After Recording Welcome Up: Songs of Space and Time, at Old Bear Records, October 2018

Tina Vozick & Paul Levinson at Old Bear Records, October 2018

My Spotify 2023 Stats, Including My Most Shared Song

 

Time travel rules! And thanks to the 286’s Spencer Hannabuss for singing "If I Traveled to the Past" in the It’s Real Life radio play on The Killerwatt based on my story; thanks also Laron Cue aka QROCK639 for the great remix of my song Cloudy Sunday; both songs from my Welcome Up album on Old Bear Records.

It's Real Life -- free alternate history short story about The Beatles, made into a radio play and audiobook, and Finalist for the Sidewise Award 2022, and Winner of The Mary Shelley Award 2023

the whole song

"Merri Goes Round" Played on The Music Authority Today

Robbie Rist + Don Frankel = Sundial Symphony

That's right -- starting at 4 minutes 54 seconds into the first hour of today's Music Authority program, you'll hear Sundial Symphony singing "Merri Goes Round," a song I wrote with Ed Fox in 1971, recorded back then by a studio group I put together called The Trousers.

Sundial Symphony's version was recorded in 2016, and released on Big Stir Records in 2019.  I should mention that Sundial Symphony consists of Robbie Rist (yep, Cousin Oliver) and Don Frankel.  Don played keyboard on lots of the tracks on my 1972 LP Twice Upon A Rhyme, and accordion on "If I Traveled to the Past" and "Tau Ceti" on Welcome Up: Songs of Space and Time, released on Old Bear Records and Light in the Attic Records (vinyl) in 2020.

James Jim Prell, DJ for The Music Authority, says all the songs he plays are chosen by "algorithm".  But I owe him a big thank you anyway, for presiding over that algorithmic choice!

• listen to today's Music Authority (any time) -- Merri Goes Round starts at 4min54sec, and there are lots of other great songs in this episode
• Twice Upon A Rhyme on Spotify and Bandcamp
• Welcome Up on Spotify and Bandcamp
• reviews of these albums and more

Spun Dreams on Bandcamp

Before Twice Upon A Rhyme and Welcome Up: Songs of Space and Time, there were Spun Dreams: studio and home demos, most from mid to late 60s, sunshine pop with a bit of an edge and a psychedelic flavor, especially as you get into the album. My group back then was The New Outlook, a folk-rock trio. Spun Dreams has been streaming for almost a decade on Spotify, Apple Music, and all the usual places. But now it's up on Bandcamp, with all kinds of details on songs and tracks that I haven't mentioned before. Details in the track credits about how the likes of Ellie Greenwich, Mike Rashkow, Tash Howard, and dj Murray the K figured in these songs. And check out the bonus items for at least one special photo I haven't laid eyes on since 1966.

Apple Music Links for Twice Upon A Rhyme & Welcome Up

 

Great New Review of Welcome Up: Songs of Space and Time

 thank you Jon Pruett and Ugly Things Magazine

Welcome Up: Songs of Space and Time  - digital, CD, vinyl

Borrowed Tides and "Alpha Centauri"

As some of you may know, my second science fiction novel, Borrowed Tides (Tor Books, 2001), is about the first starship to Alpha Centauri.

As others of you may know, or as the same some of you may also know, one of the songs on my Welcome Up: Songs of Space and Time album (released this past February by Old Bear Records, with vinyl distribution by Light in the Attic Records) is "Alpha Centauri," about an astronaut who travels the 4.3 light years to that triple star system.   That song was written (words by me, music by Peter Rosenthal) around the same time as Borrowed Tides.

I performed it this past weekend, online, at Amazingcon.  Here's a video (that sounds like it was broadcast from Alpha Centauri) of the Zoom performance.



