Peter Schilling Scored a Major Hit When He Blasted Into Deep Space

Time for what I hope will be an out of this world post to honor Space Day. The late '70s-early 80s time frame was fertile ground for creative geniuses with an outer space fixation. The Star Wars juggernaut got its start in 1977. Space Invaders became an arcade phenom late in the decade. Other video games like Asteroids, Astro Blaster, and Galaxian hit their marketplace strides. MTV kept the space theme soaring with "Video Killed The Radio Star", a song by The Buggles which happened to be the first vid MTV played. One early '80s song that had paranoia written all over it was "Why Me" from Tony Carey's Planet P Project. If you want some goofy low-tech creep factor fun I urge you to YouTube the video. By today's standards it's pretty innocuous but when MTV first got rolling this clip was more than a little spooky. Synthpop artist Peter Schilling threw his space cowboy hat in the ring with 1983's "Major Tom (Coming Home)". Spine tingling fun across the board. You're thrust right into the outer space mania of the song right at the start. Pete's synths grab you by the lapels without asking you if you've buckled your safety belt. Essentially the song takes us through the titular hero's pre-flight prep for launch into the great unknown. The ship and the instruments in side are ready for take off. Tom's trying to get comfy inside the capsule. Twice Peter uncorks that familiar "4,3,2,1" countdown which leads up to the somewhat triumphant declaration of "Earth below us". The synths competently match the unstoppable enthusiasm of one man's mission in space. That includes the slot after the second countdown sequence where the synth sounds like it's on a helmet on supercharged race to the highest ceilings of the galaxy right there with Tom. When issues start arising on ship, there's plenty of worry to go around. No response from Tom after the go to rockets are full. After Tom sends a missive to his adoring wife, the line goes flat. The synthesizers convey the muddled layers of confusion that race up the spines of Tom's nearest and dearest as well as casual onlookers. Though sparingly used bass guitar takes a gritty place within the inner workings of this flight. Make no mistake though, it's Peter's synths that keep the drama at a fever pitch with a splash of thinly concealed madness. You wait for the ship and the dreams that went with it to explode into a million pieces but Tom's assurance that: "I'm coming home", lets you know everything in its bizarre fashion worked out as it should. "Earth below us. Drifting. Falling." There's an athletic conqueror lurking in those sentiments. Peter succeeded with "Major Tom (Coming Home) because his contribution to the fascinating aural wallpaper spread out throughout 1983 did what in my opinion a whole passel of 1983 hits did...take listeners to exotic worlds that reminded them there really were breathtaking frontiers beyond their front doors. "Major Tom (Coming Home) aspired to take us away from it all. The result was singularly impressive. Unfortunately Peter's chart successes didn't extend past the one song. I very much enjoyed his 1989 effort "Different Story (World of Lust and Crime). Perhaps listeners thought Peter had no business foraying into more dance pop territory. I appreciated the diversion. In any case if Peter is only to be remembered for "Major Tom (Coming Home)" that's no small legacy for future music lovers to feast their ears upon.