Blast Off!: Difference between revisions
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"'''Blast Off!'''" is | "'''Blast Off!'''" is the eighth track off of ''[[Alone: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo]]''. Previously leaked online, the song is one of [[Rivers Cuomo's]] most storied demos, as it was originally intended as the opening track to the unfinished rock opera ''[[Songs from the Black Hole]]''. The song has had a long life, from fan holy grail to eventually being given a full-band arrangement and played live. | ||
==Appearances== | ==Appearances== | ||
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===Origins=== | ===Origins=== | ||
The melody for "Blast Off!" originates from an earlier composition by Cuomo written in May of [[1993]], titled "[[Negativland]]", about the experimental music [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negativland band of the same name]. An [[Songs from the Black Hole, draft 1|early draft]] of ''Songs from the Black Hole'' retained some lyrical elements from "Negativland" for the song that would later be named "Blast Off!". This version consisted of a conversation between band members [[Jonas]], [[Wuan]], and [[Dondó]] following a performance at the club The Black Hole. | The melody for "Blast Off!" originates from an earlier composition by Cuomo written in May of [[1993]], titled "[[Negativland]]", about the experimental music [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negativland band of the same name]. An [[Songs from the Black Hole, draft 1|early draft]] of ''Songs from the Black Hole'' retained some lyrical elements from "Negativland" for the song that would later be named "Blast Off!". This version consisted of a conversation between band members [[Jonas]], [[Wuan]], and [[Dondó]] following a performance at the club The Black Hole. | ||
=== | ===''SFTBH'' plot=== | ||
The lead-off track (Act 1, Scene 1) for ''Songs from the Black Hole'' takes place on the main deck of the spaceship [[Betsy II]] on May 10, 2126. The lyrics are a conversation between the main character [[Jonas]] and his shipmates [[Wuan]] and [[Dondó]]. Jonas is excited yet reserved about the prospect of doing what he thinks is his dream job, that is, going out into space to save [[Nomis]] from being swallowed by it's sun. Wuan and Dondó are much more upbeat about the experience. In the middle of the song, [[M1]] interjects via vocoder to remind them of the task at hand. In the last verse we find that a female character, [[Maria]], the ship's cook, has entered the scene and that Jonas has a history with her from back at [[Star Corps Academy]]. | The lead-off track (Act 1, Scene 1) for ''Songs from the Black Hole'' takes place on the main deck of the spaceship [[Betsy II]] on May 10, 2126. The lyrics are a conversation between the main character [[Jonas]] and his shipmates [[Wuan]] and [[Dondó]]. Jonas is excited yet reserved about the prospect of doing what he thinks is his dream job, that is, going out into space to save [[Nomis]] from being swallowed by it's sun. Wuan and Dondó are much more upbeat about the experience. In the middle of the song, [[M1]] interjects via vocoder to remind them of the task at hand. In the last verse we find that a female character, [[Maria]], the ship's cook, has entered the scene and that Jonas has a history with her from back at [[Star Corps Academy]]. | ||
The song was initially released to fans online by Cuomo in [[2002]]. In response to a thread on the [[Rivers Correspondence Board]] analyzing the song alongside [[Death and Destruction]], Rivers (posting as 'ace') mentioned "blast off is one of the greatest melodies ANYONE'S ever written. pure billy joel."[https://web.archive.org/web/20110817071209/http://www.members.shaw.ca/ridd2/threads/rcb/03-14-victory1.html] He went on to add, "BO is a better melody. D+D is a better song." | ==Release history== | ||
The song was initially released to fans online by Cuomo in [[2002]]. In response to a thread on the [[Rivers Correspondence Board]] analyzing the song alongside "[[Death and Destruction]]," Rivers (posting as 'ace') mentioned "blast off is one of the greatest melodies ANYONE'S ever written. pure billy joel."[https://web.archive.org/web/20110817071209/http://www.members.shaw.ca/ridd2/threads/rcb/03-14-victory1.html] He went on to add, "BO is a better melody. D+D is a better song." | |||
The version found on [[Alone]] is edited in some areas, as the original master tape was damaged. According to [[Karl Koch]], a full-band version was attempted during the sessions for ''[[Pinkerton]]'' and was in consideration for release on the Deluxe Edition of that album in [[2010]], but Cuomo and drummer Pat Wilson ultimately decided the performance wasn't adequate. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oH16IrQRjvk&t=1689] | The version found on [[Alone]] is edited in some areas, as the original master tape was damaged. It has a "fixed" intro, as the original demo had the word 'blast' truncated. It also segues directly into "[[Who You Callin' Bitch?]]." According to [[Karl Koch]], a full-band version was attempted during the sessions for ''[[Pinkerton]]'' and was in consideration for release on the Deluxe Edition of that album in [[2010]], but Cuomo and drummer Pat Wilson ultimately decided the performance wasn't adequate. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oH16IrQRjvk&t=1689] | ||
"Blast Off!" was played live for the first time with the full band on [[August 19]], [[2011]] at [[Weezer concert: 08/19/2011 - Seattle, WA|a concert at WaMu Theater in Seattle, WA]]. It was the encore song after a "Double Memories Night", during which the band performed both the Blue album and Pinkerton in their entirety. | "Blast Off!" was played live for the first time with the full band on [[August 19]], [[2011]] at [[Weezer concert: 08/19/2011 - Seattle, WA|a concert at WaMu Theater in Seattle, WA]]. It was the encore song after a "Double Memories Night", during which the band performed both the Blue album and Pinkerton in their entirety. | ||