New Pop Lit On Frighty #2!

  

Thanks to New Pop Lit for their shoutout about Frighty #2!  You can read the second issue of Frighty here:    https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mxtKjKFYzM7k3ujI4S43G1ZcCop15i69/view.  Remember, it's designed to be printed doublesided flip on short edge, then you can fold and even staple/bind if you're feeling really inspired.  It's not really designed to be read online.  I'll probably do a third issue of the zine in the fall since some folks already sent material for it.

Today's Bloomsday, so that means summer is upon us, and I will be taking a short break from the blog.  See you in July with a new single, a new album, perhaps another autographed novel to add to the others now available, some music videos, and whatever else the rest of 2025 brings!

In the meantime, why not do some summer reading, starting with my latest novel, The Front Yard War?! 

Autographed Frequently Asked Questions About Being Dead Books Available!

I have autographed copies of Frequently Asked Questions About Being Dead available now.  They are each $15 domestic postpaid (USA) or $20 international postpaid (anywhere else).  If you want a dedication or anything then please just put it in the notes field and I will try to oblige (no guarantees).  Of course, the PDF and EPUB versions are available for $5 still, and the novel is available at most ebook retailers as well as in printed form from Amazon should you not want an autographed copy (of course, I can provide that as well, just write in the notes field that you don't want your copy autographed--that would be weird but OK).  If, for some reason, you want to order multiple copies at once for your book club or something, then just do the math and PayPal me at wredfright AT yahoo DOTT com with the appropriate note about what you're ordering.  You don't have to do separate clicks on the Buy Now link.

Luftkanone On Soundcloud!

Luftkanone · The Violation Of Gina Ryder

Dave Bell had a noise project named Luftkanone around 2000 or so.  It was definitely some crazy extreme music.  I saw him play it live a couple of times.  He was loosely part of the Cleveland, Ohio USA noise scene for a time but drifted away due to lack of proximity (he moved back to Western Pennsylvania) and some of his fellow noise musicians' antics (I remember him telling me one story about how after a noise show or something they went to an inner city strip club and one of the musicians started yelling racial epithets--as you can guess that didn't go over well and guns were pulled).  Vicki, Dave's widow, found some of the Luftkanone cds among his stuff.  I couldn't find the music (though some might not consider noise music music, it is music, just an extreme version of it) online, so I posted it on Soundcloud for those of you into not so easy listening.  You can find seven tracks here:  https://soundcloud.com/luftkanone.  I found the names of four of the tracks (from the split with Baal), but the tracks from the first ep I have no idea what they are actually called (if anyone does know, then please let me know as I had to make up some names just to avoid the bland track 1, track 2 approach).  It looks like he did record some more Luftkanone tracks, but we didn't find a copy of those (if anybody has more Luftkanone, then please post it and let me know).  You can find a description of what Luftkanone was like live in this review:  https://vareverta.wordpress.com/2013/11/26/das-waren-noch-zeiten-2000-too-loud-for-the-crowd/.

You can also find more Dave Bell music on Soundcloud:

Anal Spikemobile (I also added 3 tracks here though they aren't new since you can hear them at the end of In Through The Out Hole (Full Cavity Search Edition) album--you can hear them separately now.)

The Angry Housewives

Yeast? (Dave plays drums on most of the tracks and provides vocals on "Bloomsday" and "Duster" among others)

All of these aren't quite as extreme as Luftkanone, but they're probably all for adventuresome listeners.  I'd love to hear more Dave music, so if anyone has any Black Squirrel & Freaky, Sacred Hearts Auto Club, or other Dave projects, then please post them and let me know!

After Luftkanone, my albums probably sound like Frank Sinatra, but you can find them on Soundcloud, Spotify, Bandcamp, and other music services/sites!

Frighty #2!

 

Had enough fun doing the first issue of the zine Frighty that I made a second.  You can read it here:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mxtKjKFYzM7k3ujI4S43G1ZcCop15i69/view?usp=sharing Once again, it's designed to be downloaded and then printed out and read.  Print it doublesided, flip on short edge, then you can fold it and staple it or bind it however you want and you'll have a nice little zine to read.  Reading it online isn't going to be ideal because it's formatted for printing and folding.  This issue, King Karl Wenclas and Markell R. West join in the fun.  The Midnight Rider sent in three contributions, so there will be at least one more issue, probably in the fall, given the quarterly schedule.  This is the summer issue.  Feel free to print out and distribute if you know anyone else that needs a new zine in their life.  

And if you need more to read, then read my latest novel, The Front Yard War!  

New Single!: The President Shit His Pants

wredfright · The President Shit His Pants

If you haven't shit your pants at some point post-infancy, then consider yourself lucky.  This song consoles anyone who has suffered such a misfortune.  Musically, it has the usual vocals, guitar, fake bass, and drums, but I added some fun noise and keyboards as well.  Lyrics are below:

The president shit his pants.
Now he's doing a squirmy dance.
It happened on live tv.
It could happen to you or me.
Maybe it was something he ate,
or he just overdosed on hate.
Maybe it was a voodoo curse,
or a pill his wife hid in her purse.

