[ba-filk-announce] NSS/Mars Society CD "TO TOUCH THE STARS" released today!

[Eli Goldberg <eli@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

            *** "TO TOUCH THE STARS" IS NOW SHIPPING ***

    "As someone who has actually set foot on the threshold
     of space and experienced firsthand its majesty and the
     incredible potential it holds for the human race, I am
     thrilled by this new collection of original songs celebrating
     the beginnings of our great endeavor to reach for the
     stars."
                             -- Buzz Aldrin
                                (Apollo 11 astronaut)

    I'm proud to announce that our long-awaited CD of music celebrating the
history and future of space exploration is officially available for sale
today. Produced locally by Kristoph Klover at Flowinglass Music.

* ORDERING INFO

    If you'd like to order your copy now, click:
    <http://www.prometheus-music.com/buy/thestars.html>


* ABOUT THE PROJECT

   If you haven't already heard about this project, it distills in filk
terms to:

    - the pro-space filksongs you've known and loved from Minus Ten and
Counting and beyond, recorded professionally and passionately by folks
like Gunnar Madsen (founder of the Bobs), Julia Ecklar, Kristoph Klover
and Karen Linsley. 

    - new recordings by non-filk singer/songwriters of their pro-space
material, including Christine Lavin, Garry Novikoff, and Stan Clardy.
(Garry's track was guest-produced by Michael Moricz, whose credits
include the _Divine Intervention_ tape and CD.)

    - an unbelievably cool 32-page, full-color booklet featuring all of
the lyrics, essays by space advocacy leaders Dr. Robert Zubrin and Brian
Chase, and more. Our designer, Richard Leeds, adapted the aesthetics of
lavish coffee-table space books, to present a photo-essay of space
history paralleling the songs.
   
    (Personally, I'd have paid $16 just for a copy of the album booklet
-- you'd truly have to see it to believe it.)

    To learn more about this groundbreaking project, click:
    <http://www.prometheus-music.com/space.html>


* RELEASE PARTY

    There'll most likely be an East Bay release party in the next few
months. I'll post about that separately.


* SELECTED FEEDBACK FROM THE FIRST LISTENERS

    "Thank you!  The renditions of the older songs are excellent; the new
songs are awesome, especially "Now's The Time To Touch A Star."
Listening to this in public for the first time was probably a mistake,
as I kept choking up. Great work, it was worth the wait."

    "I don't think I've had the poor thing out of my comp cd player since
it showed up. This is an awesome piece of work - one so uplifting and
powerfully beautiful that my husband stuck his head into my office to
try and find out why I was cheering and crying all at the same time.
Beautiful. Just beautiful. Such a great collection with incredible breadth
and depth of old and new works."


* SONG LIST

    To Touch the Stars contains a packed 71 minutes of classic and new
songs.

    1.  Witnesses' Waltz                 (3:43)
        written by Leslie Fish; sung by Kristoph Klover

    2.  Big Blue Sky                     (3:58)
        written and sung by Stan Clardy

    3.  Fire in the Sky                  (4:37)
        written by Jordin Kare; sung by Kristoph Klover

    4.  Now's the Time to Touch a Star   (3:48)
        written by Michael Penkava; sung by Karl Franzen

    5.  Hope Eyrie                       (4:14)
        written by Leslie Fish; sung by Julia Ecklar

    6.  Surprise!                        (3:07)
        written by Leslie Fish; sung by Gunnar Madsen

    7.  The Pioneers of Mars             (3:03)
        written by Karen Linsley and Lloyd Landa; sung by Karen Linsley

    8.  If We Had No Moon                (8:00)
        written and sung by Christine Lavin
  
    9.  I Want to Go to Mars             (3:36)
        written and sung by The Birdwatchers

    10. Star Fire                        (3:35)
        written by Cynthia McQuillin; sung by Julia Ecklar

    11. Others Standing By               (5:00)
        written and sung by Kristoph Klover

    12. The Challenge                    (3:50)
        written by Karen Linsley and Lloyd Landa; sung by Karen Linsley

    13. Dog on the Moon                  (5:22)
        written and sung by Garry Novikoff

    14. Beyond the Sky                   (4:58)
        written by Judy Collins; sung by Margaret Davis

    15. Queen Isabella                   (3:09)
        written by Leslie Fish; sung by Kristoph Klover

    16. Legends                          (3:47)
        written by Bill Roper; sung by Julia Ecklar

    17. Dance on the Ceiling             (3:16)
        written by Leslie Fish; sung by Gunnar Madsen