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Rubbish, piffle, tommyrot, drivel and utter bilge

Wednesday, December 26, 2018

Into The Unknown 97: Christmastime Is Here Once More

Here's the full gen on the new episode. Yuletide japes and holiday hijinks ahoy!


dj BC - Jingle Pressure
http://www.djbc.net/

Yazoo - Winter Kills
http://yazooinfo.com/

Julian Casablancas - I Wish It Was Christmas Today
http://juliancasablancas.com/main/

The Zells - slippy world
https://denzell.bandcamp.com/

Bonaventura - When Malyndy Sings
https://jeremyhealy.com/biography/

Parry Gripp - Space Unicorn
http://www.parrygripp.com/

Matt Berry - World In Action
http://www.themattberry.co.uk/

Couch Jackets - Kathy Was All Woman
https://www.couchjackets.com/

Cunning Folk - Matty Groves
https://cunningfolkmusic.com/

Divide & Kreate - Velvet Santa
http://www.divideandkreate.com/

Fire Nuns - A Thousand Eyes Rolling
https://firenuns.bandcamp.com/

Guiville - More Noodles With Rice
https://www.guiville.com/

Jim James - Just A Fool
https://jimjames.com/

Kitchen & The Plastic Spoons -Happy Funeral
http://rock.wikia.com/wiki/Kitchen_and_the_Plastic_Spoons

Michael Nau - Maralou
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotton_Jones

modus pony - if you can't be the nordicest, be the walkingest
https://soundcloud.com/moduspony

mojochronic - Yuletide Zeppelin II
http://bootiemashup.com/

Slaves - Beauty Quest
https://youareallslaves.com/

The Singularity - In Your Room
https://thesingularitymusic.bandcamp.com/

Bat Zuppel - Suspicion
http://www.batzuppel.com/

Alice Boman - End Of Time
https://aliceboman.bandcamp.com/

Amason - Algen
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amason_(band)

Division Of Laura Lee - Hollow Pricks
https://divisionoflauralee.com/

JD McPherson - Hey Skinny Santa!
https://www.jdmcpherson.com/

Lemon Demon - Aurora Borealis
https://lemondemon.bandcamp.com/

Johnny Marr - I Feel You
https://johnnymarr.com/

mary and the black lamb - it's no good (dep mode cover)
https://maryandtheblacklamb.bandcamp.com/

Goddammit Jeremiah – Office Christmas Party
https://goddammitjeremiah.bandcamp.com/

Loose Tapestries - Can't wait for Christmas
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loose_Tapestries

Into The Unknown 96 - Better Late Than Never

It occurs to me that I was somewhat remiss in my podcasting duties, and had forgotten to publish the track listing and weblinks for the previous show, so here they are.



m1nk - eBomb
https://www.m1nk.com/

Brett Newski - Bro-Country
https://brettnewski.com/

The Black Watch - Orange Kicks
https://www.facebook.com/theblackwatchmusic/

Rachel Mason - Marry Me
https://www.facebook.com/futureclown

Black Needle Noise with BettyX - Social Media Disease
https://blackneedlenoise.bandcamp.com/

C'mon - Daydreaming
https://cmon1.bandcamp.com/

Chali2na - How We Do
https://www.chali2na.com/

Frau Pouch - Erotic Clocks
https://fraupouch.bandcamp.com/

Charodey Jeddy - Rememba Da Name
https://www.facebook.com/vobr.blaze

Gina X Performance - No G.D.M.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gina_X_Performance
https://www.ltmrecordings.com//gina_x.html

Iggy Pop & Zig Zags - If I'm In Luck, I Just might Get Picked Up
http://iggypop.com/
https://zigzags.bandcamp.com/music

John Bender - 54-2 Meat
https://soundcloud.com/superiorviaduct
https://www.facebook.com/superiorviaduct
https://www.superiorviaduct.com/

OGI - Resist Dance
https://www.facebook.com/peter.ogi
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0644677/
https://soundcloud.com/peter-ogi

Laundry - Graveyard Crumbs
https://soundcloud.com/laundry-band

The Singularity - Running Up That Hill
https://www.facebook.com/thesingularitymusic/
https://thesingularitymusic.bandcamp.com/

Senji Niban - Boogiewoogie Tokyo
https://onbangdo.bandcamp.com/

The Tuesday Night Machines - Jungle Electric
https://nightmachines.tv/

Sone Institute - The Devil Works In ASDA
http://www.soneinstitute.co.uk/

Tokyo Tea Room - Painted Gold
https://www.facebook.com/tokyotearoom/

unTIL Ben - Don't Panic
https://untilben.bandcamp.com/

Truett & George - Wabash Blues
https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/talent/detail/88731/Truett_and_George_Musical_group
https://archive.org/details/TruettAndGeorge-WabashBlues

Monday, December 24, 2018

Christmas Story Challenge: Jeff Hickmott

My Christmas story challenge was to write a festive-themed tale in 1000 words or less, using as many English words with Greek or Latin origins as possible. As it turns out, this is not too tricky, since about half of all the words in use in the English language have their roots in Latin or Greek. The tricky part is identifying them all!

I wrote a story and so did my good friend and fellow Unbelievable Michael Noble. Here's mine. (spoiler alert: It's just a tad more than 1000 words. Oops!)

You Can Plan On Me

Lucia smiled as she dusted the mantelpiece and replaced all the usual ornaments with the miscellany of snowglobes, tree-shaped glittery objects and miniature lamps with stars and angels on them that she had been collecting for years. To say she loved the holiday season would be an understatement. Her house was transformed from Halloween onwards into an Alpine chalet, despite the fact that she lived in a small village in England. Luckily it was one of those picturesque hamlets with thatched cottages, beautiful scenery, rolling hills. Welcoming, peaceful, with quaint inns and antique lampposts. When there was snow, the village became one of winter wonder. This was just perfect. Christmas was Lucia's favourite thing in the world.

She placed the last ornament onto the mantel, reached for her nearby mug of steaming hot cocoa and took a sip. That was the last thing she remembered.

**************

Through bleary eyes she could just make out two faces beside her bed. One was her friend and employer Annabelle Smart, an attractive blonde woman in her middle 50's. The other was a rather young-looking doctor with serious eyebrows, holding a medical chart.

"Your friend saved your life, Ms. Tomas. She called the ambulance. They had to break your front door. You're very lucky."

"Where am I?" Lucia asked, not unreasonably. "What happened?"

"You're in hospital, Ms. Tomas. You had a seizure. You're suffering from acute renal failure."

Annabelle spoke up. "You need a new kidney. I've already put myself down to test for a match."

The curtains swished apart and Lucia's friend Kimberly walked in. "I've already volunteered to be tested," she said breathlessly. "I came as soon as I heard."

Lucia was struggling to take it all in, and she was feeling sleepy. As she drifted off, the doctor, whose name she could now see was something unpronounceable, said "We need to test as many people as we can to find a good match. You've probably been feeling unwell for some time, so we'll let you get some rest - it's a lot to take on board all at once."

******************

The next thing Lucia was aware of was the sound of a beeping monitor, voices drifting through her mind, random words and phrases such as 'clamp', 'suture', and 'right now'. Again the voices dissipated and once more, she found herself waking up in her hospital bed, surrounded by doctors, Annabelle, and Kimberly. They were all smiling.

"Congratulations, Ms. Tomas, " said the doctor whose name that she could now make out as Dr. Chichicastenango. "We found two good matches almost immediately, from your friends here. Mrs. Smart and Ms. Humble almost had to fight over who was going to give you a kidney. I told them they could give one each." Looking around, she could see that Kimberly and Annabelle were wearing hospital gowns and wristbands.

"And that's not all, Luce," said Kimberly. "Annabelle and I made a huge discovery while you were in a coma." She smiled over at Annabelle, who returned the smile, and through tears and sniffs, uttered the words that would literally change Lucia's life.

"I'm your mum, Luce."

"And I'm your sister!" cried Kimberly. "It's.. it's a miracle!"

