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Showing posts from April, 2022

Fantasy & Science Fiction Nov/Dec 2021 (Whole #758)

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      I've been an avid science-fiction fan from childhood. Through the eighties into the early nineties, I subscribed to IASFM. Some truly great stuff was published in that mag, particularly when Gardner Dozois was editor. I became acquainted with some of my favorite authors through that magazine and got caught up in the excitement generated by the Cyberpunk movement, which was prominently represented in its pages. Around 1994, I dropped my subscription, and fell out of touch with new and upcoming SF writers. Still followed my favorites from the eighties but, besides John Scalzi, really didn't become acquainted with any new SF writers. About ten years ago, I decided to try to discover some of the new talent, since some of my favorites (e.g., Bruce Sterling) weren't publishing much anymore. So I took a six-month subscription to IASFM in an attempt to educate myself. Good lord, in those six issues I enjoyed the grand total of ONE story! The rest, just dross, pure dross. Fast

Have You Seen the Saucers?

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  Jefferson Airplane -- 14 September 1970   Have You Seen the Saucers? -- 14 Sep 1970 Taken from a performance at the Fillmore West (the former Carousel Ballroom) in San Francisco, California. With a capacity of around 3000, this was Bill Graham's premier venue at the time. "Have You Seen the Saucers" was recorded in February 1970 and was released in May on a 45, backed with "Mexico". Neither cut was released on LP until the Early Flight compilation in 1974. "Saucers" was a better song than many of those on Volunteers and Bark , the LPs bookending its release. For me, the four Kantner / Slick collaborations ( Blows Against the Empire, Sunfighter, Manhole, Baron Von Tollbooth and the Chrome Nun ) are better than the last three Jefferson Airplane studio albums. But imagine if the band had released just one Jefferson Airplane LP per year, 1969-1973, with a selection of the best of all the Airplane, Kantner / Slick, and Hot Tuna records in those years. Th