When David Bowie heard the Langley Schools Music Project version of his hit B次元官网网址淪pace Oddity,B次元官网网址� the rock star was an instant fan.

B次元官网网址淭he backing arrangement is astounding,B次元官网网址� Bowie said.

B次元官网网址淐oupled with the earnest if lugubrious vocal performance, you have a piece of art that I couldnB次元官网网址檛 have conceived of,B次元官网网址� he added.

The 60-voice chorus of Langley students also covered tunes by the Beach Boys, Paul McCartney, Klaatu, The Bay City Rollers, and others.

Music teacher Hans Fenger arranged and conducted the 1976-77 recordings, which were captured on a two-track tape deck, then pressed on two 12B次元官网网址� LPs, exclusively for the students, their classmates, teachers, and parents.

The albums would have remained in obscurity if it wasnB次元官网网址檛 for Brian Linds, a Victoria record collector, who found the first record in a thrift store in 2000.

That brought the albums to the attention of record producer Irwin Chusid, who set up a licensing agreement with the Langley school district administrators and oversaw creation of a CD compilation of the two LPs.

B次元官网网址淚nnocence and DespairB次元官网网址� as it was called, made many end-of-the-year best album lists in 2001.

B次元官网网址淭he echoing, yelping renditions of this feel-good music gives off a powerfully aching melancholy, said music critic Steven Hyden.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 the sound of youth, frozen on tape, as it fades inexorably away.B次元官网网址�

This year, the two albums have been re-released for a second time on vinyl LPs by a U.S. record company that specializes in B次元官网网址渙utsider music.B次元官网网址� The audio has been cleaned up and two bonus tracks with liner notes added.

B次元官网网址淚t was all kind of an amateurish project,B次元官网网址� said Fenger, who estimates the initial album pressing cost about $40.

B次元官网网址淥nly 200 were pressed. Everything was one take in the gymnasium.B次元官网网址�

He said he was hired as a music teacher even though he knew virtually nothing about conventional music education, because the Langley School district was desperate for teachers.

B次元官网网址淚 was in a rock and roll band,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淚 was kind of a hippy.B次元官网网址�

The Langley story has been cited as the inspiration behind the comedy film School of Rock, starring Jack Black.

Fenger said he hasnB次元官网网址檛 made any money off the film, which he noted has only a loose connection with his story.

B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e both fish-out-of-water-tales.B次元官网网址�

After his time teaching, Fenger said he went back to music, joined another rock and roll band, then retired.

He was happy to hear that the songs have been re-issued.

B次元官网网址淚t never stops.B次元官网网址�

The songs from the project have been used in various film and TV projects:

B次元官网网址淕ood VibrationsB次元官网网址� was licensed for the soundtrack of the film B次元官网网址淐atfish.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淐alling Occupants of Interplanetary CraftB次元官网网址� was used to close the film B次元官网网址淎rabian NightsB次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�, Volume 3.[6]

B次元官网网址淪pace OddityB次元官网网址� was used in the closing of the film B次元官网网址楤次元官网网址橶onderstruckB次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�.

Their version of B次元官网网址淩hiannonB次元官网网址� was used in the closing credits of the HBO series B次元官网网址楤次元官网网址橦ere and NowB次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�.

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dan.ferguson@langleytimes.com
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