They all hugged, and the doctors all applauded. They explained to Lucia that Annabelle had had twin girls when she was much younger, and because she was an unmarried girl of just sixteen, her family made her put them up for adoption when they were just weeks old. Kimberly and Lucia were separated and discovered they were adopted when they were in their teens. Annabelle had tried to find them later in life but the trail had gone cold. Somehow, they'd all ended up in the same village, and somehow, they'd all become friends. It truly was a Christmas miracle. It somehow made Lucia's Christmas even more poignant and important. Her life had been saved, by her two best friends, who had turned out to be her sister and mother. She was dumbstruck by the Lifetime Channel-ness of it all.

*************************

After a few days, Lucia was well enough to be discharged. She was taken home by Belle and Kim, and after helping to straighten out the living room  and call the local locksmith, they left her with the promise to come by every day, and to celebrate Christmas together.

She sat down in her armchair with a cup of mint tea, and pondered over the events of the last four weeks. Despite her hospital stay, she felt wonderful. She'd gained some new family she didn't even know she had, and was still home for the Holidays.

Outside, a steady sleet began, and she could feel the temperature already dropping. She decided to get the fire started and curl up on the sofa in front of it. Sadly, though, this would mean having to get up and fetch some wood from the lean-to outside the back door. She hauled herself out of her chair and opened the back door. Once armed with a few small logs, she turned on her heel and started back into the house.

Suddenly a large hairy creature jumped out in front of Lucia with an ursine snarl, and she immediately dropped the wood she was carrying. It was human in form, with cloven hooves, clawed hands, enormous horns and fangs, with a long tongue lolling from its mouth.

"Merry Christmas, Lucia!" it growled.

A sudden pain shot through her chest as she reeled back against the fridge door, slipping to the floor. Gasping, she grabbed the handle of the fridge door in an attempt to move out of the creature's way. The fridge shook, and a box of mason jars she kept for jam-making rained down on top of her. The creature edged closer, breathing heavily and leering all the while. She felt the searing pain extend down her right arm. The world faded to black, and fell silent.

***********************

She removed the VR headset and disappointedly glanced over at her companion, who had already removed hers. "Got you again," her friend said. "I love playing the Krampus."




Latin words:
miscellany
village
antique
picturesque
perfect
mantelpiece
companion
re-
ornament
creature
hospital
miracle
silent
rolling
collecting
objects
transformed
despite
fact
peaceful
lampposts
favourite
remembered
faces
attractive
doctor
serious
medical
chart
ambulance
seizure
acute
renal
tested
adopted
dissipated
unpronounceable
people
possible
monitor
sound
voices
phrases (Greek)
suture
congratulations
immediately
gowns
discovery
coma (Greek)
literally
change
applauded
explained
family
separated
trail
important
discharged
local
promise
celebrate
armchair
mint
pondered
family
temperature
human
form
enormous
sudden
ursine

Christmas Story Challenge: Michael Noble

My Christmas story challenge was to write a festive-themed tale in 1000 words or less, using as many English words with Greek or Latin origins as possible. As it turns out, this is not too tricky, since about half of all the words in use in the English language have their roots in Latin or Greek. The tricky part is identifying them all!

I wrote a story and so did my good friend and fellow Unbelievable Michael Noble. Here is his story.


Present


2 minutes in ...

This might have been a bad idea. I can't see anything.

5 minutes in ...

Seriously ... I can't see a damned thing. Just take a deep breath and remain calm.

20 minutes in ...

Who decides to challenge their worst fear during the holidays? A time of camaraderie and friendship and family and reflection?

30 minutes in ...

Better yet, who in their right mind seals themselves in a closed box when one has claustrophobia? Shhhhhhhh ... relax ... just breathe ...

40 minutes in ...

Damn, it's dark in here ... of course it's dark in here. I'm inside a box.

45 minutes in ...

It's getting stuffy. I didn't think to leave any air holes in this thing. Of course it's getting stuffy. I can feel my own breath making it humid and warm. Seriously: What was I thinking?

An hour in ...

It didn't help that the adhesive I used to completely seal the bottom of this thing made it airtight. Calm down, don't think about it.

An hour and 5 minutes in ...

I was only focused on taking command of my fear, proving I could master it, finally coming to terms with the fact there was nothing to be afraid of when it came to closed spaces. Isn't that what they say? To face your fear, conquer it?

An hour and 15 minutes in ...

And I have! I've been in this damned thing for over an hour! At least I think it's been an hour.

An hour and 25 minutes in ...

Yeah ... it's been an hour at least. And the overwhelming darkness isn't affecting me! The fact I can hold my hand an inch before my face and can't see a single thing doesn't freak me out! I'm unable to hear anything outside because the soundproofing I used was the best I could find! I can't hear anyone outside, no one can hear me in here! And I'm not panicking at all. I think I did it! I think I've taken control of my fear! I'll just sit here quietly for a little longer to make sure ...

An hour and 40 minutes in ...

Wait ... has it even been an hour since I put myself in here? Maybe it's been two. That's why I left my watch off, so I wouldn't be tempted to look at it and slowly ramp myself up into a frenzy when I realized my situation. But it's got to be a couple hours, right? Just breathe ...

An hour and 45 minutes in ...

Dashing through the snow, in a one-horse open sleigh ...

2 hours in ...

Yeah ... it's stuffy in here for sure. I think I've used up all my oxygen ... but that really doesn't happen, right? I mean ... I'm in a box, not a metal container. There has to be tiny little openings for air to get in somewhere ...

2 hours 10 minutes in ...

I'm getting so tired. And I have a little headache forming. It's so stuffy in here! But I'm calm. And sooooo tired ...

2 hours 18 minutes in ...

I just realized why I'm so tired. I'm not getting any air. I've been breathing my own carbon dioxide ever since I put myself in here ... it's hard to think ... I'm just going to take a nap ...

4 days later ...

"She's not answering. It's a good thing I have her extra key so we can leave her presents for her ..."

They opened the door to her apartment and put the presents beneath the tree in the corner of the room. That's when they saw the huge box in the middle of the kitchen.

"Look ... she doesn't even have all her Christmas presents wrapped yet ..."

"Well, where is she?"

"I don't have any idea. You know how she goes off on a tangent and disappears for days on end. It doesn't matter when, either. You'd think during the Christmas season it would be different ... but not with her. We'll hear from her when she's good and ready ..."

"Let's look in the box and see what's inside since she hasn't wrapped it yet."

"No! If she found out she'd never forgive us. We'll find out soon enough ..."


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Must contain as many English words with Latin/Greek origins as you can logically cram in.

minute: Medieval Latin minūta, noun use of feminine of minūtus
idea: 1400–50; < Late Latin < Greek idéā form, pattern, equivalent to ide- (stem of ideîn to see) + -ā feminine noun ending
family: Latin familia a household, the slaves of a household, equivalent to famul(us ) servant, slave + -ia
reflection: Late Latin reflexiōn- (stem of reflexiō ) a bending back, equivalent to Latin reflex(us ) (see reflex) + -iōn- -ion
claustrophobia: 1875–80; < Latin claustr(um ) bolt (see claustrum) + -o- + -phobia
damn: Latin damnāre to condemn, derivative of damnum damage, fine, harm
seal: Late Latin *sigellum, Latin sigillum, diminutive of signum sign;
focus: 1635–45; < Latin: fireplace, hearth
command: Medieval Latin commandāre, equivalent to Latin com- com- + mandāre to entrust,
master: Latin; akin to magnus great
affect: Latin affectus acted upon, subjected to; mental or emotional state (past participle and action noun of afficere )
quiet:  Latin quiētus, past participle of quiēscere (see quiescent)
tempt: Latin temptāre to probe, feel, test, tempt
calm: Late Latin cauma summer heat (with l perhaps from Latin calēre to be hot) < Greek kaûma (stem kaumat- ) burning heat; akin to kaíein to burn (see caustic)
tangent:  Latin tangent- (stem of tangēns, present participle of tangere to touch)
different: Latin different- (stem of differēns ), present participle of differre.


