I think it must have been about 1976 or 1977 when I bought an album by a Canadian band called Klaatu with, among others, the track “Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft” (which was covered by The Carpenters soon after it came out).
It was rumoured that this was actually the Beatles in disguise, so to speak.
Parts of the record certainly sounded like the Beatles, but you couldn’t be sure.
Well, now you can. It wasn’t.
The debut album “Klaatu” was actually called “3:47 EST” in Canada, but was changed by the US record label, so I guess I got the US version.
The name Klaatu was taken from an extraterrestial (i.e. outer space person) played by Michael Rennie in the film “The Day The Earth Stood Still”. (I think Michael Rennie is also referred to by Richard O’Brien in the song “Science Fiction/Double Feature”, the title track of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”.)
Whatever, the music makes pleasant listening, Beatles-like or not.
So without further ado, here are some tracks from that first album (there were more).
“Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft”:
“Sub Rosa Subway”:
“Doctor Marvello”:
“California Jam”:
“True Life Hero” (sounds a bit like Juke Box Hero”, doesn’t it…):
I first saw the lascivious lips of The Rocky Horror Picture Show singing “Science Fiction/Double Feature” in the cinema of a small town in New Zealand, which has since burnt down (the cinema that is, not the town!).
The film came out in 1975, so it must have been some time after that (that I saw the film there, I mean, not when it burnt down – though that would be true too…).
I remember being amazed to learn that creator Richard O’Brien was also from New Zealand (actually he was born in the UK but emigrated there with his family as a child).
Another shock was seeing my father’s name in the special effects credits, but it was obviously a different person. I’ve never come across the same combination before or since, so it was a strange coincidence.
Anyway, here is that song about the late night double feature picture show (“I wanna go…”), complete with those lasciviously moving lips:
A couple of years later, in December 1978 (between Christmas and New Year) I happened to be in London and went along to the original stage production in Kings Road.
This is what “Science Fiction/Double Feature” sounds like with the original London cast:
Now if you know the story at all, you’ll remember that Brad and Janet have a break down late at night, and go looking for somewhere to make a phone call.
As Janet (Susan Sarandon) sings, there’s a light “Over At The Frankenstein Place”:
I always remember Riff Raff (Richard O’Brien) standing in the doorway looking at them, then making the “dry” comment: “You’re wet!”
Brad and Janet, while looking for a way to discreetly remove themselves from the premises, look on in wonder as the “Time Warp” is presented to them.
I had a version of “Time Warp” with Italian subtitles, because the quality was considerably better than some others, so you could practise your Italian as you watched, but the video was removed, now here’s one with English lyrics, even better…
In the London stage show they dropped A4 leaflets during the song with the diagram of the feet and the arrows – I hung my copy on the wall of my student flat back in New Zealand.
This is what “Time Warp” sounds like as performed in London:
Immediately after this Frank N. Furter (Tim Curry) shows up and introduces himself with the song “Sweet Transvestite”:
Finally I thought I’d close with this acoustic version of the opening and reprise, “Science Fiction/Double Feature”, sung by the creator Richard O’Brien himself:
See you at the late night, double feature picture show!
Paul
P.S. In the dateline it looks like I missed a day, but it’s just because the clock struck midnight before I was finished – how fitting, distracted by the late night, double feature picture show!
P.P.S. I recently took my family to see The Rocky Horror Show live in Glasgow – now the kids (teenagers actually) recognise all the obscure film allusions I keep coming out with since they were small!
