Space started life as a collaboration between Jimmy Cauty and Alex Paterson. The album was first announced in early January 1990, albeit as a proper Orb album at the time.
It is also mentioned accordingly in The KLF’s Information Sheet #8…
… and the album’s accompanying press release (see below).
However, Jimmy and Alex split in April 1990 with the latter leaving to work on The Orb fulltime. Cauty then (allegedly) deleted Paterson’s contribution and simply released the album under the Space alias instead (read the FAQ for more details).
The album’s front cover borrows the lower left part from French painter Théodore Géricault’s Raft Of The Medusa with the survivors of the Méduse dressed in white KLF shirts.
Promotion & Advertising
Space got a rather extensive press release sent out by KLF Communications in 1990.
Distribution Girl – Part Five.
June 1990. The Party is over. What is left of the E Generation have all gone off to Glastonbury. Distribution Girl sits on the floor alone. It’s 3.23 A.M.. The T.V. lies broken in the corner. An empty record deck spins silently by her bed. Last year’s flyers lie scattered across the floor.
“Was there any point to any of it.” was a half formed thought that almost drifted across her brain. She picks up the unopened album mailer. She already knows whats inside. Can she be bothered opening it? She does. A K.L.F. Communications Promo’ L.P. and press release. She shuffles off to bed. Lying there she attempts to read the press release.
“SPACE”. A FORTY MINUTE ROLLERCOASTER RIDE AROUND THE SOLAR SYSTEM, WRITEN AND PRODUCED BY J.CAUTY.
ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO BE THE ORB’S DEBUT ALBUM. NOW SIMPLY “SPACE” BY SPACE FOLLOWING THE SPLIT OF THE ORB IN APRIL 1990.
“How boring, another group splits”
The press release rants on. The odd line caught her eye.
CONCEPT ALBUM…
AMBIENT HOUSE SPECTACULAR….
SOLAR ERUPTIONS…..
“As if anybody is going to be interested at this late stage.”
THE ULTIMATE TRIP…
TWO TWELVE YEAR OLD CHILDREN ARE ACCIDENTALLY LAUNCHED INTO SPACE….
MERCURY. VENUS. MARS. SATURN. URANUS. PLUTO. JUPITER. NEPTUNE…..
A VIRTUAL REALITY SOUND TRACK……
She puts on her headphones. Lets the needle drop on the record. Pulls the light cord above her bed and lies back info the darkness.
Thirty five minutes later Distribution Girl is hurtling through the Void. Re-entering the Earth’s Stratosphere at thirty six thousand M.P.H. Her bed is shaking violently. The room is spinning out of control. She tries to reach for the record player but it has turned into a bank of Retro Rocket Booster Controls. The Re- entry roar is almost too loud for even her ears to take. Finally sucked from her capsule, Distribution Girl is falling through the clouds. The only sound is that of her heart beat. The Pacific Ocean is approaching at twenty three feet per second.
Plop.'Space' Press Release
On top of that a couple of mailorder singles had flyers with the album’s artwork on the front and the release date on the back snuck into them as well.
Reviews
Tracks & Formats
SPACE LP1
| LP / 16 Jul 1990 | ||
| A1 | Mercury | 1:54 |
| A2 | Venus | 2:12 |
| A3 | Mars | 8:22 |
| A4 | Jupiter | 6:35 |
| B1 | Saturn | 2:46 |
| B2 | Uranus | 2:57 |
| B3 | Neptune | 9:38 |
| B4 | Pluto | 3:57 |
SPACE CD1
| CD / 16 Jul 1990 | ||
| 1 | Mercury | 1:54 |
| 2 | Venus | 2:12 |
| 3 | Mars | 8:22 |
| 4 | Jupiter | 6:35 |
| 5 | Saturn | 2:46 |
| 6 | Uranus | 2:57 |
| 7 | Neptune | 9:38 |
| 8 | Pluto | 3:57 |
The album is presented as one single track, therefore tracktimes are estimates based on silent sections inbetween.
Rumor has it that the originally scheduled (though unconfirmed) 2LP tracklist was also meant to include a version of The Orb’s “Ultraworld” which is not too unlikely considering it is a Paterson/Cauty production as well.
Both the CD and LP (albeit to a lesser degree) have been bootlegged in the past due to the original’s rarity. Make sure to check out our FAQ to spot the differences!
Ah, love this album, great to nod off to on a night, bought my copy from HMV in the town where I live, I recall parking my car up after work and dashing up the high street to pick it up before it closed, got back to the car to find the tree I’d parked opposite to had been hit by a lighting strike and was split in half almost! They took the tree down shortly afterwards and replanted a new one the year after, when I walk past it now it reminds me of this album for obvious reason, strange the connections folk make
please reissue on good vinyl. tired of bootleggers!!!
The last minute or so at the end of Jupiter is a track called “Pluto Calling” with the twinkle twinkle chipmunk vocals.
Hello,
i search Space as CD or LP for a normal price. Can you help me?