Minus Ten and Counting: Songs of the Space Age (filk album)

Filk Album
Album Title:	Minus Ten and Counting: Songs of the Space Age
Producer:	Off Centaur Productions
Type:
Date:	1983
Medium:	cassette tape
Fandom:	space, science fiction
Performer(s):
Other:
External Links:	links to each on You Tube, Archived version
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Minus Ten and Counting: Songs of the Space Age was a filk collection from 1983.

cassette front

"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.... Performances of some of the songs can be found on Jerry Pournelle's website, and all of the tracks have been uploaded to YouTube." The album directly inspired the CD To Touch the Stars, which includes modern renditions of six songs from Minus Ten and Counting along with ten other songs."

Accompanying Songbook

It has a 41-page Minus Ten and Counting: Songs of the Space Age (filk songbook.

Contents

• Surprise! (Sputnik) — written by Leslie Fish, performed by Leslie Fish, Roy Torley, Julia Ecklar
• Mercury-Our First Steps (Mercury) — written by Harold Groot, performed by Ross Douglas, Julia Ecklar
• Star Fire — written by Cynthia McQuillin, performed by Julia Ecklar
• A Toast for Unknown Heroes (Apollo) — written by Leslie Fish, performed by Julia Ecklar, Leslie Fish, Doug Olsen
• Memorial (Apollo 1) — written by Mercedes Lackey/Ewan MacColl/Peggy Seeger, performed by Julia Ecklar
• Phoenix — written and performed by Julia Ecklar
• Pioneer’s Song (Pioneer 1 & 2) — written by Jordin Kare, performed by Julia Ecklar, Leslie Fish
• The Ballad of Apollo XIII (Apollo 13) — written by William Warren Jr/Gordon Lightfoot, performed by Julia Ecklar
• Legends (Apollo) — written by Bill Roper, performed by Doug Olsen, Leslie Fish
• Apollo Lost — written by Worden/McQuillin, performed by Cynthia McQuillin, Catherine Cook
• Hope Eyrie (Apollo) — written by Leslie Fish, arranged by Doug Olsen, performed by Doug Olsen, Sandy Rittenhouse, Ross Douglas, George Spelvin
• Minus Ten and Counting (Shuttle) — written by Mercedes Lackey/Leslie Fish, performed by Leslie Fish, Arlin Robins
• Fire in the Sky (Shuttle) — written by Jordin Kare, performed by Doug Olsen, Julia Ecklar
• One Way to Go — written by Diana Gallagher, performed by Julia Ecklar, Arlin Robins, Joey Shoji, Jim Fox-Davis
• Fly, Columbia! (Shuttle) — written by Diana Gallagher, performed by Leslie Fish, Arlin Robins
• Everyman — written by Mary Jean Holmes, sung by Julia Ecklar
• The Moon Miners — written by Dianna Gallagher, performed Ross Douglas, Julia Ecklar
• Voyager (Voyager) — written Cynthia McQuillin, performed by Cynthia McQuillin, Joey Shoji, Catherine Cook
• The Light-Ship — written Leslie Fish, arranged by Catherine Cook, performed by Julia Ecklar, Catherine Cook, Joey Shoji
• Planetbound Lovers — written by Diana Gallagher, performed by Julia Ecklar
• The Mass-Driver Engineer — written by Diana Gallagher, performed by Doug Olsen, Catherine Cook
• Sentries — written by Leslie Fish, performed by Julia Ecklar, Joey Shoji
• Witnesses’ Waltz (Shuttle) — written by Leslie Fish, performed by Julia Ecklar, Arlin Robins, Catherine Cook, Gloria Oberste, Jim Fox-Davis, Joey Shoji, Susan Fox-Davis

Leslie Fish is also one of the featured artists in "Minus Ten and Counting" - a collection of 21 tracks (which must count as superb value for money) by different writers. The songs are all science-fact inspired, rather than science-fiction/media. Personal tastes vary, so my favourites may not be yours, but two tracks stand oul to me. "The Ballad of Apollo XIII" brings to mind the drama and concern of that mission. On the other hand, the lively and logical "One Way to Go", gives the reasons for going out into space, with a chorus you can join in while cruising down the motorway.