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EARTHBOUND (1993)

EARTHBOUND is the debut CD from the Los Angeles - based ROCKET SCIENTISTS, originally released in 1993. The album is also the debut production from keyboardist Erik Norlander who has gone on to produce 25 + albums for his Think Tank Media record label.

EARTHBOUND was the brainchild of vocalist / guitarist Mark McCrite and keyboardist Erik Norlander who had played together since high school. After playing live gigs around the Los Angeles area for several years with various incarnations of Rocket Scientists (3 piece to 6 piece!), McCrite and Norlander set out to record a master quality demo that they would use to search for the holy grail, the sacred cow, the all - mighty and equally elusive record deal.

Rocket Scientists received several offers for recording contracts and many more invitations to change the band's sound -- sometimes in conflicting ways. McCrite and Norlander grew up listening to 70s progressive rock, and even though that genre was particularly frowned upon in the late 80s and early 90s, the two did their best to stay true to their roots while producing recordings that were commercially viable.

EARTHBOUND was pressed up on Norlander's fledgling Think Tank Media label, then just a production company moniker, as a dual - purpose demo to larger labels and saleable product. What surprised both Norlander and McCrite was how a seemingly underground progressive community embraced the album. While on the one side, business people were telling Rocket Scientists to be more commercial, write shorter songs and be less indulgent, the fans and shops that were buying the CDs told them exactly the opposite -- stretch out, be more experimental, write longer pieces, don't be in such a hurry to get to a chorus, etc.

As Rocket Scientists weighed their options and mulled over directional shifts, the first pressing of EARTHBOUND sold out. Another was made, then another, and another. In 1995 the band was offered a licensing deal by Kinesis Records in the United States and the Marquee Corporation in Japan for their second album, BRUTAL ARCHITECTURE, which was decidedly more adventurous, more artistic, more progressive. In 1997, Rocket Scientists toured for the first time in Europe, recording their live CD, EARTH BELOW AND SKY ABOVE. In 1999, the band exceeded already high expectations with their third studio effort, OBLIVION DAYS, displaying more evolution and sophistication than ever before.

After exhausting several pressings, EARTHBOUND has been out of print since 2001. A reissue CD has been planned, but with the busy solo careers of Erik Norlander and Lana Lane, it has been postponed in favor of newer projects. EARTHBOUND appears here on Mindawn for the first time in several years. Enjoy!

SEE ALSO: The solo albums of producer / keyboardist ERIK NORLANDER, Stick player DON SCHIFF and vocalist / guitarist MARK McCRITE.

The Rocket Scientists musicians can also frequently be found playing on the albums on symphonic rock diva LANA LANE.

Rocket Scientists official artist site: http://www.thetank.com/rocketscientists.htm

IMPORTANT NOTE! (29 December 2007) This Mindawn album now contains the remastered version of Earthbound from the 2007 Think Tank Media box set release, Rocket Scientists - Looking Backward, complete with all bonus tracks. The rm07 suffix indicates the 2007 remastered version. If you have previously purchased this album, you can download the remastered version and bonus tracks for free. How cool is that?