'GPOD'

Special G-Spot Interlude: MTW in the studio part 2

agent139 — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 02:56:10 +0000

Professional lunatic James Curcio takes over again for an episode and brings you back into the studio with MTW. (Listen to episode 1 here.) This episode takes us even further out of the realm of good taste than the first, through a melange of tracks in progress, various prank phone calls, conversation outtakes, and flat out mind-fucks. Topics include independent music production techniques, catheters as tripping toys, amyl nitrate, psychological malaise of suburbia, voodoo, trickster Gods, and a lot more.

The tracks in this episode are taken from MTW’s upcoming release Nothing Is Sacred, and two tracks from Captain Zombie, another project being cultured in this dank basement. The outro track is provided by DJ Homicidal Rapist.

Check out the albums when they’re released if we don’t all OD on cough syrup and fermented yak semen, or invoke a wrathful demon that replaces all of our bodily fluids with nutella.

(Thankfully we got most of our drummer’s material before he left this Earth. RIP Thor Thorsson, you weren’t good for much else, but you sure could play them drums.)

Music in this episode by Marz233, Scott Landes, James Curcio, Iron Will. Disclaimer: Don’t try anything that we talk about in this episode. Or if you do, do it at your own risk. This shit ain’t safe, son.
Listen to or download show below

Download The Gspot MTW part 2

John Wisniewski interviews James Curcio

agent139 — Fri, 14 May 2010 19:59:10 +0000

Through his work, James Curcio is able to create a mind-altering style of writing, which merges fantasy and reality in a unique way. In this talk James speaks about the creative process, his music, writing, and myth making. -John Wisniewski

What was the subject of your first writings?

It’s probably a cliché, but there’s that advice that gets tossed at most beginning writers: “write what you know.” It doesn’t mean you need first-hand experience of it, though it helps - but the underlying emotions, thought-process, whatever it is… that has to come from your experience. Fantasy, Sci-Fi, myths… they all speak to us because they resonate directly with our experience. Now, I can’t assume that something that is informed by my experience is going to resonate with everyone. Fact is, it won’t. But I think there’s a fair chance it’ll hit some people in unexpected ways.

So I started from my experience, and though I’d like to think every project I work on is different from the previous - sometimes vastly so - that’s a common thread. “Write what you know” might be the only common rule I did follow writing that book, by the way. I’m talking about my first novel, Join My Cult! (published by New Falcon press in 2004.)

I broke a lot of rules, and I think some of that worked and some of it was a complete disaster. But the parts that worked did so in a sort of brazen, maniacal way that I probably couldn’t do now. I’ve moved on to other things, and my approach is always changing. I guess you could say Join My Cult! is a ‘coming of age’ story for those of us who came to self-awareness in a culture that exists without a myth, and so had to try to build our own myths. Maybe that’s always been the case in some way, though there’s something especially alienating about modern, capitalistic society.

When did you begin that story, and what inspired it?

Like most sixteen year-olds, I took myself and everything around me far too seriously. It’s a certain strength to that age too, it gives everything so much damn gravity and importance. But it also leads to endless posturing… and really, really long monologues. I wrote a sort of journal about a trip to a mental hospital. That’s where the story begins and ends.

Later, maybe at the age of nineteen or twenty, I returned to that text. But at that point I realized that it was part comedy, and started reworking it. I think it struck a chord with some people because a lot of us have been that alienated teenager. You’re smart enough to start processing abstract concepts, but too inexperienced to know any better when it comes to clinging to ideals. Though it’s childish and all that, there’s something for all of us to learn from the cause of that adolescent angst, even if how we likely dealt with it was well… adolescent. It is something for us to remember, and try to bring back into our lives as adults. If you don’t you could very well wind up serving the very machine you railed against as a kid. I worked and reworked Join My Cult! for several years, and ultimately it was published. I still think it could use better editorial… but I guess it isn’t an easy text to edit.

Could you tell us about Aleonis de Gabreal? His writings are often quoted in “Join My Cult.” What other writings have inspired your writing?

Actually, Aleonis de Gabrael is fictional - he is kind of the teacher within, and an idealized form that the character Alexi has of himself. A lot of characters appear in this story who exist inside the minds of other characters, though they might be portrayed as external. This is one of the many reasons that it can be a particularly confusing read if you want everything to make sense in a linear way. Nietzsche wheels himself into a Denny’s at one point to pontificate, and give a warning to those around him, which of course no one either understands or heeds… Much as Nietzsche himself did. I figured, it is a story, why not give all of these things equal reality? After all, what makes one thought or sensation real and another unreal? External and internal is a matter of perception, which we can play with in literature. In a story you can jump from one person’s mind to another, which is not something we regularly do otherwise. But people who couldn’t get past that won’t get more than a chapter in. Which is fine, I didn’t write that book for everyone. In many ways I wrote Join My Cult! for myself. I don’t write everything for myself, but that one was a purgative, transformational form of psychotherapy. Other writers who have inspired me… this would be a really long list. I honestly wouldn’t know where to begin- different authors or works came to me at different times, a lot of times it was pretty serendipitous. When I was writing Join My Cult!, I was steeping my brain in James Joyce, Jean-Paul Sartre, Carl Jung, Frederich Nietzsche, Soren Kierkegaard, Aleister Crowley, Carlos Castenada, Robert Anton Wilson, Joseph Campbell… many others but those come to mind. When I came to my second novel, Fallen Nation, I was working off of many of the myths and stories of Dionysus, especially Euripides’ play The Bacchae, and Lilith, and a lot of other mythological motif’s, worked on top of my own experience… but I was also on some level probably influenced by Grant Morrison, Warren Ellis, Neil Gaiman - mostly authors who cut their teeth on graphic novels or comics.

Something often happens when I’m working on a project…I’ll be wrapping it up when a friend turns me on to a writer, or a book or a movie - and it’ll be like, “fuck. This is really similar to what I’m doing.” At least in one way or another. I’m not sure if inspiration can happen retroactively, but it sometimes seems to.

Your writing has a dreamlike-quality and can be nightmarish at times. How do you go about writing in this style? Is it improvised or do you plan out each chapter, seeing it as a film script might be viewed?

Again, this really depends on the project. Join My Cult! was a palimpsest - layers added on top of layers. There was no forethought in terms of the plot, only afterthought, rearrangement, re-writing, re-interpreting - beginning that process over. This is incidentally the kind of process I used when producing the album subQtaneous: Some Still Despair In A Prozac Nation. There are tracks on that album where the original “underpainting” tracks were pulled away entirely, so you hear people’s reactions, or reaction to a reaction, but not the material they were reacting to. Those underlying sketches became superfluous. It gives it a kind of dreamlike, meandering quality, that I think you either really like or simply don’t get. Again, that’s not an approach that’s right for all projects, but it’s something I wanted to explore specifically with those projects.

Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning was intentional. I had a very clear idea of what I wanted to accomplish, what the plot arcs would be - I charted it all out in Viseo as a series of flow charts before getting much writing done. Then I wrote the key scenes and narratives as the mood struck me, pieced them together in order, and then brought them all together and sanded off the edges. As a result of the different processes you get different end results. I think your process should be picked based on what the intention of the project is.

Also, as you grow as an artist, your repertoire grows… by that I mean the processes and techniques that are available to you. I also do my best brain-storming for writing in the state between awake and asleep. When I’m working on a writing project I will often meditate, or simply let myself relax to the point of slipping off into sleep, after having asked myself a question. Sometimes it’ll just be an image or something even more ephemeral, a fleeting feeling. But if I can capture that in my notes enough to “tag” that state of mind, then when I’m sitting down to really get to work, I can look at my notes and gather inspiration from that collection of “tagged” shards or impressions.

You can imagine, a lot of my notebooks seem a little schizophrenic. Usually, I do this when I’m at a point with a story where I simply don’t know where to go next, or how to deal with a problem that I’m feeling with a passage or character. Then, more often than not, the solution will present itself in that twilight state. The trick of course is to bring it back up, rather than slip off into sleep, because you’ll lose it. I also really enjoy writing scripts, I suppose there is a cinematic quality to how I write stories, especially recently. Join My Cult! would never translate well into that format, but I recently completed the screenplay adaptation of Fallen Nation, and I honestly think it works better than the book did…

Do the cults in Join My Cult! and Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning exist?

This ties into what I’d call “myth building.” In a sense yes, and in a sense, no. With Join My Cult!, there were times when there were groups in various cities, and going by various names, which were directly connected to the story. But the title was meant to be ironic, and the fact is that when any group of people get together, when they share similar beliefs, they become a cult of sorts. Which isn’t to say they’re all going to go out like Jim Jones’ crew. Fallen Nation is a little bit more hypothetical. But like I was saying earlier, it still all comes from “real life.” Whatever that is.

You’ve been involved in a wide range of musical projects as well. How do you incorporate so many different styles into your music? Is the process of creating different in your music than in your writing?

I’m not sure how to directly answer those questions. The styles that appear in the projects I work on has to do with my inspiration and influences, but also those of the collaborators involved. That process is alchemy, plain and simple. Right now I’m in the process of recording the debut album Nothing Is Sacred with Marz233 (previously of Elektroworx), Scott Landes (of Mankind Is Obsolete and Collide), and William Clark. We all have very diverse backgrounds and influences, the end result is the alchemy of that- and the push and pull that happens during the production process. We’re presently trying to work out the vocals; we’ve had a hard time finding the right vocalist for the project. It’s all about the process for me. The same end result might be enjoyable, inspirational, terrifying, or downright horrifying to different people. You can drive yourself crazy trying to figure out what the audience is going to think.

So the specific process is unique project-to-project. Working in so many different mediums, I recognize that my strength has become about arranging the big picture. I’ll never be a virtuoso - that requires a constant one-pointed meditation, a kind of single-minded dedication that I have neither the time nor interest in. One year I might do a lot of writing, another year might be spent working directing the production of a graphic novel or an album. I get antsy when I’m stuck doing the same thing for too long, though I make a point to see everything through that can be seen through, circumstances allowing.

Maybe I’m also afraid of typecasting myself. Heaven forbid one of my projects really blows up, that would be great but there’s always a danger there too. If you have success with one thing everything gets evaluated in comparison to that. You’ll get fans who will be downright offended, or worse, if you do something different the next time around. Everyone wants you to put out some kind of reiteration or reassemblage of the same material - especially if you’re getting pressured by a label or a publisher with a shrinking profit margin. In my opinion, if you hit gold with something, that can be a sign to you that it was the right place and time, but that place and time can’t be reproduced. You always need to move forward. There are artists who I think get that, like David Bowie. But so long as the end result of the process - the product - is given absolute value, and so long as it’s commodified, you’re going to mostly have sugar water posing as myth. This is one reason I’ve mostly worked on independent productions.

I’ll admit another reason is that most of what I’ve worked on is far too bizarre and demanding, from the perspective of mainstream culture, for a major to invest in. I’ve been working a lot on scripts lately, for comics, for independent films, and struggling to get them fully into production. It’s really a tough needle to thread. I’d certainly love to see what kinds of myths we could build with larger budget productions, but not if they’re going to be hamstrung by execs that don’t understand what we’re about.

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Initiation Masks of Identity (part 1)

agent139 — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 16:56:25 +0000

“I tell you: one must have chaos in one, to give birth to a dancing star.” — Frederich Nietzche.

Initiation is such a constant in the cultural body that it is evident in one form or another in nearly every human culture that has ever existed before the industrial age, at which point it became notably absent, at least on the surface. This absence has produced a very real psychological crisis on a cultural scale, although as we will see in many ways the initiatory impulse has merely transferred itself, oftentimes to behaviors and beliefs which only shallowly fulfill that impulse.

Full article on Reality Sandwich:

http://www.realitysandwich.com/initiation_masks_identity_part_1

(This three part series will be run in their final form in the Immanence of Myth anthology.)

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David Mack: Updated Interview (Drawing Outside The Lines)

agent139 — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 11:41:41 +0000

(This interview continued upon and expands upon an interview David and I conduced in 2007 for Alterati.com. It will be run in the Immanence of Myth anthology along with many other interviews with creators working in the realms of modern myth.)

I still remember the first time I encountered Kabuki. I was just browsing around a Barnes & Noble, buzzing on caffeine, and this beautifully illustrated hardcover book found its way into my hands.
It’s not hard to be taken in by the art, really, it is both graceful and bold- but I actually laughed out loud when I started reading it- there was a section where the characters were talking to one another, and then moving through a building. Now most sequential artists would draw panel after panel of them walking and talking, West Wing style, maybe breaking it up with different angles and whatnot so it’s not just a bunch of talking heads. But you just give us a top down view of the building, and little talk bubbles as they wind their way around the maze. I just thought that was completely brilliant…
I never would have thought of that, but then looking at it, it’s just like “of course!” This is something I’ve seen continuing through these books, that you are really good at finding the straightest line, the best means of telling the story rather than just adhering to whatever storytelling conventions people might be used to.

David Mack: I like how you described that. I think you described it very astutely. That is how I approach the art. As a tool of the writing. I try to consider what pace, or rhythm, or medium or visual personality of style of art will best and most effectively communicate that particular story or scene of the story.

Do you refer back to previous myths and stories when you write? Are there any that you find yourself returning to frequently?

DM: I allude to myth quite a bit in my work.
Certainly, Kabuki often refers to a certain amount of Japanese mythology. The story often incorporates the framework of Japanese myths and the Japanese Ghost Story that was a central theme in the Kabuki plays.

Kabuki also incorporates the traditional “Hero’s Journey”. The central myth that myths from all cultures and times continue to orbit around. From Biblical literature (which was probably my introduction to literature & mythology) to Greek Mythology, to folk stories around the globe. The scholar Joseph Campbell has written some incredible books about this: the journey of the hero, and the use of masks in mythology and storytelling.

