Minus Ten and Counting
Encyclopedia
Minus Ten and Counting: Songs of the Space Age is an influential album of filk songs composed and performed by a variety of artists, released as a cassette tape in 1983 by Off Centaur Publications
. It was the first anthology of space filk songs, and both inspired a flowering of performance of the genre and paved the way for other albums to be professionally produced. The album was produced by Teri Lee. Jeff Rogers was the sound engineer. A printed songbook was released by OCP along with the tape, which contained lyrics, chords and sheet music to all songs included. (ISBN 0-910483-08-6)
As is common in filk, many of the pieces use tunes from other songs; for example, "The Ballad of Apollo XIII" is set to the tune of
"The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
" by Gordon Lightfoot
. Because Minus Ten and Counting was formally produced and released, official permission was obtained to use all those elements.
The album was immensely popular in science fiction
circles. After the 2500 original tapes quickly sold out, the album was distributed as a bootleg, with repeated copying by its fans. It has never been re-released because of copyright
and personality conflicts among its contributors. Copies of the tape occasionally appear on eBay
and sell for over a hundred dollars. A copy sold at the Ohio Valley Filk Festival Interfilk auction in 2010 for $80. Performances of some of the songs can be found on Jerry Pournelle
's Web site.
The album directly inspired the CD To Touch the Stars, which contains modernized renditions of many of the same songs.
Off Centaur Publications
Off Centaur Publications was the first "commercial" filk label. It was founded in 1980 by Teri Lee, Jordin Kare, and Catherine Cook. For a short time, Off Centaur produced high quality recordings of some of filk's best performers, and changed the course of filk music.Like many other filk labels...
. It was the first anthology of space filk songs, and both inspired a flowering of performance of the genre and paved the way for other albums to be professionally produced. The album was produced by Teri Lee. Jeff Rogers was the sound engineer. A printed songbook was released by OCP along with the tape, which contained lyrics, chords and sheet music to all songs included. (ISBN 0-910483-08-6)
As is common in filk, many of the pieces use tunes from other songs; for example, "The Ballad of Apollo XIII" is set to the tune of
"The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
"The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" is a song written, composed and performed by Canadian Gordon Lightfoot to commemorate the sinking of the bulk carrier SS Edmund Fitzgerald on Lake Superior on November 10, 1975. It was inspired by the Newsweek article on the event, "The Cruelest Month", which...
" by Gordon Lightfoot
Gordon Lightfoot
Gordon Meredith Lightfoot, Jr. is a Canadian singer-songwriter who achieved international success in folk, folk-rock, and country music, and has been credited for helping define the folk-pop sound of the 1960s and 1970s...
. Because Minus Ten and Counting was formally produced and released, official permission was obtained to use all those elements.
The album was immensely popular in science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
circles. After the 2500 original tapes quickly sold out, the album was distributed as a bootleg, with repeated copying by its fans. It has never been re-released because of copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
and personality conflicts among its contributors. Copies of the tape occasionally appear on eBay
EBay
eBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
and sell for over a hundred dollars. A copy sold at the Ohio Valley Filk Festival Interfilk auction in 2010 for $80. Performances of some of the songs can be found on Jerry Pournelle
Jerry Pournelle
Jerry Eugene Pournelle is an American science fiction writer, essayist and journalist who contributed for many years to the computer magazine Byte and has since 1998 been maintaining his own website/blog....
's Web site.
The album directly inspired the CD To Touch the Stars, which contains modernized renditions of many of the same songs.
Side A
- "Surprise!" — written by Leslie FishLeslie FishLeslie Fish is a filk musician, author, and anarchist political activist.-Music:Along with The DeHorn Crew, in 1976 she created the first commercial filk recording, Folk Songs for Folk Who Ain't Even Been Yet...
, performed by Leslie FishLeslie FishLeslie Fish is a filk musician, author, and anarchist political activist.-Music:Along with The DeHorn Crew, in 1976 she created the first commercial filk recording, Folk Songs for Folk Who Ain't Even Been Yet...
, Roy Torley, Julia EcklarJulia EcklarJulia Ecklar is a John W. Campbell Award–winning science fiction author and a singer and writer of filk music who recorded numerous albums in the Off Centaur label in the early 1980s, including Minus Ten and Counting, Horse-Tamer's Daughter, and Genesis... - "Mercury-Our First Steps" — written by Harold Groot, performed by Ross Douglas, Julia EcklarJulia EcklarJulia Ecklar is a John W. Campbell Award–winning science fiction author and a singer and writer of filk music who recorded numerous albums in the Off Centaur label in the early 1980s, including Minus Ten and Counting, Horse-Tamer's Daughter, and Genesis...
- "Star Fire" — written by Cynthia McQuillinCynthia McQuillinCynthia McQuillin was a filk singer and writer as well as an author and artist. She lived in the San Francisco Bay area...
