*mop* *mop* *mop*

It's been a while since I saw The Black Pit of Dr. M., so I don't really remember what's going on above. It seemed to me, though, an adequate metaphor for my own midsummer. Don't look at me, don't see me...and I'll just about see you with this one, exposed eye (for emergencies.) My life has never felt more on hold, more "waiting for the next, big thing" than it does right now.

I don't really want to be alive, not that I want to be dead; just need a break. But not "doing stuff," ceasing to move amongst the others and get a few things done, well you practically have to shoot off a leg for that to be acceptable.

How was the radio show? Just fine, thanks. I always have a good-to-great time, a plan, and an execution. Oaks of Bethel, "Giratina Battle Music," Tomhet ambient works, Rust Worship, and Lady Piss all received notices on the Castle playlist.

Of those events I must remove the head-gauze for, most notably, the above-mentioned Lady Piss, Baltimore's finest, from a trickle off the curb to your radio, NEXT WEEK ON THE CASTLE.

The following night, at the Nyack Village Theatre in Nyack, NY (a really pleasant, cozy place to sit and watch a couplet of disturbing movies) comes My Castle of Quiet Movie Night #2. In all seriousness and sincerity, I hope to see YOU there, it's my birthday, and there's nothing I like better (considering I'll be awake and de-gauzed) than to see some good friends, make a few new friends, and screen some of my favorite films. Click that link for more info.

Click on gauze-head above, living the life of which I can only dream, to hit the playlist and audio archive of this week's horrorcast™.

Fools dont understand the love in the pit!

One radial saw, with ridiculously large blade; made for cutting through auto windshields, and that last spot of hope for a desperate young woman, whose whole family has very recently been slaughtered. YOU GOTTA HAVE THE RIGHT TOOLS FOR THE JOB. "Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz, screeeeeeeeee (like an obscene dentist's drill times 10)—splatter, scream."

People think that I make this shit up, but I have yet to sleep since last night's horrorcast™. The unacceptable, dastardly humid air cuts through my paltry A/C window units, and my head is like a wellspring—not my mind, mind you, but my HEAD, the ring just under my hairline spilling over as though it were trying to fill a glass. I can't really stomach any solids apart from breakfast cereal. Unacceptable. No God would be this irresponsible, though I'm still flipping "Him" the bird at regular intervals.

Thank goodness the package from Tomhet came; we'll definitely hear some sounds from the formerly Canadian California wizard next week. But I get ahead of myself. Feels like a day for a Mario Bava home-bound film festival, Lisa and the Devil and Hatchet For the Honeymoon inclusive. Fingers becoming too sticky to type. There are definitely those with larger issues on their plate, though—the good people over at The Silent Barn, for example.

What dazzled the faithful this week? That staggeringly great Vomikaust cassette single, ltd. to 50 pcs. (though there may well be a vinyl issue coming soon-ish on Prison Tatt.) Please check out the Prison Tatt distro for other Primal Vomit releases, and other beauties currently collecting dust on my desk and shelves.

The Smoke Sententiën collection of rehearsal demos is also wanted for murder; available on Wohrt Records, out of sunny (and one presumes more so or equally sticky) Florida. A personal favorite last night was Senthil's Crypticorifislit release, and Castle listeners can expect more long-form black metal explorations in the weeks and months to come, as track times get daringly longer, and compositions and arrangements get progressively more elaborate (for some artists, anyway—the 1:30 blasts of Malveillance will never disappear.)

Alexia, the blood of a man she'd just met now matting her hair and salting her mouth, surely thinks these are her final moments. Grab one of them to get to the playlist and audio-archive options for this week's horrorcast.

Killing it, killing it, killing me!!!!!!

"Mommy and Daddy are really good at playing dead!"

Me, too. And sometimes it's a necessity that I "play dead" for a day or so after a Castle broadcast, oh, mostly because of the hours of the live broadcast, but also because of the dynamic spectacles I sometimes witness through the double glass, and the extremely influential, pervasive energy that's released both on the part of myself and the performers. This week, probably more so than ever before.