But Kabuki also corresponds to a template of children’s literature and the mythology that has grown around that. Each of the Kabuki volumes alludes to a kind of children’s fairy tail. Both western and eastern fairy tale mythology & children’s literature is interwoven into the store. For instance the first volume of Kabuki is a retelling of Alice in Wonderland. Lewis Carroll told a fantastical story that was essentially the journey of a child into adult consciousness.
Hence the allegory of chess pieces.
The story of a pawn into a queen. If the pawn can make it to the other side of the board they become the most powerful piece on the board.
I used this iconography in Kabuki as well.
In KABUKI Vol. 1, each main character pertains to a piece on the chess board. And each main character correlates to a character from Alice in Wonderland.
The Twins, Siamese, are Tweedle Dee & Dum. The General is Humpty Dumpty, Scarab is the Beetle, Tigerlily & Snapdragon are named after the talking flowers in Through the looking glass and so on. When you know this, it is quite easy to correlate the characters. But when you don’t know it consciously, there is still a mythological iconography that gives weight to the story subconsciously.

(FULL INTERVIEW)

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Modern Mythology.net

agent139 — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 18:18:17 +0000

Now showing a regular feed of analysis of modern myth and media trends.

Popular series:

Looking at the impact of symbols

Immanence of myth

Writing

Art

Sign up to RSS.

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Immanence of Myth introduction on RS

agent139 — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 18:18:08 +0000

“James Curcio is currently collecting submissions for an anthology entitled The Immanence of Myth (click the following link for submission guidelines). In the article below (a version of the anthology’s introduction), he lays out the ideas that will frame the anthology — particularly concerning the evolving role of mythology in our post-industrial, highly technologized, capitalist society.”

Read the full article now from Reality Sandwich.

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Join My Cult audiobook episodes 12-13

agent139 — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 03:23:44 +0000

The psychedelic prologue to Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning, Join My Cult! has been rewiring drug-addled brains for the past five years. Now, here, for the first time (because we never bothered to get around to it before), is our rendition of the book in audio form. Music in these episodes is by P. Emerson Williams, Gordon Bash, Tracer, Scott Landes, David Resnick, Jason Benson, and James Curcio.

Want to read the novel instead? :

Join My Cult! eBook (PDF)

Hard copy on Amazon.

Past Episodes feed (iTunes or direct)

Download Join My Cult audiobook episode 12
Download Join My Cult audiobook episode 13
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Immanence of Myth: Anthology Submission Guidelines

agent139 — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 00:48:38 +0000

Mythos Media is seeking submissions for the (tentatively titled) anthology Immanence of Myth. This project came about through my own experiences, notes & essays on the subject, but I have decided to open the floor to contributors to increase the breadth of the book.

This book will likely be broken into three sections: a deconstruction & analysis of “myth” as a concept, some forms of modern myths, and a section dealing with personal myths & experience- how myths (your own or others) have transformed or affected you. (see below)

The premise of this book is that myths actually have an essential function in our daily lives, as a meaning-creating method of interpreting our experience, rather than being an “untrue but regularly held belief” or a fanciful story from a bygone era. We hope to redefine this idea in section 1 & provide unique examples in section 2 & 3:

For section 1 we are looking for essays that explore the concept of myth outside the “box” of one particular worldview. This can include analysis of existent myths but we are not creating an annotated bulfinch’s, and those examples should be used to support your central thesis.

Section 2 - articles on modern mythology, for example in media (movies, TV, literature, Internet), pop culture, and corporate/brand use of mythological techniques.

For section 3 we are looking for personal-essay style encounters with myth. These can be humorous, dramatic, or anything in-between but should not be journal entries– in other words, you have to provide the reader a means of understanding how myths have affected you, and how the reader can understand their own lives through a mythic lens.

In all cases, cite your references, and please proofread & spellcheck your work.

Submit your work as a Word or Open Office document.

Publication:

We will be releasing this anthology through Mythos media. The first edition will be made available as a free PDF and POD hardcopy. We will push this through several online channels but each contributor should also promote it to their network of contacts. If this effort is successful we will push it to in-store publication.

Your work will be published nonexclusively, meaning you can publish your submission (as submitted) at a later date with someone else if you so choose. If we partner with any publishers in a later edition we will insist on the nonexclusive use of your work unless you say otherwise.

Submission does not ensure acceptance.

Your submissions will be edited. We will attempt to include you in that process when possible but we maintain the final editorial decision. Please don’t submit if this will be a problem.

We are not maintaining a strict guideline on length. Shoot for between 1500-7000 words.

The first edition will be unpaid and available to contributors at the base printing cost. We may be able to offer a flat rate on later editions if the 1st edition does very well but this is not assured.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: December 10th, 2009.

Publication date TBD

SEND SUBMISSIONS TO: jamescurcio AT gmail DOT com and subscribe to the blog at http://joinmycult.blogspot.com to keep up-to-date.

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Join My Cult! audiobook episodes 8 - 11

agent139 — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 01:43:34 +0000

The psychedelic prologue to Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning, Join My Cult! has been rewiring drug-addled brains for the past five years. Now, here, for the first time (because we never bothered to get around to it before), are four installments of the book in audio form. Music in these episode is by P. Emerson Williams, Scott Landes, Nate Sampsel, and James Curcio.

Want to read the novel instead? :

Join My Cult! eBook (PDF)

Past Episodes feed (iTunes or direct)

Download Join My Cult audiobook episode 8
Download Join My Cult audiobook episode 9
Download Join My Cult! audiobook episode 10
Download Join My Cult! audiobook episode 11
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Join My Cult audiobook episode 6 - 7

agent139 — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 01:43:27 +0000

The psychedelic prologue to Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning, Join My Cult! has been rewiring drug-addled brains for the past five years. Now, here, for the first time (because we never bothered to get around to it before), are two installment of the book in audio form. Music in this episode is by James Curcio, Nate Sampsel, and P. Emerson Williams.

Want to see what J read in the script in episode 7? Check out this video.

Want to read the novel instead? :

Join My Cult! eBook (PDF)

Past Episodes feed (iTunes or direct)

Download Join My Cult audiobook episode 6
Download Join My Cult audiobook episode 7
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Join My Cult! audiobook episode 5

agent139 — Fri, 29 May 2009 03:13:50 +0000

The psychedelic prologue to Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning, Join My Cult! has been rewiring drug-addled brains for the past five years. Now, here, for the first time (because we never bothered to get around to it before), is an installment of the book in audio form. Music in this episode is by Scott Landes (from subQtaneous).

Want to read it instead? :

Join My Cult! eBook (PDF)

Past Episodes feed (iTunes or direct)

Download Join My Cult! audiobook episode 5
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Join My Cult audiobook episode 4

agent139 — Wed, 27 May 2009 03:32:12 +0000

The psychedelic prologue to Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning, Join My Cult! has been rewiring drug-addled brains for the past five years. Now, here, for the first time (because we never bothered to get around to it before), is an installment of the book in audio form. Music in this episode is by P. Emerson Williams & James Curcio and contains outtake material from subQtaneous as well as some early source material from the upcoming soundtrack to the movie Y (currently in pre-production).

Want to read it instead? : Join My Cult! eBook (PDF)

Past Episodes feed (iTunes or direct)

Download Join My Cult audiobook episode 4
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Join My Cult audiobook episode 3

agent139 — Sun, 24 May 2009 23:35:46 +0000

The psychedelic prologue to Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning, Join My Cult! has been rewiring drug-addled brains for the past five years. Now, here, for the first time (because we never bothered to get around to it before), is an installment of the book in audio form. Music in this episode is an acoustic jam with Scott Landes and James Curcio.

Want to read it instead? :

Join My Cult! eBook (PDF)

Past Episodes

Download Join My Cult audiobook episode 3
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Join My Cult audiobook episode 2

agent139 — Tue, 19 May 2009 04:01:16 +0000

The psychedelic prologue to Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning, Join My Cult! has been rewiring drug-addled brains for the past five years. Now, here, for the first time (because we never bothered to get around to it before), is an installment of the book in audio form.

Want to read it instead? :

Join My Cult! eBook (PDF)

Download join my cult audiobook episode 2
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Join My Cult audiobook episode 1

agent139 — Tue, 19 May 2009 03:16:37 +0000

The psychedelic prologue to Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning, Join My Cult! has been rewiring drug-addled brains for the past five years. Now, here, for the first time (because we never bothered to get around to it before), is an installment of the book in audio form. LISTEN (mp3)

Want to read it instead? :

Join My Cult! eBook (PDF)

Download Join My Cult audiobook episode 1
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Medicine Show - Now Released!

agent139 — Wed, 06 May 2009 03:27:31 +0000

A Mythical Tale Of Frontier Life Told In Words & Pictures

They who suffer tribulation and pain need suffer never more again!

Dr. Chak Votan’s patented elixir combines a variety of robust, natural ingredients to provide a wonderful remedy. It cures most ills, including (but not limited to): Aches, Coughs, Constipation, Incontinence, Neurosis, Nervousness, Stammers, Eruptions, Night Terrors, Cannibalism, Somnambulism, and Complacency.

Accept no substitute. It’s the Primordial Libation that effects proper cures where other remedies and treatments fail!

Interview with the author/illustrator about the process of creating a myth, Reality Hackers, working on Dragon Magazine & Magic The Gathering and the I Ching (Alterati.com).

Pick up the early release edition.

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Join My Cult! eBook

agent139 — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 18:10:34 +0000

“SERIOUSLY, IT’LL FUCK YOUR SHIT UP FOREVER”FREE JOIN MY CULT! ebook (PDF). A non-linear train-wreck that you will likely love, hate (or both), this book satirically explores the descent into modern occultism, psychedelics, and cthulian psychosis.Also, if you would like to catch one of the final physical versions of this book likely to be available to the general public for a little while, head on over to Amazon. Recent events with New Falcon have made it so the first edition will likely be canned before it’s run the full of its life cycle.

There have also been rumors, discussions, or what-have-you about future release of a new, fully edited edition of Join My Cult! and Fallen Nation. I’m not making any final decision about this until the end of this year… but it is a definite possibility.

More free writing available here. (Including 1st edition free PDF of the sequel to JMC!, Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning.)

Download Join My Cult! (1st edition)
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TE: Light To Darkness / Darkness To Light

agent139 — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 20:58:01 +0000

As promised, following the release of the 2nd “Fear & Loathing On The Internet” installment, here is the full res (.wav) version of the installment of the audio installation I prepared for Foolish People’s Terra Extremitas’ event in Amsterdam.

This is an acoustic journey into the Bardo, linking the narratives of my 2nd, mythically inspired novel, Fallen Nation Babylon Burning, and the upcoming film, Y.

First played with accompanying theatrics at the Foolish People Terra Extremitas event in Amsterdam, August 08. Includes original music by Scott Landes (Collide, Mankind is Obsolete), Jon Siren (Mankind is Obsolete, Hate Dept), James Curcio (Babalon, subQtaneous), and Peter Emerson Williams (Choronzon, Veil of Thorns).” Listen or download now

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FN audiobook note, and new site

agent139 — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 21:22:22 +0000

The location of the Fallen Nation audiobook files changed, so until I go through and update the posts here, the links no longer work. However, you can listen to all of these through the plugin on this page at JamesCurcio.net.

On that note… I recently re-coded and designed that site, and put a ton of old content there, from writing to full music albums. Enjoy at your leisure.

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The G-Spot #50

agent139 — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 01:35:17 +0000

In this episode of the G-Spot, we bring you some Sleepchamber phone hijinx, an interview with Psuke about an upcoming podcasts of hers, some bedtime stories with the antichrist, and ranting dialogues with a group of criminals and scholars, including the always untoxicated Dr. Adventure. Enjoy!

Download The G-Spot #50
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Solstice and New Years Presents from Mythos Media

agent139 — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 07:25:57 +0000

A New Year For Us All - From the www.MythosMedia.net team.

Amidst all of the turmoil that has occurred both in the US and abroad in 2008, many of the media giants are stomping around blindly. There is no better time for truly independent groups of artists, musicians and myth makers to band together to collaborate, share and grow their myths. This is why Mythos Media formed in 2006-2007, and it remains our singular goal. The time is ripe now, but we need to meet each other halfway.

The purpose of this mailer is to alert you to what we have been doing over this past year, and what we look to create in 2009. The days of purely passive media are through. Sure, everyone likes to unwind and watch a movie from time to time, but always existing in that state of consumption leaves people shut-down, and isolated. This is why social media is exploding, even if major corporations are trying to turn the Internet into an ad-laden, vapid wasteland.

We all need stories that we can participate in, and a framework for us to collaborate and create work together. This is our goal moving forward- not only building our own myths but creating a sandbox for you to build your own as well. We believe static media like books and DVDs are merely entrance points into interactivity, collaboration, and the creation of new myths in the future, using technologies that are still being refined even as we speak.

We hope you join us.

–James Curcio, Christmas Eve, 2008.

