More Brutal

I briefly interrupted the Bathory flow to play an updated sneak peek from Brutal Truth which arrived via e-mail... in the form of a final, mastered, crushing mp3 of "Grind Fidelity," on which I provided analog synth noise. I am definitely looking forward to their return to Chicago in late March...

Rotations 2/7

Following a dialog with Mr. Moy, and in an odd compliment to yesterday's later LZ binge, today started with espressos and the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club instrumental album, "The Effects of 333" and moved onto the Bathory discography, starting at the beginning...

Heavy workload continues today.

Tomorrow: Work on new BLOODYMINDED recordings, followed by the Ghost Ice, Bad Party, etc., show at the Empty Bottle

BloodLust! Interview Series: #18 Cadaver in Drag

Cadaver in Drag (interviews completed by Josh Lay and Jason Schuler)

1. What have you been listening to lately?

JL: Darkthrone-F.O.A.D, Sleep Museum-Home, Black Funeral-Ordog, Josetxo Gieta-The Art of Distraction, Hair Police-Certainty of Swarms, Martial Canterel-Cruelty Frames Our Age

JS: I've been listening to Fela Kuti rather incessantly, King Crimson, Wierd Vol. 2, Tiny Fights (awesome Lexington band), Black Flag, Fleetwood Mac, Yes, Harmonia, the usual schtufffff.

2. Have you been to any interesting concerts recently?

JL: I just saw Hair Police, Treetops, Caboladies, and infinity Window. Amazing night. Caboladies blew me away with what was hands down the best set I've seen them perform.

JS: Nothing really comes to mind, although I did get to listen to Attempt play on Ben Allen's radio show last night on WRFL. That was a real treat.

3. Can you name a favorite film, or two (or a television program), from the last few months?

JL: That's a hard one. El Topo, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and Clockwork Orange come to mind.

JS: I hardly ever watch television unless there is some cool documentary on K.E.T. (which is rather often). As far as movies go, I've really gotten into Alejandro Jodorowsky's work as of recent. "Fando y Lis” had a profound effect on me. I've been watching a lot of Marlon Brando (especially "The Wild One" w/Lee Marvin),"The Vodka Movie" was fucking hysterical, various Westerns, nature films etc.

4. Have you read a good book lately?

JL: Reading a book about Crazy Horse right now. Pretty good so far.

JS: I finished reading Nabokov's "Lolita" a few months ago and I can say with absolute confidence that this is the finest piece of literature I've ever read, I actually found myself stalling out the end because I didn't want it to end. Right now I am reading Alan Eckert's "A Sorrow in Our Hearts". It’s a great book about the life and times of one of the earliest Native American activists, Tecumseh.

5. Have you attended any recent art shows worth mentioning?

JL: Not really. One of the bummers that come with Kentucky life.

JS: It saddens me to say no.

6. Do you have any current obsessions of note?

JL: I've been playing this online MMORPG called Nodiatis. It's consumed my life in the unhealthiest way.

JS: The idea of loss and suffering and my own mortality.

7. Please tell me what recordings, projects (any medium), etc., you are working on right now, if anything.

JL: I have been working on a few solo releases, as well as finishing up a new full length with Cadaver in Drag.

JS: We're putting the final touches on the next Cadaver in Drag record titled "Breaking and Entering" due out on Animal Disguise Recordings sometime early this year. We're pretty happy with what we've got so far, and it’s certainly a departure from what people are used to hearing from us. It’s a record about the terrible side of the human psyche and how we take from one another without asking, and why we take from one another. Even when it’s not necessarily the right thing to do. I'm also going to start working on a movie in February tentatively entitled "Careful" with my close friend and band mate in Warmer Milks, Clint Colburn. Cadaver in Drag is also set to do a release for BloodLust! in the very near future, we're working on a re-issue of a couple old releases that almost no one ever heard. Back in (I think) 2005 we did a recording for Husk Records called "Abuse," and that was only in an addition of 100, in that same span of time (the “Born Mugged” days) we did a cassette for ADR called "Breathing Sewage". It’s kinda’ funny because I think that that was some of our finest work to date and Gary did a tour only edition of like 20 or something. I still have my suspicions that it was on account of the cover hurting his eyes when he cut the sleeves out. You'll see what I mean.

