Classic Rock Bottom

ALBUM OF THE WEEK # 112 BRIAN MAY + FRIENDS - STAR FLEET PROJECT (1983)

Artist: Brian May + Friends

Genre: Blues Rock, Rock, Hard Rock

Country Of Origin: N/A

Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Member: N/A

Album: Star Fleet Project

Released: 1983

Producer: Brian May

Singles: None

Song Of The Week: Star Fleet

Cover Me: N/A

RIAA Certification: Cadmium

Album Cover: 9/10

I'm so excited about the album I have for you this week that I am posting a day or two early.  All I can really say here is that if you are planning on giving this a listen, you are in for a treat, 'cause I have something really special for you.  You get two of the greatest guitar players of all time trading blazing solo's and licks in an incredible jam session.  I would have known nothing about this had it not been for fellow Bottom Feeder Jon.  He mentioned it, probably when we were on that other site, but I didn't think too much about it at the time.  Then one day, I'm in the local used record and CD store and what do I find?  A one dollar copy of this album.  Needless to say, I picked it up and have since transferred it to mp3 files on my computer, therefore you get to listen to it now.  

Brian May mentions the "torture" of Eddie's bottom string on Let Me Out.  Be sure to listen for that string breaking.  As far as an album description goes, I'm just gonna copy Wikipedia's entry right here:

Star Fleet Project is a project of Brian May, most famous as the guitarist from Queen, which resulted in an album with the same name. The project was released as the work of "Brian May + Friends", consisting of May, guitarist Eddie Van Halen, drummer Alan Gratzer (of REO Speedwagon), Phil Chen (session bassist who played withJeff Beck and Rod Stewart), and Fred Mandel (session keyboard player who also played as additional keyboard player on Queen's Hot Space World Tour and The Works). Roger Taylor, Queen's drummer, provided backing vocals for the title song. It was not meant for the tapes to be released and they had minimal mixing before release.

I could have put away these tapes in a bottom drawer and kept them as a private record of one of the best experiences of my life. But the few people I've played them for have urged me to 'publish'...I haven't messed one scrap with the tracking done on the day. The rest is simply mixed 'naked'.
—Brian May

Recorded on 21 and 22 April 1983 at the Record Plant StudiosLos Angeles, California, it was released in October of the same year as a Mini-LP, a "challenge to the established principle that a piece of rock music must fit into either a 2x4 minute single, or a 2x20 minute LP format". The LP consisted of three songs: "Star Fleet", "Let Me Out", and "Blues Breaker".

The idea for the album came from May's son, Jimmy.

Star Fleet is the theme tune for a superb TV sci-fi series broadcast in England for kids of all ages; Japanese visuals and British soundtrack including music by Paul Bliss. The heroes pilot space vehicles which can assemble into a giant robot for land battles. The aliens fly fantastic insect-like craft which spawn smaller fighting machines; all intent on possession of the secret of F Zero One. Having been introduced to all this by my small boy, I became equally obsessed by it, and formed the idea of making a hard rock version of the title theme.
—Brian May

"Let Me Out" was an old Brian May song which until that point had not been committed to record. During the song Eddie Van Halen "tortures his top string to its audible death" (according to May's liner notes) and plays the rest of the song on the remaining five.

"Blues Breaker" was dedicated to Eric Clapton, of whom both Van Halen and May were huge fans. This song, as well as "Let Me Out" were more spontaneous than "Star Fleet", showing both guitarists enjoying a jamming session, with Brian showing off his signature sound and Van Halen using his tapping technique to great effect (although the best example of this is at the beginning of "Star Fleet").

Previously only available on vinyl, "Star Fleet" is now available on CD in two forms. It was first re-issued on CD as part of Brian May's "Back to the Light" single. There were two CD singles – the first (which came in a special pack with space for the second CD) featured "Star Fleet" and "Let Me Out". The second had "Blues Breaker" on it.

Then in 1993 it was re-issued as part of the Japanese mini-album "Resurrection", featuring the three Star Fleet Project songs as tracks 6-8, albeit in a different order from the original vinyl release.

The solo CD releases of this project are unofficial, although those copies are billed as an official release from EMI, using the original artwork.

Paul Bliss' also released the official Star Fleet soundtrack project album in 2009.

1. Star Fleet

2. Let Me Out

3. Blues Breaker

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No comment.

Loved hearing the needle drop at the beginning, that just evokes such a cool feel to this!  Hear Eddies tapping right away and that oh so familiar snare drum sound from Queen.  I'm having a hard time visualizing Alan Gratzer playing Taylor's kit!

Obviously the geetars are top notch, the songwriting well, I wouldn't say they were aiming for a hit, just a bunch of jams, so in the proper context this is pretty cool.  This would sound great at the local blues Pub on a Friday night, I could see throwing a couple back and a game of Darts with this as background music would be quite enjoyable.

And more needle movement in-between the second and third tracks was cool as well. 

Nice post!

Still...no comment.

Is this where I'm supposed to ask why?

No. It's just that I have...nevermind. I'll just figure out something else. 

Uh-oh.

No big deal, but how did you get it from vinyl to MP3? I've got some albums I would like to convert to MP3's and am utterly clueless, outside of buying a special turntable.

That's what I did a while back.  I bought an Ion turntable from Radio Shack, but it didn't work well with my old desktop.  I have a new laptop now, and a few weeks ago I downloaded updated software for it and it works like a charm now.  Just hit record and start the record.  You have to keep an eye on it and when it gets to the end of side one, just quietly flip the album and start that side.  When it's done, just hit next on the computer and it gives you blanks to fill in (band, album title, tracks).  When you're done with that, hit next again and it transfers everything to iTunes for you.  It's quite easy.

 

The turntable was around 100 bucks when I bought it, but you can find 'em cheaper now.  And they connect to the computer through USB and an audio cable.  Don't get me wrong, it's no Hi-Fi miracle, but it does the job. 

Cool, I'm going to hunt me down a turntable. Thanks!

Just for the record....still no comment.

I will comment now since I might not make it back from Monkey Island!

This is the last album (I think) I waited years and years to get on CD. Do have it, and it's an incredible listening experience. Just great playing from all involved, wish it was more than an EP though. Oh well.

Nice that you posted this Rjhog even though it hurt my feelings. Hey, wanna buy a monkey?

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