See the full, unabridged State of the Union, with tons of free books, music and more, go here: http://www.mythosmedia.net/content/2008/mm-12-08.html

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Two Headed Monster

agent139 — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 03:11:32 +0000

(Photo by Matthew Cooke.)In my opinion, Collide’s recent release, Two Headed Monster, is both a culmination and a departure from their past work. Though it may remain in the same rack in the record store (those still exist, right?), you can feel that a maturation has taken place. Contrary to opinion, maturation of this nature doesn’t simply come with time.As many artists prove, you can create and re-create the same thing for a lifetime, if you so choose. There is a deceptive, almost infinite freedom provided by working on projects exclusively in the studio, as much of Collide’s previous work has been. Sometimes those boundless 3 a.m.-in-the-studio possibilities can become a creatively stagnating trap. I’m happy they managed to avoid that trap, instead creating a thickly-textured, lively album that stands up to many listens. As some of you probably already know, I’m not a fan of regurgitating the experience of listening to an album in an attempt to entice you into buying it. (Though as that goes, the Fearnet.com review was pretty good.)Rather, I leave it to you to check it out, and form your own opinion. The process that created a work is always most interesting to me, so I am happy that I had the chance to talk to kaRIN and statik about how this album came into being…James Curcio: The first thing that stood out to me on this album was that it seemed to be more collaborative than your previous work. Correct me if I’m wrong on this, but it feels to me that Collide really took a step forward in that regard, and several others. After so many years with the two of you primarily working as a “two headed monster” (as it were), what was it like opening the songwriting process up to other band members and contributors?

kaRIN: The primary song writing for Collide is still primarily Statik and myself. Over the years, we are just trying to evolve as much as we can and not make the same songs over again. We were very lucky to have gathered up some great live players, so the live influence and the fact that all of our live members contributed to each of the songs is definitely evident on Two Headed Monster.

(Read the full interview on Alterati.com.)

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Scott Landes of Collide: a collaborative profile.

agent139 — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 05:44:16 +0000

Next week- supposing I can finally kick the plague that’s been ravaging my innards- I’m going to be writing a review of Collide’s recent release Two Headed Monster. It’ll run both on Alterati.com and Greylodge.org. This album has been three years in the making, and as you may have already heard, showcases Danny Carey from Tool and Dean Garcia from Curve, as well as the members of the live band they assembled.Before then, however, I wanted to give a shout out to an ex-bandmate and good friend of mine, who happens to be a member of that live band- Scott Landes. The fact of that matter is that oftentimes the headliners steal all the oxygen from the room- which isn’t to say that it isn’t warranted. (My respect for what kaRIN and statiK have done aside, I won’t deny an almost fanboy-ish love for Danny Carey’s drumming.)

However, in this case the other members, who often get referred to in the reviews as “the live band,” are all talented musicians in their own right. Who knows the names of the band that played with Tori Amos when touring for Little Earthquakes, or PJ Harvey’s bandmates on Rid of Me? (Don’t check with Google. I’m just making a point.) This is a fault purely of the press- and the simple bottom line of what sells tickets and records.

I don’t know the other members of Collide’s band well enough to talk about them, though Kai Kurosawa’s muscianship is clearly impressive. However, having known, worked with, and on several occasions lived with Scott, I wanted to share a little of that, and some reflections of my own work with him and how he influenced me- before jumping into a review of Collide’s album on its own ground.

I first met Scott in 98 or 99 during my Sophmore year at Bard College. Our mutual friend Jim introduced us, and he promptly blew me away with the intensity of his playing- and in the process snapped at least one of the strings on the Mexican strat that I owned at the time.

From that point on, we began a many-year long collaboration which oftentimes veered into the obscure or plain bizarre. Scott got me to take music more seriously- it was hard not to, what with how passionate he is about it. He would literally stay up all night playing until his fingers bled. (And then keep playing.) One part of what motivated me to take Jazz harmony and music theory classes was so that I could keep up with him on my chosen instrument at the time, bass. On the other hand, I’d like to think that I helped him learn to take music a little less seriously. Oftentimes, we would have absurd jams so ridiculous that we’d fall over laughing. These first meanderings took the form of Bile Shower, a truly awful concoction which was a great deal of fun to create, and which wreaks pain and havoc upon whomever has the poor sense to subject themselves to it.

This did eventually lead to more serious projects, such as Babalon, but throughout I would say that there’s always been an underlying comedy in most of the work we’ve done together, even those which got more production attention, like subQtaneous. (Here is a live recording of Waiting and a demo of Save The World, two of my favorites from what we recorded with Babalon).

After Babalon broke up, Scott joined forces with Collide, and a little while thereafter, with Mankind Is Obsolete. I had MKIO stay at my apartment several months back, when they were still on their colossal year+ tour, and got to briefly reconnect with him and meet some new faces. Here is a band operating completely without a label, living out of a van, playing gigs varying in size and grandiosity from Warp tour dates to some people in a corn field. (Read Part 1 and Part 2 of my review and interview with Mankind is Obsolete from last year before they hit the road.) Living off of tuna and celery and playing music every night. It just goes to show that though the days of excess Guns N’ Roses got to experience might be gone, if you are committed enough, you can hit the road and find an audience.

I’ve been involved in several musical projects since Babalon, and some studio work with Scott since. However, I’ve yet to meet someone with his singleminded passion, dedication and drive for the art. It is truly a rare thing. If you have the opportunity to see him perform with Collide, Mankind Is Obsolete, or any other bands that he chooses to work with, I highly suggest you take it. I always look forward to seeing him on stage, or having another opportunity to collaborate.

Look for a review of Two Headed Monster next week.

–James Curcio.

(As a final note to the Fallen Nation readers out there- yes, the character of Cody was based- in part - on Scott.)

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Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning optioned by Invictus Films & SB Productions

agent139 — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 04:39:03 +0000

Just a quick announcement for those that have been following along here because I can’t contain myself- You read the title right. The film rights to Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning have been optioned by Invictus Films & SB Productions. Expect many more updates to come!

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Light to Darkness / Darkness to Light : sneak peek.

agent139 — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 06:32:00 +0000

This is a sneak peek at a sample of the soundtrack that will be used in a performance at Terra Extremitas, put on by the Foolish People. The script and soundtrack are based on some of the eschatological themes in Fallen Nation, and will serve as a bridge between that and a future project with the Foolish People, and many other creatives you may or may not have heard of…

The voices you will hear in this soundtrack will be the voices inside the actor’s head. The rest you will just have to imagine- or better yet, get your ass to the event.

Also, after the Terra Extremitas event in Amsterdam, we will be providing you with a version of this soundtrack with the actors lines added- which may or may not have video, depending on how the filming at the event goes. Enjoy!
Soundtrack Credits:

Writing: James Curcio, Jason Stackhouse.

Production & Art Direction: James Curcio.

Music: P. Emerson Williams (Choronzon, Veil of Thorns), James Curcio, Scott Landes (Collide, Mankind is Obsolete), Jon Siren (Mankind is Obsolete, Hate Dept).

Download Light to Darkness / Darkness to Light (soundtrack, early sneak peek)
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Creative Process

agent139 — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 04:02:10 +0000

A post about visual creative process over on Alterati.com:

“The question has been raised in a couple forums of what my process has been in building these images- in one case it came up because someone wanted it removed from a “digital art” community because these were “clearly photographs,” when, as you’ll see, that distinction isn’t really quite so clear. It’s a difficult process for me to talk about, both because even after a decade working in Photoshop it is still such an experimental process, and that it is so subconscious that I don’t generally articulate what I’m doing- I just do it. A lot of the process is discovery: adding, stepping back, stepping closer, re-arranging, stepping back- a constant internal dialogue and balancing act which can take hours, days, or even weeks with a single piece. But I’ll give it a shot. “

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Fallen Nation Audiobook Episode 16

agent139 — Wed, 28 May 2008 22:55:34 +0000

The real end to this story was Patron bottles bursting clear blue spume out of ruptured plaster walls; bloody footprints on tiled floors; throat shredding screeching that blended fight and fuck. It was her daring stare as she dropped down on all fours on the broken glass, makeup a dripping mess, leather boots laced to her pared knees, begging for more.
There did come a day when he woke up and she wasn’t there. In the real story, the now dried rose she had given him was lost in the splintered ruins he turned their home into.
Since then, it was one long walk.

