Man or Astro-Man? In Orbit

America's First Man or Astro-Man? In Orbit was a Man or Astro-Man? 7" EP put out in 1995. It was released by Shake It Records (SHAKE 709), the label imprint run by the Cincinnati record store of the same name. It was an edition of 900. The picture sleeve was made from heavy cardstock. It was printed on one side with glossy ink and then folded into shape. There was no printing on the inside of the sleeve. Some copies also feautured a two-sided Shake It records paper insert. The cover was an almost shot for shot "reimagination" of a 1962 recording of astronaut John Glenn.

Here is a scan of the John Glenn single (thanks to Henry Owings for making me aware of this):



This was also one of the recordings to feature Captain Zeno on rhythm guitar. A somewhat rare photo of Zeno performing with the band is featured on the back sleeve.

Here is a scan of the insert. It doesn't seem to have been included with every copy of the single (it is missing with all three of my copies), but it is a MOAM?-specific insert and it turns up often enough to merit a picture here:



The record itself was available on translucent black vinyl (800 copies) and clear vinyl (100 copies). This is another one that online sellers sometimes try to pass off as clear green vinyl. And even though the record can sometimes appear a little greenish, it is really just clear. Here are both varieties of the 45:



There are four songs on In Orbit: two originals and two covers. One cover, "Manta Ray," was originally done by the Pixies. One of the originals, "Complex 34," makes reference to Cape Canaveral launch pad 34--the site of the Apollo 1 fire that claimed the lives of astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee, on January 27, 1967.

Here is a stock photo of Complex 34 (awaiting the launch of a Saturn I rocket), and a shot of the memorial plaque that is now affixed to the decommissioned launch column: