[b]spacemen 3 as cult?[/b]

wadders · Post by **wadders** » Sun Nov 23, 2003 2:01 pm

hi everyone.
Im hoping that some kind S3 fans here can help me out. Im a music production student at Manchester uni, and I'm currently writing an essay on "fan cultures". My question for the essay is: "Explain the benefits and problems of suggesting that fans of Spacemen 3 are a 'cult." (spacemen 3 being my own addition to a set question). I would just like to ask everyone here if they feel that they feel like they are part of a "cult" by being a spacemen 3 fan - is this what it feels like to you? Maybe the word cult has negative connotations that you wouldnt want to be associated with, or maybe you think that it adequately describes the sense of exclusivity, or 'togetherness' you may feel with other S3 fans. Whatever your thoughts, I'd be very grateful if you would post back and share them with me. Thanks very much.

If you want to email me with any thoughts, that would be welcome. john_wadders@hotmail.com

ursa · Post by **ursa** » Tue Nov 25, 2003 7:59 am

do you mean cult as in.every time i listen to the spacemen...the a.t.f. blow up my compound and send tanks in to shoot it out with me?
then yes.i agree

Starfish · Post by **Starfish** » Tue Nov 25, 2003 3:47 pm

Jason's been called a cult quite a few times during his post-Spacemen days.

wadders · Post by **wadders** » Tue Nov 25, 2003 3:54 pm

thanks to everyone for posting replys, its a big help. Heres another question: do you think that it is necessary or even important to understand the influences and other cultural references that inform Spacemen 3s music - i.e covers of suicide, 13th floor elevators, general psychadelic references, or is it possible to be just as much of a fan without any previous knowledge of this music?

Any thoughts - post 'em up, or email me john_wadders@hotmail.com

Starfish · Post by **Starfish** » Tue Nov 25, 2003 8:50 pm

of course it's possible to be into the Spacemen without any prior knowledge of the music that influenced them.
Personally - and one of the reasons I believe the Spacemen were so important to a number of people (hey! that does make them a cult, doesn't it?) - the band was a huge education for me.
I can't say I would never have listened to the Elevators, the Stooges, MC5, Suicide if it hadn't been for the Spacemen, but it was through them that I made my first discoveries of those bands.

interceptor · Post by **interceptor** » Fri Jan 23, 2004 12:53 pm

I grew up in Rugby in and around the end of the spacemen era when the Darkside, Spiritualized and Spectrum were getting going. In our band, we'd play some of the same elevators, MC5 and even spacemen covers and give it our own little twist of shiteness. I ended up playing in a band with Rosco myself and so in all, my musical education was quite different to a lot of drummers.
But everywhere I go in the country, I always come across Spacemen 3 fans. There's 3 in this small office alone including me, they definitely cult as the other music these people like is definitely not mainstream. There are surprisingly many of us though, but you have to mention it because most people seem to keep it to themselves until they hear you talking about them and see you listening to one of their cds