MK ULTRA

This series is directly regarding the true story I heard in 1994 that prompted me to name the magazine MK ULTRA. I read the story while in college but when I heard it again in the winter of 94 it rang a bell of familiarity and was the perfect name for my forthcoming project which I had been putting together with other writers although it at the time did not have a name. Perfect in every way. 

The New York Times awarded it a NYT Critic’s Pick with reviewer A. O. Scott saying “Mr. Morris presents a powerful historical argument in the guise of a beguiling work of cinematic art — and vice versa.” Matt Zoller Seitz, writing for Vulture.com, “The filmmaking gathers all the bits and pieces of the story together and arranges them in ways that are clever, surprising, and so aggressively (and deliberately) self-conscious that there are times when the whole thing gets close to turning into an intellectualized formal exercise…there’s never a moment where Olson or Morris fail to fascinate” Vanity Fair called it “one of the most original things you’ll see all year.

In collaboration with Dead Seed Productions Mortiis will be releasing some very limited edition products, namely a “Perfectly Defect” picture disc and the “Weal & Woe” cassette box.

The “Perfectly Defect” picture disc will be limited to only 100 copies and comes housed in heavy PVC sleeve with a thick lyrics card. You can order this item directly from Dead Seed Productions.

Next is the “Weal & Woe” cassette box set (limited to just 150 copies) holding 4 cassettes featuring over 60 tracks. Included are “Perfectly Defect” (full track session with 4 bonus tracks), “The Great Deceiver”, “The Great Corrupter”double cassette box (with the never before physically published 3 bonus track EP). The set also includes a silkscreened print by Maggot Meister. Also this item can be ordered directly from Dead Seed Productions. All Cassettes are also available individually from Dead Seed.

Upcoming shows

And while we are at it, here are the upcoming “Era 1” Live shows:

• JUN 15 Salón Bolívar, Mexico, Mexico
• JUN 24 Ragnard Reborn Festival, Kharkiv, Ukraine
• JUN 29 Kilkim Žaibu, Varniai, Lithuania
• JUL 14 Castle Party, Bolków, Poland
• JUL 25 Badlands Bar, Perth, Australia
• JUL 26 Crowbar, Fortitude Valley, Australia
• JUL 27 The Factory Theatre, Sydney, Australia
• JUL 28 Bendigo Hotel, Collingwood, Australia
• JUL 29 Brisbane Hotel, Hobart, Australia
• JUL 30 Enigma Bar, Adelaide, Australia
• JUL 31 Darkroom, Christchurch, New Zealand
• AUG 01 Valhalla, Wellington, New Zealand
• AUG 02 Whammy Bar, Auckland, New Zealand
• AUG 09 Brutal Assault Festival, Jaromer, Czech Republic
• NOV 15 Casa De La Cultura De Lo Prado- Ex Mundo Mágico, Lo Barnechea, Chile
• NOV 15 Mvseo Rock, Buenos Aires, Argentina
• NOV 17 Fundación Teatro Bolívar, Quito, Ecuador
• NOV 30 Club From Hell, Erfurt, Germany
• DEC 1 MS Connexion Complex, Mannheim, Germany

Gothic, Horror, and all things macabre come together in the thrilling new video for “Elisa Lam,” by musical duo SKYND. Produced and Directed by TallyHo!, you are viewing the world premiere of “Elisa Lam.”

The first of a tryptic of videos focusing on unsolved and mysterious serial killers and/or murders, “Elisa Lam” is a visual depiction of a real-life mystery. For those not in the know, Elisa Lam was a Canadian student whose body was mysteriously discovered floating in a water tank atop a Downtown Los Angeles hotel in 2013. She had been reported missing roughly three weeks earlier, and her body was only located when complaints at the hotel fatefully lead maintenance workers to the gruesome discovery. In recovered security footage from the day of her disappearance, Lam is seen talking to herself, exiting and re-entering an elevator, gesturing wildly, and acting erratically. Explanations for this footage have varied far and wide, but some suspected paranormal involvement.

Enter SKYND – who wish to only be known simply as the super covert duo of SKYND(vocals) and her partner, “F,” a Multi-Instrumentalist/Producer – who, working out of Studio 301 in Sydney, are now utilizing their brand of Industrial music to relay a story befitting of Lam’s bizarre death, done in the gorgeously haunting style of such blockbusters as 2002’s The Ring. Musically, Skynd have an explosive sound that will easily entice fans of groups like Die Antwoord, Prodigy, KMFDM, and artists such as Tim Skold.