Order Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning through Amazon.com now.

Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning audiobook feed: subscribe to iTunes and other podcasting services through this link. Music by Scott and Gordon of Mankind Is Obsolete, and James Curcio.

Download Fallen Nation Audiobook Episode 16
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The G-Spot 32

agent139 — Mon, 05 May 2008 06:04:16 +0000

In this special one hour G-Spot, James Curcio builds a fragmented narrative through excerpts from various shows that he produced / co-produced over the past seven years, wandering through it as if displaced in time, in a fever dream. Also included is an excerpt from Transmedia Litany, with Genesis P. Orridge & Joseph Matheny. All of the music and content that makes up this podcasts is home-grown, recorded in various home & psuedo-professional studios.Some links you may want to check out after / while you listen: ZenseiderZ, the rough version of the MHB informercial (c2000), the Join My Cult! eBook, Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning eBook, order Fallen Nation on Amazon, Babalon.

We suggest you listen on headphones. Or while driving late at night. (Though we aren’t responsible if you drive off the road.)

Download The G-Spot 32
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Fallen Nation Audiobook Episode 15

agent139 — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 20:48:12 +0000

“…that’s all in the past now,” he was saying, “From there, it was like a ball rolling downhill, gathering momentum. Even gentle footfalls can start an avalanche, given the proper conditions. Once it gains enough velocity…anyone who stands in its way will be crushed. What you need to understand…is that the history of man is the history of an ongoing Reality War.” Suke hopped onto his shoulder and chittered. He batted her away and continued without missing a beat.
“What rises to the top? What sinks into obscurity? …I’m not just talking about Darwinism.”
“What are you rambling about?” Agent 506 called back from the driver’s seat, somehow able to make out his crackpot, spit-fire monologue over the deep hum of the engine. “Reality is not up for grabs. That’s the whole point: it’s real.”

Order Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning through Amazon.com now.

Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning audiobook feed: subscribe to iTunes and other podcasting services through this link.

Download Fallen Nation Audiobook Episode 15
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Immanence of Myth- early/discussion version

agent139 — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 21:57:52 +0000

“The following are in-progress chapters for an upcoming work The Immanence of Myth, which picks up and expands on some of the ideas first presented in “Living The Myth” in Generation Hex. This will be an exploration of myth in its function as intermediary between human and world (represented as language, music, sculpture, or any other form of expression), and how the myth-making process underlies all of the beliefs that we hold about the world, no matter how logically consistent they are. Though it is my general preference to simply know this, and explore the creation of myths in different media, I’ve been feeling lately that an expression of those underpinnings may be insightful, even useful for others. The book will be co-authored with Rowan Tepper, M.A. though the following was written by myself. Please forgive typos, structural inconsistencies and the like, as this book is still in production. It is being released in hopes of receiving feedback and generating conversation in unexpected corners, which will help strengthen the final form of the book.” PDF now available.

Download Immanence of Myth (early/discussion edition)
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Fallen Nation: Episode 13

agent139 — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 06:05:54 +0000

“He pulled out a notepad and frantically took notes. When the list was complete, he said, “Alright, bitch. Don’t you dare tell me how a bunch of good-fer-nothings like yerselves came on fifty big ones, I don’t need to be an accessory to God-knows-what…and in return I won’t tell you what I done with my sexretary last night,” he grinned and hung up the phone.”

Order Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning through Amazon.com now.

Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning audiobook feed. Music by Marz233 & subQtaneous.

Download Fallen Nation Episode 13
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Fallen Nation Audiobook #12

agent139 — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 01:07:08 +0000

So it really did happen, then. It wasn’t just the delusions of a fragmented mind. Or…at least not all of it. The cult, the rants, the hallucinogens, the cross-dressing… All these were like billiard balls leading to the ward, on account of the one thing she hadn’t done. Well, she remembered proclaiming some schizophrenic suburban kid a “prophet,” when floored on acid at some nightclub. Jesus was sure she didn’t actually have anything to do with that live grenade said “prophet” later mismanaged in the restaurant.

Order Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning through Amazon.com now.

Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning audiobook feed.

Download Fallen Nation Audiobook Episode 12
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Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning Audiobook Episode 11

agent139 — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 23:39:10 +0000

For those of you who haven’t started listening to the audiobook, here’s a good place to start- if you like what you hear sign up to the feed and listen to the back episodes.

Adam Trevino plodded up the stairs to his apartment, brooding at the way his sidearm thumped his ribs as he climbed. Might as well fret about the gun; its weight, suddenly uncomfortable, the vast legal machinery dedicated to keeping it in the holster. Better that than to contemplate the empty pocket in his overcoat, where his credentials used to be. Better to walk the streets, dreaming dimly.
His suspension was in its third day. It wouldn’t be reviewed for two more, and in all likelihood, he would be stripped of rank. Orphaned.

Order Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning through Amazon.com now.

Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning audiobook feed, see the Alterati feed if you want to start at the beginning.

This section of Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning was written by James Curcio, co-written by Jason Stackhouse and read by P. Emerson Williams. Music is provided by Babalon, Marz233 and the 233project, Dan Stone, Barbara Smith, and James Curcio.

Download Fallen Nation Audiobook Episode 11
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Fallen Nation Audiobook Episode 9

agent139 — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 21:07:34 +0000

From the journals of Dr. Fein.

12/17/02 17:49:31 The Journal of Dr. Fein, M.D., Ph.D.
I find myself resistant to morning. Waking before the alarm, I hide next to my wife and play dead. Slow breaths, deep. Eyes closed. Relax the facial muscles, don’t clench, you’re asleep. I wonder what I will do when the alarm rings. Call out today? I could, I could just stay right here. I could choose sleep. But then tomorrow? The day after?
Shower, dress. Match tie, because appearance is important. Kiss wife, still maybe—sleeping. Coffee, bagel, long for a cigarette and congratulate self on quitting. Think about fixing the door (creaks) and drive away.
Routine. Structure. My life is together. I am the one in control…

Order Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning through Amazon.com now.

Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning audiobook feed. (Go here to subscribe for free to the feed through services such as iTunes, or to listen to back episodes.)
The original chapter of Join My Cult! excerpted in this episode written by James Curcio, co-written by Ari & Jason Stackhouse and read by P. Emerson Williams. Music is provided by Choronzon, subQtaneous.