8. What do you hope to accomplish this year?

JL: Release a new full length record with Cadaver in Drag, release my first 12" on my label Husk Records, go on tour, make new friends on the road.

JS: I want to travel and tour as much as I can when the semester is over with. I would also like to get all of my pending projects finished.

9. Is there anything else that you would like to mention, announce, or hype?

JL: Should have a lot of new material coming out. New Cadaver full length. A solo 12",7", and pro pressed cdr on various labels. Thanks for your time.

JS: I can’t think of anything off of the top of my head, but I would like to thank you for the interview, and everything else you do for music and art.

Rotations

Earlier:
Shining (various)
Lifelover (various)
Swans "The Great Annihilator"
Haptic "The Medium"

Post run:
Only one band can make me feel good...
Led Zeppelin (from the start)

Back to work...

Haptic + Noise Crush, Last Night

I attended the Conversations at the Edge / Sight & Sound: Flingco Sound System event last night at the Gene Siskel Film Center. Interesting stuff all around but I was utterly blown away by what Lisa and Haptic presented. Of course, it was nice to watch one of Lisa's video pieces unfold when I was not in the middle of muddling through some guitar and synth work, myself. And my simmering jealousy of Haptic stealing Noise Crush away from The Fortieth Day was at least partially soothed by Lisa's use of human beings throughout much of her program. Her signature style and feel were there, but it was quite different, overall, as it was not primarily abstract. But it was definitely a beautiful and melancholy presentation, projected on a really large screen, as deserved. And she was actually performing under her own name, after all. Haptic built a much more complex soundscape than on their recent BloodLust! cassette, and their sound really locked in nicely with the video. They showed great restraint, whether with electronic frequencies or the bass-enhancing percussion -- lending a still-minimal feel to their set, even if there were several layers of sound happening. And at the right moment, there were some glorious feedback-esque pure frequencies that probably jolted people back to attention, were they drifting off due to the mesmerizing video and sound. A nice full house turned out for this and it was good to see some familiar faces...

I am really looking forward to listening to the new Haptic LP - "The Medium" - and watching Lisa's DVD, later today - as Isidro and I missed their performance from June 2007, because we were flying back from Mexico City that day. Maybe another Fugue State festival should happen???

Rare I.A. Sticker!?!

On eBay. It must be authentic, right? Why would anyone bother to make a counterfeit of this?

BloodLust! Interview Series: #17 James Moy

James Moy (BLOODYMINDED, Anal Hearse, Godsick, ex-Pitstain, the Expectorant Recordings label)

1. What have you been listening to lately?

Klaus Schulze - Mirage
Luasa Raelon - The House of Flesh
Manhunter - Music from the Motion Picture Soundtrack
November Növelet - Magic
Oppenheimer Analysis - New Mexico
Redrot - Live Basement Murders
Thergothon - Stream From The Heavens
Trepaneringsritualen - Ritualer, Blot Och Bötgoring
And as always, many artists of the WIERD persuasion...

2. Have you been to any interesting concerts recently?

No.

3. Can you name a favorite film, or two (or a television program), from the last few months?

I finally threw down for the Cassavetes 'Five Films' box set, so I've started to revisit those. Despite the ridiculous acts of suppression and candy-coating pumped into the release, it still sits nicely next to my rare and unRowlandsed copy of HUSBANDS, which I consider to be the ultimate in JC. As far as recent stuff goes, I thought 'The Wrestler' was handled really well.

4. Have you read a good book lately?

Yes, it's called 'Hamburger America'. An inspiring piece of work, to say the least.

5. Have you attended any recent art shows worth mentioning?

No.

6. Do you have any current obsessions of note?

Whatever they may be, none of them seem to involve much sleep.

7. Please tell me what recordings, projects (any medium), etc., you are working on right now, if anything

Preparing Anal Hearse material for eventual release. Scoring a feature film that concerns decaying relationships in a post-apocalypse. Meditating on other projects that I need to approach (or in some cases, reapproach).