Saturday, November 3, 2018

Into The Unknown 95 - Halloween 2018 - Track Listing



https://www.mixcloud.com/jeff-hickmott/into-the-unknown-95-halloween-2018/


Graveyard's Full - The Growlers
http://thegrowlers.com/home/

The Blue Wrath - I Monster
http://www.imonstermusic.com/

Wicked Anabella - Kinks
http://thekinks.info/

They Are Night Zombies!! They Are Neighbors!! They Have Come Back from the Dead!! Ahhhh! - Sufjan Stevens
https://sufjan.com/

No Eyes (Halloween Short Story) by Charlie Hickmott

Monster Mash - Bad Manners
https://twitter.com/BadManners40yr
https://www.facebook.com/badmannersofficial/

Beelzedub - Orbital
https://orbitalofficial.com/

A Permanent Answer (Halloween Short Story) by Michael Noble

The Headless Horseman (A Jazzy Halloween) - Bing Crosby
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bing_Crosby

Sinister Stomp - Bobby (Boris) Pickett & The Crypt-Kickers
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Pickett

The Devil Went Down To Georgia - Natalie Stovall
http://www.nataliestovall.com/

Dracula - Desmond Dekker & The Aces
http://www.desmonddekker.com/

South Of Heaven (Slayer cover) - Driving Mrs Satan
https://drivingmrssatan.com/

Moon (Halloween Short Story) by Jeff Hickmott

Are You Ready For Freddy? - Fat Boys feat. Robert Englund
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fat_Boys

Vampire (Dracula version) - Peter Tosh
http://petertosh.com/
https://twitter.com/petertosh

Jack The Ripper - Screaming Lord Sutch
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screaming_Lord_Sutch
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Official_Monster_Raving_Loony_Party
http://www.loonyparty.com/

Season Of The Witch - Mike Bloomfield, Al Kooper & Steve Stills
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Bloomfield
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Kooper
http://www.alkooper.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Stills
http://www.stephenstills.com/

The Path (Halloween Short Story) by Catherine Legg

Spooky Scary Skeletons - Andrew Gold
https://www.andrewgold.com/

The Ghost Of Stephen Foster - Squirrel Nut Zippers
https://twitter.com/snzippers
http://www.snzippers.com/

Pumpkin - Starlight Mints
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starlight_Mints
https://www.starlightmints.com/
https://twitter.com/themints

Mr Ghost Goes To Town - The 5 Jones Boys
https://www.vocalgroupharmony.com/5JonesCD.htm

This Is Halloween - Broken Peach
https://twitter.com/broken_peach
http://brokenpeach.com/

Ghost Dance - Truett & George (1927)
https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/talent/detail/88731/Truett_and_George_Musical_group
Velma S. Truett and Harry George were banjo and guitar players and designers based in San Francisco. They developed their own unique instrument designs, tunings, and playing style.

Haunted House - The Upsetters
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Upsetters
https://twitter.com/ScratchLee

Voodoo Chile - Justin Johnson
http://www.justinjohnsonlive.com/

You're Dead - Norma Tanega
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norma_Tanega
https://normatanega.com/

Friday, November 2, 2018

Halloween Story Challenge: Jeff Hickmott

Moon

Nobody ever really felt the same after the moon had gone.

The moon hadn't been destroyed or spontaneously exploded. No enormous lunar anomaly. Nobody had shot a rocket at the moon.

Everyone had gone to bed as normal, and when dawn broke and the world's eyes opened, the moon was no longer up there.

The newspapers and TV networks couldn't say how an object so large could just evaporate. Nor could the major colleges and schools, or governments around the globe. What they all knew was that people would have to get used to extremes of weather, but after the poles had both melted, extreme weather was old news.

Even so, nobody really got used to the concept of a moonless Earth and all that that encompassed.

-------------------------

Jurgen wasn't one hundred percent sure that the Moon had actually gone for good. "Merely AWOL," he would tell the fellas at the pub, after a couple of jars. "Someone's taken the Moon somewhere."

"You're drunk," they would reply. "Or crazy. Who would steal the bloody Moon? And why?"

He would just shrug.

"Go home, Jurgen."

He had to accept that the theory sounded wacky, but he couldn't shake the sense that everyone else was wrong.

-------------------------------

Towards the end of March, Jurgen was on the way home after yet another drunken speech at the Coach and Horses. He was wobbly, but the effect was worsened by the lack of moonglow. Shops had pretty much sold out of torches, and those people that already had torches couldn't buy a battery for love or money.

Suddenly he began to feel unwell - not bad, just a general unpleasant ache. He took an Alka-Seltzer and went to bed, and slept half an hour here, an hour there and so forth. He woke early and felt lousy. He stepped over to the bathroom for a glance at the old face. Puffy, for sure. Paler than he thought was normal. An outbreak of spots on the left cheek, but generally okay. He carefully thought about whether to go to work. He played eeny-meeny with the empty beer cans that sat on the floor by the bed.
Damn.

Work at the call centre was dull, and generally nobody spoke to Jurgen much. They just weren't the chatty type. Today, however, between comments on the moon's whereabouts, everyone seemed to have a crack about the way he looked. He was bloated, he looked pale, and someone rudely commented that perhaps he should try Zumba.

Jurgen told the boss that he was unwell, needed to go home and wouldn't be back all week. She nodded. Jurgen guessed correctly that he wasn't her most valuable employee.

On the way home he began to feel trapped by the clothes he wore, and as soon as he got back to the flat he tore them off pronto and took to bed.

----------------------------

Several days of bed later, he was woken by a lone sunbeam that seemed to have a vendetta. Groggy, he lolled out of bed and ventured another peek at the wardrobe's full-length glass. Shocked was not a strong enough word. He could not even tell who that person was. Extremely swollen and so, so pale. A funny thought occurred and a wry look flashed across Jurgen's face for a nanosecond.
"Beyond the pale..."
Not only that, but the spots were now huge pockmarks. Craters, even.

He was now beyond bloated too. Most people would have labelled Jurgen as fat. Very fat. To tell the truth, he appeared grossly obese. He'd only worn a bathrobe all week and was unaware of how large he'd become. He tottered to the bathroom, past the front door where newspapers had collected. They all declared the same news in large font - nobody knew what had happened to the moon. "Same old story," he muttered. 

He gently stepped onto the creaky, rusty old bathroom scale that he'd had from college days.

"What the hell?" He had actually LOST poundage.

Too much. He needed to breathe. As he passed the TV on the way to the door, he caught a few of the weather presenter's words.

"...as storms worsen, experts are stuck for answers as to the whereabouts of the moon..."

He walked, or rather waddled up to the roof of the tower block. He often went up there to clear the cobwebs. The sky was overcast, full of portent. As he stood to watch the town below, Jurgen could feel the bathrobe stretch as he expanded, and suddenly, he knew what he had to do. "The moon hasn't gone, he murmured, "the moon's been replaced." There was a small breeze, but that was enough to make Jurgen sway back and forth. He removed the robe and let the breeze take hold, arms outstretched. There he was - naked, afloat on the breeze and most assuredly larger by the moment. Anyone on the ground below would have seen what appeared to be a large pale grey balloon that had a small head and feet, apparently broken free from a tether and now skyward.

Up, up, up...

At last, hours later, Jurgen came to a halt. He had become rotund, feet and hands no longer seen. Just a humongous grey, pockmarked sphere of a face.
A moon face.


He felt strange. Strangely happy. Happy because he knew that he had saved the world.



Jeff Hickmott

Halloween Story Challenge: Catherine Legg


The Path


No-one ever saw what really happened.

Moss-covered stone walls bordered the churchyard, and the narrow path lay shadowed between dark yew trees at one edge and a half-collapsed Tudor hall on the other. Sodden grass and weeds choked the entrance, and ahead there was only blackness – a stark contrast to the autumn sun that cheered the open street. Up above, tangled thorns and branches blocked the way to any casual explorer.

Unless you were a mouse.

Brown feet pattered, and a small nose quested here and there for food. Snuffle and stop, snuffle and stop. She came to where the path entrance met the lane. Paused, just for a moment. Then darted between the close-woven stems, and was gone.

A cat watched. Crouched low, ears alert. Soft rustles gave away the mouse’s progress through the grass. A few moments more, and the cat had been tempted beyond endurance; he padded forward, then followed where the mouse had led. Cat and prey were enveloped by the undergrowth.

And the sounds stopped.
………………………………………………………………………
They get lost, you know. They won’t leave well alone.”

