My copy of Thought Gang's long-lost album arrived a day early, so I've already spent a fair amount of time with it (though not nearly enough). So far, this is my favorite track on the album. My mid-90s self would have been all about this one.
Another day home feeling like shite. Trying to use the time wisely, though I've yet to do any writing, which I have planned in a bit. Spent the morning reading old issue of Classic X-Men, as I've been wanting to re-read a large chunk of Chris Claremont's Uncanny X-Men for quite some time now but never manage to find the time. I started off with the Dark Phoenix Saga and will move on from there. There are a few holes in the collection, but for the most part I have it all from Dark Phoenix on. A few of my favorite issues that I am looking forward to re-reading:
Fede Alvarez just proved what I've been saying for going on six years now. Thank you, Mr. Alvarez. Now, how about that sequel???
My friend Daniel just published a beautiful, heartfelt goodbye to Stan Lee. Read it HERE.
Playlist from 11/14:
Ghost Cop - One Weird Trick
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - B-Sides & Rarities Vol. III
Thought Gang - Eponymous
Card of the day:
I continue to encounter larger, archetypal guidance. I'm reading this as a suggestion to keep up a new yogic routine, which I began with two days last week and subsequently slacked off on.
This is pretty awesome if you're a David Lynch fan. Sacred Bones, who just put out the long-thought-lost Thought Gang record (mine should arrive tomorrow!!!), dropped this video a few hours ago. It's a video piece Mr. Lynch did for this year's Festival of Disruption. The music used here is from the Thought Gang record - overall a match made in Heaven, where of course, everything is fine. Oh, and that Thought Gang record is still available HERE.
I'm home from work sick today and spending the morning reading the Bernie Wrightson/Steve Niles/Kelley Jones Frankenstein Alive, Alive! Frank, a childhood monster I was obsessed with, has come back around again in my thoughts of late. First, it was K sitting me down to watch the original Universal Frankenstein last year that started it. After that, I narrowly avoided ordering but spent quite a bit of time lusting over this:
Now, a new acquaintance through the HWA, Robert Payne Cabeen, has just had a series of illustrations published as the visual component of new tome Birthing Monsters: Frankenstein's Cabinet of Curiosities and Cruelties, and viewing his work takes me right back to when I would sit and stare at my Remco Frankenstein for hours. What is it about this creature that captivates so many of us? Is it the idea of human ingenuity and intelligence conquering the mystery of death? Or the posit that man could steal his creator's fire by creating life on his own, in a laboratory instead of with the organs of regeneration said creator gifted us? Of course, there's also the joyous gothic attributes Universal bestowed upon the saga of Victor Frankenstein and his creature, laying a cinematic cowl over Mary Shelley's original work of horrific literature. That same gothic version is joyously recreated in the figure/environment above, and is just as joyously disavowed in both Bernie Wrightson's version and several of Mr. Cabeen's illustrations. Perhaps that is the force that binds us to this legend; in Shelley's original novel the creature is a composite, so there has always been room for so many variations that the imagination can continually find new avenues to explore using the creature as an avatar or guide. Either way, my morning belongs to the monster.
After Monsters, I'll hopefully finish up editing the video version of last Friday's Drinking with Comics, with Special Guest Kristen Renee Gorlitz, whose Kickstarter is still going strong and which I implore you to investigate and, if so inclined, support. The Empties really has impressed the hell out of me, and as you know, I always pass along what I find that I like.
As this ailment came on suddenly yesterday while at work, I left early yesterday and watched two great horror flicks on Shudder. First:
Terrified is a ripping little ghost story from Argentina. It's creepy as hell, and although conceptually it's a bit unclear, I actually really liked that about it. I'm one who is perfectly okay with tales of the supernatural NOT following concrete rules since, you know, it's supernatural and thus, largely unexplained phenomena.
Second flick I watched was an older one, something I'd heard about in the 00s and had been meaning to find and get to eventually:
This obviously isn't the Creep that stars Mark Duplass, which I also liked, obviously for completely different reasons. This one plays to my obsession with stories that take place underground. Its use of tunnels, Earthen passages, and secret rooms underground made me unbelievably happy. Well-made British horror that feels of its time in the early 2000s but still works well today.
Playlist from 11/13:
Curtis Harding - Where We Are (single)
The Knife - Shaking the Habitual
Ghost Cop - One Weird Trick
Flying Lotus - Los Angeles
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - B-Sides & Rarities, Vol III
Card of the day:
Again? Well, let's dig deeper and see what old boy is trying to tell me. From the Grimoire, "Action, decisiveness, and high energy. Engage obstacles/enemies. Strength. The structure of civilization, social world - law and order; the establishment."
Two things - Civilization, well western civilization, requires linear thinking and rationality. These can also be a prison. I tend to adhere to a guise of linear, rational thinking when writing, but know it can foist frustration and dead ends upon me. Find a way to work in some non-rational writing time.