8. What do you hope to accomplish this year?

Finishing.

9. Is there anything else that you would like to mention, announce, or hype?

In addition to the BLOODYMINDED material in the pipeline that I'm very excited about, there's the first proper CD by Klinikal Skum (Ryan Oppermann aka Redrot, Neuntöter Der Plage, etc), entitled 'Chosen Powerless', which is something I'll be releasing on Expectorant Recordings by the end of winter. A wonderfully dark pairing of Climax Denial and Staccato du Mal is also in the works (to be co-released with BloodLust!), and you can expect some of my solo work to surface in the near future as well.

Bad Anniversaries

I heard from my friend Moon today, who reminded me that yesterday was the anniversary of Mark Timpone's passing. Mark was a great friend, a co-worker at Neo, a total South Side punk who supported Intrinsic Action, and he was my truck co-pilot on my move to NYC in 1992. It is safe to say that his death was a big part of the BLOODYMINDED song, "Ten Suicides."



I grabbed this off of the MySpace page of another ex-Neo guy, Eddie. Mark is on the right.

Brutal Truth Release Date

Brutal Truth has finished work on their first full length album in ten years, "Evolution Through Revolution." The album was recorded at Watchmen Studios in Lockport, New York and will be released on April 14th in North America via Relapse Records. An international release date of April 30th has also been set.

http://www.metalunderground.com/
http://www.brutaltruth.com/

BloodLust! Interview Series: #16 Fecalove

Nicola Vinciguerra (Fecalove, Taeter, Splinter Vs Stalin, the Turgid Animal label, etc.)

1. What have you been listening to lately?

As usual , mainly french pop . The same songs , over and over again. France Gall (there are some really good vinyl re-issues of her classic albums, identical to the originals!), Clothilde and the more modern (?) Yelle.
I've been enjoying a lot GX Jupitter-Larsen's "Big Time Crash Bang" LP on RRR, in fact it's one of my favourite records ever!
Sounds of car crashes layered and looped on black vinyl, I can't really imagine a better record .
Blod box set on Segerhuva is amazing.
Other than that, I've been dubbing lots of tapes for Turgid Animal and just listening to them pretty much every time.

2. Have you been to any interesting concerts recently?

Yes , on Christmas' Eve two local punk rock bands (The Manges and The Peawees) joined for their annual tribute to The Ramones: playing the whole "It's Alive!" set list. It was really fun , ultra packed in a tiny smelly room as it should be. I felt sick for two weeks afterwards!

3. Can you name a favorite film, or two (or a television program), from the last few months?

I watched Spider Baby a couple of times .. I'm obviously in love with Virginia. And with the soundtrack .
Also I enjoyed watching Conan The Barbarian with Arnold Schwarzenegger + John Milius audio commentary, fucking brilliant!
Last week I watched "Bird People In China" by Takashi Miike , I loved the Yunnan setting .

4. Have you read a good book lately?

"Modern Drunkard" by Frank Kelly Rich and "The Redneck Manifesto" by Jim Goad provided good fun. I also browsed (again and again) through my whole Ogenki Clinic collection , I love that comic book.

5. Have you attended any recent art shows worth mentioning?

Not recently and certainly not worth mentioning!

6. Do you have any current obsessions of note?

Following sadly mediocre Chicago Bulls matches on TV ! For the first time since my childhood i have the chance to watch NBA again , and I'm totally addicted . And yeah , i grew up watching Michael Jordan so I'm still attached to the Bulls. I still have the team flag (more than 15 years old now?) in my bedroom!

7. Please tell me what recordings, projects (any medium), etc., you are working on right now, if anything

I just finished working on the Fecalove tracks for a split tape with Cracksteel on Turgid Animal , and I'm still working on a collaboration with Government Alpha . I'll also release a Fecalove full length on Lona Records from Hong Kong , but it's still in the early stages of de-composition .
Taeter CD should finally be out in the matter of months and I'm preparing a sleazy & fun vinyl release of pop/rock/Intrinsic Action covers ;)
Splinter Vs Stalin are on a few collaboration projects with various Italian entities such as Odrz , Andrea Marutti and Dante Tanzi + we're still trying to finish our collaboration-galore full length CD , featuring other artists from all over the world . We might be one of the slowest noise bands around at this point!

