Alphanaut on "Stag Night" Soundtrack

Just received all the legal paperwork for the inclusion of Alphanaut's "Don't Hide Away From The Sun" on the "Stag Night" soundtrack. The is the first official licensing opportunity for me, placing the tune at in the closing credits of the movie, which I'm pretty thrilled about. Can't wait to get a copy of the DVD to revel a bit at home.

The film was directed by Peter A Dowling, who wrote the film "Flight Plan" (with Jodie Foster), and stars Kip Pardue, Breckin Meyer, Vinessa Shaw and Rachel Oliva.

Thought I'd celebrate by posting some info on the film.


Movie Title: "Stag Night"
Released: April 10th, 2010
Director: Peter A Dowling

Probing Alphnaut's "Out of Orbit"

Having already tracked the entire album and begun the process of pre-mix editing, I still didn't have a name for this collection of songs. I really wanted the name to somehow tie into "The Lunar Age", the previous EP, as the songs were all related to one another, considering they had been written at the same time. I also wanted the new name to evoke a certain sense of forward momentum, reaching outward into the unknown.

Panic began to set in as January 2010 rapidly approached, the month I had committed to passing the album over to Rhonda my PR gal. It was fall 2009 and I still had zip. Then during my first interview, set up with a freelance writer to establish my bio, serendipity struck once again. We were on the topic of the inspiration for the name Alphanaut and he had read on my Myspace page that it was loosely inspired by Space 1999. During our phone conversation he went to Wikipedia, typed in the show and began to read a loud what had been entered.

"Space: 1999 is a British science-fiction television series that ran from 1975-77. In the pilot, nuclear waste from Earth stored on the moon explodes in a catastrophic accident on 13 September 1999, knocking the moon out of its orbit and sending it and the 311 inhabitants of Moonbase Alpha hurtling uncontrollably into outer space."

When he said the words "out of it's orbit", I nearly stopped him mid-sentence. "Out of Orbit", I thought to myself, that's it! After the conversation I dashed to my computer to visit the Wikipedia entry, then listened to the songs. It seemed an obvious fit so "Out of Orbit" it was.

In the end the name wound up having more than surface relevance to me, both internally and externally. Externally, a couple songs on the album were inspired by social issues including the current global melt down, political and social divisions and religious tensions. Like everyone else, I've had my share of angst during all this craziness, and "Out of Orbit" seemed an appropriate name to reflect the current state of affairs.

Internally, I was going through my own personal turmoils. My dog Dingo's struggle with cancer, and ultimate passing during the mixing sessions, left me shattered. The very process of recording took me away from responsibilities at home and work, making things extremely stressful. Complications from surgery a year earlier coming back to haunt me, leaving me incapacitated at times. Countless things taxed me from every angle and I thought the project might never finish. Once again "Out of Orbit" seemed to sum it all up.

Now that this project has been released from my personal sphere and traveled into the real world, it's amazing how all the angst and pain that filled me during the recording process seems to have ebbed. There was certainly catharsis with "Out of Orbit", which I didn't anticipate when I first tooled the songs in 2008, though now I feel I can comfortably move forward.

As an unexpected side effect of it all, I was inspired to write a handful of new songs, which I hope will make it to the next release.

Alphanaut - An Introduction

Alphanaut. What is it? Who's behind it and where is it going?

So, I've been encouraged by someone with a bit more wisdom than I, that it's time to start shedding some light on Alphanaut as a musical entity, slowly opening up to what's behind it all. Expose my inner bits and reveal what motivates me as an artist. All those things that both impassion and enrage me, permanently splattering it across the web for all to see. Heavy stuff, right? All this certainly sounds exciting, so why do I find it so hard to get the ball rolling? Give me a moment while I muse a bit more over my cup of iced mocha (soy, no sugar please).

Mmmm... coffee! Okay, so perhaps 8 AM isn't the best time to tackle such a serious task, but it's all I've got before the onslaught of my day begins. So here goes.

Alphanaut came to life in 2007 after taking a lengthy break from song writing (stop me if this gets redundant to some of you as I know this info has already been covered a few places online). I had been writing songs since my junior year in high school and recorded my first four-song demo at 18 (God forbid those songs ever surface). I hopped from band to band post high school, before moving to Los Angeles at the tender age of 21 to join the 'perfect band'. Initially Los Angeles wound up being less than what I imagined. Trying to find the right project in the land of 'clone bands' was next to impossible, so I ultimately I decided to start my own project. That band was called November, which I fronted for nearly 8 years. November went through numerous incarnations during its lifetime as band members came and went, including my original song writing partner. In the end it was my own self-imposed pressure to 'make it big' that caused me to take a break from the project. My hiatus was intended to be brief, though it turned into a permanent separation. Frustrated by the flannel inspired music scene of the 90's, my creative mojo exhausted, I was just plain depressed that I hadn't made a dent yet. All the usual emotional burdens felt by a young musician trying to find their way.

November (version 1.2)
Robert Pigott (Bass) , Cobban Barnett (Keys) , Janet Pigott (Guitar) , Mark Alan (Vocals) & Alberto Campos (Drums)


When I began song writing again I decided I was just going to do it for myself this time and create a project without the stresses of a organizing a permanent band. I'd write the songs and hopefully collaborate with other artists that inspired me creatively, ultimately forming a musical universe where the cast of characters might come and go. This vision moved a step closer to reality once my friend Jorge Villanueva heard my demos and really pushed me to take what I was doing seriously. He introduced me to his brother Chavo Villanueva, master of guitar and bass, and immediately I could tell there was a musical connection I was hoping for. The two brothers have been the core of my creative support team since day one, and I owe a lot to them for bringing added dimension to my original concepts.