'Twas all about the 'Bulbs—mighty, mighty. I didn't even realize the humor in what I said, about the band being "ready to burst" in the adjoining room, at least not until my next-day review of the archive. All that raspberry jam all over the live room would have been a disaster; I'd still be there cleaning it up...but no, all went finer than fine, and the RB live debut was truly jaw-dropping, as one commenter on this blog put it. Everything went right, and at the right time.

When I wrote to RB/Seed Stock all those many months ago, maybe more than a year, it was really a strike in the wind; I never thought I'd actually be hosting Raspberry Bulbs' live debut for all to hear. And man, it's great. Where "punk" and "black metal" bisect one another for all the right reasons, and none wrong. Incredibly well-rehearsed, and infused with passion and expertise just waiting for this moment to escape, the session sounds fucking great. For now, you can click on the unwittingly triumphant duo of Mario Bava's Twitch of the Death Nerve (aka Bay of Blood) to hear the full, three-hour horrorcast™, and view the accolades and obfuscation of the listener comments.

In other good news, the RB set will be shared, via WFMU's Web portals in due course (i.e., don't rush me.) I strongly suggest you also avail yourself of the next-nearest opportunity to see them live (Red Light District, 7/30), because, as they say, "hearing is one thing; seeing is believing."

I have not much more to say (still recovering), thought the new Arizmenda tape continues to dazzle the faithful, and I only wish that it were a little more available, or that maybe a vinyl issue would surface, because honestly, there's a demand, and it's not that uncool to be able to reach your audience, the ones with baited breath who are only waiting to shell out a few $ to own your latest release. In terms of the full programming of this week's show, I've always a few gems up my sleeve, as I jump in with both feet and research, research, research the music I love that stimulates my existence (you'll find those gems if you listen.) But this week, I'm more than pleased, I'm..."finally burst," shall we say, to allow Raspberry Bulbs' outstanding, powerful performance to rattle center stage.

Sow These Bulbs, That They May Grow; TONIGHT, LIVE, on My Castle of Quiet radio

Rescheduled from last week, the Raspberry Bulbs' live world debut goes on tonight (7/14-15), on the My Castle of Quiet weekly program on WFMU.

Over the course of two short years, several cassettes, and one full-length LP, Raspberry Bulbs has quickly established itself as a unique and powerful voice in black metal, a project to be reckoned with, and one of the best in the now-quite-extensive American black metal universe. Their lurching, screaming, mid-tempo anthems, insanely catchy and possessing, have rapidly set the band apart from what some may have originally viewed as a "Bone Awl spinoff project." He Who Crushes Teeth (long-time Bone Awl drummer and RB architect) is a serious, cornerstone figure in black metal, also having established the excellent Seed Stock label, which has brought an admirable selection of brand-new and older BM titles to the fans on vinyl and cassette. Raspberry Bulbs' My Castle of Quiet appearance marks the first RB live performance anywhere, as most of the cassettes as well as the LP were created by RB alone via multitracking, and only recently has RB established this combo, which we'll hear on the air. MCoQ is proud as hell to present this absolutely live session, a long time in the planning (interview to follow post-set), and a milestone for black metal fans everywhere (If I may be so immodest.) (Sorry, this is a closed-door, broadcast-only event; no guests.) More RB live shows will follow soon.

"5 minutes, Berger."...as I awkwardly extricate myself from the role of Lucky Pierre between John Savage and Bronson Pinchot, @ midnight.
RB @ 12:30 approx.
WFMU 91.1 FM (NY/NJ)
WMFU 90.1 FM (Hudson Valley)
wfmu.org live on the Web

If anyone sees Franken Berry, will you please tell him that I miss him.

Life ain't all it's snap and cracked up to be as a breakfast-cereal icon. The kids are fickle, to say the least. Remember what happened to Quake? Fuckin' hard-on, he had it coming anyway. But Boo Berry, that was plain unjust, shit luck. Like when the somnambulist brings the wrong girl back to your lair. Balls!

Last night was a Castle show to be sure, but of a different shade. I was not quite cleansed of the usual, weekly demons. Where was the brutality, the hate, the anger, the Weltschmerz? There, but in more-easily digested cosmic doses, and that's fine. If you wear the same hat ALL the time, it develops a horrible sweat stain.