As for art , I'm still drawing new (delayed forever) comics and illustrations for a nasty, nasty book . And of course ugly illustrations for Turgid Animal and a few other labels. I'm looking forward for more exhibitions! Some new prints of mine will be shown at Ellogallery in Portsmouth, New Hampshire from next week . They also carry some older prints of mine that are sold out from me so buy buy buy!

8. What do you hope to accomplish this year?

Having more fun than I did in 2008 (which was more fun than 2007)! Maybe finally moving from Italy? It's about time...

9. Is there anything else that you would like to mention, announce, or hype?

Turgid Animal's sub/side/sister black metal label Legion Blotan started! A couple of cds and a 7" out at the moment .. http://legion-blotan.blogspot.com ; http://www.myspace.com/legionblotan - Euro-only underground black metal. It's still me and George. More good stuff coming soon. Hail Satan!

BloodLust! February 2009 Update

The February 2009 Update has been posted on the catalog weblog page and it has been sent out to the mailing list

Local Pickup Only? Really?

Sigillum S "Terror Auto-Obstetrics" 7-inch. Rare!

Status - 2/4

Still in deep work mode...

Another epic practice last night. Totally wiped out from the session. The band is flexing its muscles... driving established material into extended, improvised territories... so cool to feel, watch, and hear it happen. What's our name?

"Thanks" to everyone who has been stopping by to read the interviews. There has been a lot of traffic these last two weeks. More to come...

Listening of note (or in repetition):
Morrissey "Years of Refusal"
Glass Candy "Deep Gems: A Collection of Singles, B Sides & Rarities"
Martial Canterel "Cruelty Frames Our Age"
Locrian (recent studio tracks)
Vertonen (samples/snippets for newly developing track on "Within the Walls")
Rape-X "False"
The Wilford Brimleys "Stock Optics"
Swans "Soundtracks for the Blind"

BloodLust! Interview Series: #15 Neil Jendon

Neil Jendon (Abduction, Buglette, ex-Zelienople, ex-Catherine, etc.)

1. What have you been listening to lately?

I have an endless fascination with the Fall; the older I get, the more I admire Mark E. Smith's cranky tenacity. Also, the Numero label has been putting out the best compilations I've ever heard, and they're on vinyl.

2. Have you been to any interesting concerts recently?

White/Light poured it on something awesome not long ago.

3. Can you name a favorite film, or two (or a television program), from the last few months?

The best movie I've seen recently was Into Great Silence. It's one of those movies that sound dreadful when explained, but it's a stunner.

4. Have you read a good book lately?

No, lots of bad ones, though.

5. Have you attended any recent art shows worth mentioning?

Unfortunately, no.

6. Do you have any current obsessions of note?

The various illnesses (real or perceived) that are constantly attacking me. Time to check my pulse and blood pressure.

7. Please tell me what recordings, projects (any medium), etc., you are working on right now, if anything

Jason Soliday and I have a duo set coming up that we've been preparing for. I'd like to get some sort of recording done with Jason, because I think we make a good noise.

I've also been working on a new set of minimal techno relying exclusively on an old Akai sampler I recently repaired (MPC-60) and a guitar plugged directly into it. We'll see if that amounts to anything.

8. What do you hope to accomplish this year?

See above. I feel that last year something clicked and I got my game together. I want to collaborate with as many people as I can and try not to suck.

9. Is there anything else that you would like to mention.

2/13/09 Jendon/Soliday at the Mopery. 2734 N. Milwaukee
4/13/09 Neil Jendon/Joseph Mills at Myopic. 1564 N. Milwaukee

Status - 2/3

I am back from an excellent trip to New York. It was really nice to see Pieter's new paintings and to spend time with my great friends there. I will be catching up on orders, correspondence, etc., ASAP. I have to dive back into an intense work project right now, so I may be a bit slow to respond to e-mail, etc. Thanks to everyone who followed the interview series while I was away, thanks to the magic of "time release" weblog posting.

