It's subtle moments here on WFMU with peeps like you out there–bodies electric–that keep me running.

Why thank you, listener goober, that's high praise. I'm channeling Michael McDonald over here! ...or perhaps Walt Whitman is the classier reference to glean from your comment, yes definitely. Perhaps I was channeling Grandier. Perhaps I flatter myself.

This week's horrorcast™ traversed a well-heeled, familiar Castle cascade of soundtracky>grind>punk>black>heady electronics, the 3-hour mixtape approached flawlessness (and I'm my own harshest critic), so I can only assume Castleheads were all so enthralled, fingers too weak to comment, or out in the unseasonably pleasant weather, tripping the light fantastic, only to join us later in the streaming archive. I had fun, always do.

Our appreciated "strong start" featured a 2014 piece by Mega Drive, one of the finer 80s-horror-score retro projects around, and something brand new from Italy's Adamennon. Mincey masterpieces by Skuz and Thætas followed; remember, both are part of what looks to be a sweep-away grind show Monday, March 13 @ Brooklyn's Silent Barn. Other fan favorites included "Robot" by Pack, from an album chock full of hits, circa 1978, re-released by Ugly Pop in 2015 (glad I grabbed one before it seemingly sold out from everyone.) Contemporary rough edges came from Narcos, and Ohyda, Uniform and others. Healthy black servings, allowing me to stretch a bit, some served by Wither, Alkerdeel, Neptune's Inferno, and something great from the new Dumal full-length followed. Our last hour got predictably woozy, with something great I've been meaning to play on the show for three years by Panos Alexiadis; new work on Midwich from Viki; Monolake's "Cyan" (which actually prompted a phone call—which I answered!); and an excerpt from the progressively amazing Alexandra Atnif, the new tape, Session.2 is not to be missed.

It's more than timely to mention that the WFMU 2017 Marathon starts in less than two weeks (check that link for more info, to donate, and set your eyes on some swag previews), and I've got great things planned, including two shows co-hosted by two of my favorite people at WFMU; Jonathan Herweg (I referred to us as "The Rowan and Martin of Evil") and the quick-witted and charming Ms. Kelly Jones, with both I enjoy a free-flowing and damn funny rapport.

The My Castle of Quiet premium CD for 2017 is called Shrieks—something different, perhaps—a collection of cinelogue (dialogue and musical themes) from some of my favorite horror and cult-cinema oddities; hope you enjoy and are inspired to pledge therefor. Guess I better get to work on compiling that bitch! More info here as marathon time approaches rapidly.

 

Our screen capture this week was culled from the slow-to-build, but ultimately quite enjoyable Night of The Devils, another cinematic adaptation of Tolstoy's Wurdulak tale (we saw Mario Bava's in Black Sabbath), and when the kids with the pale complexions and bloodstained fingers are laughing at you, you're pretty much AT ODDS with the world.

Socks blown off this week by the obscure, French extreme-horror oddity Baby Blood, from the improbable year of 1990 ... Highly recommended, so enjoy!

Thanks for thinking of us lonely scumbags!

One week old, but keeps without refrigeration! ... Many of the kids I grew up around (some of the adults, too) would say, "Valentime's Day"—The Countess, Texas born and raised, had never heard that one; so, a Northeast (?) regional lazy-speech peculiarity, perhaps. No love was promoted (or harmed) in the context of our broadcast, holidays for me at least, not ever being a factor that drives My Castle of Quiet.

Posting the archive here now for sheer consistency, for any lack or gap... I was just too goddamn sick and weak to write anything last week.

Notes: 1999 vintage Lightning Bolt provoked a reaction; Neptune's Inferno, a BADASS "discovery," from 2014; R.I.P. Tony Särkkä, known to us all as It, visionary behind Abruptum, their CD-length dungeon rituals somehow making perfect, glorious sense—timed as those records were alongside the original 90s Scandinavian black-metal explosion—he'll be missed; the new Uniform LP continues to stand in front as one of the best records of 2017 so far, simply amazing; and last year's Total Abuse LP still wildly a favorite of this DJ. We ended last week's horrorcast™ (the concluding 90 mins. plus) with more of a bed/magic carpet of sound works, selections both harsh and melodic, even beat-based, dipping into my one Ambush 12", as well as works by KK Null, Leah P, Richard Ramirez, FRKSE, Hive Mind, and OPPONENTS live on our show in 2010.

That's it, really...the archive repost of LAST NIGHT'S horrorcast™ is coming later today. Thanks as always for listening, for your live comments and PMs [castle@wfmu.org], and please remember that WFMU's 2017 Marathon begins 5th March, more details coming soon as to how our program will be staking its unique territory in the two weeks plus of festivities and fun-raising. It's always a party, and an exercise in camaraderie between our staff at large, and WFMU's wonderful and iconoclastic listeners. ...

Rock 'n' Roll and demons have always married well, and last week's screen capture comes from the movie Black Roses, a great slice of 1988 "good cheese"—those knucklehead rock boys never learn to properly vet those "willing" ladies that bounce happily back to the hotel room after the show, obviously, as shown above. Enjoy—

music school?

We are all of us demons. If no one has anything bad to say about you, you're doing something wrong. 

Still, I wish certain others were less silent about their reasons for turning away. I'd just assume have the confrontation and talk it out. I'm too old to worry about why specific individuals have a problem with me, almost too old to care, and I always try to do right by everyone to the extent of my capabilities.  You probably think this song is about you.



Amazingly tight, right? Solid and ballsy. Sid is even playing, and (mostly) hitting the right notes.

...Last night's excitement came in the form of old chestnuts by Butthole Surfers and Drunks With Guns, new works by M. Del Rio | IDES | Stinger | BIB | Mayhem | Inquisition | Abbath | Spiteful Womb | Sewer System | The Gate | ...and Alexandra Atnif

Thanks for listening, for indulging my penchant for longer pieces and musical extrapolations, for entering into the dialog of the playlist comments—I hope you got your punk on. I certainly did.

I leave you with this, because a film entitled Fertilize the Blaspheming Bombshell simply can't be all that bad, and any movie that starts with a torchlit procession of hooded figures is already demonstrating potential. ...

Grim stuff

Granted, I haven't suffered the abuse and indignities that befall Laurent Lucas in Calvaire, but I now know well the meaning of The Ordeal. Given no other choice, I've embraced it, sort of. As many of you I'm sure already know, health stuff is hard to manage, and one must take an active hand in one's own wellness; It's an open-ended aeon, where progress/recovery passes so slowly as to be imperceptible.

Highlights of last night's horrorcast™ included: Moloch, 2008 vintage | new Magas, and Moon Pool and Dead Band, both on Midwich | another full album side from Old Tower | Burnt Hair | new Black Cilice single | new Inquisition album | new black metal from Voarm | new Uniform LP (!) | new Manateees LP | hits from yesteryear by The Gun Club, Steel Pole Bath Tub, and others ...

Keeping it quite short this week, as I'm off to "hospital" for more tests, and a possible procedure... Thank you all for tuning in, and for hearing the screams in the silence. I leave you with this, the trailer for Ghosthouse (1988, from FILMIRAGE, a name you can trust)--