Album Notes

Welcome to the Gonzo Science CD Baby page - Jim here. This CD, recorded with Craig Minowa of Cloud Cult who played everything, has been described as "Brainiac Geek Rock" and "Spock Rock". It is based on the "alternative science" subject matter of the book "Gonzo Science: Anomalies, Heresies, and Conspiracies," co-written by myself and brother Allen Richardson. The CD tracks are spoken-word songs with me on vocals and music by Craig - this album contains some very rockin' guitar work from him, like on "Evolution From Space" for instance, and the guitar solo at the end of "Debunking the Skeptics." We recorded the CD in the basement of his old Duluth house as he was putting the finishing touches on the early Cloud Cult CD "Who Killed Puck?"

The theme of the Gonzo Science CD is that mainstream science is too conservative and reality may be weirder than commonly supposed. Mainstream scientific theories are examined and alternative scientific theories explored. Subjects include mass sightings of the Virgin Mary, UFOs, cryptozoology, and famous scientist Carl Sagan's appetite for cannabis. A couple tracks function as homages/parodies of musical styles: a psychedelic surf tune about the "aquatic ape" theory, and an old school rap number, "Menace '2' Tha Orthodoxy", about real-life heretical astronomers Tom Van Flandern and Halton Arp, whose careers suffered as a result of their integrity and iconoclasm.

A CD for both headphones and parties, science geeks and paranormal types, novelty collectors and spoken-word-o-philes, and yes all you Cloud Cult fans and completists.