reading. ⚡️♥️👩🏻‍🎤

LittleWonder Bowie Forever! 🇬🇧⚡️💫 7y
wanderinglynn 👁💜👩🏻‍🎤🇬🇧🎵 excellent choice of tees👍🏻 7y
claffy_reads This shirt is amazing 💜💜💜 7y
Liberty @callielafleur It‘s a nightgown from Target that I bought online recently! They probably still have them. 🤘🏻🤘🏻 7y
Weaponxgirl This looks amazing! Stacked! 7y
128 likes1 stack add5 comments
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JessFerg
Pickpick

This is absolutely fantastic for sci-fi fans and newbies alike. While the focus is music of the 1970s, film and literature def get their due. I can't stop recommending it (and I def need to slow it down because pub date is June and it's only April!)