I grew up with Classic Rock and I can't not play it. "Exiles of the Stars" is a pompous classic rock epic, but stick around because "Atlantis Exile" is a silly dance-along/sing-along R&B jam.

It's a good sci-fi story, although in the real world, it would be a lot more efficient to fix the planet we have than to launch generation ships at the stars, hoping for the best, but whatever...

#rock #bandcamp #classicrock #scifi

https://skylarkduquesne.bandcamp.com/track/exiles-of-the-stars-atlantis-endgame

If we're going to debate putting any living person on our currency, I suggest we use these guys:

#poppunk #punk #greenday #rock #dollar

(4/4)
So, in that sense, Dan J is not doing anything out of character for an AIP'er. Acting as a spoiler for the orthodox GOP has been the AIP's role as long as I've known them! I think a few Democratic governors can thank AIP candidates for their wins, but that's absolutely on the fringies, not the Ds!*

Today's articles suggest that Alaska's fairly recent adoption of ranked-choice voting** is what's changed, but they are undervaluing the other big change: MAGA.

There's no need for a right flank party in Alaska since MAGA captured the GOP. What I think is funny here is that Dan J's big sin isn't that he isn't RW enough, it's that Dan S is Trump loyal!

Help yourself to looking into some of the characters in the AIP history--ranging from colorful to terrifying.

(/end)

*please take note of this lesson on the consequences of purity tests.

**I'm not a fan.

#uspol #election #alaska

(3/4)
At their height of power, the AIP managed to capture Alaska's Governor's Mansion, but that's really overstating it. Wally Hickel was always a fairly vanilla Republican--more moderate than some, more of a jerk than many--and it always seemed to me that he had co-opted the AIP to facilitate a right-flank attack on the party and, running for re-election in 1994, he switched back to the GOP.*

I saw lots of examples of this when I was a journalist. Sour-grapes candidates who were behind in a primary switching to AIP to unfurl their RW flag. None of them talked about secession.

*I met Wally a couple of times.

#election #alaska #uspol

(2/4) The key word in their name is "Independence." Note that this does NOT say "independent." These are not, and never were, moderates or independents in any way. They were extremists.

They advocated for decades for Alaska to retreat from statehood. They were pretty much the Alberta separatists, only without the foreign sponsorship. Weirdly, it's debatable how core the separatism was to them. It was never formally adopted in their party platform--although they consistently called for a referendum. when they finally had some power, their governor refused to support the referendum. On the other hand, some of their leaders and founders were not shy about calling for violent overthrow of the USA!

By the time I encountered them in the 1990s, they were a right-wing/libertarian extremist party with all the platform planks one would expect.

#election #uspol #alaska

(fine, I'll make a thread...)

(1/4)
Dan J Sullivan was with the Alaskan Independence Party (AIP) until it dissolved last year. He'd have been running anyway.

There is a lot about the AIP that "outsiders" are absolutely going to get wrong, so here's a refresher.

#election #alaska #uspol

I'm sorry, but the REAL Alaska politician named Dan Sullivan is Dan A. Sullivan:

#alaska #election
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Sullivan_(Anchorage_mayor)

For me, at least, I'm still confused that the Dan Sullivan who has been Alaska's senator is NOT the same guy as the Dan Sullivan who was mayor of Anchorage. Clearly, Alaska has too many Republicans named Dan Sullivan.

(Also, this is a coup.)

#uspol #election #coup #trump

https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/trump-admin-seeks-block-alaska-084354685.html

Showing off more of my favorite recordings I've done as Skylark Duquesne, here's "Uncharted Stars", an acoustic ballad that I think is exceptional.

p.s. I just got around to reading the book by Andre Norton that inspired this song with its title and its wonderful! Highly recommend "Zero Stone" and "Uncharted Stars".

#music #bandcamp #acoustic #guitar #acousticguitar #scifi #books

https://skylarkduquesne.bandcamp.com/track/uncharted-stars

Continuing my tour of my favorite recordings as Skylark Duquesne, here's "Key out of Time".

My idea was to write something that started with a solo bass, a la Tool or Jane's Addiction. It just got more and more moody until it was seriously channeling Pink Floyd. The pop-punk freak-out ending is just some other level!