Lyrically, SKYND reach deep, deep down into the sinister abyss of the human soul. In her own words​, SKYND explains: “​I want to get as close as possible to the evil​ ​that humans​ ​are capable of. I am obsessed with it.​..​ For weeks, months even, I’ve been trying to get into the heads of the most vicious, cruel killers. There is nothing more fascinating to me than people who have reached the boundary of their humanity.”

Adds her producer​: “T​he​ ​music picks up​ ​this​ ​concept of the boundary of humanity perfectly. That’s why her vocals are so defamiliarized. You can tell this is a human being, but it sounds grotesquely inhuman. Listening to these tracks, you should feel like you’re in a tiny room and the walls are closing in from all sides. In her lyrics, Skynd is the perpetrator and we as listeners are cornered victims. Nobody can escape this kind of dynamic.

Dark, suffocating, and deviously alluring, we might not yet know who the evil geniuses behind SKYND are – or, for that matter, who killed Elisa Lam – but this bizarre, abstract duo are definitely ones to watch for and “Elisa Lam” is just the beginning. More transmissions from the intensely grim world of SKYND will be revealed in due time, but for now, here is your first piece of evidence in this case of Industrial gloom.

Official Beer Release Party Taking Place on June 23, 2018 at Arcadia Brewing Co.’s Riverfront Brewery, Pub and Beer Garden in Kalamazoo, MI

Poptone release debut LP, gear up for Midwest & East coast tour
Bauhaus’ Daniel Ash and Kevin Haskins team with Diva Dompé as POPTONE

FOR SHARING
Go! video https://youtu.be/FMLNwT4v5Rc
Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/cleopatra-recs/popgo
Bandcamp https://poptone.bandcamp.com/album/poptone
Introduction to Poptone https://youtu.be/VNue90saxDw
Poptone Interview https://youtu.be/owpjJXPzNMw
Order tickets https://www.poptonetheband.com/tour-dates

The long-awaited debut ‘Poptone’ album is finally here, teased by premieres of ‘Go!’ and ‘Movement of Fear’. Following up their hugely successful West coast tour, the band will soon tour the Midwest and East coast of North America, including both U.S. and Canadian dates.

The new album is being released via Cleopatra Records as a double LP consisting of 13 songs from their set, originally recorded for a recent Part Time Punks session on KXLU.

Through this project, Daniel Ash and Kevin Haskins – both founders of Bauhaus, Tones On Tail and Love and Rockets – they continue to carry the torch of these critically acclaimed bands. As Poptone, they are now joined by Kevin’s daughter Diva Dompé on bass.

Their set leans heavily on Tones On Tail, the songs of which have not been performed live for over 30 years! With Diva Dompé faithfully recreating original bassist Glenn Campling’s incredible bass lines, Poptone has essentially resurrected the Tones’ archives. Having played only 27 live dates during their existence, this band remains somewhat of an enigma. Poptone also performs a sprinkling of solo Daniel Ash, a healthy dose of classic Love and Rockets, and a dash of Bauhaus with live sets also featuring the odd inspirational cover to stir things up.

 

“It’s been quite a remarkable journey so far! We as a band have been overwhelmed by our loyal following turning up in big numbers and celebrating all the music we have made over the past forty years. “We love our audience!,” says Kevin Haskins.

“Performing all these marvelous songs from our back catalog has made me really appreciate what a great songwriter and guitarist Daniel is! Touring with my very talented daughter Diva, takes it to dizzying new heights. The addition of six more songs that we are playing on this new leg of the tour has for me, really cemented our legacy. I feel very grateful and blessed to be a part of this and very much look forward to the forthcoming shows.”


 
Poptone are fulfilling a lifelong dream for much of their audience, most of whom would not have seen Tones On Tail play live during their brief existence. Of course, Bauhaus was resurrected in 1998 (after a 15-year absence) and again during 2005-06 and, save for occasional appearances in 2007 & 2008, Love and Rockets bowed out in 1999. For all three groups, but especially with respect to Tones on Tail, this is your chance to seize the day – Go!