Cruising The Spaceways

Saturnalia
"Many, myself included, subscribed to the idea that Sunny (Sunny Blount, better known as Sun Ra) was gay; now, because it appears he had seldom expressed his sexuality in physical terms, that long-held belief seems in doubt. Biographer John Szwed has concluded that for most of Sunny's life he was celibate, yet from what I observed and knew of him, it was clear to me that his was a homoerotic sensibility" Val Wilmer, "In The House Of Ra", Wire 163, September 1997.


A spaceship powered by natural sounds
"He (Sun Ra) continues with a strange story about being kidnapped in Berlin many years later. 'I was gone for about an hour and the band looked for me everywhere. We went through the Berlin Wall. Then they asked me questions about space, what kind of fuel on the space ships? Then they came back to the hotel, they televised me, and again, asked me about space travel. Then I told them there would come a day when you wouldn't have to use gasoline. You'd simply take a cassette and put it in your car, let it run. You'd have to have the proper type of music. Like you take two sticks, put 'em together, make fire. You take some notes and rub 'em together - dum, dum, dum, dum - fire, cosmic fire'." David Toop, Ocean Of Sound, 1995.

"With the aid of electronic computers, the composer becomes a sort of pilot: pressing buttons, introducing coordinates and supervising the controls of a cosmic vessel sailing in the space of sound, across sonic constellations and galaxies that could formerly be glimpsed only in a distant dream" Iannis Xenakis, "Formalised Music", 1971.


Harry Smith's Room At The Chelsea Hotel
"I remember you well in the Chelsea Hotel/ You were taking so brave and so free/ Giving me head on the unmade bed/ While the limousines wait in the street/ Those were the reasons and that was New York/ I was running for the money and the flesh/ That was called love for the workers in song/ Probably still is for those of us left" - Leonard Cohen.

"Harry Smith died, singing in Paola Igliori's arms, in Room 328 at the Hotel Chelsea in New York City" - Wikipedia.

Harry Smith's "Early Abstractions" (part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4) and "11".


Coil - Sex With Sun Ra (Part 1 - Saturnalia)

Sun Ra was here in his element
He invited me back for a ride
I smiled, agreed, and we left for the place
That is full of reasons for time and for space
He said he was leaving last tide

Sun Ra was here in his element
He invited me back for a ride
I agreed and left for the places
He said he was leaving last tide

In a spaceship powered by natural sounds
I smiled, agreed, and we left for the place
That is full of the reasons for time and space
He said, "I dream of colour music,
And the intricacies of the machines that make it possible"
I said, "You are nothing if not inconsistent"
He said, "I rely upon being insistent
I'm almost never forever
I'm almost never for now
I implore you, explore all the people you meet
I implore you, explore all the people you meet"

Sun Ra was here in his element
He invited me back for a ride
He said, "I will be all right if you kiss me
And I will be all right if you hold me
It will be all right if you kiss me
It'll be all right if you hold me"

He said, "Now is the time to relaunch the dream weapon"
He said, "Now is the time to relaunch the dream weapon
Relaunch the dream weapon
We worship at the shrine of the thylacine
We worship at the shrine of the thylacine
We worship at the shrine of the thylacine"
And we worshipped at the shrine of the thylacine

I thought, priceless, bloody priceless
Priceless, bloody priceless
Petals pleated
Tear droplets repeated
Sepals, ssss... separate
We hydrogenerate in the basin of a black pan
I see acid free, not an ideal homeland for you or me
With desert venom and military temples
Black wings flying over without management
Without management or plan
Where resonators rub against the delinquent and the compliant
I will be all right if you kiss me
I will be all right if you hold me
When I see the great black light
When I see the grey-black light
That shines in the eyes of animals
When I find you I will remind you
Most accidents occur at home
Most accidents occur at home
Or in Harry Smith's room in the Chelsea Hotel
Or in Harry Smith's room in the Chelsea Hotel
Where we relaunch the dream weapon
Where we relaunch the dream weapon
Where we relaunch the dream weapon
All will be forgotten, all will be forgotten
All will be forgotten, and all will be well
All will be forgotten, and all will be well
Priceless, bloody priceless
I will be all right if you kiss me
I will be all right if you hold me
I'll be all right if you kiss me
I will be all right if you hold me
In Harry Smith's room in the Chelsea Hotel
Harry Smith's room
In Harry Smith's room in the Chelsea Hotel