Bunker Sessions #23/#24 - 16.10.2013 (Samhain edition: la tête de mort)
Soundcloud linky: https://soundcloud.com/bunkersessions/bunker-sessions-23-24-16-10-1
"Bring out the dead for Samhain!
The reaper is joining the party.
Sun shines on Scorpio and the old Crone wanes;
mysteries unfold in the moment.
In a flash, we all become one...
...But only for one magickal moment.
Dare I gaze into the mirror and surrender to natures wheel?
Spiralling back to the womb of the Goddess;
my timeless judgement is offered in the void.
A simple journey from fear to familiarity.
At home life unfolds.
Tomorrow is another day."
A special gathering this month as the Bunker coven has completed its collective journey around the wheel of the year to co-create the sound of each season. This month, we feature personal track selections from Daevid Allen (Gong), Penny Rimbaud (Crass) and experimental genius, Matthew Herbert.
Summer is now over, the nights are drawing in and as the leaves turn, we stand on the cusp of Autumn to stare down the barrel of death. Samhain (commonly known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve) marks both an ending and a beginning in an eternal cycle where change is the only constant.
The only thing as sure as death is life, for when something is meant to die, it also means it is ALIVE. Yes, this month, we went back to our Celtic roots in Ye olde Blethenal Green (as it was known in the 15th century) for a celebration of death and impermanence, the ancient way. Our selectors toss some seasonal faves into the sonic cauldron to mark this time of transition; a conscious ceremony of music and opportunity for you to commune with your ancestors, honour your greatest fears and carry out your own internal harvest.
Fancy a teaser?
To satisfy those with a morbid curiosity, we give you an interview with a serial killer courtesy of Atrax Morgue (23:10).
“Is this art?” I hear you cry. Creator, Marco Corbelli thinks so:
“I am interested in the pathologic and the extreme, because I think that through the extreme experience everyone can touch deepness himself. Murder is considered the most repulsive act, but it's part of nature, and nature makes the balance between good and evil, day and night. If there's light, there must be the darkness. If there's a birth, there must be a death. Serial Killers are only one of the many manifestations of evil. It's about our modern age and I think it's an interesting phenomenon. Necrophilia is also interesting because you can love without have nothing in return, just love. Pure.”
(Corbelli committed suicide by hanging on 6th May 2007.)
Johnny Cash gives us “25 minutes to go” (41:22), a humorous account of life on death row and excerpt from his live album, ‘At Folsom Prison’. The crowd is threateningly receptive and the full recording even contains interruptions from the prison tannoy barking out prisoner numbers and summoning them to reception. Dark and visceral at best.
Personally, I fell in love with Scott Walker’s version of Jacques Brel’s ‘My Death’ for its existentialist take on love (1:51:34):
“But whatever is behind the door
There is nothing much to do
Angel or devil I don't care
For in front of that door
There is you.”
*sigh* Beautiful.
Need a lift? Look no further than the Smashing Pumpkins ‘Today’ (1:12:41), performer Billy Corgan says it’s the song that changed his life more than any other, “The ultimate in irony: a chirpy song about my near-suicide that all the kids can sing along to.” - a theme also adopted by Elton John in his inimitable foot-tapping, honky-tonk style, “I think I’m going to kill myself” (1:16:00).
Watch out for Ryuichi Sakamoto (28:15), Anna Von Hausswolff (53:16), Throwing Muses (1:00:11), Aphrodite’s Child (1:35:44), Clan Of Xymox (1:56:26) and the obligatory Current 93/Coil (2:03:09/2:07:22). In fact, we wrote to the poet legend and apocalypse obsessive, David Tibet for a selection. His response was brilliantly fickle and pleasing:
“Thanks for the email Rob. I am afraid I have no time as I am mixing my new album at the moment...and I don’t think “death themed” sessions are my bag ;-)”
Finally, no halloween playlist would be complete without Vincent Price’s Thriller moment (“Darkness falls across the land…”) so I rearranged the classic sample on top of Arbeid Adelt’s ’Death Disco’ (17:41).
...
Part two mixes Herrman’s theme from Psycho with the Seasame Street’s ‘Count von count’ (2:33:41) along with deep growling death metal (3:17:04), hardcore gabber (3:37:47) and Bach (3:52:46) - a seamless transition if there ever was one! Special mention goes to Bunker Sessions contributor, Diamanda Galás (3:21:53), with a live performance and guttural rendition of “O Death” (completely heart stopping).