Never-forgotten old faves Amon Düül, Anima-Sound, rarely heard recordings by Kraftwerk and Con Schnitzler, and the under-celebrated Adelbert Von Deyen (serious mullet alert!) all received notice in the listener comments this week. I was more than a few Km beyond the wall of sleep, and well, let's just say those jump-to-time markers won't really be working for you this horrorcast, my apologies. But hey, you're supposed to listen to the WHOLE THING, anyway. Don't miss out on personal favorite Seesselberg, and the live Tangerine Dream Frankfurt recording. Kraut-bliss leaves a mark, and I suppose soon enough it will be time for #2, but not too soon.

I need the roar and the soul-munching angst of a regular-run Castle show. And angst we shall have, next week, at the hands of Raspberry Bulbs. Also confirmed for this summer are Lady Piss (8/5, my birthday) and Decimus (8/19.)

Getting back to Caligari's somnambulist, he's all following orders and shit, but not minus a human SOUL, and that, my friends, is the cloth we are doomed to weave here at The Castle, that time when sleepy goes and falls for the girl, all wrapped up in tragic flaw. That dismal scene, depicted above, will take you to the playlist and audio-archive options for this week's Kraut-a-leptic horrorcast™.

Tonight on The Castle - Kraut-Out #1 - A Kosmische Slow-Tanz Party!

In light of Raspberry Bulbs' need to reschedule their debut live performance, originally slated for tonight's Castle broadcast (and rescheduled for next week's show), I'm whipping out something I've had in the mental works for a long time. Not nearly enough classic Krautrock (60s-70s ursprünglich-type) gets played on the radio, though WFMU, if anywhere, sees it sprinkled into its freeform programming fairly liberally, and I've been devising an all-Krautrock show for the minds curious, and the minds not yet fully blown. Krautrock has been a favorite of mine since the early 80s (when the genre itself was actually dwindling in importance), and it's high time The Castle devoted a substantial three hours to its greatness. I'm not necessarily reaching for the rarest of raritäten here (though you can expect a few), merely a celebration of that unique, post-hippie Germanic take on "Innovativ Schwingungen," for your enjoyment.

Tune in at Mitternacht.
WFMU 91.1 FM (NY/NJ)
WMFU 90.1 FM (Hudson Valley)
wfmu.org live on the Web

Complaints are HIGHlarious.

People. A necessary evil. Be ready with the machete when your options for dealing with them dissolve. April functions best on her own, despite the occasional bout of tears, and she ends "the movie" in much the same way in which she started it. And isn't this really a microcosm of how we live? You can't merge souls, for chrissakes, unless you're John-and-fucking-Yoko. Like many of the better zombie/plague films, new and old, The Dead Outside is a gorgeous metaphor for how we deal with one another in this human zoo. Zombies aren't real—but isolationism, fear of relating, and a frothing herd at your heels—these are all things that ring a bell for most of us.

J. Soliday and I were just touching upon the topic of EVPs when the bell tolled and we had to wrap it up, but I want to know, what would YOUR ghost say on repeated, electromagnetic loop, when the rag-tag band of "paranormal researchers" came a-callin'?, 'cos mine would say, "don't leave"—followed after a few heartbeats by "get away!" Prone to terror at the very thought of loneliness, but also quick to shout away anyone who gets too close, my life is a zombie feature.

Much praise on the playlist comments board for our live performer Mr. Soliday, who danced with the circuits like a pro, no manual required. What magnificent self-expression we were treated to! Jason's two sets will post as mp3s to WFMU's Beware of The Blog and Free Music Archive, once I've had my chance to come away from the moment, listen more deeply, and figure out exactly why the work was so magical and made us all tingle.

Other notable selections inculded the new, limited Lussuria LP on Hospital Prod., the new-and-already-on-second-press Arizmenda full-length tape on Crepusculo Negro (these CN releases REALLY need vinyl documentation!), and the new OPPONENTS 2CD on the Opposite label.

April is a simply lovely young lady (if you can get to that level with her, it's far from easy), too young to have seen and have coped with all she's been through. She wields that machete only because she must. Survival is the key. She, in a rare moment of generosity, will guide you to the playlist and streaming audio options for this weeks' horrorcast™.

Thanks again to Jason Soliday (and to Bob Bellerue for engineering!)

Next week, the live debut of Raspberry Bulbs! (Sorry, this is a closed, broadcast-only event.)