Thomas Ligotti Mentioned in Rolling Stone

Has Thomas Ligotti fallen headfirst into the pool of mainstream culture? Not quite. But as weird writer and longtime Ligotti scholar Matt Cardin informs us (via this thread on Thomas Ligotti Online), the bleak author has been plugged as a muse in a recent article by "Rolling Stone" magazine. The full article focuses on a new album from the band Clutch. Two references to Ligotti came up as the band's leader Neil Fallon discussed his stylistic influences as well as his inspiration for a particular song:

And in fleshing out the mood of Strange Cousins from the West, Fallon found inspiration in modern horror author Thomas Ligotti, 15th Century Dutch painter Hieronymus Bosch, true crime stories, historical landmarks and at least one dare.

***

“Strange cousins from the west overstay their welcome” from “Minotaur”
“This line, like most of them, came about while in my basement either late at night or early in the morning,” Fallon says. “I think I was a bit creeped out by a Thomas Ligotti story, not any particular family members of my own.”

This blogger is hardly equipped to be an analyst of lyrics. However, it would be interesting if someone with a keen ear and familiarity with Clutch were to do a scan that explicitly seeks Ligottian overtones in the group's work.

What should one make of the Thomas Ligotti references in "Rolling Stone"? For one, it's a weak demonstration, at best, for claiming that Ligotti is on the verge of entering mainstream culture or becoming much more accessible to the herd--the performance of his re-released paperbacks Teatro Grottesco and My Work Is Not Yet Done would be much better indicators. On the other hand, it definitely shows the enduring hand of Ligotti in a role he has played since his early print appearances: the muse of the underground. Newer artists in the visual, musical, and literary mediums have pointed to his stark impression in their work. This is no surprise, as sympathizers with his worldview and lovers of his adept phrase crafting often hold an inclination or even a talent in some field of art.

In time, this may well translate into Ligotti expanding his "cult following" more than anyone ever expected. Not unlike his fictional character Grossvogel of "The Shadow, The Darkness," who proselytized others to the blackness through the highly successful organisms he awakened in the void.

-Grim Blogger

Thomas Ligotti Mentioned in Rolling Stone

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Hippocampus Press Announces Two Big Titles: Lovecraft, Ligotti

Hippocampus Press, an instantly recognizable name in today's publishers of weird literature, has announced two big titles for release in 2010. Thomas Ligotti's long awaited book of philosophy The Conspiracy Against the Human Race is due to be published, along with a two volume biography of H.P. Lovecraft entitled I Am Providence: The Life and Times of H.P. Lovecraft. The latter seemingly represents a new unabridged work by S.T. Joshi, an update to his acclaimed H.P. Lovecraft: A Life. Of course, the full list of pending titles on their website lists a number of less earthshaking, but nevertheless high quality books slated for late 2009 and next year.


In the case of Ligotti's Conspiracy, the wait has been a long and somewhat anxious one over the past five years as the treatise changed publishers, tentative dates, and undoubtedly underwent waves of intense editing. During this time, Thomas Ligotti expanded his essay into a book length monument to philosophical pessimism and horror. Today, the virtually finalized version probably bares little resemblance to the rough draft temporarily published on Thomas Ligotti Online in 2007. The finished product will reportedly be a hardcover with an illustrated dust jacket in a print run of about a thousand copies, much like many other Hippocampus tomes.

Both of these mind salivating titles ought to spark a fever of yearning amongst weird fiction readers. Though just a flicker in the distance, 2010 looks to be a stunning year for the dark and unusual side of speculative literature. Hold tight, though, as 2009 may yet hold its own bizarre delights.

-Grim Blogger

Hippocampus Press Announces Two Big Titles: Lovecraft, Ligotti

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Nick Blinko's "The Haunted Head"

Durtro Records, previously a publisher and distributor of experimental music, old weird literature, and (famously) many written and recorded works by Thomas Ligotti, is about to release its latest curiosity on the world. The Haunted Head is a limited edition hardcover novel by writer, artist, and punk musician Nick Blinko. His prior involvement with outre pursuits and artists makes his own literary contribution of real interest to the weird aficionado.

