What Are You Currently Reading?

[Daemonia]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

The Great Shark Hunt is a terrific read and a great introduction to HST's work. As you say, the titular story is a brilliant read and I don't know how many people would love to have lead half the life that Dr Thompson did, travelling to numerous places around the world, meeting all manner of political figures, outlaws and celebrities, most of the time with all manner of illicit substances in his veins.

Trouble is, at least judging by his letters, he was miserable and in debt most of the time, so wasn't a brilliant life most of us believe.

Ended up killing himself because he was in constant pain from his prolonged cocaine abuse, I believe. That said, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a personal favourite. The film is okay, but it's impossible to recreate the pure insanity of drug taking on film. You can give an impression of it, but it doesn't convey the all-consuming intensity of being wrecked on acid or whatever. Like the time I ended up tripping out my box and polishing daffodils outside the magistrates court. Okay...I've said enough....

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

If you're being serious, that's quite a story in itself!

[Daemonia]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

If you're being serious, that's quite a story in itself!

Definitely serious. I was quite a nutter in my heyday. I've been run over, thrown through an upstairs window, arrested at Stonehenge for trying to start an illegal rock festival, fell down a flight of stairs whilst drunk and on mandies etc etc. And don't even get me started on Tamazies, that was one night I won't forget....walking home at 6am in boxer shorts and a t-shirt with all the shopkeepers and commuters giving me very strange looks. Good job I've calmed down a lot in my later years or I don't think I would've lived very long!

I guess my candid frankness on my previous life won't look good on my CV with Shameless if I ask for a job!

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Daemonia

Definitely serious. I was quite a nutter in my heyday. I've been run over, thrown through an upstairs window, arrested at Stonehenge for trying to start an illegal rock festival, fell down a flight of stairs whilst drunk and on mandies etc etc. Good job I've calmed down a lot in my later years or I don't think I would've lived very long!

That sounds like a superbly misspent youth and a condensed version of a Hunter S Thompson-esque book!

On the topic of Stonehenge, my dad has photos of when he was younger and several of them are of a family outing to great Wiltshire rock assembly, with him and his siblings happily climbing over and playing around the (smaller) rocks without any barricades or authority figures in sight!

[Daemonia]

One of the best books I've ever read on 60's drug counter culture is The Electric Kool Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe, chronicling the adventures of Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters. Let's not forget it was the CIA that introduced the youth of America to LSD! Strange but true.

[Wes]

(I posted this on Facebook earlier)

Remembering the great British Horror fanzines of the 90's...

Top row L-R, In the Flesh, Headpress, Trash City, Giallo Pages
Bottom row L-R, Cold Sweat, Shock Xpress, Invasion of the Sad Man-Eating Mushrooms, Eyeball

[Daemonia]

Our very own Calum produced a fanzine himself years ago, called Firelight Shocks, which was an impressive achievement in itself in that it was produced on a shoestring but had some fantastic material in them. Even then you could see he had a real talent for journalism and interviewing. Not only that, he has a peculiar talent for securing interviews with just about anybody! Even those hard-to-get interview subjects.

[Wes]

Firelight Shocks...I remember the name...a great name actually. Yeah, I like to think that blogs are the new fanzines, although nothing beats having one of those indie-publications in your hands. I think Shock Xpress was my favourite and I still re-read it... I wonder would Calum scan an issue for us, I defo love to read the old 'zines...

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Daemonia

One of the best books I've ever read on 60's drug counter culture is The Electric Kool Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe, chronicling the adventures of Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters. Let's not forget it was the CIA that introduced the youth of America to LSD! Strange but true.

That's a great read and a fascinating insight into the American counterculture. I know some of the names and locations have been changed, but it is still a really informative read with some extremely humorous situations and others which are quite dark.

[Rik]

Started reading The Exorcist again last night, I've lost count how many times I've read it since the first time 20 years ago. Me reading this book at school at the ripe old age of 12 caused my English teacher(the gorgeous Miss Lloyd) to call my parents to see whether or not they knew their son was reading such a horrific book in her English class, the answer being "yes, he doesn't like the usual stuff that 12 year olds do" ha ha, I think that's when people started keeping a close eye on me just in case my head spun round!


Violence is Italian Art