When David Bowie heard the Langley Schools Music Project version of his hit 㽶ƵֱSpace Oddity,㽶Ƶֱ the rock star was an instant fan.
㽶ƵֱThe backing arrangement is astounding,㽶Ƶֱ Bowie said.
㽶ƵֱCoupled with the earnest if lugubrious vocal performance, you have a piece of art that I couldn㽶Ƶֱt have conceived of,㽶Ƶֱ he added.
The 60-voice chorus of Langley students also covered tunes by the Beach Boys, Paul McCartney, Klaatu, The Bay City Rollers, and others.
Music teacher Hans Fenger arranged and conducted the 1976-77 recordings, which were captured on a two-track tape deck, then pressed on two 12㽶Ƶֱ LPs, exclusively for the students, their classmates, teachers, and parents.
The albums would have remained in obscurity if it wasn㽶Ƶֱt for Brian Linds, a Victoria record collector, who found the first record in a thrift store in 2000.
That brought the albums to the attention of record producer Irwin Chusid, who set up a licensing agreement with the Langley school district administrators and oversaw creation of a CD compilation of the two LPs.
㽶ƵֱInnocence and Despair㽶Ƶֱ as it was called, made many end-of-the-year best album lists in 2001.
㽶ƵֱThe echoing, yelping renditions of this feel-good music gives off a powerfully aching melancholy, said music critic Steven Hyden.
㽶ƵֱIt㽶Ƶֱs the sound of youth, frozen on tape, as it fades inexorably away.㽶Ƶֱ
This year, the two albums have been re-released for a second time on vinyl LPs by a U.S. record company that specializes in 㽶Ƶֱoutsider music.㽶Ƶֱ The audio has been cleaned up and two bonus tracks with liner notes added.
㽶ƵֱIt was all kind of an amateurish project,㽶Ƶֱ said Fenger, who estimates the initial album pressing cost about $40.
㽶ƵֱOnly 200 were pressed. Everything was one take in the gymnasium.㽶Ƶֱ
He said he was hired as a music teacher even though he knew virtually nothing about conventional music education, because the Langley School district was desperate for teachers.
㽶ƵֱI was in a rock and roll band,㽶Ƶֱ he said.
㽶ƵֱI was kind of a hippy.㽶Ƶֱ
The Langley story has been cited as the inspiration behind the comedy film School of Rock, starring Jack Black.
Fenger said he hasn㽶Ƶֱt made any money off the film, which he noted has only a loose connection with his story.
㽶ƵֱThey㽶Ƶֱre both fish-out-of-water-tales.㽶Ƶֱ
After his time teaching, Fenger said he went back to music, joined another rock and roll band, then retired.
He was happy to hear that the songs have been re-issued.
㽶ƵֱIt never stops.㽶Ƶֱ
The songs from the project have been used in various film and TV projects:
㽶ƵֱGood Vibrations㽶Ƶֱ was licensed for the soundtrack of the film 㽶ƵֱCatfish.㽶Ƶֱ
㽶ƵֱCalling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft㽶Ƶֱ was used to close the film 㽶ƵֱArabian Nights㽶Ƶֱ㽶Ƶֱ, Volume 3.[6]
㽶ƵֱSpace Oddity㽶Ƶֱ was used in the closing of the film 㽶Ƶֱ㽶ƵֱWonderstruck㽶Ƶֱ㽶Ƶֱ.
Their version of 㽶ƵֱRhiannon㽶Ƶֱ was used in the closing credits of the HBO series 㽶Ƶֱ㽶ƵֱHere and Now㽶Ƶֱ㽶Ƶֱ.
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dan.ferguson@langleytimes.com
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