# Rock band on the moon? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 19, 2025, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-band-on-the-moon/1018550 "2025-05-19T16:54:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2025, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-band-on-the-moon/1018550/21 "2025-05-19T20:42:24Z")
But when you interview Neil about it, don’t mention the moon part. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/QFwJgXwFE-E/hqdefault.jpg "That Mitchell and Webb Look - Neil New Album Singer Songwriter") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFwJgXwFE-E) ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2025, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-band-on-the-moon/1018550/22 "2025-05-19T20:59:36Z")
_I heard they had a space program When they sing you can’t hear, there’s no air_ -They Might Be Giants ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2025, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-band-on-the-moon/1018550/23 "2025-05-19T21:32:03Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > A piano or keyboard might have a similar issue. If you push down hard enough on the keys you might push yourself up into the air. Electronic keyboards have a much lighter touch than a piano, but many electronic keyboards are also velocity sensitive so that they can play loud or quiet like a piano. Hitting those harder/faster to make the sound louder is going to require more force. An acoustic grand piano depends on gravity to operate correctly, specifically to return the hammer to a position where it is ready to be struck again. The dampers depend on gravity as well. You could probably play it, but very slowly. That “grand piano” that Keith Emerson played in the contraption that rotated it upside down? Electronic keyboard in a grand piano case. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2025, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-band-on-the-moon/1018550/24 "2025-05-19T21:36:34Z")
It wouldn’t be too tough to retrofit an acoustic piano with springs, though. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2025, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-band-on-the-moon/1018550/25 "2025-05-19T21:41:10Z")
Guitarist stomps on his pedal(s) and launches himself slightly into the air. He would have to bolt the Wah-wah to the floor and have a strap to keep his foot affixed to the device. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2025, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-band-on-the-moon/1018550/26 "2025-05-19T21:42:50Z")
Guitar should be no issue since it has been played in free fall: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/KaOC9danxNo/maxresdefault.jpg "Space Oddity") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaOC9danxNo) Brian ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2025, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-band-on-the-moon/1018550/27 "2025-05-19T21:55:50Z")
In space, no one can hear you rock&roll. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2025, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-band-on-the-moon/1018550/28 "2025-05-19T22:02:29Z")
Drumsticks have the same mass regardless of gravity. Drumheads have the same physical properties regardless of gravity. Your muscles have the same mass and wield the same force regardless of gravity. Gravity wouldn’t affect the physical means of sound production of muscle-powered sticks on skins. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2025, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-band-on-the-moon/1018550/29 "2025-05-19T22:10:03Z")
> [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > They’d have to take giant steps of course, but otherwise it should be fine. One small step for a band, one giant leap for bandkind. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2025, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-band-on-the-moon/1018550/30 "2025-05-19T22:28:37Z")
“Spaceship Superstar”, one of my all-time favorite songs! Spinal Tap also toured the world, and elsewhere. This is another great Prism song with allusions to outer space. > **[Prism - Take Me To The Kaptin](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjb75geCcMI%2F)** > > From the debut self-titled album by Prism from 1977. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2025, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-band-on-the-moon/1018550/31 "2025-05-19T22:32:13Z")
> [@corudstr](#): > > It’s already been done. Which begs the HHGTTG reference: [Disaster Area](https://hitchhikers.fandom.com/wiki/Disaster_Area) ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2025, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-band-on-the-moon/1018550/32 "2025-05-19T23:02:32Z")
> [@Cardigan](#): > > What are ticket prices for a concert on the moon I wonder? And would the first band be OK Go? They’ve already been practicing their stage show… [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/LWGJA9i18Co/maxresdefault.jpg "OK Go - Upside Down & Inside Out") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWGJA9i18Co) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2025, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-band-on-the-moon/1018550/33 "2025-05-20T00:10:33Z")
I would definitely think rebound strokes would be affected and at least take the drummer some time to acclimate to the feel of it. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2025, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-band-on-the-moon/1018550/34 "2025-05-20T00:38:36Z")
I saw them when they opened for Chang’e: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/IbUfOhEv1sc/maxresdefault.jpg "Ultraluminary (Official Video) | Over The Moon") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbUfOhEv1sc) ---
**Author:** ![Moris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moris/32/2846_2.png) [@Moris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moris)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2025, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-band-on-the-moon/1018550/35 "2025-05-20T01:06:12Z")
There were no electronic keyboards capable of realistic grand piano sounds in the 70’s (expect bulky Mellotrons). So mostly likely it was pre-recorded on tape. Although considering the Emerson’s extravagance I wouldn’t be surprised if it was a real piano with a custom-made mechanism inside. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2025, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-band-on-the-moon/1018550/36 "2025-05-20T01:17:32Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I would definitely think rebound strokes would be affected and at least take the drummer some time to acclimate to the feel of it. I was curious about this, so I rotated one of the toms on my drum set so that it was completely vertical instead of mostly horizontal, so that the rebound from hitting it would not be affected by gravity. There is still Earth’s gravity involved, but the force of gravity is now at a right angle to the drum stick and tom compared to what it normally is. If I very lightly held the stick and hit the tom, it did rebound slightly more than the normal horizontal tom. But if I actually played any kind of drum beat the difference wasn’t noticeable. Based on that I am going to say that the rebound wouldn’t be affected in any meaningful way. FWIW, I was also surprised at how quickly I was able to adjust to the tom being both higher and vertical. ---
**Author:** ![Ponderoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponderoid/32/19221_2.png) [@Ponderoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponderoid)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2025, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-band-on-the-moon/1018550/37 "2025-05-20T01:29:05Z")
> [@solost](#): > > One small step for a band, one giant leap for bandkind. I sure hope their legs don’t break. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2025, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-band-on-the-moon/1018550/38 "2025-05-20T03:12:44Z")
And don’t forget: Bagpipes in spaaaaace! > **[Astronaut plays bagpipes on International Space Station](https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-34757254.amp)** > > A US astronaut plays a set of Scottish-made bagpipes on the International Space Station to pay tribute to a colleague who died. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2025, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-band-on-the-moon/1018550/39 "2025-05-20T03:14:14Z")
Stereolab also addressed this, more than 30 years ago. They took their instruments, and recorded on the moon…where the air is different. > **[International Colouring Contest](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDi3jPQqqcA%2F)** > > Provided to YouTube by IIP-DDSInternational Colouring Contest · StereolabMars Audiac Quintet℗ Duophonic UHF DisksReleased on: 1994-08-09Music Publisher: Uni... ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2025, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-band-on-the-moon/1018550/40 "2025-05-20T13:52:04Z")
Volume is the issue, sorry if I phrased it poorly. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-band-on-the-moon/1018550.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-band-on-the-moon/1018550.md?page=3)