For those of you who are long-time David Lynch fans like myself, this is track is an oldie. However, Thought Gang's A Real Indication - which is featured in the 1992 film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me - is receiving a breath of new life, as Lynch, Badalamenti (that's him doing vocals on this track, by the way) and Sacred Bones Records are making available Thought Gang's Thought Gang album for the first time. This is actually older news - I pre-ordered a "Monkey Fur" vinyl copy about a month ago and just received word it has shipped! You can grab a copy HERE, if you're so inclined, although I believe the Monkey Fur edition has sold out.
31 Days of Horror concluded last night with a whimper instead of the BANG! I had planned. Previously, I had arranged for today off and planned to stay up late and pack in at least three movies.
That... was ambitious.
I came home from writing last night close to 7:00 PM, sat outside with my devil mask on while K handed out candy to trick r' treaters, and read some comics. In ~40 minutes we had more candy goblins than I had in the entire 12 years I lived in San Pedro. It was awesome. Our entire neighborhood was crawling with costumed families, and seeing it brought me great joy. After we ran out of candy, K and I went inside to begin the night's viewings. Instead of leading with Lucky McKee's May - one of my all-time favorites movies period, let alone Halloween-related films - we couldn't pass up the chance to follow Tuesday night's viewing of Tod Browning's Dracula from 1931 with Francis Ford Coppola's masterpiece, Bram Stoker's Dracula. As you can imagine, the two films pair quite nicely. After that, however, I was out. 4:00 AM wake-ups add up sometimes, and the sad fact is I can no longer fight through my tiredness like I used to when I was younger.
Ugh. Despite all the mental and emotional advantages that accompany ripening as a human being, sometimes age just plain sucks Charlie Brown.
Final 31 Days of Horror Totals:
10/01) Summer of 84
10/02) Rope
10/03) Dreams in the Witch House
10/04) Crash
10/05) The Fly
10/06) Re-animator
10/07) Night of the Demons
10/08) Species
10/09) The Roost
10/10) The Convent
10/11) Killer Klowns from Outer Space
10/12) George A. Romero's Day of the Dead
10/13) George A. Romero's Land of the Dead
10/14) The Apostle
10/15) Phantom of the Paradise
10/16) Candyman
10/17) Ghoulies
10/18) John Carpenter's Halloween
Let's talk NCBD. I hadn't been to the shop in three weeks, so all the tantalizing stuff I've written about for the last few Wednesdays was waiting for me in my pull. I won't reiterate on those, however, let's talk about what Mike put aside for me that I was originally intending to pass on:
The original Lucifer series that spun out of Neil Gaiman's Sandman was written by Peter Carey and drawn by Peter Gross. It ran 75 issues and told one EPIC story. I can't recommend this one enough folks, and I myself am due for a re-read, as I haven't read it since its monthly run. I've had real reservations about going back for another story with this character, especially since the television show came up and basically re-did Castle, but with Lucifer helping the LAPD solve crimes instead of the writer. I've since heard and fully believe the show is good for what it is, however I'm protective of series as amazing as the original Lucifer is, so I'm not interested in the show. Buying this new comic was nothing short of a leap of faith for me. After reading it though, you better believe, I have faith.
This was one of those first issues that drops you in and doesn't concern itself with giving you the lay of the land. NOT a complaint, as I love that when done well. And I really think this book is going to be done well. After all the seemingly disparate story threads introduced in Lucifer #1, I am damned intrigued at where this book is going, so much so I can scarcely believe it.
Also, having Kelley Jones do the variant cover was an A++ for me.
Playlist from yesterday:
Type O Negative - Life is Killing Me
Type O Negative - Bloody Kisses
Ritual Howls - Into the Water
Various - Halloween Playlist
The Final Cut - Consumed
Specimen - Azoic
Jóhann Jóhannson - Mandy OST
Card of the day:
Perfect, considering I spent a large part of two days this past week dressed like him, and LOVED the new Lucifer series. Here's what it says in the Grimoire:
"Materialism over spiritualism."
Short and to the point, eh? Looks like I need to flesh that entry out. In the meantime, I'll regard this pull as a warning to not run up my cc this month the way I did last month. October is always an expensive time of the year for me because it is my favorite time of the year.
Pre-order it from Sacred Bones Records HERE. This is the album that contains two tracks we already know from the FWWM OST, The Black Dog Runs At Night and A Real Indication. I had NO idea this was on the horizon, and give many thanks to Mr. Brown for the early morning tip-off.
Playlist from Monday, 9/17 was tiny. A lot of radio in the car where I heard some great tunes (rare for me), and then this Yob record over and over again. This song, in particular:
Via Mr. Brown. I first heard Bohren thanks to a posting on Warren Ellis's Whitechapel community board back in 2006 or 2007. It had a huge impact on me and Sunset Mission is still a record I listen to hundreds of times a year. It's great for late night writing, drinking or romance and sounds a bit - if I had to elevator pitch it - as Angelo Badalamenti Thought Gang if they died, went to hell and opened a swanky, downtempo jazz night club. If you're unfamiliar the post Mr. Brown sent me goes on to pimp a new anthology that comes out on Record Store Day this year. Bohren for Beginners looks as though it touches most if not all of their records and is available for pre-order on the band's bandcamp here.