, performed by Julia EcklarJulia EcklarJulia Ecklar is a John W. Campbell Award–winning science fiction author and a singer and writer of filk music who recorded numerous albums in the Off Centaur label in the early 1980s, including Minus Ten and Counting, Horse-Tamer's Daughter, and Genesis... - "Toast for Unknown Heroes" — written by Leslie FishLeslie FishLeslie Fish is a filk musician, author, and anarchist political activist.-Music:Along with The DeHorn Crew, in 1976 she created the first commercial filk recording, Folk Songs for Folk Who Ain't Even Been Yet...
, performed by Julia EcklarJulia EcklarJulia Ecklar is a John W. Campbell Award–winning science fiction author and a singer and writer of filk music who recorded numerous albums in the Off Centaur label in the early 1980s, including Minus Ten and Counting, Horse-Tamer's Daughter, and Genesis...
, Leslie FishLeslie FishLeslie Fish is a filk musician, author, and anarchist political activist.-Music:Along with The DeHorn Crew, in 1976 she created the first commercial filk recording, Folk Songs for Folk Who Ain't Even Been Yet...
, Doug Olsen - "Memorial" — written by Mercedes LackeyMercedes LackeyMercedes "Misty" Lackey is a best-selling American author of fantasy novels. Many of her novels and trilogies are interlinked and set in the world of Velgarth, mostly in and around the country of Valdemar...
/Ewan MacColl/Peggy SeegerPeggy SeegerMargaret "Peggy" Seeger is an American folksinger. She is also well known in Britain, where she lived for more than 30 years with her husband, singer and songwriter Ewan MacColl.- The first American period :...
, performed by Julia EcklarJulia EcklarJulia Ecklar is a John W. Campbell Award–winning science fiction author and a singer and writer of filk music who recorded numerous albums in the Off Centaur label in the early 1980s, including Minus Ten and Counting, Horse-Tamer's Daughter, and Genesis...
. - "The Phoenix" — written and performed by Julia EcklarJulia EcklarJulia Ecklar is a John W. Campbell Award–winning science fiction author and a singer and writer of filk music who recorded numerous albums in the Off Centaur label in the early 1980s, including Minus Ten and Counting, Horse-Tamer's Daughter, and Genesis...
. - "Pioneer's Song" — written by Jordin KareJordin KareJordin Kare is a physicist and aerospace engineer known for his research on laser propulsion. In particular, he was responsible for Mockingbird, a conceptual design for an extremely small reusable launch vehicle, and was involved in the Clementine lunar mapping mission.Kare is also known as...
, performed by Julia EcklarJulia EcklarJulia Ecklar is a John W. Campbell Award–winning science fiction author and a singer and writer of filk music who recorded numerous albums in the Off Centaur label in the early 1980s, including Minus Ten and Counting, Horse-Tamer's Daughter, and Genesis...
, Leslie FishLeslie FishLeslie Fish is a filk musician, author, and anarchist political activist.-Music:Along with The DeHorn Crew, in 1976 she created the first commercial filk recording, Folk Songs for Folk Who Ain't Even Been Yet... - "The Ballad of Apollo XIII" — written by William Warren Jr/Gordon LightfootGordon LightfootGordon Meredith Lightfoot, Jr. is a Canadian singer-songwriter who achieved international success in folk, folk-rock, and country music, and has been credited for helping define the folk-pop sound of the 1960s and 1970s...
, performed by Julia EcklarJulia EcklarJulia Ecklar is a John W. Campbell Award–winning science fiction author and a singer and writer of filk music who recorded numerous albums in the Off Centaur label in the early 1980s, including Minus Ten and Counting, Horse-Tamer's Daughter, and Genesis... - "Legends" — written by Bill RoperBill Roper (filker)Bill Roper is a filker and member of science fiction fandom. Roper co-founded Dodeka Records with his wife, Gretchen, received the Pegasus Award three times, and was inducted into the Filk Hall of Fame in 2000...
, performed by Doug Olsen, Leslie FishLeslie FishLeslie Fish is a filk musician, author, and anarchist political activist.-Music:Along with The DeHorn Crew, in 1976 she created the first commercial filk recording, Folk Songs for Folk Who Ain't Even Been Yet... - "Apollo Lost" — written by Worden/McQuillin, performed by Cynthia McQuillin, Catherine Cook
- "Hope Eyrie" — written by Leslie FishLeslie FishLeslie Fish is a filk musician, author, and anarchist political activist.-Music:Along with The DeHorn Crew, in 1976 she created the first commercial filk recording, Folk Songs for Folk Who Ain't Even Been Yet...
, arranged by Doug Olsen, performed by Doug Olsen, Sandy Rittenhouse, Ross Douglas, George Spelvin
Side B
- "Minus Ten and Counting" — written by Mercedes LackeyMercedes LackeyMercedes "Misty" Lackey is a best-selling American author of fantasy novels. Many of her novels and trilogies are interlinked and set in the world of Velgarth, mostly in and around the country of Valdemar...