This fellow has lived a mentally unbalanced life, but like many who have reaped the aesthetic benefits of abnormal psychological afflictions, Blinko has created some of the most interesting art and music to hit the pale walls of the underground in recent years. Fans of H.P. Lovecraft and hard rock may already Blinko's name from another source. He was a leading member of the British band Rudimentary Peni, which dedicated an entire album (Cacophony) to the life and literary horrors of Lovecraft. A more thorough summary of Mr. Blinko's artistic pursuits and their interaction with his Schizoaffective disorders can be read on Wikipedia.


Needless to say, The Haunted Head is shaping up to be one of the more impressive weird delights for autumn. Durtro's high quality standards embodied in approximately 350 copies of this novel (which ship with handwritten pages by Blinko and a one track CD) assures it a place in the vault of odd collectibles. Durtro is currently taking pre-orders for it here, with shipping expected in September.

-Grim Blogger

Nick Blinko's "The Haunted Head"

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Weird News: "Reptilian" Calf Worshipped in Cambodia

It seems another servant of Yig has materialized on this earth, and then retreated just as mysteriously as it arrived. The worship of a reptilian calf in an obscure Cambodian village may sound incredible, but looks almost logical when considering more than just surface appearances. It's as though these villagers, many of whom live an impoverished life with little knowledge of modern science or philosophy, sensed the course of evolution, looking backward with reverence to our monstrous forefathers. And how could they fail to do otherwise in the face of such a truly bizarre miracle of nature, which briefly graced us with a short-lived, genetically flawed beast?

Cambodian Village Worships Cow with Reptilian Skin

-Grim Blogger

Weird News: "Reptilian" Calf Worshipped in Cambodia

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Free Lovecraftian Embroidery Design

In honor of H.P. Lovecraft's recent birthday, the Urban Threads website has a Lovecraftian embroidery design available for free through the end of August. Order it in the next few days for a no cost opportunity to exhibit your Lovecraftian pride at Cons and around town. The embroidery company has made several references to weird writers in their products. They offered a similar deal back in the winter with Edgar Allan Poe, which can still be ordered for a few bucks.

The immense diversification of Lovecraftian items marches forward in offerings like these. Then again, after years of Cthulhu plushies inhabiting the web, it seems about time for a further stampede of these love crafts.

-Grim Blogger

Free Lovecraftian Embroidery Design

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Edgar Allan Poe "Reading:" The Black Cat

Below is a fairly new animated clip of Edgar Allan Poe reading an excerpt from his tale "The Black Cat." The style is very reminiscent of this vanguard animation from last year, which utilized a wavering Poe photo to recite "The Raven." Though this latest effort does not add anything new in terms of graphic technology, it effectively communicates the right tone and atmosphere of the story.

Besides, these (re)animated faces of long dead weird writers reading their work are great fun. Is anyone up to the challenge of enlivening H.P. Lovecraft's long New England face?



-Grim Blogger

Edgar Allan Poe "Reading:" The Black Cat

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The Edgar Allan Poe Calendar

The year of Poe's bicentennial is grinding on. As we lurch into autumn, the traditional season when all things horror related mushroom in a macabre harvest, more events celebrating the second century of Poe are scheduled. Rather than list them all here, I have found a handy resource for keeping tabs on the many talks, tours, and readings associated with the author. "The Edgar A. Poe Calendar" is a great blog full of this pertinent information. In addition to a detailed list of Poe events collected together from across the United States (and some even internationally), you'll find articles and criticism on his immortal work.

Anyone would be thoroughly challenged to find a more current or comprehensive resource than this for tracking Poe conferences. And if there is one, I'd certainly like to know about it.

-Grim Blogger

The Edgar Allan Poe Calendar

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Lovecraftian Belly Dancing?

