Five Year Mission | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Indianapolis, Indiana |
| Genres | rock, alternative rock |
| Years active | 2010–present |
| Members | Noah Butler
Andy Fark Patrick O'Connor Mike Rittenhouse Chris Spurgin |
| Website | www |
Five Year Mission is a band formed in Indianapolis that is made up of five Star Trek fans who endeavor to write a song for every episode of the original Star Trek series. They will release five albums, two of which are out now. The band is composed of Noah Butler (lead vocals, guitar, bass guitar, and keyboard), Andy Fark (drums), Patrick O'Connor (lead vocals, guitar, bass guitar, and keyboard), Mike Rittenhouse (lead vocals, guitar, bass guitar, and keyboard), and Chris Spurgin (lead vocals, guitar, bass guitar, and keyboard). Butler, O'Connor, Rittenhouse, and Spurgin have thus far each written four songs for each album.
Origin
editMike Rittenhouse was the founder of the band, being an obsessive Trekkie. "Many years ago, around 2003, I had an idea to take each episode of Buffy and write a song about it. [My friend] Patrick was interested in the idea and we talked about it briefly. Then he moved to California and the idea was put on the shelf. Then I became obsessed with Star Trek around 2005 and the concept changed," says Rittenhouse. When he came up with the idea, he had originally planned not to name the songs after the episodes and only vaguely reference them. However, soon this changed, and they decided to name every song after the episode it was written about.
Noah Butler joined second, followed by Chris Spurgin and Patrick O'Connor, but they still needed a drummer. They started auditioning people, but the first couple of drummers did not work out. Then they discovered Andy Fark, who was looking for a new band to play in. "After one practice," Rittenhouse says, "it was as if he had been in the band all along!"
Originally, the band was going to be an occasional hobby, but as members joined and the band kept getting shows, playing out and practicing became a regular thing.
The first single from the band was Miri, which was released in July of 2010. Year One followed closely after, being released in November of the same year.
The second single was Errand of Mercy, which was released in the July of 2011. Year Two was released in December of the same year.
Year One
edit| Number | Title | Composer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Cage | Rittenhouse |
| 2 | The Man Trap | Butler |
| 3 | Charlie X | O'Connor |
| 4 | Where No Man Has Gone Before | Butler |
| 5 | The Naked Time | Spurgin |
| 6 | The Enemy Within | Rittenhouse |
| 7 | Mudd's Women | Rittenhouse |
| 8 | What Are Little Girls Made Of? | Butler |
| 9 | Miri | O'Connor |
| 10 | Dagger of the Mind | Spurgin |
| 11 | The Corbomite Maneuver | O'Connor |
| 12 | The Menagerie, Part 1 | O'Connor |
| 13 | The Menagerie, Part 2 | Spurgin |
| 14 | The Conscience of the King | Butler |
| 15 | Balance of Terror | Spurgin |
| 16 | Shore Leave | Rittenhouse |
| 17 | Year 2 Preview |
Overview
editYear One is a very diverse album. There are several rock songs, The Cage, Miri, and Dagger of the Mind being prime examples. Charlie X has a surf guitar riff, and both of the Menageries are ballads. Some songs, like The Man Trap, Where No Man Has Gone Before, The Enemy Within and What Are Little Girls Made Of? are more abstract and do not mention any specific characters from the show, while songs like Shore Leave and Dagger of the Mind summarize the episodes they were written about. The Corbomite Maneuver is a satirical commercial told from the point of view of Leo Walsh, who is really Harry Mudd. The Naked Time and Balance of Terror both focus on one aspect of the episode, rather than the plot as a whole. The last song on the album is a preview of Year Two voiced by Fark.
Year Two
edit| Number | Title | Composer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Galileo Seven | Butler |
| 2 | The Squire of Gothos | Spurgin |
| 3 | Arena | Rittenhouse |
| 4 | Tomorrow is Yesterday | O'Connor |
| 5 | Court Martial | Spurgin |
| 6 | The Return of the Archons | Butler |
| 7 | Space Seed | Spurgin |
| 8 | A Taste of Armageddon | Rittenhouse |
| 9 | This Side of Paradise | O'Connor |
| 10 | The Devil in the Dark | O'Connor |
| 11 | Errand of Mercy | Rittenhouse |
| 12 | The Alternative Factor | Butler |
| 13 | The City on the Edge of Forever | Spurgin |
| 14 | Operation: Annihilate! | Rittenhouse |
| 15 | Amok Time | Butler |
| 16 | . | |
| 17 | Who Mourns For Adonais? | O'Connor |
| 18 | Year Three Preview |
Overview
editWhile Year One is diverse, Year Two is even more so. The Squire of Gothos has a Spanish sound, while The Devil in the Dark sounds Middle Eastern. Court Martial is the only Five Year Mission song that could be classified as western swing. The City on the Edge of Forever is a quiet ballad that is full of longing, and Operation: Annihilate! is a power ballad. Amok Time begins with the famous fight music during the classic fight between Kirk and Spock on Vulcan. As on Year One, Fark closes the album with a preview of the next album.
Shows
editFive Year Mission attends many sci-fi conventions throughout the year, as well as all ages shows and bars.
Local
editThey frequent Indianapolis bars Locals Only and The Melody Inn (where they have played at the event Punk Rock Prom). They have appeared at local all ages venues Indy CD and Vinyl and Monon Coffee Company. They also play conventions in their home town, such as Gen Con Indy, a gaming convention. In July of 2011 they played at InConJunction, and in December at Starbase Indy. Both Year One and Year Two were released at Starbase Indy, and they plan on releasing Years Three, Four, and Five there as well.
Nonlocal
editThey first played at a Wizard World convention in Chicago in 2011, and appeared at the Wizard World Convention in New Orleans in January 2012 where they opened for William Shatner. In the summer of 2011, they traveled to Riverside, Iowa (future birthplace of Captain Kirk) to play at Trek Fest.
The Trouble With Tribbles
editFor this iconic episode, each of the five members (including Andy Fark, who has never composed or sung a song for Five Year Mission) are writing a song, and the fans will vote on which is their favorite. The winning song will be the one to appear on Year 3.