Yes, I went for it and chose a praiseful headline from this week's listener comments, because well, I don't get those every week; a real connection with some listeners is always assumed, but it's great to hear. I'm forever trying to raise the station of what I do, never sleeping on the job, trying to listen to myself, to my gut, and have a more-natural flow, rather than do a "metal chunk," then a "punk chunk," then a "space chunk" ... which honestly gets unchallenging for me too, and I can see by listener reactions this week, that leaning a little bit toward the past, toward the style of The Hip Bone show (my weekly stint on WFMU from 1984-1999) is a good thing, and I can still maintain the integrity of the My Castle of Quiet filter while doing so. I never want to just come in and play records, because hey, we can all do that at home. In brief, thanks for listening and liking!
Much of our first and second sets were singled out for praise, notably: Crazy Dreams Band | yet more 90s-vintage Butthole Surfers | black-space mess from Arkhtinn | pre-"dungeon synth" classic occult organ blobs from Jacula | new Pharmakon | newly released late-70s gems from Ju Suk Reet Meate | SIRE [again and again!] | Forteresse | Cult of Eibon... and heavy, heavy praise for our old friends Metal Rouge, with whom I admit I lost touch a bit, and was excited to find that yes, they've been working consistently since our two shows together in the earliest years of the horrorcast™. Their linked name above will take you directly to their bandcamp page, with lots of releases since the one we heard [from 2010]; I'll be there exploring, and you should be too.
Our last hour was all big chunks; more from the new 8-cassette Âmes Sanglantes box, and a full tape side by Warden, looming and quiet and draped in mystery, from a split cassette on Tour de Garde, still available. More great improvised sounds from Arrington de Dionyso & San(s) Kazakgsacar next week, as our time wound down and only a brief excerpt was heard.
I could comment on world affairs certainly, but since almost everyone does these days, why would my comments be a revelation? Better to just title this week's show I Dream of a Secular Utopia, as I do quite earnestly. "Religious" thugs have been running roughshod over the world and its populace for centuries now, and we are still early in the dawning of the Age of Aquarius (Hair soundtrack aside); I won't live to see The Age of Reason sweep the planet, but hopefully my son can enjoy a taste of the world as based on empiricism, science, and humanism—rather than arcane theology from old books, woefully misinterpreted over and over....
In film, what impressed me most memorably this week was an intricate horror-drama called The Blackcoat's Daughter, originally released in 2015 under the title February; I'll watch it again and like it even more I'm sure.
My Castle of Quiet stays with you through WFMU's summer schedule, at its current night and time. Lots of special programming still in the planning stages, but I can tell you for sure we'll be treated to another visit by M. del Rio, of the Seed Stock and Personnel Records labels, founder of Bone Awl and Raspberry Bulbs, on our June 13/14 show. An upper-echelon black metal collector, M. has joined us before, but not since 2014, so if you'd like to brush up, you can find those programs here, here and here.