Though this is short notice, I don't think I could fail to publicize this Lovecraftian event, which is surely one of the strangest yet. Tomorrow, H.P. Lovecraft fans around Wiltshire, UK, will have the opportunity to attend the Malmesbury Carnival and take in Lovecraft themed belly dancers. Ideally, this seductive sideshow should entwine the Medusa with the old time religion represented by the Cult of Cthulhu. However, the reality may turn out to be much different...

Reports and media from this unlikely performance are welcome and highly desired. More details from the Malmesbury website:

Date:	Monday 24th August
Time:	7:15pm
Venue:	Town Hall
Tickets:	£5 from Malmesbury Rocks!

Malmesbury Belly Dancers are back at Carnival for the fourth year running.

Another night of enchanting and unusual dance and entertainment, this year based around a chilling tale from the macabre works of H.P. Lovecraft in the best tradition of horror and suspense.

Come and join us for an evening of the spectacular. Be dazzled by our serpentine belly dancers - Come feast your eyes!

Not suitable for those aged under 16 years. A full bar will be available.

-Grim Blogger

Lovecraftian Belly Dancing?

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H.P. Lovecraft's 119th Birthday

Today marks 119 years since the birth of H.P. Lovecraft. What more can one say about a titan of modern weird literature, a brilliant spark for artists delving in all mediums, and a godfather to sub-genres further afield like science fiction and dark humor? What else can be added to the hundred thousand plus sheafs of criticism and adoration that have rolled off the presses since the Old Gent's death in 1937? If the skyrocketing awareness and popularity of H.P. Lovecraft is any indication, plenty more.

Well over a century after he was born, lived, wrote, and died, contemporary minds are hard at work pumping out new scholarly observations on the work he left us, while others record new nightmares sprung from roots Lovecraftian. The fount of Lovecraft is deep, and his legacy as central to the new weird as his living presence was to the generation of talents he spawned. Not bad. Not bad at all--especially for a staunch materialist convinced he would sink into historical oblivion with physical death.

To mark the occasion, interested minds should check out Elizabeth Bear's "Shoggoths in Bloom." This hybrid between Cthulhu Mythos, historical fiction, and mainline literature perfectly illustrates the unlikely directions H.P. Lovecraft's ideas have taken since he wrote. It's also the recent recipient of a Hugo Award for Best Novelette, right alongside "Weird Tales" magazine and Neil Gaiman, both of which exhibit the mark of Lovecraft.

Happy birthday, old chap, and how far you've come!

-Grim Blogger

H.P. Lovecraft's 119th Birthday

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Weird News: The Caves Beneath Giza

The possibility of an extensive network of caverns beneath the Giza Necropolis is a prospect equally terrifying and tantalizing. Who among us can resist the wonders of a potential real life basis for the Egyptian underworld? Who among us is courageous enough not to shudder at the sheer ancientness of this place, let alone the untold valley of death below barely registering in our historical memory? You have to hand it to the Egyptians, though. Even after thousands of years, the empire of the Pharaohs continues to haunt our heads--conjuring mysteries in science, art, and literature that truly breathes a weird atmosphere.

Cave Complex May Lie Beneath Giza Pyramids

-Grim Blogger

Weird News: The Caves Beneath Giza

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Youtube Tribute to Azathoth

A stylish tribute to Lovecraft's blind, idiot god through a high quality slideshow of images. Some of the best artwork revealing the swirling nuclear chaos of Azathoth and other Lovecraftian monstrosities in all their maddening glory is collected in this video. Heavy metal music by Nile blasts in the background, a score that sounds very much like something that would come from Azathoth's tittering mouth. If the song isn't specifically about Lovecraft's supreme terror, then it might as well be.



-Grim Blogger

Youtube Tribute to Azathoth

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H.P. Lovecraft's Ghost?

Graveside ghosts appearing out of camera artifacts is nothing new. However, this entry at the literary-equine blog questions the possibility that H.P. Lovecraft's ghost made an appearance on camera in a 2000 graveside visit. The orange haze pictured in the top left of the photo is the object of curiosity. Exhibiting no particularly Lovecraftian features and just the vaguest outline of human form, the most likely explanation is that it's just one more film anomaly randomly generated to sensationalize the imagination.

