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| Mission Earth | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Soundtrack album by | ||||
| Released | 1989[1] Copyrighted in 1985 | |||
| Genre | Space rock[2] | |||
| Length | 37:08 | |||
| Label |
| |||
| Producer | Edgar Winter | |||
| Edgar Winter chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [2] |
Mission Earth is a 1989 album by Edgar Winter based on L. Ron Hubbard's novel series of the same name with words and music credited to Hubbard.
Production
L. Ron Hubbard left detailed instructions and audio tapes for the musicians and producers to follow when making this album, which was released after Hubbard's death.[3] Edgar described Mission Earth as "both a return to rock's primal roots and yet highly experimental". Winter had glowing words for Hubbard when he wrote, "Ron's technical insight of the recording process was outstanding." Winter also described Hubbard's delineation of counter-rhythm in rock as something "which was nothing short of phenomenal, particularly inasmuch as it had then been entirely unexplored and only later heard in the African-based rhythms of Paul Simon's work, some five years after Ron's analysis."[4]
Album cover
The science fiction cover artwork for the album and cassette tape feature a blond man, resembling Winter, floating in the clouds behind an iron fist that appears to be holding a representation of the Earth. The iron fist graphic also appears on the cover of Mission Earth, the novel. The background includes a night sky. The words on the album include "Edgar Winter" written in a futuristic-looking font and the words "Mission Earth", written in a cursive script. Some versions of the album were sold with a gold foil sticker that said, "Words and Music by L. Ron Hubbard".
The cover's copyright notice says "1985", whether or not this is a mistake isn't clear.[citation needed]
Release and reception
This album was issued by Rhino Records, likely in 1989. Rhino predicted sales of 800,000,[5] but the album would only sell 15,000 upon its release.[6] The only known professional review of the album is from Michael B. Smith of AllMusic.com, who gave it 2.5 stars out of 5. Smith wrote that while the album is "An admirable attempt at a sci-fi space-rock opera", the album "fails to blend the music with the theme, making for an almost unlistenable release". Outside of a single article from the Los Angeles Times, the album received little attention from the press of its time.
Track listing
All music is composed by L. Ron Hubbard. Arranged and additional writing by Edgar Winter.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Mission Earth" | 6:52 |
| 2. | "Treacherous Love" | 4:34 |
| 3. | "Bang-Bang" | 3:14 |
| 4. | "Teach Me" | 3:32 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 5. | "Cry Out" | 5:03 |
| 6. | "Just a Kid" | 3:54 |
| 7. | "The Spacer's Lot" | 4:46 |
| 8. | "Joy City" | 4:02 |
Personnel
- Edgar Winter – soprano, alto, and tenor saxophones, sampler, keyboards, vocals
- Rick Cruzen – synthesizers, sound effects
- Ron Miscavige – trumpet, cornet
- Tamia Arbuckle – bass, guitar, sound effects
- Charlie Rush – sequencing, percussion, sound effects
- Barry Stein – Hammond B3 organ, accordion, vocals
- Pavel Farkas – first violin
- David Campbell – viola
- Bob Peterson – violin
- Vladimir Polimatidi – violin
- Bob Becker – viola
- John Walz – cello
- Peter Schless – programming, sequencing ("Planet Earth")
- Ali Darwich – Turkish tabla drums
- Kotto Gabal – Turkish tambourine
- Monique Winter – vocals ("Just a Kid")
- Margie Nelson – vocals ("Teach Me")
- Steve Ambrose – vocals ("The Spacer's Lot")
- Bo Tomlyn – programming
See also
- Space Jazz, 1982 L. Ron Hubbard album companion to his novel Battlefield Earth
- The Road to Freedom, 1986 album by L. Ron Hubbard & Friends
- To the Stars, 2004 Chick Corea Elektric Band album based on Hubbard's 1954 novel
References
- ↑ Grein, Paul (June 11, 1989). "A 'Mission' for 2 Minds". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
- 1 2 AllMusic review
- ↑ "Mission Earth Lyrics and Music by L. Ron Hubbard". RonTheMusicMaker.org. Retrieved April 6, 2009.
- ↑ "Mission Earth - L. Ron Hubbard". RonTheMusicMaker.org. Retrieved April 6, 2009.
- ↑ Bronson, Harold (2013). The Rhino Records Story: Revenge of the Music Nerds. SelectBooks, Inc. p. 147. ISBN 978-1-59079-135-6.
- ↑ Bronson, Harold (2013). The Rhino Records Story: Revenge of the Music Nerds. SelectBooks, Inc. p. 148. ISBN 978-1-59079-135-6.