Lastly, who can argue with Benjamin Britten’s ‘War Requiem’? (3:56:03) Surely one of the defining artistic works of the twentieth century.
“Consummate artwork, religious ritual and prayer, ceremonial commemoration, ideological political statement, public expression of mourning, and private avowal of faith.”
(Claire Seymour - Opera today)
Britten is perhaps the worst prelude to ‘the force’s sweetheart’, Dame Vera Lynn (4:17:10), but frankly the combination is rather hilarious and both scores were inspired by the same war - tenuous as the link may be.
Thanks so much for supporting the Bunker cause during its first year - and special shout to Jon for the help in sourcing some of the rarities.
Till next time, happy death! xxx
1. Laurie Anderson - Someone else’s dream [Warner Bros. Records] 1995 - DAMIEN
2. Jenny Devivo - Season of the witch (Hyponix Instradub) [Afro Art] 1999 - ROBDER
3. Gary Newman - Dead heaven [Eagle Records] 1998 - ANDY
4. Public Image Ltd - Death disco [Virgin] 1979 - ROBDER
5. Arbeid Adelt – Death Disco (Todd Terje Edit) [Play Out!] 2008 - ROBDER
SAMPLE - Vincent Price - Voice-over session from Michael Jackson, Thriller [Epic] 2005
6. Atrax Morgue - Dead perfection (Version 2) [Slaughter Productions] 1996 - JON
7. Ryuichi Sakamoto - Grief (Amon Tobin remix) [Ninja Tune] 1998 - EMMA
8. Mike Harding - Theme from Count Duckula [Thames Television] 1988 - ROBDER
9. Voltaire - Death death (Devil, devil, devil, devil, evil, evil, evil, evil song) [Mars Needs Music] 2008 - ANDY
10. Johnny Cash - 25 minutes to go (Live at Folsom Prison, San Quentin) [Columbia] 1968 - JON
11. Kate Bush - Watching you without me [EMI] 1985 - ALAN
12. Bat for lashes - I saw a light [Echo] 2006 - DAMIEN
13. Anna Von Hausswolff - Deathbed [Kning Disk] 2012 - STEFAN
14. Throwing Muses - Fever few [Sire, Reprise Records] 1994 - DAMIEN
15. John & Jehn - Oh my love [Faculty Records] 2009 - OLIVIER
16. June Tabor - I want to vanish [Cooking Vinyl] 1994 - SPECIAL GUEST SELECTION BY DAEVID ALLEN (GONG)
17. Smashing Pumpkins - Today [Hut Recordings, Virgin] 1993 - KATH
18. Elton John - I think I’m going to kill myself [DJM Records] 1972 - ROBDER
19. Smog - Dress sexy at my funeral [Domino] 2000 - ALEX
20. Adam Parfrey - Hatesville suicide hotline [Hierarchy] 1995 - JON
21. The Mash - Theme from M*A*S*H (Suicide is painless) [CBS] 1974 - ROBDER
22. Blue Öyster Cult - (Don't Fear) The Reaper [CBS] 1976 - ROBDER
23. Aphrodite’s Child - The four horsemen [Vertigo] 1972 - ROBDER
24. Dead can dance - I am stretched on your grave [4AD] 1994 - ALAN
25. Julian Cope - Reynard the fox [Mercury, PolyGram] 1984 - KIM
26. Scott Walker - My death [Philips] 1967 - ROBDER
27. Clan Of Xymox - Muscoviet musquito [4AD] 1987 - JESS
28. Death by Delirium - Perfume & syphilis [Tentáculos Del Amor (FMO)] 2013 - STEFAN
29. Current 93 - Crowleymass unveiled [Durtro] 1991 - JON
30. COIL - Tattooed man (Live in Jesi, Italy) [Threshold House] 2004 - JON/ROBDER
31. Bernard Herrmann - Prelude and dawn (Psycho) [Unicorn Records] 1975 - SPECIAL GUEST SELECTION BY MATTHEW HERBERT
32. Necro - Dead body disposal [Psycho+Logical-Records] 2001 - JON
33. Bernard Herrmann - The murder (Psycho) [Unicorn Records] 1975 - SPECIAL GUEST SELECTION BY MATTHEW HERBERT
34. Kimbu Kimra - Raise the dead (Original mix) [Mantis Recordings] 2000 - ROBDER
SAMPLE - Halloween sound effects - 2 hissing cats [Unknown] 2006
35. Sesame Street - The song of the Count [Children’s Television Workshop] 1975 - ROBDER
36. Hot Blood - Soul Dracula [Hansa] 1976 - JON
37. Shiro Sagisu - A cruel angel's thesis (残酷な天使のテーゼ) (Director's edit version) [Geneon] 2004 - STEFAN
38. Cade Buchanan - Scream for your life! (Movie Scream Compilation Supercut) [Unreleased] 2010 - ROBDER