Matthew turned to see who had spoken. An old woman, seated on the bench across the road from the church. She looked perfectly sane, not the sort of person to address a complete stranger so oddly. A neat perm, coat and scarf carefully matched, shoes so clean they looked new.

You want to know what’s down the path, don’t you? All the new people do. Saw you here yesterday, too.”

Matthew crossed over. “Yes, well… Can’t help but wonder. So overgrown, all those brambles and branches. Draws the eye today – that darkness, when the rest of the street’s so sunny.”

Yes, that’s what always happens.”

What?” He drew back, repelled by her matter-of-fact tone and steady gaze. “What always happens?”

Bryony, her name was. Only seventeen. A few years ago – here one moment and gone the next, and they never found her. But she was seen on the street here, by the path.”

Matthew relaxed. “That’s very sad – must have been a shock to everyone. But surely…”

A cold, sunny October day. Exactly the same. There’ve been others too.” Her pale blue eyes held Matthew’s relentlessly.

Yes, but…”

She went to look for her cat. They say there must have been a man who attacked her, but they never asked me. Could have told them. The path gets them because they just won’t leave well alone. But no-one ever asks me.”

Well…” Matthew faltered helplessly. “Sorry, got to go now.” Mad after all, he thought. He retreated down the street, eyes focused ahead, away from the dark mouth of the path that went nowhere.
………………………………………………………

He checked, of course. Googled ‘Bryony’ and the name of the town, and up came the story. There was a blurred photograph of her; brown eyes, head half to camera, mouth crookedly upturned. The case was unsolved – she had never been traced.

Then he dreamt about her, a jumbled fantasy where he was her beloved and a huge black cat wove around them as they lay on a bed of fallen leaves. Then Bryony stood and took Matthew’s hand. “We must follow!” she announced, and led the way onto the path.

He woke, sweat-drenched, body a-tremble.

Later that day, he was drawn once more towards Church Street. As before, the sun streamed from a cloudless sky, although the temperature had dropped, and he walked hunched over, hands pocket-deep. He knew why he was there but would not acknowledge the fact. He would pretend that the path held no lure, that the dark, bramble-strewn entrance was of no consequence. He would be strong.

What was that?

Up ahead, towards the church?

Was that a pale cotton dress or was he just sun-dazzled? But look, there! Surely, dark curls that blew across brown eyes, not just dead leaves on gnarled branches. And that sound… Wasn’t that the happy laugh of a young woman entranced by love? Where had that come from?

And then Matthew was by the overgrown portal that seemed to suck out all the sun. He peered beyond at the unfathomable gloom. “Follow!” she had demanded. And so he took a deep breath and stepped onto the path.

……………………………………………………..

They get lost, you know. They won’t leave well alone.”

Kelly turned, pleased that someone would talk to her. Stuck-up lot, most of them round here. She wondered whether she should have moved house after all.

What was the old woman on about? The church path? Kelly moved closer.

There was a young man. He stood just where you are now…”



Catherine Legg

Halloween Story Challenge: Michael Noble

A Permanent Answer


Caruthers Schroederman entered through the only door of the room, the same one we came through beforehand. All of us conversed about each other's good fortune to be at the event.

"Everyone? Please ... make your way to any seat you see open and make yourselves comfortable. We'll commence shortly ..."

The man was a tall swallow of water and a clear presence of command. All of us knew controversy surrounded the man, from the suspect work management he employed on through to the shady, rumored hunches of how he got so far up the corporate ladder sans any extraneous support other than what he'd manufactured alone.

That's exactly why everyone wanted a morsel of the guy. Well ... that and the fact he never gave anyone so much as a peek of who he actually was. Never before had there been a one-on-one talk, a personal statement, a dependable expose, zero. Thus, the allure was hard to bypass when word got out about "the announcement" he was to present. Out of the blue news bureaus everywhere reported he would offer a one-off conference held at a secret locale a few days hence and << BOOM >> a request shows up at my outlet ... and for me and me alone to attend.

Fast forward to the present: He'd gathered a pretty notable assortment of correspondents and newspaper people to hear what he had to say. The room was packed - probably a couple hundred of us were present - ready for what very well could be the scoop of the season.

"All of you have been summoned here for one reason and one reason only," he began once he took the front of the room. "One of you has garnered the secret to my success. And that's unacceptable. You people have hounded me for years to get my "story." Apparently, one supposedly clever sole stumbled on what's been kept constantly out of reach from the masses. That stops here."

Schroederman began to pace slowly back toward the door at the front of the room.

"No one knows where you are currently, not your bosses, not your fellow colleagues, no one. Not even your spouses or what have you. That was a calculated move on my part. Because, shortly, all of you are about to breathe your last.

"That's because seventy-pound sharpened metal rods from above the canopy of the room where you have congregated start to descend randomly over the next hour or so at speeds you cannot hope outrun. You won't know when one appears; once a rod starts to fall you won't have a chance to dodge out of the way. The razor-sharp ends of the rod? They eventually reach you. Some sooner, some, torturously, a great deal later. Each rod can perforate your skulls and cleave you through to the exact spot where you stand or wherever you run. They may show you mercy and put you to death at once. Or ... they could tear a shoulder or separate the lower half of your leg as you flee to try and save yourselves. You won't know from one second to the next when the next rod descends or when your number comes up."


We were shocked, glued to our seats, awestruck. He reached for and opened the door and walked through. "No more meddlesome assaults about who Caruthers Schroederman purports to be or how he conducts company employment or personal concerns ... EVER!"

The door closed.


That's when we heard the sound of a metal rod descend, followed by screams ...


Michael Noble

Halloween Story Challenge: Charlie Hickmott

No Eyes



Dusk was upon us. Day had drawn to a close. The town; Portland, Oregon. One of those days when the sky opened up, and the fog obscured the Western Hemlock and Cedar trees. Surrounded by the half-darkness they looked for all the world to be trolls and ogres, ready amongst the shadows to gobble up passers-by.

My car pulled up the gravel path to the town house my roommate owned. The porch groaned under my heft. The house was old, and showed as much. As the door creaked open, darkness greeted me. My roommate preferred to keep the house dark. He told me never to, “attack the shadows,” though that seemed an odd way to word that thought.

The day at work had been long , so tea was necessary. The kettle spewed steam, and the bag steeped comfortably. The couch looked warm and cozy; below the blankets, taste of tea, ahhh. The darkness was not so bothersome now.

But a sound began to waft down from the upper floor. A sound close to a scream. Louder. Louder. Down the steps. Almost at the rear of the couch. Then, a shout! Felt the breath on my face. And suddenly he appeared.

My roommate. Blood seeped from the sockets.

For he had no eyes.



Charlie Hickmott

The Halloween Story Challenge

Hi folks! As those of you who follow my Facebook posts are probably aware, I recently offered up a challenge to anyone who wanted to participate to write a spooky, scary, suspenseful or strange short story for Halloween. To add a certain degree of difficulty, the stories were not to contain the letter I (i).  I read the three stories I received (plus one that I wrote) on my recent Halloween podcast, and I promised everyone that I would also publish the stories on this here blog. So, the next four posts on this blog will be the four tales in question, which are:

No Eyes by Charlie Hickmott

A Permanent Answer by Michael Noble

The Path by Catherine Legg

and my own story, Moon.

At Catherine's suggestion, I am making this a regular thing, and not just for Halloween! Later this week I will be issuing a Christmas challenge, details to be decided.

Happy Reading!