More soon...
Mark

2/5 - Haptic + Noise Crush

Haptic + Lisa Slodki (AKA Noise Crush) at the Gene Siskel Film Center

Thursday, February 5, 6:00 PM

164 North State Street
Chicago IL 60601
312.846.2600

From: http://www.siskelfilmcenter.org/

Special live performance!
Artists in person!

Sight & Sound: Flingco Sound System

2001-9, Multiple Artists, Austria/USA, 90 min.

Since its 2007 launch, Chicago’s Flingco Sound System has hosted musicians who work collaboratively with visual artists to create mesmerizing videos and live performances. This evening features performances by the Chicago trio Haptic (Steven Hess, Joseph Clayton Mills, and Adam Sonderberg) with real-time video artist Lisa Slodki; Chicago act Interbellum (Brendan Burke) with multi-media artist Annie Feldmeier Adams; and a short video by SAIC alum Clayton Flynn and the Richmond, VA, trio Cristal (Jimmy Anthony, Greg Darden and Bobby Donne). Multiple formats. (Amy Beste)

Conversations at the Edge

Organized by the Department of Film, Video, and New Media at SAIC in association with the Video Data Bank and the Gene Siskel Film Center, Conversations at the Edge is a weekly screening series dedicated to showcasing some of the most exciting work being produced in media today.

Visit CATE’s blog!
http://conversationsattheedge.wordpress.com/

BloodLust! Interview Series: #14 Jonathan Canady - Angel of Decay

Jonathan Canady (Angel of Decay, Deathpile, Dead World, The Urge Within, Hollow Earth, Blunt Force Trauma, Torture Chamber, the Malsonus label, etc.)

1. What have you been listening to lately?

Lots of stuff from the Mutant Sounds Blog (http://mutant-sounds.blogspot.com/). My current favorite is Igor Wakhevitch.

The new Luasa Raelon CD "The House of Flesh" is truly amazing as well.

2. Have you been to any interesting concerts recently?

No, but I am very much looking forward to seeing AMEBIX next weekend.

3. Can you name a favorite film, or two (or a television program), from the last few months?

Film: Jack Smith and the Destruction of Atlantis. TV: Superjail!

4. Have you read a good book lately?

I am currently in the midst of "The Rainbow Stories" by William Vollmann and am loving it.

5. Have you attended any recent art shows worth mentioning?

Tonight I am going to a reception for the "Grand Small Works" show at The F.U.E.L. Collection in Philly. I have two paintings in the show and there are MANY other fine artists involved as well. You can see a bunch of the work here: http://flickr.com/photos/fuelcollection1/sets/72157610972155109/

I also plan on going up to New York to see Pieter Schoolwerth's new show at Miguel Abreu Gallery as soon as possible.

6. Do you have any current obsessions of note?

The Mutant Sounds blog, again.

7. Please tell me what recordings, projects (any medium), etc., you are working on right now, if anything

I am starting a new series of small acrylic on canvas paintings as soon as I get a minute to breathe. You can track my progress (and other goings on / interests) on my blog at http://malsonus.blogspot.com/

No recording this year. Maybe next year, but not as ANGEL OF DECAY or DEATHPILE (never again on both fronts).

8. What do you hope to accomplish this year?

I hope to stay out of jail, the insane asylum and/or the morgue and sell enough art to get out of debt. That would all be nice.

9. Is there anything else that you would like to mention, announce, or hype?

Only that I love Mark Solotroff and I don't care who knows it.

BloodLust! Interview Series: #13 Vertonen

Blake Edwards (Vertonen, ssseepage, Burrow, Series Founders, Crippled Insectual, ex-Animal Law)

1. What have you been listening to lately?

Eric Lunde, Laibach, Ice Cube, Crawling with Tarts, and a handful of the stellar Creel Pone label releases.

2. Have you been to any interesting concerts recently?

Jason Zeh at enemy Jan 16; I’ll never miss a chance to witness Jason manipulate the tapes live. I also checked out Rick Potts Jan 24 at Lampo, and it was great to see him and the new(ish) Lampo space.

