Spiritualized - “Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space” (Live - 5/11/12)

As you’ve probably heard, the American astronaut Neil Armstrong died today. Hearing the news made me a lot sadder than I might have expected. It’s hard to see childhood heroes die, and Armstrong was a bigger hero to me than almost anybody else. His tremendous legacy lives on in countless spheres of modern life, including even music. Spiritualized’s landmark full length Ladies In Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space owes a debt to Armstrong’s work for its extraterrestrial themes, and Jason Pierce even drops a reference to Armstrong’s most famous quote in the title track. 

“All I want in life’s a little bit of love to take the pain away / Growing strong today / A giant step each day”

Watch this achingly beautiful performance of the aforementioned song live at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. back in May and appreciate the loss of one of the world’s great explorers and heroes.