Tuesday, October 2, 2018

Into The Unknown 94




Fortran 5 - Groove
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortran_5
http://mutesong.com/writers/fortran-5/

ank - ミュージック (Myūjikku)(music)
Kanagawa, Japan
https://soundcloud.com/ank_japan
http://ankjpn.thick.jp/wordpress/
http://www.ankofficial.com/
https://twitter.com/ank_jpn

Guiville ft. Bentcousin - London Town You're Bringing Me Down
https://soundcloud.com/guiville
https://www.guiville.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Bentcousin/
http://www.team-love.com/artists/bentcousin/
https://bentcousin.bandcamp.com/

Iggy Pop - Milk Cow Blues
http://iggypop.com/
https://twitter.com/IggyPop
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iggy_Pop
https://www.facebook.com/iggypop/

Sunn O))) - It Took The Night To Believe
https://soundcloud.com/sunno-southernlord
https://sunn.southernlord.com/
https://sunnsl.bandcamp.com/releases

tay_ploops - wayt
https://tayploops.bandcamp.com/
https://soundcloud.com/tapeloops
https://www.facebook.com/tayploops
https://twitter.com/GarlicJoy
https://www.instagram.com/garlicjoy/

The Residents - Sleeper
https://www.residents.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Residents
https://www.facebook.com/TheOfficialResidents/

Tyler James - Cocos Nucifera
https://soundcloud.com/shambala-1

unTIL BEN - Monodose
https://soundcloud.com/untilben
https://untilben.com/
https://untilben.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/untilben

The Boomtown Rats - It's All the Rage
http://www.boomtownrats.co.uk/
https://twitter.com/Boomtown_Rats
https://www.facebook.com/theboomtownrats/

Klark Kent - Don't Care
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klark_Kent_(album)
http://www.stewartcopeland.net/

Dwight Yoakam - Tired Of Waiting For You
http://www.dwightyoakam.com

The Bonnevilles - One More Nail Outta Rock n Rolls Coffin
https://www.thebonnevilles.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/thebonnevillesUK/
https://twitter.com/thebonnevilles

Lughead - Pull The Plug
http://super400.wikia.com/wiki/Nick_Ferrandino
http://alloveralbany.com/archive/2012/07/19/making-a-fabulous-summer-cocktail-nick-ferrandino

Yip Yip Coyote - Dream Of The West
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eg_White#Biography

Yothu Yindi - Written On A Bark
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yothu_Yindi

Vile Electrodes - Stranger to Myself
https://vileelectrodes.bigcartel.com/
http://www.vileelectrodes.com/
https://www.facebook.com/vileelectrodes/
https://vileelectrodes.bandcamp.com/

Viki Miljkovic - Mogu Mogu (I Can, I Can) (DJ Dragotinov Version)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viki_Miljković
https://www.instagram.com/viki_miljkovic/
https://www.facebook.com/OfficialViki/
https://twitter.com/vikimiljkovic

Origin-X - Sanctuary
https://soundcloud.com/origin-x
https://origin-x1.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/OriginXOfficial/

Dead Can Dance - Song Of The Sibyl
https://www.deadcandance.com/
https://www.facebook.com/DeadCanDanceOfficial/
https://twitter.com/DCDmusic
https://www.musicglue.com/deadcandance

Emerging Industries of Wuppertal - Academy of Esoteric Motivation
https://strategictapereserve.bandcamp.com/
http://www.strategictapereserve.de/
https://twitter.com/Strategictaper

Slow Roar - Honey
https://slowroar.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/slowroarmusic/

Monday, August 27, 2018

The Giant Return Of The Puzzler

Well, well. Here we are again. I'm back! Make the most of it, I don't know how long it'll last.

Last time on The Puzzler (if you can remember back that far...) I asked this tricky question... What famous breakbeat was lifted from the grooves of an LP by Larry Graham's band Graham Central Station?

The answer is this one, known as the Jam break, which came from Graham Central Station's 1975 LP Ain't No Bout-A-Doubt It. It comes, unsurprisingly, from the track entitled The Jam. Here's the full track (sample starts at 5:09)...





and here's the sampled section in isolation.





The beat is probably familiar to you, and you'll probably know that it was used in Soul II Soul's classics Back To Life and Keep On Movin'. What you may not be aware of is the fact that it's also been sampled in 129 other songs (source: whosampled.com) from artists such as Dr. Dre, Beastie Boys, Prince, Rick Astley, PM Dawn, DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince, TLC and Usher, to name but a handful.

As for Graham Central Station, an American funk outfit founded by ex-Sly and The Family Stone bassist Larry Graham, you can read all about them on Larry's website here.

Now, the next Puzzler  question...

Soul II Soul's debut album Club Classics Vol. One (aka Keep On Movin' in the USA) was certified triple platinum by the British Phonographic Industry for sales in excess of 900,000 copies and Back To Life was one of the biggest tracks of 1989/1990. Which ex-actor's album was the biggest seller in the UK for 1990? (Bonus point: which other ex-actor's album was 1989's biggest seller?)


Thursday, August 2, 2018

Into The Unknown 93





Yes folks, another gobsmacking instalment of your faourite show! Here's the tracklisting...


tay_ploops - its-not-fair
https://tayploops.bandcamp.com/
https://jessicagabriel.ca
https://soundcloud.com/tapeloops
https://www.facebook.com/tayploops
https://twitter.com/garlicjoy
https://www.instagram.com/garlicjoy/

odd common - Never Been To Sheffield
https://soundcloud.com/oddcommon
https://twitter.com/oddcommon
https://oddcommon.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/odd.common

Tetsnical - Connect
Kyoto
https://soundcloud.com/tetsnical358
https://twitter.com/tetsnical

Jack Northover - Sparks
https://soundcloud.com/jack-northover
https://jacknorthover.bandcamp.com/
https://www.jacknorthover.com/
https://www.blackjackalmusic.com/

Becky and the Birds - Holding On
https://soundcloud.com/user-699382853

Holger Czukay - Hiss 'N' Listen
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holger_Czukay
http://www.czukay.de/

Tiogris & Tv Scream - Le Mieux Est L'Ennemi Du Bien
https://soundcloud.com/tchik-tch-k-r3c0rds
https://soundcloud.com/tiogris
https://soundcloud.com/tv-scream
https://tchiktchakrecords.bandcamp.com/

New Portals - Chasing Shade
https://soundcloud.com/just-portals
http://wearenewportals.com/

m1nk - The Far Side
https://soundcloud.com/m1nk
http://www.m1nk.com/
https://twitter.com/m1nk_official
https://www.facebook.com/m1nk.official

Fish Herders - Walking The Green Line
https://soundcloud.com/fish-herders
https://www.facebook.com/fishherders/
https://fishherders.bandcamp.com/

Weaves - One More
https://soundcloud.com/weavesmusic
https://www.facebook.com/weavesmusic
https://www.weavesband.com/
https://twitter.com/weavesmusic

sanshouo
https://soundcloud.com/spicy-invalid
https://culelu.bandcamp.com/album/camios
https://www.facebook.com/culelu.music
https://soundcloud.com/culelu
https://hearthis.at/gakn.idnwle/
https://soundcloud.com/culelu/sets/culelu-camios

Udo Briquette - Goat
https://soundcloud.com/udo-briquette
https://twitter.com/UdoBriquette

Frank Zappa - Dirty Love
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Zappa
https://www.zappa.com/

Šuma - Miž Kamor
https://shuma-by.bandcamp.com/
http://www.shuma.by/en
https://www.facebook.com/shumaby/

Laura Barrick - Beyond the frame (a song for Mark Rothko)
https://soundcloud.com/lauragbarrick
https://laurabarrick.wixsite.com/electronicpoet
https://www.facebook.com/Laura-Barrick-392894030896019/

Senji Niban - Atomic Blues (Emergency Mix)
https://soundcloud.com/senji-niban
https://www.facebook.com/Neo-On-Bang-Do-124439747613733/
https://twitter.com/onbangdo
https://onbangdo.bandcamp.com/
http://onbangdo.net/

Rafter - Wedding Ring Modulator
https://soundcloud.com/asthmatickitty
https://soundcloud.com/asthmatickitty/sets/rafter-its-reggae
http://asthmatickitty.com/merch/its-reggae/
https://rafter.bandcamp.com/album/its-reggae
https://rafterroberts.com/

Lymbyc Systym - Opposing Bodies
https://soundcloud.com/lymbycsystym
https://twitter.com/lymbycsystym
https://www.facebook.com/lymbycsystym
http://lymbycsystym.com/
https://www.instagram.com/lymbycsystym/
https://lymbycsystym.bandcamp.com/

Svava - Here Comes The Summer
https://twitter.com/svavaband
https://svavaband.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/svavaband
https://www.instagram.com/svavaband/
https://soundcloud.com/svavaband

The Wonder Stuff - Size Of A Cow
https://soundcloud.com/the-wonder-stuff-official
http://thewonderstuff.co.uk/

The Wonder Stuff - Planet Earth
http://duranduran.warnereprise.com/row/

Friday, July 13, 2018

Into The Unknown 92


92! Here it is! About a week later than advertised, but here nonetheless!