Download Fallen Nation Audiobook Episode 9
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Fallen Nation trailer contest

agent139 — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 13:21:52 +0000

Want to share your psychosis & have thousands see your work? We are excited to announce that we just completed two audio trailers for the Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning project: one 30 second and one 60 second. Originally we intended to produce a video ourselves before running it all over the net, but we thought it might be more exciting (and surprising) to offer it up to the public for you budding videographers, film students, drug fiends, cut-up artists, etc. If you win you will be included in an ongoing viral campaign, you will receive a signed 1st and 2nd edition of the book, and we will line up an interview with you about your work to run in the G-Spot. Your work can be animation, video, or any mixture of the two, and may be produced using whatever software / hardware you choose.Within the contest media packet (.RAR - right click and save as or it will crash Firefox) you will find full details for this contest. Your submissions must be in by March 31, 2008.

Download Other Media
Download The Fallen Nation 60 sec trailer
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Fallen Nation: Audiobook episode 6

agent139 — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 21:11:15 +0000

Jesus’ dreams from within the hospital.

No longer right here, right now. Here operated under different rules. Here was a deserted asylum, being slowly eaten by the encroaching forest, vines replacing windows, morning glory augmenting the brick facades of what appeared to be a college campus. Here was timeless. Interrupting his musings, the aging Chevy passed, windows rolled down and some Styx love ballad blasting from the tinny speakers. The fortyish man behind the wheel didn’t slow, didn’t even look around. Jesus waited a polite moment, then crossed the cracked pavement. Dead streetlamps flanked the overgrown paths, some tilting crazily like drunken soldiers. Rusted iron railings drove straight lines through shapeless shrubbery, and as Jesus crept along them, he could hear, in a near-perfect circle around him, the rodents, the insects, the creeping things fleeing at his bow and in his wake. The wave-front of the present had passed, failing to take this quiet place along with it. His carefully reddened flashlight didn’t cast enough light for anyone but a nocturnal pothead or a cat burglar. Jesus smiled to himself at the thought— Been both of those, I suppose.

Order Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning through Amazon.com now.
Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning audiobook feed.
The original chapter of Join My Cult! excerpted in this episode written by James Curcio, co-written by Ari & Jason Stackhouse.

Download Fallen Nation audiobook: episode 6
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Fallen Nation: Audiobook episode 5

agent139 — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 07:54:43 +0000

Agent 139 has a chat with his doctor. (Music by Johan Ess.)Order Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning through Amazon.com now.Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning audiobook feed.

Download Fallen Nation audiobook: episode 5
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Fallen Nation: Audiobook episode 4

agent139 — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 19:59:19 +0000

Order Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning through Amazon.com now.

Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning audiobook feed.
Subscribe now to have episodes delivered to you automatically.

Download Fallen Nation audiobook: episode 4
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Fallen Nation audiobook episode 3

agent139 — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 16:54:51 +0000

Order Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning through Amazon.com now.Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning audiobook feed (listen to the other episodes, subscribe.)

Download Fallen Nation audiobook episode 3
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Fallen Nation: Audiobook Episode 2

agent139 — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 21:15:47 +0000

Message from Agent 139, Pennhurst hospital, 2002.Listen to previous episodes.

Download Fallen Nation audiobook: episode 2
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Fallen Nation: Audiobook Episode 1

agent139 — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 20:15:00 +0000

HOW ROCK AND ROLL SAVED THE WORLD.Order Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning. (For the other episodes in this series, go here.)

Download Fallen Nation audiobook: episode 1
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Fallen Nation: Audiobook Prologue

agent139 — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 23:12:54 +0000

The story begins with a glimpse of the future, from the swamps of the deep south and a tide that never rolls out…(Order Fallen Nation from Amazon.com.).

Download Fallen Nation audiobook: Prologue
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The G-spot Episode 18

agent139 — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 06:10:16 +0000

James Curcio gives us another podcast episode of Postgenre Blues, this time talking about inadequate copyright laws, the media war, remixes and a Microsoft takedown notice sent to the Alterati.net crew.Wes Unruh gives us a talking to about DIY television, the struggle against media monopoly, and converses on the subject with Freeman.

Joseph Matheny brings us another mini episode of the resurrected Gpod, digging in the archives with the Chicago Underground Industrial Tape Scene.

And Jason Lubyk reads, channels aliens and fucks with your mind.

This shows offering of music:

“Shock The Monkey” originally by Peter Gabriel, remixed by n8ur.

“Daily Grind,” originally from subQtaneous: Some Still Despair In A Prozac Nation, remixed by DJ Doctor Device.

“This is Aryian Bass,” a mashup megamix, by Johan Ess.

“Legit Honey” from Humpasaur Jones’ Keep It Moist.

An audiobook short from the novel Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning.

Download The G-spot 18
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The G-spot Episode 17

agent139 — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 07:09:07 +0000

We are starting a new tradition. We hope you enjoy it.

In this episode of the G-spot:

- James Curcio continues his Alterati.com column Post-genre Blues in podcast format, with a rant on genre and excerpts of DJ Food’s Raiding the 20th Century and the Rosemary’s Baby theme from Fantomas’ Director’s Cut.

- Wes Unruh digs up the random and bizarre. This week: Jenkem. It’s the shit. (Literally.)

-Joseph Matheny resurrects GPod Radio by interviewing Chandra Shukla of Erotox Decodings, chatting about fun, sun and glory days.

- Jason Lubyk’s electronic noise drone pulsates into the realm of the UFO gods - their indifferent cosmic vastness and the earthbound cargo cults that worship them.

Download The G-spot 17
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smallworld podcast interviews subqtaneous

agent139 — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 20:23:59 +0000

Described as a “stick of dynamite strapped to reality,” (Scenery Zine), subQtaneous is a diverse conceptual, collaborative album. It carves new soundscapes ranging from brutal, pounding industrial to sarcastic hip hop set over carnival music to delicately layered trance. It has been compared to Pigface, probably due to its format, as well as Coil, Mr Bungle, the Tapeworm project, and Frank Zappa.

Interview with James Curcio and P. Emerson Williams of subQtaneous.

We discuss the lyrics of P. Emerson Williams; how subQtaneous helped create relationships; the many versions of “Double Bind”; why it took so long to release their CD, Some Still Despair In A Prozac Nation; why subQtaneous ws formed when so many of the musicians live all over the country; similarities to Pigface; the members who make up subQtaneous; the Abyss of Hallucinations; the complications of working with so many people; what was surprisingly easy recording Some Still Despair In A Prozac Nation; recording “Wake Up”; why the recorded the album in so many different studios; the guitar stylings of Scott Landes; post-punk political commentary; Mythos Media; the influence of Joseph Campbell.

