[net.sf-lovers] Science Fiction Music, sometimes known as filk

Fournier.pasa@Xerox.ARPA (07/17/85)

From: Fournier.pasa@Xerox.ARPA

	Regarding Alan Grieg's query, and the responses that followed, on SF in
(popular, mostly) Music, I'd like to say a few words about SF music,
sometimes/commonly known as "filk".  
	Some of the best writers/performers of this genre are Leslie Fish,
Julia Ecklar, Juanita Coulson, Joey Shoji, Clif Flynt & Mary Ellen
Wessels, the LA Filkharmonics (In space no one can hear you sing)... the
list is VERY LONG.  They sing about characters in books & stories, their
own yearnings for space, the space program and its history (Minus Ten
and Counting), and tell original stories in song.  Some of the melodies
are based on those in and out of the public domain, as have the folk
process and Tom Lehrer and Alan Sherman done for years, some of the
melodies are original.  Some writers can sing, others shouldn't, some
singers can't write, same as in music in general.  I've written a few
songs myself--it's not hard, even if I can't read music and don't have
an instrument other than voice.  
	There are publications tied in with this kind of music, there are
conventions (at most sf cons there is space on the program for filking),
there are regular meetings of filkers, and there are publishers of this
kind of music.  One of them is Off-Centaur Publications, P.O. Box 424,
El Cerrrito CA (don't have the zip memorized).  They carry more than
filk, they carry a lot of folk, because sometimes the two entertwine.
They have a catalog, send them a business-size SASE and a note and
they'll send it to you.

	Marina Fournier
	Xerox Artifical Intelligence Systems
	Pasadena, CA  
	<fournier.pasa@Xerox>

allen@osu-eddie.UUCP (John Allen) (07/23/85)

> 	Some of the best writers/performers of this genre are Leslie Fish,
> Julia Ecklar, Juanita Coulson, Joey Shoji, Clif Flynt & Mary Ellen
> Wessels, the LA Filkharmonics (In space no one can hear you sing)... 
> 	Marina Fournier
> 	Xerox Artifical Intelligence Systems
> 	Pasadena, CA  
> 	<fournier.pasa@Xerox>

    You left out my favorite filker, Cynthia McQuillan.  She has a lot of
very good stuff out.

                                        John Allen
					Ohio State University
					(UUCP: cbosgd!osu-eddie!allen)
					(CSNet: allen@ohio-state)