Ken Hollings: Welcome To Mars radio series

Posted by David Pescovitz, October 3, 2008 10:04 AM | permalink

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Several weeks ago, I posted about a fantastic radio documentary on the RAND Corporation by my friend Ken Hollings, a UK journalist and chronicler of outré culture. Two years ago, Ken presented a radio series called Welcome To Mars, his reflections on the "fantasy of science in the early years of the American Century." In this unscripted, engaging, and mind-bending series Ken connects the dots between nuclear war, LSD, flying saucers, the occult, weird science, B movies, and the birth of the space age. Ken's words are supported by an incredible outer space score prdocued by Simon James. I can't recommend it highly enough. Hollings' book based on the radio series, Welcome To Mars: Fantasies of Science In The American Century 1947-1959, will be published in the UK later this month by Strange Attractor Press.
Welcome To Mars podcast

Previously on BB:
• Radio documentary on RAND Corporation

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Discussion

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#1 posted by jmccw , October 3, 2008 11:27 AM

this is really great. kind of a cross between spaulding gray and james burke.

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#2 posted by Brother Provisional , October 3, 2008 11:43 AM

I really enjoyed Mr. Hollings' podcast. His work is like spirit photography of the mid-century zeitgeist. I can't wait to read the book.
Also, the soundtrack provided by Simon James in an of itself justifies listening to the entire broadcast. Anyone with an ear for early electronic music will be truly delighted. In a similar vein, James also produced a podcast which was written and presented by Ian Helliwell called "The Tone Generation". Its one of the best collections of early electronic music I have ever heard.

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#3 posted by Mojave , October 3, 2008 11:51 AM

I hope this sounds as good as the blurb makes it out to be. First thing I thought of when I read it, "Wax: Or the Discovery of Television among the Bees" Anyone else ever see this flick?

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#4 posted by David Pescovitz , October 3, 2008 12:18 PM

BROTHER PROVIIONAL@2, I haven't heard The Tone Generation. Sounds fantastic though! Thanks!

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#5 posted by bbreader , October 4, 2008 11:52 AM

Welcome to Mars has exceeded bandwith. Anyone have other links?

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#6 posted by David Pescovitz , October 4, 2008 10:32 PM

You can also find it via the iTunes store.

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#7 posted by Michael Slater

, October 5, 2008 6:04 AM

iTunes store also isn't working for me.

http://img.skitch.com/20081005-crxe76kpfg915ihpdpejp62jsh.jpg

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#8 posted by simonsound , October 7, 2008 6:57 AM

The bandwidth issue is now fixed. Not sure what the problem was with itunes.

Thanks for the kind words on the series. Having been lucky enough to get a little sneak preview of the book I can say that it is well worth getting. It expands upon all the material covered in the radio series and more.