39. Norman Greenbaum - Spirit in the sky [Reprise Records] 1969 - ROBDER
40. Sophie Ellis-Bextor - The Earth shook the devil’s hand [Polydor] 2003 - MARK
41. Hot Chocolate - Emma [RAK] 1974 - JON
42. Pulsallama - The devil lives in my husband’s body [Y Records] 1982 - OLIVIER
43. Marilyn Manson - This is halloween [Walt Disney Records] 1993 - ROBDER
44. Beastie Boys - Instant death [Grand Royal, Capitol Records] 1998 - MARK
45. Mazzy Star - Roseblood [Capitol Records] 1996 - DAMIEN
46. Metallica - Fade to black [Elektra] 1984 - ROBDER
47. Slayer - Angel of death [Def Jam Recordings] 1986 - ROBDER
48. Diamanda Galás - O death [Mute Records Ltd] 2008 - ROBDER
49. Spiro - We will be absorbed [Real World] 2001 - ALAN
50. The Specials - Ghost town (Extended version) [Two-Tone Records] 1981 - OLIVIER
51. Timo Maas - We are nothing [Perfecto] 2001 - ANDY
52. Eisenfunk - Duck and cover [Biohazzard Records] 2007 - JON
53. Syndicate - Visions of death [Bloody Fist Records] 1998 - JON
54. JS Bach - Komm, süßer Tod (Come, sweet death) (Cello suite performed by Pablo Casals) [EMI Classics] 2010 - EMMA/JON
55. Benjamin Britten - VI Libera Me (War requiem) [Decca] 1963 - SPECIAL GUEST SELECTION BY PENNY RIMBAUD (CRASS)
56. Vera Lynn - We’ll meet again [His Master’s Voice] 1962 - ROBDER
Soundcloud linky: https://soundcloud.com/bunkersessions/bunker-sessions-23-24-16-10-1
"Bring out the dead for Samhain!
The reaper is joining the party.
Sun shines on Scorpio and the old Crone wanes;
mysteries unfold in the moment.
In a flash, we all become one...
...But only for one magickal moment.
Dare I gaze into the mirror and surrender to natures wheel?
Spiralling back to the womb of the Goddess;
my timeless judgement is offered in the void.
A simple journey from fear to familiarity.
At home life unfolds.
Tomorrow is another day."
A special gathering this month as the Bunker coven has completed its collective journey around the wheel of the year to co-create the sound of each season. This month, we feature personal track selections from Daevid Allen (Gong), Penny Rimbaud (Crass) and experimental genius, Matthew Herbert.
Summer is now over, the nights are drawing in and as the leaves turn, we stand on the cusp of Autumn to stare down the barrel of death. Samhain (commonly known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve) marks both an ending and a beginning in an eternal cycle where change is the only constant.
The only thing as sure as death is life, for when something is meant to die, it also means it is ALIVE. Yes, this month, we went back to our Celtic roots in Ye olde Blethenal Green (as it was known in the 15th century) for a celebration of death and impermanence, the ancient way. Our selectors toss some seasonal faves into the sonic cauldron to mark this time of transition; a conscious ceremony of music and opportunity for you to commune with your ancestors, honour your greatest fears and carry out your own internal harvest.
Fancy a teaser?
To satisfy those with a morbid curiosity, we give you an interview with a serial killer courtesy of Atrax Morgue (23:10).
“Is this art?” I hear you cry. Creator, Marco Corbelli thinks so:
“I am interested in the pathologic and the extreme, because I think that through the extreme experience everyone can touch deepness himself. Murder is considered the most repulsive act, but it's part of nature, and nature makes the balance between good and evil, day and night. If there's light, there must be the darkness. If there's a birth, there must be a death. Serial Killers are only one of the many manifestations of evil. It's about our modern age and I think it's an interesting phenomenon. Necrophilia is also interesting because you can love without have nothing in return, just love. Pure.”
