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Spacemen 3 were one of the most revolutionary UK guitar bands, whose influence is still being felt today and whose reputation as one of the leading innovators of the alternative scene keeps growing. The SP3 saga is that of a band who gave up when they were just gaining international success, with a wide recognition in the UK and a cult status in the American underground. Their perfectly integrated mixture of trippy pop, spaced-out poetry, acoustic romance and mind-boggling guitar devastation made them one of the most influential, mind-altering bands of the late '80s. With the band's two leaders, Jason Pierce and Peter Kember (aka Sonic Boom), currently enjoying levels of critical and commercial success (via Spiritualized and Experimental Audio Research, respectively), and the whole SP3 catalog being reissued these days, it's a good time to review the musical history and legacy of this inspirational outfit, disbanded in 1990 after leaving milestones such as 1987's The Perfect Prescription. This compilation is of great interest both for any fan -- you will understand, enjoy and discover the answers to many of the questions the SP3's music asked, in an amazing selection of the best music produced in the last 30 years. These artists are amongst those Sonic Boom considers as the main influences for the sound of Spacemen 3, the "roots" to that amazingly rich musical tree. And they were truly eclectic: here you can find anything from the rural folk-blues of Lightnin' Hopkins or Jesse Mae Hemphill to the gospel of The Staple Singers (whose "Last Time" was likely to be a major influence on Jagger/Richards' own "Last Time"), from exotica (Xavier Cugat!), to Sun Ra's cozmic blues, plus ultra-rare English freakbeat such as The Syndicats, Yes' Steve Howe's first band, with a huge penchant for the feedback of Pete Townshend, L.A. psychedelic surf from the Beach Boys-influenced Fantastic Baggies, and first-generation electronic music acts such as White Noise, or even Detroit high energy rock (MC5 with a rare "Ramblin' Rose" live at the studio). There are even some unclassifiable acts such as Daniel Johnston, the mysterious Honolulu Mountain Daffodils, or Rolf Harris, whose 1960s song "Sun Arise" re-enacts Australian aboriginal chants, and many, many surprises (including a Christmas carol). Search deep and enjoy and find the roots to SP3's musical enlightenment. Other artists include: Bo Diddley, The Red Crayola, Washington Phillips, The Cryin' Shames, The Zodiacs, The Wailers, Evie Sands, The Rays, Juicy Lucy, The Riot Squad and John Mayall's Bluesbreakers.
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