Rating: *** ( 3 stars)
Title: Outer Space Connection
Company: Nazca Productions
Catalog: 912040XA-2225
Year: 1979
Grade (cover/record): VG/VG
Comments: minor wear along lower seam
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 4187
Price: $250.00
Cost: $155.00
Here's one we picked up on the cheap solely due to the fact we'd seen it listed in one of Hans Pokora's collectables books. For you fanatics out there, it was listed in 2001 Record Collector Dreams and shown as a "2 record" rarity.
As hard as we've tried, we haven't had much luck tracking down a great deal of information on this Ohio-based outfit. From the album liner notes we know the lineup consisted of singer Dave Backus, drummer Steve Detrick, lead guitarists Dave Emerson and Don Smithey, and bassist Gary Oswalt. Their sole album, 1979's "Outer Space Connection" was produced by guitarist Emerson. While the liner notes say the album was recorded at St. John, Ohio's Emersonhill Studios, Emersonhill was reportedly nothing more than a barn with some low-fi recording equipment stuffed into it.
With Backus and Emerson credited with writing most of album's eight songs, material such as the title track, "M.I.B. (Men In Black)" and "Stranger" showcased the band's somewhat odd fascination with outer space and alien themes. That stood in sharp contrast to the set's more conventional musical orientation . Propelled by Emerson and Smithey's twin leads guitars, material such as "Rock & Roll Machine" and "Running Thru the City" came off as competent, if somewhat pedestrian 70s' hard rock. It may have been recorded in a barn, but the album sounds great when played loud !!! Will it change your life? Nah, but you could pay a lot more for various hard rock obscurities that don't sound half way as good.
"Outer Space Connection" track listing:
(side
1)
1.) Outer Space Connection (Dennis Backus - Dave Emerson) -
5:03
2.) M.I.B. (Men In Black) (Dennis Backus - Dave Emerson) - 4:32
3.) Take Your Share (Settlage - Dave Emerson) - 4:20
4.) Rock & Roll Machine (Dennis Backus - Dave Emerson) - 4:25
(side
2)
1.) Running Thru the City (Dennis Backus - Dave Emerson) - 3:34
2.) Bluesy Music (Gary Oswalt) - 3:01
3.) Stranger (Peltier - Dennis Backus - Dave Emerson) - ) 9:21
4.) Red Line
7000 (Dennis Backus - Dave Emerson) - 3:28