Little Roy - Lithium
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Roy
https://www.facebook.com/battleforseattle/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Battle-Seattle-Little-Roy/dp/B0058U7ZXW

A New Nowhere - Scream
Newcastle
https://soundcloud.com/anewnowhere
https://www.facebook.com/anewnowhere
https://www.instagram.com/anewnowhere/
https://twitter.com/anewnowhere
https://anewnowhere.bandcamp.com/

Fraea - Criminal
Minneapolis
https://soundcloud.com/fraeafraea
http://fraea.com/
https://twitter.com/fraeafraea
https://www.instagram.com/fraeafraea/
https://www.facebook.com/fraeafraea/

High Up - Alabama To The Basement
Omaha
https://high-up-tl.bandcamp.com/
https://soundcloud.com/teamlove
https://www.instagram.com/highupband/
https://www.facebook.com/highupband/

Jason Herring and the Mystery Plan - Electric Love
https://www.reverbnation.com/jasonherringthemysteryplan
https://soundcloud.com/10mmomegarecordings/sets/jason-herring-the-mystery-plan
https://www.facebook.com/The-Mystery-Plan-1498248636862179/

Origin-X - Grace
Michigan
https://origin-x1.bandcamp.com/
https://soundcloud.com/origin-x
https://www.facebook.com/OriginXOfficial
https://www.youtube.com/user/OriginXOfficial

Soak - Reckless Behaviour
Londonderry Bridie Monds-Watson, 22, Ireland
https://www.songkick.com/artists/380956-soak
https://www.facebook.com/Soak0fficial
https://soundcloud.com/soakofficial
https://twitter.com/Soakofficial
http://soakmusic.co.uk/
https://soak-official.tumblr.com/

Why We Run - Kites
Sydney
https://soundcloud.com/whywerun
http://www.whywerun.net/blog/2016/6/24/holograms-out-now
https://www.facebook.com/whywerunband
https://twitter.com/whywerunband

Gonzalla - T.M.V.
Los Angeles
https://soundcloud.com/gonzalla
http://gonzalla.com/
https://www.facebook.com/gonzallamusic
https://twitter.com/iamcodyrandall

The Bonnevilles - The Good Bastards
Lurgan
https://twitter.com/thebonnevilles
https://www.instagram.com/thebonnevilles/
https://www.facebook.com/thebonnevillesUK/

Andy Stott - Selfish
Manchester
https://www.facebook.com/Andy-Stott-262174253793725/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Stott
https://soundcloud.com/modernlove
https://twitter.com/andystottmlove

Basement Freaks - Calling The Jams
Thessaloniki
https://soundcloud.com/basement-freaks
http://www.basementfreaks.net/
https://www.facebook.com/BasementFreaksOfficial
https://twitter.com/BasementFreaks
https://basementfreaks.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/basementfreaks/

Chaz Bundick Meets The Mattson 2 - Star Stuff

http://store.companyrecordlabel.com/products/574129-chi07-chaz-bundick-meets-the-mattson-2-star-stuff
https://chazbundickmeetsthemattson2.bandcamp.com/releases
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toro_y_Moi
https://toroymoi.com/star-stuff/
http://www.mattson2.com/

The Regents - 7 Teen
http://randomramblingsthoughtsandfiction.blogspot.com/2015/02/out-on-blue-six-regents.html

Couch Jackets - The Brute
Conway, Arkansas
https://couchjackets.bandcamp.com/
https://www.couchjackets.com/
https://soundcloud.com/couch-jackets
https://www.instagram.com/couchjackets/
https://twitter.com/couchjackets
https://www.facebook.com/couchjackets

DintySlop - It Leached Into Our World - Redefining Reality
https://soundcloud.com/dintyslop
https://www.facebook.com/DintySlop
https://twitter.com/dintyslop

Equiknoxx - Enter A Raffle... Win A Falafel
Jamaica
https://soundcloud.com/modernlove
https://soundcloud.com/equiknoxx-sc
https://www.facebook.com/EquiknoxxMusic/

Jack Northover - Rags And Old Iron 
https://soundcloud.com/jack-northover
https://jacknorthover.bandcamp.com/
https://www.jacknorthover.com/
https://www.blackjackalmusic.com/

Luke Fox - Coasting
SW Aus
https://soundcloud.com/lukefoxsounds
https://www.facebook.com/lukefoxsounds
https://www.instagram.com/lukefoxsounds/
https://www.triplejunearthed.com/artist/luke-fox

Max Akwaaba - Taktgefuhl
https://www.facebook.com/Max-Akwaaba-333880383363640/
https://soundcloud.com/100-max-akwaaba
https://maxakwaaba.bandcamp.com/

Mrygld - Love Will Survive
Birmingham, AL
https://soundcloud.com/mrygld
https://www.facebook.com/mrygld
https://www.instagram.com/mrygldband/
https://www.mrygld.com/
https://twitter.com/MRYGLDBAND

New Shack - Blue Hot
Provo, UT
https://soundcloud.com/new-shack
https://newshack.bandcamp.com/
http://newshackmusic.com/
https://www.facebook.com/newshackband

The Shimmer band - Freedom
Bristol
https://www.facebook.com/theshimmerband/
https://twitter.com/theshimmerband

Tiny Little Houses - Song Despite Apathy
Melbourne
https://soundcloud.com/tiny-little-houses
https://www.facebook.com/tinylittlehouses
https://tinylittlehouses.bandcamp.com/
https://twitter.com/tlhband

The Wonder Stuff - There There My Dear
https://soundcloud.com/the-wonder-stuff-official
http://thewonderstuff.co.uk/
http://www.dexysonline.com/

Tuesday, June 19, 2018

Creamytees: Products on Zazzle

I designed some cool T-shirts! Why don't you buy one and make me a happy camper?





Creamytees: Products on Zazzle

Saturday, June 16, 2018

Into The Unknown 91




Kalko - TGIF
https://soundcloud.com/kalkomusic
http://www.kalkomusic.com/
https://www.facebook.com/kalkomusic/
https://www.instagram.com/kalkomusic/

Cassettes Won't Listen - Need You Tonight
https://soundcloud.com/cassetteswontlisten
https://www.facebook.com/cassettes
http://www.cassetteswontlisten.com/
https://twitter.com/cassettes

Jah Wobble - The Decline Of The Music Industry
https://soundcloud.com/jah-wobble
http://jahwobble.com/
https://twitter.com/realjahwobble
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Alpha-One-Three-Jah-Wobble/dp/B000FVGKXU
https://www.facebook.com/Jah.Wobble.Music/

Applicants - Lost In America
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Life-Bus-Lane-Applicants/dp/B001RRCM1U/ref=sr_1_1?s=dmusic&ie=UTF8&qid=1525311556&sr=1-1-mp3-albums-bar-strip-0&keywords=Applicants

James Taylor Quartet - Koko
http://www.jamestaylorquartet.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/OfficialJTQ/

Meter Bridge - Kite (Mind Veneration 7 Inch Mix)
https://soundcloud.com/jill-beaulieu/
https://www.facebook.com/meterbridgeband/
https://twitter.com/MeterBridge357
https://meterbridge.bandcamp.com/releases
http://www.meterbridge.ca/

Clan Of Xymox - A Forest
https://www.clanofxymox.com/
https://www.facebook.com/clanofxymox.official

Lowry - Africa
https://www.lowrymusic.com/
https://www.instagram.com/lowrybk/
https://twitter.com/lovelowry
https://www.facebook.com/lowrymusic

City Calm Down - In This Modern Land (Radio Edit)
http://www.citycalmdown.com/
https://www.facebook.com/citycalmdown/
https://www.instagram.com/citycalmdownmusic/

Bulgarian State Television Female Choir - Polegnala E Pschenitza Harvest Song From Thrace
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Myst%C3%A8re_des_Voix_Bulgares

Dirty - Electric Electric
https://soundcloud.com/dirtyband
https://www.facebook.com/DIRTYBANDUK/
https://www.instagram.com/dirtyband/

