Alien space bats and Hokus Pick: Difference between pages

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Hokus Pick (or Hokus Pick Manouver [sic]) is a Christian pop/rock band that was together from 1989 to 1999. The four members of Hokus Pick met in Vancouver, British Columbia. Hokus Pick was well known for their quirky sense of humor, using sarcasm, satire, and general silliness to convey a deeper message.^[1] On an episode of the television show Video Zone, they once introduced themselves as Petra's grandchildren. Hokus Pick toured extensively in Canada and the United States. The band opened for Steve Taylor's Squinternational tour in 1994^[1] and played in Costa Rica in May 1998. They released their final album in 1999, opting to spend more time with their families after over a decade of recording and touring together.

The Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music cites their song "I'm So Happy" as possibly the Greatest CCM song of all time.^[1] The song is a satire of simplistic lyrics often heard on Christian radio.^[1] It received heavy rotation on Christian stations.^[1]

In October 2007, Hokus Pick received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian Gospel Music Association at the 29th Annual Covenant Awards in Calgary, Alberta.

Members

Russ Smith (vocals, guitar)
Matt Pierrot (guitar, vocals)
Dave Strilchuk (bass guitar, vocals)
Rick Colhoun (drums, vocals)

Discography

Hokus Pick Manouver (independent) (1988)
Hey Man! (independent) (1989)
Pick It Up (1992)
The Independents (1993)
Brothers From Different Mothers (1994)
Brothers From Different Mothers (video) (1994)
Bookaboom (1995)
The B-Sides (1996)
Snappy (1997, Review: The Lighthouse)
Greatest Picks (1998)
Super Duper (1999, Reviews: The Phantom Tollbooth, Jesus Freak Hideout)

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Powell, Mark Allan (2002). Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music (First printing ed.). Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers. pp. 417–418. ISBN 1-56563-679-1.

External links

This article about a Canadian band or other musical ensemble is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[Powell_Fe-1] Powell, Mark Allan (2002). Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music (First printing ed.). Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers. pp. 417–418. ISBN 1-56563-679-1.

