from Hacker News

1977 Jazz-Funk Musical Adaptation of Dune

by cainxinth on 2/19/25, 2:29 PM with 30 comments

• by dml2135 on 2/19/25, 4:56 PM

  I've got this on vinyl! Definitely one of my best record-store finds.

  On the subject of weird Star Wars musical adaptations like those on the second half of the album -- I've recently discovered the track "Dark Vader" by Instant Funk from 1979. I love this track as it really feels like it captures a moment in time, right before The Empire Strikes Back was released and Star Wars really became a franchise.

  - The misunderstanding of the name, which was exactly what I called "Darth Vader" as a kid, seemingly was more prevalent back at the time

  - The feeling of absolute hype that he was going to return on screen (I assume this track came out after initial marketing for Empire began)

  - The popular conception of Vader as a Black man -- something that must have seemed obvious at the time with the voice of James Earl Jones, that was really thrown away with his reveal as Luke's Father in Empire

• by paulsmith on 2/19/25, 4:29 PM

  For fans of this there's another '70s-era LP similarly inspired by the novel: Bernard Szajner's "Visions of Dune" from 1979. It's proggy, synthy, psychedelic, and just a weird fun listen.

  https://bernardszajner.bandcamp.com/album/visions-of-dune

• by dabinat on 2/19/25, 7:20 PM

  This made me think of Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of War of the Worlds, which is one of my favorite albums. It’s really great for road trips.

  https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_ktYPoln1n-WvUNOQOW...

• by AdmiralAsshat on 2/19/25, 6:52 PM

  In a similar vein, I recommend checking out Bo Hansson's Progressive Rock/Space Rock album interpretation of The Lord of the Rings from 1970:

  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_Inspired_by_Lord_of_the_...

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rs0AmruS8Ro&list=PL9DD02F58F...

• by Lalabadie on 2/19/25, 4:48 PM

  The article mentions MF DOOM's sampling, but for fans of RJD2, the bonus track on the original Deadringer CD (Here's What's Left) is built on a sample from David Matthews' Silent Running on that album.

• by duxup on 2/19/25, 2:39 PM

  The thing I find appealing about Dune is how WEIRD it is. There's depth too, but it's weird and it really lends itself to all sort of styles and IMO they all kinda work.

• by whitingx on 2/25/25, 5:19 PM

  Along similar lines - it's worth seeking out Kurt Stenzel's – Jodorowsky's Dune (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).

  https://www.discogs.com/master/921405-Kurt-Stenzel-Jodorowsk...

  An imagined view on what this OST would have sounded like to accompany to documentary (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1935156/).

• by mastazi on 2/19/25, 9:34 PM

  If any Apple employees are reading this, the Apple Music page for David Matthews https://music.apple.com/au/artist/david-matthews/616619 mixes up 3 different people:

  1. Keyboardist David Matthews born in 1942 who made the album "Dune" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Matthews_(keyboardist)

  2. Rock musician David Matthews born in 1967 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Matthews

  3. Jazz saxophonist David Matthews born in 1911 (the bio section of the Apple Music page is about him) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Matthews_(saxophonist)

  I have submitted a feedback ticket to Apple but I thought I would also leave it here.

• by driggs on 2/20/25, 12:22 AM

  Wow, this is excellent listening, instrumental funky jazz... at least the first 20 minutes until the cheesy "Space Oddity" cover starts. No ties to Dune necessary to enjoy it.

• by HocusLocus on 2/21/25, 4:53 PM

  Cross genre jewel: London Symphony, Symphonic Led Zeppelin (1997) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWOAZVxLsF4&list=OLAK5uy_nSl... nice arrangements orbiting the essential themes, a voyage from begin to end

• by shermantanktop on 2/19/25, 5:38 PM

  Exhibit #432 in "Why Punk Happened", just after the Bee Gees movie based on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and right before "The Wiz."

• by _sys49152 on 2/19/25, 4:42 PM

  For something a little more updated, a partial list of tracks that sample dune: https://www.whosampled.com/search/?q=dune+david+matthews

• by caminanteblanco on 2/19/25, 4:23 PM

  From what I've read, the tie-in with Dune is ostensible at best. Plus, the suit by Herbert is why it wasn't released in the US

• by guiriduro on 2/19/25, 5:09 PM

  I preferred Toto

• by emsign on 2/19/25, 5:55 PM

  Atreides his name. Atreides his game. The Harkonnen wanted Arrakis back, they got Atreides up to here!