3. Can you name a favorite film, or two (or a television program), from the last few months?

Well, now that “Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains” is out on DVD, I recently watched that with audio commentary by Diane Lane and Laura Dern...

4. Have you read a good book lately?

Recent and current:
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
Mindfuckers (edited by David Felton)
I Could Tell You But Then You Would Have to be Destroyed by Me by Trevor Paglen
Freakonomics by Steven Levitt
John Duncan (errant bodies press)

5. Have you attended any recent art shows worth mentioning?

I saw “Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul” at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco in mid-January; the ancient sun dials and glassware were standouts, as was the “optical illusion” fish pond...

6. Do you have any current obsessions of note?

Offshoot religious groups of the 60s and 70s, Etruscan mythology, and physical cosmology.

7. Please tell me what recordings, projects (any medium), etc., you are working on right now, if anything.

--three vastly different full-length Vertonen recordings in various stages (ranging from 75% to 95% completed) that I’ve been editing, letting sit, then coming back to
--a Startless (Jason Zeh and I) recording that’s coming along
and (as you know, I suspect)
--practice is pummeling along nicely with the as-yet unnamed “heavy” band you and I are in with Dylan Posa, Kenny Rasmussen, and Greg Ratajczak.

8. What do you hope to accomplish this year?

Securing a full-time teaching gig would be cool (although the adjuncting is working out well), releasing some vinyl and CDs on C.I.P., getting one or two Vertonen releases out on other labels, a short tour of either the Midatlantic/Southeast or West Coast, and start performing and recording with the aforementioned project you and I are involved in.

9. Is there anything else that you would like to mention, announce, or hype?

There are three Vertonen split LPs that, powers be with us, should see the light of day by summer; one is with 16 Bitch Pile Up (on WWDIS), one is with Mykel Boyd (on Somnimage), and one is with Torturing Nurse (on rococo records). I also have an 18 minute track on a series called “audio roadkill” (on Instagon Foundation) that should be coming out in the next months, and a collaboration with PCRV, “deep time” that the power silence label aims to release maybe in February.

BloodLust! Interview Series: #12 Aaron Dilloway

Aaron Dilloway (Spine Scavenger + The Beast People, The Casket Sinkers, Commune Ills, Couch, Coyote Ugly, Dead Air, Galen, Greh Wolfs, Isis & Werewolves, Miscarriage, The Nevari Butchers, Synth Jerkshop, Ugly Museum, Universal Indians, Violent Ramp, ex-Wolf Eyes + Hanson Records label, etc…)

1. What have you been listening to lately?

Julie London - Her Name Is Julie LP
Desperate Teenage Lovedolls O.S.T LP
Nord - Ego Trip LP
The Shadow Ring - Life Review 2xCD
Whitehouse - Halogen CD
Meat Puppets - cass of early stuff found in my parents basement

2. Have you been to any interesting concerts recently?

SL Makita in Cleveland
Robert Turman in Cleveland
Cars getting smashed at the auto salvage yard next to my new storage space..best gig of 09 so far!

3. Can you name a favorite film, or two (or a television program), from the last few months?

Films:
Nuts in May
Abigail’s Party
Fistful of Dynamite
Beyond The Door II
Monster Hunter
The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946 version)

Television:
Secret Diary of a Call Girl
Tool Academy
Rock of Love Bus

4. Have you read a good book lately?

Currently reading two:
Ambitious Brew: The Story Of American Beer by Maureen Ogle
Education Of A Felon by Edward Bunker

5. Have you attended any recent art shows worth mentioning?

Naw..I just cruise over to John Olson's or Brian Schmidt's if I want to see some good art

6. Do you have any current obsessions of note?

Beer

7. Please tell me what recordings, projects (any medium), etc., you are working on right now, if anything

Currently working on The Nevari Butchers S/T 2-LP, and combing through recent collaboration recordings w/ Robert Turman and Skin Graft.

8. What do you hope to accomplish this year?

Release a good amount of vinyl on Hanson

9. Is there anything else that you would like to mention, announce, or hype?

Emeralds - Solar Bridge LP
V/A - MICHIGAN 6-LP box set
both just about to drop on Hanson