I love that this song has some of my favorite influences mashed together, from punk to prog to grunge. I also love that I wrote a song about time travel--I'm very picky about time travel in my sci-fi!

#rock #music #progrock #scifi #timetravel #punk #poppunk #bassguitar #grunge #bandcamp

https://skylarkduquesne.bandcamp.com/track/key-out-of-time

Nice quote from Chris Deluzio:

“What a bunch of nonsense to attack Pitt. Your life isn’t a rip off because Pitt is a world-leading research institution that attracts the best and brightest. Your life is a rip off because the President and Vice President bumbled into a failed war with Iran, start reckless trade wars, and enrich their corrupt and powerful friends at our expense. Hail to Pitt!”

#pittsburgh #universityofpittsburgh #pitt #h2p #jdvance

A few more of my favorites from Skylark Duquesne on #bandcamp

Here's one from that time in '25 when my poet friend Josh Medsker gave me some lyrics inspired by the story of Townes Van Zandt's performance at the Northern Lights Church in Juneau, Alaska.

It's another 7 minute+ epic, going from strummy-Americana to flat-out rock. I'm especially proud of the bass guitar breakdown. Jammin!

#rock #music #juneau #alaska #pittsburgh

https://skylarkduquesne.bandcamp.com/track/townes-and-the-spirit

Wandering through more of my favorites from the Skylark Duquesne catalog, here's the climax of my rock opera, "Love Like a Moon".

It's a Who-sized epic that runs to 9 minutes of sing-a-long gloriousness. I painstakingly remixed this in 2024 and it sounds very good. So many guitars!

#music #rock #rockopera #bandcamp

https://skylarkduquesne.bandcamp.com/track/love-like-a-moon-mix-24

RE: https://mastodonsweden.se/@oz/117388131976080257

If a bathroom is "one-at-a-time" and has a lock, then it does NOT have a gender. End of debate.

A curated tour through a few of my favorite Skylark Duquesne songs:

"Forerunner". A national anthem for a space colony, celebrating its android assistant.

Listening to this now, I really hear the New Order in it. This one really showcases the Korg Minilogue.

#rock #synthpop #scifi

https://skylarkduquesne.bandcamp.com/track/forerunner

SKYLARK DUQUESNE
How about this? I'll curate my favorite songs I've posted to #bandcamp since 2024 and see if any of these resonate...

FIRST: "Daybreak 2250 A.D. + Postmarked The Stars"

A dramatic synth overture lurches cleverly into an acoustic-driven pop song. Ed Sheeran meets Styx? It's a love letter from a space pioneer. Adorable!

#rock #synthpop #progrock #acoustic

https://skylarkduquesne.bandcamp.com/track/daybreak-2250-a-d-postmarked-the-stars

Am I crazy? Am I making this up?

Does anyone else remember that time in #2020 when the #pandemic #lockdown caused #gasprices to plummet from a demand-crash and #trump intervened to raise them so the #oilcompanies could stay solvent?

Was that just me? Correct me if I imagined this.

SURPRISE! NEW SKYLARK DUQUESNE TRACK!
"20 Feet Below (Sinkhole Bus)" is an older song. Maybe 2019 or so? I've remixed it with modern gear and it sounds a world better. Much more clear.

This is the story of the sinkhole bus, which got stuck in Downtown Pittsburgh and was rescued by a crane. I though it was kinda romantic! (I mean, as transit disasters go!)

I love the power ballad feel of this. It turned out just perfect. Get your lighters ready!

#transit #bus #pittsburgh #rock #powerballad #bandcamp

https://skylarkduquesne.bandcamp.com/community

COMPLETED!
My set of all six of Andre Norton's Beast Master novels!
#scifi #books

SKYLARK DUQUESNE FANS!
(both of you!)

Ganymede is back! New (on-key!) singing and a peppier tempo have drastically improved this cute rockabilly number (inspired by "Faith" and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love").

"Ganymede (Is Never Gonna Go Back Home)" is dedicated to the queer, trans, and otherwise undesirable scientists and creatives who were driven out or lured away from the US by our turn toward fascism. Just know, we miss you and and are trying to make it so you can return!

Enjoy!

https://skylarkduquesne.bandcamp.com/track/ganymede-is-never-gonna-go-back-home

#rock #bandcamp #rockabilly #scientists #pittsburgh