Whatever the case, the mysterious blur is appropriate enough for a picture at Lovecraft's tombstone. Who doesn't love the inexplicable memento, especially the ambiguously paranormal kind? Incidentally, Chris Perridas reports that this incident was the subject of a recent call on the Coast to Coast AM radio show by the photographer.

-Grim Blogger

H.P. Lovecraft's Ghost?

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Matt Cardin's Dark Awakenings Nears Release

The multi-faceted Matt Cardin indicates in a recent blog post that his latest work is about to be released on the world. This follows his update last week, when a finalized table of contents listing all the stories and essays slated to appear was published. Cardin's Dark Awakenings, his second major collection of fiction, is due to surface this fall from Mythos Books.

In a move that ought to catalyze interest in the book, Cardin has publicized high praise for it from established weird writers Thomas Ligotti and Laird Barron. These innovative voices are a good pairing for Cardin, whose fiction often mixes stark religious themes with the darker symbolism feverishly adored in the best weird fiction today.

See the advertisement at the top for more specifics on Dark Awakenings. Also, interested parties should definitely pay a visit to Matt Cardin's blog, "The Teeming Brain," an erudite resource of news and observations by the author. He also maintains an embryonic website here.

-Grim Blogger

Matt Cardin's Dark Awakenings Nears Release

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Weird News: How to Tell If You're Haunted

The first step to understanding strange phenomena is to recognize that they're there in the first place. Paranormal claimants have developed quite a few ways to identify spirits and other oddities over the years, which allegedly cling to a great deal more subtlety than you would find in the average weird tale. Is your life its own ghost story? Find out with the useful tips provided in this article about hauntings.

How to Tell If You Are Living with Ghosts and Invisible Others 101

...

Common indicators of ghosts in residence - electrical malfunctions and anomalies such as:

1. Light bulbs burn out frequently.

2. Batteries are drained.

3. Lights flicker and blink without burning out or a power surge.

4. Radios, televisions, cd players, computers, etc., suffer intermittent outages and sometimes won’t work at all, then work without any problem whatsoever.

5. Phones suffer from static, humming and various electrical interference sounds.

6. Phones ring without a source code.

7. Temperatures fluctuate dramatically in various parts of the house. Drafts occur without the presence of an open vent, window, door.

8. The house is impossible to keep clean and builds dust layers almost overnight.

9. You find presents of small flowers, toys, charms and other items you do not own nor can you identify an origination.

10. Smells and scents appear and become more intense during certain times when a ghost has been known to be present.

11. Voices can be heard very close to you when there is no one else present.

12. Tapping on pictures, windows and/or glass panes in the house and in the car.

13. Shadows seen crossing the room as you look the other way.

14. Items can sometimes become suspended in midair or fall on hard surfaces and not break.

15. Voices can be heard in the other room, between walls, on the (disconnected or turned off) television, on the phone, next to you in the shower, in the pillow.

16. Smoke detectors will chirp with new batteries.

17. Electrical items will operate without being plugged in.

18. Someone will whisper to you when you are trying to sleep.

19. Someone will call your name as if there was an emergency to wake you up.

20. The doorbell will ring when no one is there, and when it has been disconnected.

-Grim Blogger

Weird News: How to Tell If You're Haunted

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From Beyond Clay Animation

This marvelously creepy claymation by Michael Granberry is based on H.P. Lovecraft's tale "From Beyond." The otherworldly creatures of the story's climactic moment are well imagined, and depicted in clay with great skill. This short is effective proof that Lovecraft's explicit horrors need not be modeled with high tech CGI to engender sturdy chills.



-Grim Blogger

From Beyond Clay Animation

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H.P. Podcast

The interest in Lovecraftian podcasts has exploded into the development of a website devoted exclusively to this: H.P. Podcast, otherwise known under its extended name as the H.P. Lovecraft Literary Podcast. This project releases regular episodes that not only recite from H.P. Lovecraft's texts, but discuss them as well.