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+'''Hokus Pick''' (or Hokus Pick Manouver {{sic}}) is a Christian [[rock band|pop/rock]] band that was together from 1989 to 1999. The four members of Hokus Pick met in [[Vancouver, Canada|Vancouver]], [[British Columbia]]. Hokus Pick was well known for their quirky sense of [[humor]], using [[sarcasm]], [[satire]], and general silliness to convey a deeper message.<ref name="Powell_Fe"/> On an episode of the television show Video Zone, they once introduced themselves as [[Petra (band)|Petra]]'s grandchildren. Hokus Pick toured extensively in [[Canada]] and the [[United States]]. The band opened for [[Steve Taylor]]'s ''Squinternational'' tour in 1994<ref name="Powell_Fe"/> and played in [[Costa Rica]] in May 1998. They released their final album in 1999, opting to spend more time with their families after over a decade of recording and touring together.
-'''Alien space bats (ASBs)''' is a term for [[plot device]]s sometimes used in [[alternate history]] to create a [[point of divergence]] that would otherwise be implausible.
+The ''Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music'' cites their song "I'm So Happy" as possibly the Greatest [[Contemporary Christian music|CCM]] song of all time.<ref name="Powell_Fe"/> The song is a satire of simplistic lyrics often heard on Christian radio.<ref name="Powell_Fe"/> It received heavy rotation on Christian stations.<ref name="Powell_Fe">{{cite book |last=Powell |first=Mark Allan |title=Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music |year=2002 |publisher=Hendrickson Publishers |location=[[Peabody, Massachusetts|Peabody]], [[Massachusetts]] |isbn=1-56563-679-1 |edition=First printing |pages=417-418}}</ref>
-==Background==
-The term "alien space bats" was first coined, then popularized in the [[usenet]] group [http://groups.google.com/group/soc.history.what-if/topics soc.history.what-if].  The term was originally meant as a sarcastic attack on poor alternate histories due to lack of plausibility. These attacks are usually phrased in terms of the need for “Alien Space Bats” or ASBs as the motive force behind the change. This original definition was used by one critic in a review of [[Robert Conroy]]'s ''[[1862 (novel)|1862]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.geocities.com/littlegreenmen.geo/RC1862.htm |title=Robert Conroy’s “1862: A Novel”: a Critical Analysis |accessdate=2008-10-08 |author=Bryn Monnery |date= |work= |publisher=}}</ref>  The term eventually evolved into a [[deus ex machina]] to create an impossible point of divergences.<ref name=stason>{{cite web |url=http://stason.org/TULARC/history/what-if/8-What-are-the-Alien-Space-Bats-soc-history-what-if.html |title=What are the Alien Space Bats? (soc.history.what-if) |accessdate=2008-10-08 |author=Stas Bekman|date= |work= |publisher=stason.org}}</ref>  Examples include changes to the physical laws of nature, introducing magic into the world, time travel, and advanced aliens interfering in human affairs.  An example of aliens interfering in human affairs to change the direction of history is [[Harry Turtledove]]'s ''[[Worldwar]]'' series.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.changingthetimes.net/admin/FAQ.htm |title=Frequently Asked Questions |accessdate=2008-10-08 |author= |date= |work= |publisher=Changing the Times}}</ref>
+In October 2007, Hokus Pick received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian Gospel Music Association at the 29th Annual [[Covenant Awards]] in Calgary, Alberta.
-Alison Brooks is credited as the creator of the term.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://groups.google.com/group/soc.history.what-if/browse_thread/thread/a1ed1ccfe92a3bdf/65e12e60759b121b?lnk=gst&q=Alison+Brooks%2C+alien+space+bats#65e12e60759b121b |title=
-Alien Space Bats: A History |accessdate=2008-10-09 |author=Alison Brooks |date=04/15/1999 |work= |publisher=soc.history.what-if}}</ref>  Brooks regretted the use of the ASBs as a supernatural agency, preferring to restrict them to rhetoric.<ref name=stason /> [[S. M. Stirling]] credited Brooks with creating the term in the acknowledgments section of ''[[Dies the Fire]]''<ref>{{cite book | last=Stirling | first=S.M. | authorlink=S.M. Stirling | title=Dies the Fire| location=New York | publisher=Roc | pages=496 | date=2004 |id=ISBN 0451459792}}</ref> and also used the plot device to send [[Nantucket]] back in time in ''[[Island in the Sea of Time]]'' and changing the laws of nature in ''Dies the Fire''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.changingthetimes.net/samples/brooks/alison_brooks.htm |title=Alison Brooks |accessdate=2008-10-08 |author=Christopher Nuttall |date= |work= |publisher=Changing the Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.scifi.com/sfw/issue382/books.html |title=Off the Shelf: Dies the Fire |accessdate=2008-10-08 |author=Paul Di Filippo |date= |work=Book Review |publisher=SciFi.com}}</ref>  One character throughout ''Dies the Fire'' and its sequels believes the change to the laws of nature were done by an advanced race because the changes were finely tailored and refers to this race as alien space bats.