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"