It could happen to anyone.

The richest man in the world fell on his ass.
He wasn't watching where he was walking in the grass.
He fired the employee who laughed,
and then brushed the grass from his calves.
Maybe his expensive shoes were too shiny,
so he slipped and fell on his heinie.
Maybe he forgot gravity still applies to him,
or maybe the lighting was just too dim.

The valedictorian ended up on the street.
Now she needs something to eat.
She had some bad bad luck,
and nobody seems to give a fuck.
Won't somebody lend her a helping hand?
She just needs a safe place to land.
At the very least buy her a beer,
so she can forget, for a time, the fear.

For more Wred Fright music, give his latest album a listen or download at your favorite digital music site such as Soundcloud, Spotify, or Bandcamp!

Music Video: Alger Hisses

 

This video evokes the espionage theme of the song.  I filmed it last fall walking down a street in Cleveland, Ohio USA mostly, aside from the opening shot which is from a state park in eastern Ohio (alas, I forget the name at the moment).  I should have time this year to crank out a few more videos, so maybe I'll finish all the ones for the second album just as I get ready to release album number five . . .

For more Wred Fright music, give his latest album a listen or download at your favorite digital music site such as Soundcloud, Spotify, or Bandcamp!

New Single!: But At Least You're Not Bitter

wredfright · But At Least You're Not Bitter

I wanted to write a grunge revival song for some reason.  I'm actually surprised the grunge revival never happened.  I expected it in the teens the same way retro music usually becomes popular 20 years down the road (the '70s in the '90s, the '80s in the '00s, and so on), but nope, nothing happened, so I had to write my own grunge revival tune.  At least I'm not bitter, I guess . . . Musically, it's the usual guitar, fake bass, vocals, and drums, though I clearly had fun adding extra noise in the middle.  Lyrics are below:

She was waiting for the grunge revival.
If it doesn't arrive soon, she thinks she'll die-o.
And her friends all listen to crappy pop music.
She left her bad boyfriend
at the fast food drive-thru.
He's just a boy, and she's no longer a girl.

People ask her why, and she just asks them why not?
People ask her what she wants, and she just says, what you got?

Her neighbors all keep their curtains closed.
They never see the sun, just the electric glows.
They all think it's a scary place, the world.
And she stopped wearing makeup.
And she deleted all the photos of you.
And if she could she'd delete you too.

She dreams of Mark E. Smith at Marc's.
It's 1979.  How much are the tomatoes?
Inflation.  Inflation.  Inflation.
She puts her keys and money in the fridge.
Answers the door when the phone rings.
What can you expect from an American?

But at least you're not bitter.

For more Wred Fright music, give his latest album a listen or download at your favorite digital music site such as Soundcloud, Spotify, or Bandcamp!

Autographed Edna's Employment Agency Books Available!

  

I have autographed copies of Edna's Employment Agency available now.  They are each $15 domestic postpaid (USA) or $20 international postpaid (anywhere else).  If you want a dedication or anything then please just put it in the notes field and I will try to oblige (no guarantees).  Of course, the PDF and EPUB versions are available for $5 still, and the novel is available at most ebook retailers as well as in printed form from Amazon should you not want an autographed copy (of course, I can provide that as well, just write in the notes field that you don't want your copy autographed--that would be weird but OK).  

New Single!: Terri Cockring

wredfright · Terri Cockring

This was originally more caddish, but at some point the song turned into a sweeter look at an old maid, kind of like a Shane MacGowan mix of nasty and nice.  Musically, it's vocals, guitar, fake bass, and drums.  It's fun to play, so I can see playing it live sometime.  Lyrics are below.

Terri Cockring was the last girl at the party.
She thinks it's long past time she departed.
And all the boys offer to walk her home,
but Terri would rather be alone.

Oh, Terri you never let me kiss you, but that's OK.
Terri, I've kissed many prettier women than you since those days.

Terri Cockring reads all the cheap romance novels.
She wonders how she ended up in this hovel.
She used to make all the boys turn their heads.
But that was years ago, and now they're half-dead.

Terri, can you believe we're this old?
Oh, Terri, would you still swat away my hand now?
Oh, Terri, with your parents gone that house must be so cold.
Oh, Terri, do you need a hand to hold?

Terri, I bet you still go to church.
And at night with the tv on, on your recliner you perch.
Oh, Terri, I think that I could have saved you,
and maybe you could have saved me too.

Oh, Terri, I hope someone kisses you before it's too late,
and they shovel in the dirt on your grave.

For more Wred Fright music, give his latest album a listen or download at your favorite digital music site such as Soundcloud, Spotify, or Bandcamp!