The hosts, Chris Lackey and Chad Fifer, do a fine job of shedding light on Lovecraft's themes, style, and literary history. It appears they intend to run through his full works over time, so the collected episodes should swell into a large audio catalogue of Lovecraftian literary analysis. As with most podcasts, the episodes are available for download as MP3s or direct streams off the website.

-Grim Blogger

H.P. Podcast

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Pickman's Muse Screening in Chicago

The amateur Lovecraftian film "Pickman's Muse" is due to be screened in Chicago later this month. It's a new production the creators describe as being based on H.P. Lovecraft's story "The Haunter of the Dark." Details on the screening are listed below, copied from their MySpace account, which contains photos, production notes, and good deal more information about the movie:

There is going to be a free screening at the PORTAGE THEATER. (4050 N. Milwaukee Ave. Chicago, IL.) The doors will open at 12noon; the movie begins at 1pm. Admission is Free, but the concession stand is not. I hope everyone can make it, feel free to bring as many guests as you like. The Portage holds 1800 people, so there will be plenty of room.

-Grim Blogger

Pickman's Muse Screening in Chicago

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Seattle Geekly: H.P. Lovecraft in "Geekdom"

The folks at the "Seattle Geekly" podcast have just released an episode about H.P. Lovecraft. The focus of their Lovecraftian broadcast is on the role played by HPL in 21st century "geek" culture, a niche group with very deep roots in the techno-boom. From the rise of the internet to today, the broad sub-culture has drawn its influence from almost everything involving technology, games, and learned pursuits in arts of all types. Naturally, this has led some members of geekdom to H.P. Lovecraft, and occasionally the broader weird by extension.

This "Seattle Geekly" program contains interviews with Lovecraftian commentators: Eric Morgret, K.L Young, and Jenna Pitman from the film and magazine industries weigh in on the grand weird author's immense influence. Like most podcasts, it's available for easy listening at home or on the go as a MP3.

-Grim Blogger

Seattle Geekly: H.P. Lovecraft in "Geekdom"

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Electronic Version of Collapse IV Now Available

Urbanomic's scholarly and strange journal "Collapse" now has its fourth volume available as a free download. The "Collapse IV: Concept Horror" journal--a two hundred page plus work that might better be described as a book--notably contains a piece by Thomas Ligotti previewing his upcoming book, The Conspiracy Against the Human Race. Besides Ligotti, the journal features contributors and content from a host of names familiar to the realm of weird fiction: H.P. Lovecraft, M.R. James, China Mieville, and Michael Houellebecq.

This is a fat collection of articles all focused on concept horror, an array of ultra-intelligent scholarship bobbing between weird fiction and pure philosophy that cannot be missed by genre aficionados. The articles are interspersed with macabre illustrations and some grisly photographs that only enhance the power of the words. The "Dead Monkeys" photo set appearing next to Thomas Ligotti's words is especially unsettling--and appropriate.

Download the PDF file from this Urbanomic page. Though I lack the background to judge how Urbanomic's publication measures up to other philosophical journals, they have indeed issued a high quality product here. In the realm of horror studies, at least, "Collapse IV" can almost perch above prestigious past publications of weird scholarship like "Studies in Weird Fiction" in terms of sheer quality.

-Grim Blogger

Electronic Version of Collapse IV Now Available

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Weird News: Ghosthunters Arrested in New Jersey

Today's weird news is not so strange, but it is an important warning to those who are drawn to urban exploration or ghost hunting on condemned property. Whether you find spirits or not, you may be liable to fall into the hands of the law for trespassing. The considerable illegality of most urban exploration raises an interesting question: how long until some entrepreneur comes up with the idea of buying an old property or two in an attempt to use them as "safe" hunting grounds?

It is true that the exploratory niche may be too small to generate much of a profit, and a secure place may take away the thrill for many. On the other hand, hiring a couple security guards and ensuring an old building won't crumble down onto someone may provide a happy compromise for individuals or parties willing to pay a nominal fee to spend the night in an old mansion, hospital, etc. Until then, the fascinating world of exploration--natural or supernatural--in old places holds a good deal of risk.