review of Welcome Up album by Joseph Neff for The Vinyl District

Great New Review of "Welcome Up" / Live, Free, Online Concert this Saturday

Paul Levinson Hey, a great new review of Welcome Up: Songs of Space and Time went up by Joseph Neff on The Vinyl District yesterday.  What I especially love about it is the way Neff puts Welcome Up in the context of Twice Upon A Rhyme, concluding that Welcome Up "hits the ear as the best kind of long-delayed follow-up to a phenomenon of cultish proportions; unstrained, totally comfortable in the present time, but sounding like nothing else on the current scene."  Read the whole review, with thoughts about each song -- such as, "the album’s standout is really “Picture Postcard World,” which infuses the soft-pop cheer with persistent psych swirl (getting downright underwater toward the end) as Levinson hits just the right level of crooner" -- over here. And speaking of Welcome Up and Twice Upon A Rhyme, I'll be singing songs from both, as well as a couple of new songs, at a virtual (online) totally FREE one-hour concert at Amazingcon on Saturday, 6-7pm.  Although the concert is totally free, you do need to register beforehand, which you can do here.  You register just once for the entire three-day online convention, which will feature all kinds of science fiction stars, whom you can see here.  In addition to my concert, I'll be on several panels, and also reading from my novelette, Robinson Calculator -- my complete schedule is here.  What a treat it would be to see some of you on that Zoom screen on Saturday! Songs from Welcome Up: Songs of Space and Time played on Dig Vinyl's Melodic Distraction playlist, American Dream with Yvonne Howard Margolin's 37th Anniversary Destinies, WUSB Radio Carl Thien's WZBC show (scroll down to Part 2) Patrick Rands' Abstract Terrain show on WZBC Radio in Boston Kevin Anthony's Psychedelic Jukebox Captain Phil's WUSB-FM show.  Plus the following stations: Bellarmine Radio, Louisville, KY; KDWG Radio, Dillon, Montana; The End, Cleveland, OH; SYN Radio, Melbourne, Australia You can get all the Welcome Up music, any time, here: Listen to entire album FREE on Bandcamp & Spotify Order multi-color vinyl from Light in the Attic CDs in stock - get them here And here's Twice Upon a Rhyme: Listen to entire album FREE on Bandcamp & Spotify Original, sealed 1972 HappySad Records vinyl New remastered Sound of Salvation vinyl from Those Old Records Here's a one-hour virtual concert I did in April with songs from both albums at HELIOsphere: Beyond the Corona.   Video clips from Welcome Up here and here. More Welcome Up Reviews and Interviews: Taro Miyasugi says Welcome Up: Songs of Space and Time is "a stunning folk pop album with gorgeous late 60s elements like vintage velveteen cloth..."  Evan LeVine observes about Welcome Up that "any fan of Twice Upon A Rhyme will be overjoyed by it... As otherworldly, mystical and far-out as the subject matter may be, the songs burst with love and warmth and humanity."  in-depth interview about Welcome Up in Klemen Breznikar's Psychedelic Baby Magazine  new audio Bear Tones podcast in which talk about Welcome Up and Twice Upon A Rhyme. And ... early warning:  another new review of Welcome Up in the next issue  (#54) of Ugly Things Magazine. Music Samantha (rough mix, from Welcome Up) If I Traveled To The Past (rough mix, from Welcome Up) MORE MUSIC Press "Welcome Up (Songs of Space and Time) is a contemporary dispatch, firmly sent. It hits the ear as the best kind of long-delayed follow-up to a phenomenon of cultish proportions; unstrained, totally comfortable in the present time, but sounding like nothing else on the current scene."— Joseph Neff, The Vinyl District, Jun 10, 2020 Connect Update Contact Info      Unsubscribe      Report Abuse      Privacy Physical inquiries can be sent to: 65 Shirley Lane, 9146596160, White Plains, NY, 10607, USA If our email is in your Spam/Junk Folder, please add Levinson.paul@gmail.com to your address book. Powered by  Fan Reach

My Amazingcon Schedule

100% virtual, online ... attendance is FREE! ,,, but you need to Register here

June 13, Saturday, 2pm
PANEL: ST: PICARD. DID AN SF AWARD WINNING AUTHOR AS SHOWRUNNER MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
Michael Chabon, winner of both the Hugo and Nebula awards, ran the show for Star Trek: Picard.  Join the panel as they discuss whether or not having an insider behind the wheel made a science-fictional difference.
With Dave Creek, Paul Levinson & Erin Wilcox

June 13, Saturday, 6pm
PAUL LEVINSON IN CONCERT
Author, songwriter & singer, Professor Paul performs live from his recently released album, Welcome Up: Songs of Space and Time, and his 1972 album, Twice Upon A Rhyme