(Corbelli committed suicide by hanging on 6th May 2007.)
Johnny Cash gives us “25 minutes to go” (41:22), a humorous account of life on death row and excerpt from his live album, ‘At Folsom Prison’. The crowd is threateningly receptive and the full recording even contains interruptions from the prison tannoy barking out prisoner numbers and summoning them to reception. Dark and visceral at best.
Personally, I fell in love with Scott Walker’s version of Jacques Brel’s ‘My Death’ for its existentialist take on love (1:51:34):
“But whatever is behind the door
There is nothing much to do
Angel or devil I don't care
For in front of that door
There is you.”
*sigh* Beautiful.
Need a lift? Look no further than the Smashing Pumpkins ‘Today’ (1:12:41), performer Billy Corgan says it’s the song that changed his life more than any other, “The ultimate in irony: a chirpy song about my near-suicide that all the kids can sing along to.” - a theme also adopted by Elton John in his inimitable foot-tapping, honky-tonk style, “I think I’m going to kill myself” (1:16:00).
Watch out for Ryuichi Sakamoto (28:15), Anna Von Hausswolff (53:16), Throwing Muses (1:00:11), Aphrodite’s Child (1:35:44), Clan Of Xymox (1:56:26) and the obligatory Current 93/Coil (2:03:09/2:07:22). In fact, we wrote to the poet legend and apocalypse obsessive, David Tibet for a selection. His response was brilliantly fickle and pleasing:
“Thanks for the email Rob. I am afraid I have no time as I am mixing my new album at the moment...and I don’t think “death themed” sessions are my bag ;-)”
Finally, no halloween playlist would be complete without Vincent Price’s Thriller moment (“Darkness falls across the land…”) so I rearranged the classic sample on top of Arbeid Adelt’s ’Death Disco’ (17:41).
...
Part two mixes Herrman’s theme from Psycho with the Seasame Street’s ‘Count von count’ (2:33:41) along with deep growling death metal (3:17:04), hardcore gabber (3:37:47) and Bach (3:52:46) - a seamless transition if there ever was one! Special mention goes to Bunker Sessions contributor, Diamanda Galás (3:21:53), with a live performance and guttural rendition of “O Death” (completely heart stopping).
Lastly, who can argue with Benjamin Britten’s ‘War Requiem’? (3:56:03) Surely one of the defining artistic works of the twentieth century.
“Consummate artwork, religious ritual and prayer, ceremonial commemoration, ideological political statement, public expression of mourning, and private avowal of faith.”
(Claire Seymour - Opera today)
Britten is perhaps the worst prelude to ‘the force’s sweetheart’, Dame Vera Lynn (4:17:10), but frankly the combination is rather hilarious and both scores were inspired by the same war - tenuous as the link may be.
Thanks so much for supporting the Bunker cause during its first year - and special shout to Jon for the help in sourcing some of the rarities.
Till next time, happy death! xxx
1. Laurie Anderson - Someone else’s dream [Warner Bros. Records] 1995 - DAMIEN
2. Jenny Devivo - Season of the witch (Hyponix Instradub) [Afro Art] 1999 - ROBDER
3. Gary Newman - Dead heaven [Eagle Records] 1998 - ANDY
4. Public Image Ltd - Death disco [Virgin] 1979 - ROBDER
5. Arbeid Adelt – Death Disco (Todd Terje Edit) [Play Out!] 2008 - ROBDER
SAMPLE - Vincent Price - Voice-over session from Michael Jackson, Thriller [Epic] 2005
6. Atrax Morgue - Dead perfection (Version 2) [Slaughter Productions] 1996 - JON
7. Ryuichi Sakamoto - Grief (Amon Tobin remix) [Ninja Tune] 1998 - EMMA
8. Mike Harding - Theme from Count Duckula [Thames Television] 1988 - ROBDER