Ghostbusters Busted at Old Essex County Hospital Center

-Grim Blogger

Weird News: Ghosthunters Arrested in New Jersey

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How Wings Are Attached to the Backs of Angels

"How Wings Are Attached to the Backs of Angels" is an appetizing animated film by Craig Welch.
Overgrown with symbolism that can only be defined as weird, Welch's short appears to be a product of the grungy style best pioneered by Eastern European animators in the last century, surreal dreams, and creepy literary imagery conjured by the likes of Franz Kafka and Bruno Schulz. The animation challenges viewers to formulate their own answers to the question in the title, as a parting shot fired from the same mental cannon much of the weird aesthetic hurls from, whether or not this piece was directly inspired by any weird fiction in particular or not.



-Grim Blogger

How Wings Are Attached to the Backs of Angels

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New Depictions of Carcosa's King

The internet is abuzz with some stirring new art projects featuring Robert W. Chambers' ever bizarre King in Yellow. As with Lovecraftian creations, they range from humorous to deadly serious. Lost Carcosa's chief sovereign of toxic nonsense is alive and well across the web, and perhaps gaining popularity through images like these, which could raise the profile of Chambers in weird fiction and beyond. This is accompanied by a rise in spin off fiction about Carcosa, such as Rehearsals for Oblivion by Elder Signs Press.


This painting culled from Deviant Art was fashioned by the artist as part of a Call of Cthulhu card game. It takes a pretty traditional view of the King, but with an added flair that seems almost Oriental. The rich colors suggest the majesty in the madness that is part of the King in Yellow's draw for readers.


This one was done as fan art for the H.P. Lovecraft driven "Vault of Unspeakable Doom" web comic. The stylistic similarity to its source of inspiration is obvious. Given the enduring horror of Burger King's plastic headed mascot, it's fairly predictable that some fan of the weird would knit together the two Kings in a freakish union. Still, there's a lot of laughs gained from this lighthearted take on Carcosa's reign of terror.


The golden sculpture featured here is perhaps the most impressive piece of Yellow fan art I've ever seen. Chambers now joins the ranks of Lovecraft in the hall of weird writers whose fiction has inspired diverse artistic mediums. The creator should consider producing more of these, since the burgeoning popularity of Chambers' monarch implies a market for weird consumers who would relish putting a plaque like this near their library of strange stories.

-Grim Blogger

New Depictions of Carcosa's King

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SFScope on Terror and the Uncanny

The blog "SFScope" has quite a preview up about Library of America's forthcoming two volume set, Terror and the Uncanny. This latest collection of strange literature from the prestigious book publisher catalogues stories that represent an excellent cross section of the best 20th century horror. The first volume, Terror and the Uncanny from Poe to the Pulps, runs from well known Victorian and Gothic antecedents of weird fiction such as Poe, past Ambrose Bierce and Lovecraft, and up to Clark Ashton Smith and Robert Bloch. The second volume is titled Terror and the Uncanny from the 1940s Until Now, and covers a huge spectrum of contemporary authors from Fritz Leiber and Ray Bradbury, to Thomas Ligotti and Joe Hill.

Library of America's publication of a H.P. Lovecraft volume a couple years seemingly secured the Providence writer's place in American literature permanently. In another way, it's probable this two volume set will rubber stamp the strongest favorites of critics and readers in the genre today, while reinforcing the position of earlier authors in the lineage of weird horror. The set may also open new discussions on what constitutes the terrible and the uncanny, particularly due to their inclusion of writers like Vladimir Nabokov and F. Scott Fitzgerald, who aren't usually identified as horror scribes.

Peter Straub is the editor of both volumes, and introduces each one accordingly. While others may have been involved in the ultimate selection of tales for these books, Straub's lineup is definitely interesting and, in many ways, impeccable. See the SFScope article linked above for a full list of authors and stories appearing in both books.

-Grim Blogger

SFScope on Terror and the Uncanny

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