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.locusmag.com/2006/Issues/01Stirling.html |title=S.M. Stirling: Turning Points |accessdate=2008-10-08 |author= |date=January 2006 |work=Interview |publisher=Locus Online}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://hem.bredband.net/b104699/books/protwar/protwar_2.html |title=''The Protector's War'' Chapter 2 |accessdate=2008-10-08 |author=S. M. Stirling |date= |work=Sample Chapter |publisher=smstriling.com}}</ref>  In a review of ''Dies the Fire'', Dale Cozort addressed the implausibility of the novel by saying "Just say to yourself, 'The elder gods or alien space bats took our toys away and that’s all there is to it.'"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://members.aol.com/althist1/June04/diesthefire.htm |title=Review: Dies The Fire - By Steve Stirling |accessdate=2008-10-08 |author=Dale Cozort |date=2004 |work= |publisher=Dale Cozort's Alternate History Newsletter}}</ref>
+==Members==
-A [[Strange Horizons]] reviewer described alien space bats as "everyone’s favourite SF plot [[McGuffin]]."  In [[Ken MacLeod]]'s ''[[Learning the World]]'' alien space bats actually appear as characters in the novel as an [[in-joke]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.strangehorizons.com/reviews/2005/12/two_views_cit-comments.shtml |title=Two Views: Learning the World by Ken Macleod |accessdate=2008-10-08 |last=Harrison |first=Niall |coauthors=Dan Hartland |date=12/15/2005 |work=Book Review |publisher=Strange Horizons}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.locusmag.com/2006/Issues/09MacLeod.html |title=Ken MacLeod: Politics & SF |accessdate=2008-10-08 |author= |date=September 2006 |work=Interview |publisher=Locus Online}}</ref>
+* Russ Smith (vocals, guitar)
+* Matt Pierrot (guitar, vocals)
+* Dave Strilchuk (bass guitar, vocals)
+* Rick Colhoun (drums, vocals)
-==See also==
+==Discography==
+* ''Hokus Pick Manouver'' (independent) (1988)
-*[[Assiti Shards effect]]
+* ''Hey Man!'' (independent) (1989)
+* ''Pick It Up'' (1992)
+* ''The Independents'' (1993)
+* ''Brothers From Different Mothers'' (1994)
+* ''Brothers From Different Mothers'' (video) (1994)
+* ''Bookaboom'' (1995)
+* ''The B-Sides'' (1996)
+* ''Snappy'' (1997, Review: [http://web.archive.org/web/20000708125233/tlem.netcentral.net/reviews/98/snappy.html The Lighthouse])
+* ''Greatest Picks'' (1998)
+* ''Super Duper'' (1999, Reviews: [http://www.tollbooth.org/review99/hokuspic.html ''The Phantom Tollbooth''], [http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/cdreviews/SuperDuper.asp ''Jesus Freak Hideout''])
 ==References==
-{{Reflist|2}}
+{{reflist}}
+===Further reading===
+*{{cite journal |last= |first= |title=Hokus Pick |month=January / February |year=1996 |issue=04 |journal=7ball Magazine}} <!-- Feature Story -->
 ==External links==
+* [http://www.fortunecity.de/kraftwerk/tocotronic/61/HokusPick/index.html Hokus Pick German Website]
-*[http://www.alternatehistory.com/Discussion/forumdisplay.php?f=9 Alien Space Bats and Other Magic] on the Alternate History Discussion Board.
+* [http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/artists/HokusPick.asp Hokus Pick] at ''[[Jesus Freak Hideout]]''
-*[http://althistory.wikia.com/wiki/ASB ''Alien Space Bats'' on Alternative History Wikia]
+* {{MusicBrainz artist|id=acaae4af-92d8-4a73-8e6e-f3adcb319b94}}
-*[http://www.changingthetimes.net/samples/brooks/original_alien_space_bats.htm The Original Alien Space Bats - Irony and Steal] - a fictional story featuring alien space bats by Alison Brooks
-*[http://wiki.alternatehistory.com/doku.php/alternate_history_faq#alien_space_bats_asbs ''Alien Space Bats'' on the Alternate History FAQ] page of the [http://wiki.alternatehistory.com/doku.php/ Alternate History Wiki]
+[[Category:1990s music groups]]
-*[http://groups.yahoo.com/group/alien_space_bats/ Alien Space Bats Yahoo Group]
+[[Category:Vancouver musical groups]]
-*[http://www.alternatehistorybooks.com/p1_glossary_alien_space_bats.php Alien Space Bats] on [http://www.alternatehistorybooks.com/index.php Alternate History Books]
+[[Category:Canadian Christian rock groups]]
+{{Canada-band-stub}}
-[[Category:Alternate history]]
-[[Category:Plot devices]]
-[[Category:The Emberverse series]]