9. Voltaire - Death death (Devil, devil, devil, devil, evil, evil, evil, evil song) [Mars Needs Music] 2008 - ANDY
10. Johnny Cash - 25 minutes to go (Live at Folsom Prison, San Quentin) [Columbia] 1968 - JON
11. Kate Bush - Watching you without me [EMI] 1985 - ALAN
12. Bat for lashes - I saw a light [Echo] 2006 - DAMIEN
13. Anna Von Hausswolff - Deathbed [Kning Disk] 2012 - STEFAN
14. Throwing Muses - Fever few [Sire, Reprise Records] 1994 - DAMIEN
15. John & Jehn - Oh my love [Faculty Records] 2009 - OLIVIER
16. June Tabor - I want to vanish [Cooking Vinyl] 1994 - SPECIAL GUEST SELECTION BY DAEVID ALLEN (GONG)
17. Smashing Pumpkins - Today [Hut Recordings, Virgin] 1993 - KATH
18. Elton John - I think I’m going to kill myself [DJM Records] 1972 - ROBDER
19. Smog - Dress sexy at my funeral [Domino] 2000 - ALEX
20. Adam Parfrey - Hatesville suicide hotline [Hierarchy] 1995 - JON
21. The Mash - Theme from M*A*S*H (Suicide is painless) [CBS] 1974 - ROBDER
22. Blue Öyster Cult - (Don't Fear) The Reaper [CBS] 1976 - ROBDER
23. Aphrodite’s Child - The four horsemen [Vertigo] 1972 - ROBDER
24. Dead can dance - I am stretched on your grave [4AD] 1994 - ALAN
25. Julian Cope - Reynard the fox [Mercury, PolyGram] 1984 - KIM
26. Scott Walker - My death [Philips] 1967 - ROBDER
27. Clan Of Xymox - Muscoviet musquito [4AD] 1987 - JESS
28. Death by Delirium - Perfume & syphilis [Tentáculos Del Amor (FMO)] 2013 - STEFAN
29. Current 93 - Crowleymass unveiled [Durtro] 1991 - JON
30. COIL - Tattooed man (Live in Jesi, Italy) [Threshold House] 2004 - JON/ROBDER
31. Bernard Herrmann - Prelude and dawn (Psycho) [Unicorn Records] 1975 - SPECIAL GUEST SELECTION BY MATTHEW HERBERT
32. Necro - Dead body disposal [Psycho+Logical-Records] 2001 - JON
33. Bernard Herrmann - The murder (Psycho) [Unicorn Records] 1975 - SPECIAL GUEST SELECTION BY MATTHEW HERBERT
34. Kimbu Kimra - Raise the dead (Original mix) [Mantis Recordings] 2000 - ROBDER
SAMPLE - Halloween sound effects - 2 hissing cats [Unknown] 2006
35. Sesame Street - The song of the Count [Children’s Television Workshop] 1975 - ROBDER
36. Hot Blood - Soul Dracula [Hansa] 1976 - JON
37. Shiro Sagisu - A cruel angel's thesis (残酷な天使のテーゼ) (Director's edit version) [Geneon] 2004 - STEFAN
38. Cade Buchanan - Scream for your life! (Movie Scream Compilation Supercut) [Unreleased] 2010 - ROBDER
39. Norman Greenbaum - Spirit in the sky [Reprise Records] 1969 - ROBDER
40. Sophie Ellis-Bextor - The Earth shook the devil’s hand [Polydor] 2003 - MARK
41. Hot Chocolate - Emma [RAK] 1974 - JON
42. Pulsallama - The devil lives in my husband’s body [Y Records] 1982 - OLIVIER
43. Marilyn Manson - This is halloween [Walt Disney Records] 1993 - ROBDER
44. Beastie Boys - Instant death [Grand Royal, Capitol Records] 1998 - MARK
45. Mazzy Star - Roseblood [Capitol Records] 1996 - DAMIEN
46. Metallica - Fade to black [Elektra] 1984 - ROBDER
47. Slayer - Angel of death [Def Jam Recordings] 1986 - ROBDER
48. Diamanda Galás - O death [Mute Records Ltd] 2008 - ROBDER
49. Spiro - We will be absorbed [Real World] 2001 - ALAN
50. The Specials - Ghost town (Extended version) [Two-Tone Records] 1981 - OLIVIER
51. Timo Maas - We are nothing [Perfecto] 2001 - ANDY
52. Eisenfunk - Duck and cover [Biohazzard Records] 2007 - JON
53. Syndicate - Visions of death [Bloody Fist Records] 1998 - JON
54. JS Bach - Komm, süßer Tod (Come, sweet death) (Cello suite performed by Pablo Casals) [EMI Classics] 2010 - EMMA/JON
55. Benjamin Britten - VI Libera Me (War requiem) [Decca] 1963 - SPECIAL GUEST SELECTION BY PENNY RIMBAUD (CRASS)
56. Vera Lynn - We’ll meet again [His Master’s Voice] 1962 - ROBDER