Featured songs are:

1. “Double Bind”
2. “Equinox”
3. “Wake Up”

Download Smallworld Podcast, Interview with subQtaneous
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Music released by Mythos Media

agent139 — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 03:23:04 +0000

Mythos Media has finally made their initial offering of eclictic, out-there music, and it seems to be going over well with some of the critics.

subQtaneous: “What strangeness have we here? This: a trippy ride through post-industrial atmospheres, guided by multi-instrumentalist and producer James Curcio. Although SubQtaneous seems to be a collaborative effort, with many names in the credits, it’s James Curcio’s name that crops up most often. This music runs riot from dubbed-up rumbling to heavily-fuzzed guitar workouts, from incongruous jazz odysseys to bouts of bad-trip psychedelia. At times, it resembles rock music, particularly on ‘Daily Grind’, which sounds like the kind of mashed-up splattery racket you’d get if you shoved Ministry down a waste disposal unit. At other times, rhythms you could (almost) dance to are hauled into the sonic melee, and there are effect-laden interludes and sample-soaked soundscapes, although even when things get a little mellow the listener can never quite escape the suspicion that monsters lurk just beyond the music. ‘All You Know’ is a jazzy rap, springing forward on the vibrations of a double bass, and in a way it’s the most radical thing here. Stick out a white label 12″ with this track on it, and I bet it would be all over hip hop radio in a week. ‘Panning For Gold In Rivers Of Blood’ sounds like someone slipped the orchestra that accompanies silent movies some amphetamines, while ‘Out Of Control’ belies its title with a tumbling, chopped-up neo-rock rampage. I’m not at all sure who SubQtaneous think is going to buy their wayward art, for it’s obviously not aimed at any particular market, and the band - if indeed there is a band - takes a particular delight in eating generic boundaries for breakfast. But you know what? I’m glad this stuff is out there.”

Veil of Thorns: “Another emanation from the Mythos Media monster, in this case a solo project from P.Emerson Williams. And - somewhat surprisingly - we’re in the rock zone, sort of. Veil Of Thorns are not exactly a band, but the music does inhabit a rocky landscape, even if it sometimes doesn’t seem entirely comfortable there. P. Emerson Williams is responsible for vocals and most instruments, with James Curcio on drums (I’m delighted to note, by the way, that the album was engineered by someone called Fluffy) and together they brew up a dust storm of tight-but-loose guitar riffs and driving, nervy, drums. Let’s sample some: ‘The Enigmatic Barely Atone’ has a lost-in-the-desert feel, as if the sands of the Sahara are shifting under the music as it hurtles towards the sunset. ‘Delusions Of Excitement’ is a fine title for a spooky, sepulchral song - the desert night has fallen, the world is hushed. Even the bass seems muted here, rumbling somewhere in the background as if Steve Severin was hiding behind a pyramid. ‘Corrode And Engulf’ (Veil Of Thorns are great on titles) is a grind of treated cello, half way between a lament and a threat. This music is, naturally, high on atmosphere, and if, at times, it teeters on the brink of proggy indulgence it has enough latent attitude to pull back from the brink. It’s like nothing else out there, that’s for sure.”

Download subQtaneous - Out of Control
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Chins vs Beards

agent139 — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 04:54:42 +0000

Rudy Rauben has lived and died a few lives, from the sound of it. In a previous incarnation he once served as art director, graphic designer or illustrator for a variety of magazines, including Dragon, Amazing Stories, and Reality Hackers. You may have seen some his of illustrations in collectible card games like Magic: The Gathering or the H.P. Lovercraft inspired Mythos.

This time around Rudy is back with a new graphic novel called The Medicine Show, and another one in the works.

He first contacted me out of interest for Mythos Media, we got to talking, and quickly realized we actually had quite a lot to discuss. I’m going to be sharing some of those conversations with you, wherein we touch on everything from the I Ching, internal Kung fu and the artistic process to bizarre times at Reality Hackers and experiences working for TSR and Wizards of the Coast.

Two part interview on Alterati.com:

Part 1
Part 2

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Fallen Nation: Welcome To The Apocalypse (PDF)

agent139 — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 21:23:58 +0000

This concludes the first section of this comic series. I’ve included the PDF of all eight pages with this post. It is registered as Creative Commons so feel free to pass it to whomever you like.

Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning (the full length novel) is also now available to the public.

Two and a half years. The first edition book is done. 279 pages (first two don’t count), lots of black and white illustration. Oh yeah, also, lots of words. About 100,000 of them.

It looks like it’s going to take a couple weeks for Booksurge to place Fallen Nation through online retailers (Amazon, Waldenbooks, B&N, etc) so I’m making the exact same book available through lulu temporarily. I’ve ordered copies through them for the first round promotion and reviews, they look great. Also, a PDF of the pre-release version (before final editorial and layout) is in the most recent Greylodge Occult Review, here.

More related media- interview on Reality Sandwich, where we talk about the background and myth behind this story (and the ones that have come before, and will come after), Bedtime Stories With The Antichrist #3 & The G-Spot Episode 4, which both include audiobook content from Fallen Nation: Babylon Burning.

Download Fallen Nation: Welcome To The Apocalypse (comic)
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The Fountain

agent139 — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 05:52:46 +0000

Darren Aronofsky first gained notoriety in the film world through his movie Pi, a black and white excursion into the fine line between genius and madness, riddled with fascinating but largely unexplored Kabbalistic overtones. Later, his film Requiem For A Dream, though masterfully shot and lushly scored, seemed to lead us into an even deeper abyss, without even the scantest light at the end of the tunnel. I remember feeling the desperate need to shower after watching the film, but was left with little more than the realization that it was an accurate portrayal of the shallow, beautiful horror that is the downward spiral of addiction.His most recent film, The Fountain, which was in and out of production for several years and almost never made it onto the screen at all, is in my opinion by far his best to date. Partially as a result of these production issues, it was also made into a graphic novel as well, based off of the original script for the movie. The graphic novel, which I recently picked up at a comic convention, is a true work of art in its own right, with a sketchy and yet strangely painterly style that is uncommon and much called for in comics.

The Fountain deals with some of the most central issues we face as humans, the big ones: life, death, what is lost, and what remains. He does so in a visually stunning, deeply moving manner. Aronofsky’s background in myth and metaphor is as clearly apparent as most people’s complete lack of understanding in these areas. To begin with, from review to review, and even in the wikipedia entry (a source well known for its standard of infallibility), there is talk of this story taking place in three times, or of consisting of three plots: a Conquistador, set in the time of Spain’s conquests and search for glory, a scientist, dead-set upon saving his dying wife, and an astronaut or mystic, exploring a nebula referenced in the other “time-lines” as relating to the Mayan creation myth. These converging and diverging time-lines seem to confuse people, as they try to track how they might relate to one another, and try to wrap their heads around three different stories.

Read the full article on Alterati.com

The Fountain torrent

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The G-spot Episode #8: The ‘Meta-ad Erector Kit’

agent139 — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 04:29:12 +0000

This episode of the G Spot (#8) takes you on a borderline insane behind-the-scenes trip into the recording studio, to hear the various outtakes and other mishaps that occured in the production of our first G Spot video ad. Welcome to our world. (Background music by Johann Ess and Aphex Twin, piano composition and performance by Nate Sampsel.)

Download The G-spot: Episode 8
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