Black Palma - Sound Of You
https://soundcloud.com/black_palma
https://www.blackpalma.com/
https://www.facebook.com/theblackpalma/

The Wolfgang Press - My Way
http://www.4ad.com/artists/thewolfgangpress

Etnostation - Ty swoją drogą
https://soundcloud.com/etnostation
https://www.etnostation.pl/
https://www.facebook.com/etnostation

Lovelier Other - Wonderkind
https://soundcloud.com/lovelier-other
https://www.facebook.com/LovelierOther/
https://lovelier-other.com/
https://twitter.com/LovelierOther

She's Excited! - My Death (Is A Nice Guy)
https://soundcloud.com/she-s-excited
https://www.facebook.com/SoExcitedAboutMusic/
https://twitter.com/ShesExcited1

The Creatures - Wild Thing
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Creatures
http://siouxsie.com/
https://twitter.com/SiouxsieHQ
https://www.facebook.com/SiouxsieHQ/

Max Akwaaba - Freaky Anders
https://www.facebook.com/Max-Akwaaba-333880383363640/
https://soundcloud.com/100-max-akwaaba
https://maxakwaaba.bandcamp.com/

Senor Coconut - Showroom Dummies
http://www.senor-coconut.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uwe_Schmidt

Tiogris - Reactions Sensorielles
https://soundcloud.com/tiogris
http://tchiktchakrecords.wixsite.com/website
https://soundcloud.com/tchik-tchak-records-1

Love & Rockets - Kundalini Express
https://soundcloud.com/loveandrocketsofficial
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_and_Rockets_(band)
https://www.facebook.com/LoveandRocketspage/

Sunday, May 13, 2018

Into The Unknown 90

Here it is folks! Episode 90!
Danielle Dax - Yummer Yummer Man
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danielle_Dax
https://myspace.com/ddax
http://www.danielledax.com/

Guiville ft. Faerie - Mr Shadowman
www.guiville.com

The Scenes - Always Lie About Your Childhood
Finland
https://www.facebook.com/scenesband
https://soundcloud.com/the-scenes
https://twitter.com/The_Scenes

Psysurf - What'd I Say-Surfin' Bird-Wipeout
Brazil
https://soundcloud.com/psysurf
https://twitter.com/PsYSurF1
https://www.facebook.com/pg/psysurfoficial

Wildwood Jack - The Captain And Me
https://soundcloud.com/wildwoodjack
https://twitter.com/wildwoodjack
https://www.facebook.com/wildwoodjack
http://wildwoodjack.tumblr.com/
http://www.wildwoodjack.com/

The Long Ryders - Looking For Lewis And Clark
https://soundcloud.com/the-long-ryders
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Long_Ryders
http://thelongryders.com/
http://www.sidgriffin.com/long-ryders/

Black Mirror - Worms
https://soundcloud.com/blackmirror-music
https://www.facebook.com/blackmirrormusic/
https://elhombrebalarecords.bandcamp.com/album/no-colours-for-concern

Kalko - Inch Of Space
https://soundcloud.com/kalkomusic
http://www.kalkomusic.com/
https://www.facebook.com/kalkomusic/
https://www.instagram.com/kalkomusic/

Leonie Evans - Come On In
https://soundcloud.com/leonieevans
https://leonieevans.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/leonie.evans.9
https://www.leoniemusic.co.uk/
http://www.bloommusic.co.uk/
https://shop.smugglersrecords.com/

Mustelide - Telepatia
Minsk
https://soundcloud.com/mustelide
https://mustelide.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/mustelidemusic
https://vk.com/mustelide

Skogursson - The Brooding May
https://soundcloud.com/skogursson
https://skogursson.bandcamp.com/album/bobo
https://www.facebook.com/Skogursson/
https://twitter.com/JacobSkogursson

The Gaff -So Close
https://soundcloud.com/thegaff
thegaff.ca/
https://www.instagram.com/mikethegaff/
https://twitter.com/MikeTheGaff

The Sparrows - Don't Cry, Wolf
https://soundcloud.com/the_sparrows
https://www.facebook.com/thesparrowbrothers
https://twitter.com/Sparrowbrothers
https://www.instagram.com/thesparrows/

Yochay Motsary (Claus Zinger) - 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10
https://clauszinger.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/clauszinger
https://soundcloud.com/claus-zinger
https://twitter.com/ClausZinger

Tom Dissevelt & Kid Baltan - Syncopation (1958)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Dissevelt
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Raaymakers

The Bloodsugars - Self-control
https://www.facebook.com/The-Bloodsugars-11060017334/
https://myspace.com/bloodsugars
https://soundcloud.com/jason-rabinowitz
https://thepopups.com

Wildwood Jack - By The Light Of This Lantern

The Applicants - History Has Been Kind To Spike Milligan
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Life-Bus-Lane-Applicants/dp/B001RRCM1U/ref=sr_1_1?s=dmusic&ie=UTF8&qid=1525311556&sr=1-1-mp3-albums-bar-strip-0&keywords=Applicants

Told Slant - Sweater
https://www.facebook.com/ToldSlant/
https://toldslant.bandcamp.com/
www.dbldblwhmmy.com/

BRUNO - Siamese Brain
https://jessicabell.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/jessbell.vineleaves
https://www.facebook.com/brunomusicnews
http://www.bruno-music.com/

Monday, April 2, 2018

Into The Unknown 89

Well, here it is folks, episode number 89 in the series, and a right groovy wing-ding it is to boot.

Winchester - Throw It Down

https://soundcloud.com/soundsofwinchester
www.soundsofwinchester.com
https://www.facebook.com/soundsofwinchester
https://www.youtube.com/user/soundsofwinchester
https://www.instagram.com/sounds.of.winchester/


Penny - Misery Guts

https://soundcloud.com/pennymusicuk/misery-guts-penny
www.pennymusic.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/officialpenny/


Andy Stott - Faith In Strangers 2014

https://soundcloud.com/modernlove
https://www.facebook.com/Andy-Stott-262174253793725/
https://twitter.com/andystottmlove


Baba Sonya - Bones

https://soundcloud.com/baba-sonya
www.babasonya.com/
https://www.instagram.com/probablybabasonya/
https://babasonya.bandcamp.com/


Belial Pelegrim - The Code Of Human Affections

https://soundcloud.com/belial-pelegrim
https://twitter.com/pelegrim
https://belialpelegrim.bandcamp.com/


Birthday - Weekend Walking

https://soundcloud.com/tasteandtone
www.tasteandtone.com/
https://www.facebook.com/birthdaytracks/
https://twitter.com/duranzilla
www.birthdaytracks.com/


Custom Built - Trust In Me (The Fat Pockets RMX)

https://soundcloud.com/fatpockets
https://twitter.com/dmonroe27


DintySlop - Gore Sweetie

https://soundcloud.com/dintyslop
https://www.facebook.com/DintySlop
https://twitter.com/dintyslop
https://www.mixcloud.com/dintyslop/


Dubree - Kinetika

https://mixcloud.com/dubree
https://soundcloud.com/dubree


jerkcurb - Voodoo Saloon

https://soundcloud.com/jerkcurb
jerkcurb.bigcartel.com/
https://www.instagram.com/jerkcurb/
https://www.facebook.com/jerkcurb
http://www.jacob-read.com/


Morning Smoke - How Does It Feel

https://soundcloud.com/morning-smoke
https://twitter.com/_MorningSmoke
https://www.instagram.com/_morningsmoke/
https://morningsmoke.bandcamp.com/


Olga Bell - Randomness

https://soundcloud.com/bellinspace
https://www.instagram.com/bellinspace
https://www.facebook.com/bellinspace
https://twitter.com/bellinspace


Puro Instinct - Tell Me

https://soundcloud.com/puroinstinct
https://www.facebook.com/puroinstinct
https://twitter.com/puroinstinct


Splashh - Rings

https://soundcloud.com/splashhband
https://splashh.lnk.to/WAL
https://www.facebook.com/splashh.band
https://splashhband.com/
https://twitter.com/splashhband
https://www.instagram.com/splashhband/


Poggy - Beautiful Woman (remix by Ollie Seager)

https://soundcloud.com/poggymusic
https://www.facebook.com/poggymusic/
https://twitter.com/poggymusic
https://www.poggymusic.com/