Chavo Villanueva
Jorge Villanueva

A lot of people ask me about the name Alphanaut. First off, it's never been intended as a proper noun to identify me, Mark Alan (a la, Moby, Prince, Madonna, Cher, etc.). I am not Alphanut, but rather the ring leader of this virtual musical collective, guiding it on its journey. The name actually came quite by accident. I struggled a long time, as every band surely does, trying to find the right fit. I knew I wanted a single word name for the project, and was also aware of an unintended sci-fi vibe that was developing in the sound. For months and months names came and went, ultimately nothing sticking. But then one day, for no real reason, the 70's TV show "Space 1999" popped into my head. Loved that show as a kid and remembered 'Moon Base Alpha' and its inhabitants. For a split second I thought to myself "Those people could have been called Alphanauts" (though they never were). LIGHTBULB FLASHED... TIME STOPPED... MUSIC CUED FROM ON HIGH.... I had my name - Alphanaut!

So, that's basically it, my intro to Alphanaut. Not too difficult thus far.

The cast of "Space: 1999"

Vote For "Never Been To Athens" on MTVu

Alphanaut is featured on MTVu "The Freshmen" contest. Please vote for "Never Been To Athens" as many times as you like as the winner will receive extra promotion from them.

www.mtvu.com/music/the-freshmen/nominees-032210

The Armature of Alphanaut - "Out of Orbit" Review by Salvatore L. Frascone

Some of you may be aware that for a mere $200,000, you can board a flight on Virgin Galactic to be in orbit for 4 minutes. Even if I had the money, I just would not do it. Reducing my bone density is not on my list of things to do. May I make a more practical, suggestion to you. Buy Alphanaut CD "Out of Orbit". The brainchild of seasoned music mastermind Mark Alan. He left Seattle and went to LA, to terriform music project Alphanaut. There is a science-fiction vibe which is outstanding. This is jazz-pop-rock FROM OUTER SPACE. I mean GOOD JAZZ, not that smooth mind numbing variety.

"Out of Orbit" is a 45 minute music excursion to some other far off place, another planet, in the future where musical boundaries don't exist. If you said Alphanaut was of this earth, I would say , “not true” and for less than $10 you purchase a ticket for this remarkable journey. Tracks contain elements of vintage 70's art-rock, neo-jazz, new wave, Latin rhythms and pop with vocals layered over the nebulous backdrop. Singer Mark Alan sounds different than anyone else I have ever heard, at times suggesting the likes of Bowie, Roger Waters, and Mark Griffin of MC 900 Ft. Jesus. He delivers a blend of singing and spoken words all at one, his lyrics are thought provoking and compelling with topics everyone can relate to. Sometimes personal and other times looking outward, Alan deals with our daily “what ifs”, worries, and hopes, with an eye on optomism.

With a heavy electronic edge, Alan teamed up with seasoned guest musicians like co-producer Ted Scarlett on guitar, Jorge Villanueva on drums, William Bing on trumpet, and Chavo Villanueva on guitar, bass and ebo. Mark did a lot of custom sound designing for this album with 'ear candy' meticulously crafted on his computer.

Track nine from the album, titled “Don't Hide Away from the Sun”, can also be found on the "Stag Night" Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. The film was a hit at a recent European film festival and should hit on this side of the pond by summer 2010. Before this news was announced, I was saying to myself, “Alphanaut should be doing film music”, and now it is so. I'm eager to hear “Don't Hide Away from the Sun”, an anthem for conquering depression, in relation to the soundtrack. I am at a loss for words to describe the song, but if you've heard the music of Bee Bop Deluxe founder Bill Nelson, his album "Map of Dreams" would give you a vague idea.

To purchase a copy of the album and support Alphanaut, visit these online retailers:
iTunes, Lala, Amazon, Rhapsody and many others.
Alphanaut website: www.planetalphanaut.com and Myspace.com/planetalphanaut

Salvatore L Frascone
Editor of The Griffon Spire Magazine

WEFT Radio Plays Songs From "Out of Orbit"

Got word that college radio station WEFT, based in Champaign, IL on 90.1 FM, has accepted "Out of Orbit" into their programming list. They are the first to do so and I'm really stoked to share the news. If you are in the area listen in on the airwaves, or hear their programming streaming on http://weft.org

New Site Design for PlanetAlphanaut.com

Stop by Planetalphanaut.com to check out the new site design which has been updated for the "Out of Orbit" album release. This brand new world was brought to life by my good friend and brilliant artist Jimmy Ahlander, who created the visuals for the "Never Been To Athens" and "Jennifer" videos.

Visit www.planetalphanaut.com

CD Review of "Out of Orbit"

Here's another excerpt from a recent review of "Out of Orbit"

"Alphanaut, featuring Mark Alan, has impeccable timing for the collage of instruments – subtle piano, to the airy guitar riffs. Alan's overlaying is simple, but logical. His lyrics encounter an ongoing theme – it seems – of shyness or timid nature. None of the songs feel overbearing or assertive. Yet, each piece is a potent delivery of emotion and multi-genre fusion."

To read the full review Click Here to visit Suite 101