/Leslie FishLeslie FishLeslie Fish is a filk musician, author, and anarchist political activist.-Music:Along with The DeHorn Crew, in 1976 she created the first commercial filk recording, Folk Songs for Folk Who Ain't Even Been Yet...
, performed by Leslie FishLeslie FishLeslie Fish is a filk musician, author, and anarchist political activist.-Music:Along with The DeHorn Crew, in 1976 she created the first commercial filk recording, Folk Songs for Folk Who Ain't Even Been Yet...
, Arlin Robins - "Fire in the Sky" — written by Jordin Kare, performed by Doug Olsen, Julia EcklarJulia EcklarJulia Ecklar is a John W. Campbell Award–winning science fiction author and a singer and writer of filk music who recorded numerous albums in the Off Centaur label in the early 1980s, including Minus Ten and Counting, Horse-Tamer's Daughter, and Genesis...
- "One Way to Go" — written by Diana Gallagher, performed by Julia EcklarJulia EcklarJulia Ecklar is a John W. Campbell Award–winning science fiction author and a singer and writer of filk music who recorded numerous albums in the Off Centaur label in the early 1980s, including Minus Ten and Counting, Horse-Tamer's Daughter, and Genesis...
, Arlin Robins, Joey Shoji, Jim Fox-Davis - "Fly, Columbia!" — written by Diana Gallagher, performed by Leslie FishLeslie FishLeslie Fish is a filk musician, author, and anarchist political activist.-Music:Along with The DeHorn Crew, in 1976 she created the first commercial filk recording, Folk Songs for Folk Who Ain't Even Been Yet...
, Arlin Robins - "Everyman" — written by Mary Jean Holmes, sung by Julia EcklarJulia EcklarJulia Ecklar is a John W. Campbell Award–winning science fiction author and a singer and writer of filk music who recorded numerous albums in the Off Centaur label in the early 1980s, including Minus Ten and Counting, Horse-Tamer's Daughter, and Genesis...
- "The Moon Miners" — written by Dianna Gallagher, performed Ross Douglas, Julia EcklarJulia EcklarJulia Ecklar is a John W. Campbell Award–winning science fiction author and a singer and writer of filk music who recorded numerous albums in the Off Centaur label in the early 1980s, including Minus Ten and Counting, Horse-Tamer's Daughter, and Genesis...
- "Voyager" — written Cynthia McQuillin, performed by Cynthia McQuillin, Joey Shoji, Catherine Cook
- "The Light-Ship" — written Leslie FishLeslie FishLeslie Fish is a filk musician, author, and anarchist political activist.-Music:Along with The DeHorn Crew, in 1976 she created the first commercial filk recording, Folk Songs for Folk Who Ain't Even Been Yet...
, arranged by Catherine Cook, performed by Julia EcklarJulia EcklarJulia Ecklar is a John W. Campbell Award–winning science fiction author and a singer and writer of filk music who recorded numerous albums in the Off Centaur label in the early 1980s, including Minus Ten and Counting, Horse-Tamer's Daughter, and Genesis...
, Catherine Cook, Joey Shoji - "Planetbound Lovers" — written by Diana Gallagher, performed by Julia EcklarJulia EcklarJulia Ecklar is a John W. Campbell Award–winning science fiction author and a singer and writer of filk music who recorded numerous albums in the Off Centaur label in the early 1980s, including Minus Ten and Counting, Horse-Tamer's Daughter, and Genesis...
- "The Mass Driver Engineer" — written by Diana Gallagher, performed by Doug Olsen, Catherine Cook
- "Sentries" — written by Leslie FishLeslie FishLeslie Fish is a filk musician, author, and anarchist political activist.-Music:Along with The DeHorn Crew, in 1976 she created the first commercial filk recording, Folk Songs for Folk Who Ain't Even Been Yet...
, performed by Julia EcklarJulia EcklarJulia Ecklar is a John W. Campbell Award–winning science fiction author and a singer and writer of filk music who recorded numerous albums in the Off Centaur label in the early 1980s, including Minus Ten and Counting, Horse-Tamer's Daughter, and Genesis...
, Joey Shoji - "Witnesses' Waltz" — written by Leslie FishLeslie FishLeslie Fish is a filk musician, author, and anarchist political activist.-Music:Along with The DeHorn Crew, in 1976 she created the first commercial filk recording, Folk Songs for Folk Who Ain't Even Been Yet...
, performed by Julia EcklarJulia EcklarJulia Ecklar is a John W. Campbell Award–winning science fiction author and a singer and writer of filk music who recorded numerous albums in the Off Centaur label in the early 1980s, including Minus Ten and Counting, Horse-Tamer's Daughter, and Genesis...
, Arlin Robins, Catherine Cook, Gloria Oberste, Jim Fox-Davis, Joey Shoji, Susan Fox-Davis.