June 14, Sunday, 10am
PANEL: WORLD BUILDING 101 SESSION C
World building is a fundamental skill for science fiction, fantasy and horror writers.  Listen in as world builders discuss their tricks and techniques.
With James Cambias, Paul Levinson, Rosemary Claire Smith & T.B. Jeremiah

June 14, Sunday, 12noon
READING: PAUL LEVINSON & BUD SPARHAWK
Paul Levinson will read from Robinson Calculator, followed by Q&A


full schedule & free registration here

"If I Traveled to the Past" and "You Are Everywhere"

Paul Levinson I just wanted to tell you about two great places my music popped up in the past week: 1.  Howard Margolin's 37th Anniversary Destinies: The Voice of Science Fiction show on WUSB Radio.  I read an excerpt from my novelette, Marilyn and Monet, then Howard and I talk about the paradoxes of time travel, which segues into "If Traveled to the Past" from Welcome Up: Songs of Space and Time on Old Bear Records/Light In the Attic Records.  You can listen to the entire hour here (scroll down to April 24, I start reading from Marilyn and Monet at 12min 27sec). 2. Dig Vinyl's Melodic Distraction put up a great playlist, "American Dream with Yvonne (Page)" a few days ago.  It features such artists as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young; The Grateful Dead; Janis Joplin; The Velvet Underground; and ... yours truly, singing "You Are Everywhere" from Twice Upon A Rhyme.  Chuffed doesn't do justice to what a thrill this is!  You can enjoy the whole playlist of 14 songs here ("You Are Everywhere" is #11). Songs from Welcome Up: Songs of Space and Time also played on Carl Thien's WZBC show scroll down to Part2 Patrick Rands' Abstract Terrain show on WZBC Radio in Boston Kevin Anthony's Psychedelic Jukebox Captain Phil's WUSB-FM show.  Plus the following stations: Bellarmine Radio, Louisville, KY; KDWG Radio, Dillon, Montana; The End, Cleveland, OH; SYN Radio, Melbourne, Australia You can get all the Welcome Up music, any time, here: Listen to entire album FREE on Bandcamp & Spotify Order multi-color vinyl from Light in the Attic CDs in stock - get them here And here's Twice Upon a Rhyme: Listen to entire album FREE on Bandcamp & Spotify Original, sealed 1972 HappySad Records vinyl New remastered Sound of Salvation vinyl from Those Old Records Here's a one-hour virtual concert I did a few weeks ago with songs from both albums at HELIOsphere: Beyond the Corona.   Video clips from Welcome Up here and here. Welcome Up Reviews and Interviews: Taro Miyasugi says Welcome Up: Songs of Space and Time is "a stunning folk pop album with gorgeous late 60s elements like vintage velveteen cloth..."  Evan LeVine observes about Welcome Up that "any fan of Twice Upon A Rhyme will be overjoyed by it... As otherworldly, mystical and far-out as the subject matter may be, the songs burst with love and warmth and humanity."  in-depth interview about Welcome Up in Klemen Breznikar's Psychedelic Baby Magazine  new audio Bear Tones podcast in which talk about Welcome Up and Twice Upon A Rhyme. And ... early warning:  I'll be singing songs, doing readings, talking on panels at Amazingcon, June 12-14, a completely online (virtual) and safe convention.  Details here. Music Samantha (rough mix, from Welcome Up) If I Traveled To The Past (rough mix, from Welcome Up) MORE MUSIC Press "Sounding at times like a collect call from another dimension mimicking Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons ... Welcome Up is ... quite triumphant, actually — and any fan of Twice Upon A Rhyme will be overjoyed by it. It’s a testament to Levinson’s innate talents as both a songwriter and storyteller. As otherworldly, mystical and far-out as the subject matter may be, the songs burst with love and warmth and humanity. Check it out, I think you’ll dig it."— Evan LeVine, Swan Fungus, Feb 3, 2020 Connect Update Contact Info      Unsubscribe      Report Abuse      Privacy Physical inquiries can be sent to: 65 Shirley Lane, 9146596160, White Plains, NY, 10607, USA If our email is in your Spam/Junk Folder, please add Levinson.paul@gmail.com to your address book. Powered by  Fan Reach