Theatre Of Hate - Do You Believe In The Westworld?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theatre_of_Hate#Theatre_of_Hate


The Funk Hunters & Chali 2na - Oh Shit (Featurecast Remix)

https://soundcloud.com/thefunkhunters
https://soundcloud.com/chali2na
https://soundcloud.com/westwoodrecordings
https://soundcloud.com/featurecast
https://twitter.com/featurecast
https://www.facebook.com/featurecast
https://www.featurecast.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/thefunkhunters/
https://twitter.com/thefunkhunters
https://www.facebook.com/thefunkhunters
https://thefunkhunters.com/
https://www.facebook.com/chali2na
https://twitter.com/chali2na
www.chali2na.com/


Local Joke - Illaijah

https://localjoke.bandcamp.com/releases


Lucky+Love - Venus

https://luckyandlove.bandcamp.com
https://www.instagram.com/lucky_and_love_band/
https://shop.luckyandlove.com/
https://www.facebook.com/luckyandloveband/
https://twitter.com/luckyxloveband


Šuma - Rano Rano

https://soundcloud.com/shuma-by
http://www.shuma.by/en
https://www.facebook.com/shumaby/
https://shuma-by.bandcamp.com/


Max Vernon - I Kissed A Girl

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Vernon
maxvernon.com/
https://www.facebook.com/MaxVernonMusic
https://twitter.com/maxvernon

Saturday, March 10, 2018

Into The Unknown 88

At long last a new edition of Into The Unknown!  Here's a complete track list with all the usual info. Enjoy!


Lucky+Love - Full Moon
https://luckyandlove.bandcamp.com
https://www.instagram.com/lucky_and_love_band/
https://shop.luckyandlove.com/
https://www.facebook.com/luckyandloveband/
https://twitter.com/luckyxloveband

drunkeninstrumentcorp. - I Love Your Eyes
https://soundcloud.com/drunkeninstrument

Keep Shelly In Athens - Leave In Silence
https://soundcloud.com/keepshellyinathens
https://athenianaurarecordings.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/keepshellyinathens/
https://twitter.com/keepshellyinath
https://www.facebook.com/keepshellyinathens
http://www.keepshellyinathens.com/

Ummagma - Winter Tale (A.R.Kane Mix 69 Style)
http://ummagma.com/
https://www.facebook.com/ummagma
https://twitter.com/ummagma
https://soundcloud.com/ummagma
https://www.youtube.com/user/ummagma

American Anymen - Late To The Party
https://americananymen.bandcamp.com/
https://www.songkick.com/artists/7955648-american-anymen
https://soundcloud.com/american-anymen
https://vimeo.com/americananymen
https://www.facebook.com/americananymen/

The Blue Hour - Kyoto Song (The Cure)
https://thebluehour.bandcamp.com/
https://www.thebluehour.us/
https://www.facebook.com/bluehoursongs/

A Shoreline Dream - Whirlwind
https://ashorelinedream.bandcamp.com/
http://www.latenightweeknight.com/
https://www.facebook.com/ashorelinedreamband/

Hologram Teen - Magique Afrique
https://happyrobotsrecords.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/hologramteen/
https://soundcloud.com/hologramteen
https://www.mixcloud.com/Hologram_Teen/

302 Acid - Quest and the Future Beyond
https://versesrecords.bandcamp.com/album/even-calls
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/302_Acid
https://www.versesrecords.com/
https://twitter.com/versesrecords
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHYDjlzG98iIQ4J4ILWnVow
https://www.facebook.com/versesrecords/

Bulgarian State Television Female Choir - Erghan Diado
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Mystère_des_Voix_Bulgares
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulgarian_State_Television_Female_Vocal_Choir
http://themysteryofthebulgarianvoices.com/www/

Lyla Foy - Right to Be
https://www.subpop.com/artists/lyla_foy
https://twitter.com/lylafoy
https://lylafoy.bandcamp.com/
https://soundcloud.com/lylafoy
https://www.facebook.com/LylaFoy/

Avante Black - Imaginary Love
https://www.facebook.com/avanteblackband/
https://soundcloud.com/avanteblack
https://avanteblack.bandcamp.com/
https://twitter.com/avanteblack
https://www.instagram.com/avanteblack

Nick Vivid - Slicey
https://www.nickvivid.com/
https://www.facebook.com/NickVivid/
https://soundcloud.com/nickvivid
https://twitter.com/nickvividrocks

Bruno Merz - Whisper Turn
http://www.brunomerz.com/
https://soundcloud.com/brunomerz
https://www.facebook.com/BrunoMerzMusic/
https://twitter.com/BrunoMerz

Jason Herring & The Mystery Plan - Oola Heatray
https://www.reverbnation.com/jasonherringthemysteryplan
https://www.facebook.com/jason.herring.733
https://soundcloud.com/10mmomegarecordings

The Logical Hairs - Clare Grogan Is The Real Kochanski
http://www.thelogicalhairs.com
https://www.facebook.com/pg/TheLogicalHairs
https://twitter.com/thelogicalhairs
https://soundcloud.com/the-logical-hairs

Šuma - Magic Forest
https://soundcloud.com/shuma-by
http://www.shuma.by/en
https://www.facebook.com/shumaby/
https://shuma-by.bandcamp.com/

Kid Creole & The Coconuts feat. Coati Mundi - Me No Pop I
http://kidcreoleandthecoconuts.com/
https://www.facebook.com/KidCreoleandtheCoconuts/
https://www.instagram.com/kidcreoleband/
https://twitter.com/kidcreoleband

Kyuss -  Space Cadet [MissingNo. Rmx] [Instrumental]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyuss

Cassettes Won't Listen - Hello To Vernon
https://soundcloud.com/cassetteswontlisten
https://www.facebook.com/cassettes/
https://twitter.com/cassettes

23 Skidoo - Coup
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/23_Skidoo_(band)
http://www.23skidoo.co/

Wednesday, March 7, 2018

The Lesson

Back in the 80s,  whilst unemployed,  my friend Nigel and I would hang out at my house and when there was nothing else on the telly , we often resorted to watching the programmes for schools and colleges,  which were shown early in the morning before breakfast TV came along.  After the advent of Breakfast Time and TV-am, BBC 2 would show schools programmes all morning until lunchtime and sometimes beyond.  Occasionally there were gems among the dross.

One day a show about English came on featuring the musician and poet Roger McGough. He read out a poem about school which Nigel and myself found hysterically funny.  We didn't know what the title was, but we never forgot the line about the headmaster looking in on a riotous classroom who then 'nodded understandingly, and tossed in a grenade.'

Well, now we live in the digital age,  and so this morning it took me all of 45 seconds to find it, and here it is.  However,  in light of recent events in the world,  it may be considered by some to be in poor taste, but whatever.  I have told you the back story,  I am committed now. It's called "The Lesson".


Chaos ruled OK in the classroom
as bravely the teacher walked in
the nooligans ignored him
his voice was lost in the din

'The theme for today is violence
and homework will be set
I'm going to teach you a lesson
one that you'll never forget'

He picked on a boy who was shouting
and throttled him then and there
then garrotted the girl behind him
(the one with grotty hair)

Then sword in hand he hacked his way
between the chattering rows
'First come, first severed' he declared
'fingers, feet or toes'

He threw the sword at a latecomer
it struck with deadly aim
then pulling out a shotgun
he continued with his game

The first blast cleared the backrow
(where those who skive hang out)
they collapsed like rubber dinghies
when the plug's pulled out

'Please may I leave the room sir? '
a trembling vandal enquired
'Of course you may' said teacher
put the gun to his temple and fired

The Head popped a head round the doorway
to see why a din was being made
nodded understandingly
then tossed in a grenade

And when the ammo was well spent
with blood on every chair
Silence shuffled forward
with its hands up in the air

The teacher surveyed the carnage
the dying and the dead
He waggled a finger severely
'Now let that be a lesson' he said
by Roger McGough

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

I'm On Mixcloud

Just a quick note to let you lovely people that you can listen to all of my podcasts to date in one place. They're now all available to stream or download at https://www.mixcloud.com/jeff-hickmott/

Enjoy!

P.S. There'll be a new episode in the next few days!


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