The pandemic has made me extra-fond of this episode, because it's one of the last "specials" I did before the lockdown, but I think this episode might be suitable for the pantheon in any timeline. I had of course already inducted Coil into the Bombast Hall of Legends, in four stages, to go along with their "equinox" / "solstice" series. Early days! But here I wind up with airtime on what would be Peter Christopherson's birthday, so it's a "proper" chance to devote the full two hours to their music (and other things, with apologies to Jhonn Balance).
I pronounce PC's surname like "Kristofferson" although I don't really know if that's correct--I become wistful about the Dif Juz HoL induction, triggered by that very question. How lucky I was that at least two of them are alive to answer the question. But not in this case. This program is for the spirits, and for the fans, and for the uninitiated.
There is no cool or interesting origin story for me and my Coil records. I'm sure that Jeremy, Friend of the Program, used to encourage me to play Scatology late at night on the radio, many years ago. And there was a kind docent at the local record store, Alex, who insisted I take home The Unreleased Themes for Hellraiser 10-inch. I'm not a pagan, I'm not into male-only onanistic rituals or anything, I'm just a black cishet guy who loves music that is unusual and good and unusually good. My tastes are probably almost as boring as I am.
I guess I stuck with Coil over the years because they were prolific and restless, building a catalog that is almost self-sufficient--not merely a "desert island disc" but a desert island body of work. In that ridiculous hypothetical, you'd hardly need anyone else's records. Also, there are only a handful of “industrial “ artists who (to me) are unproblematic. It’s a depressingly short list--Coil, Cabaret Voltaire, Chris & Cosey, Test Dept., Bourbonese Qualk, Einsturzende Neubauten, Nocturnal Emissions, Zoviet France, I'm not sure whom I'm forgetting...Everyone else seems too close to Alain Jourgensen, too close to Douglas Pearce, or is actually Genesis. This last bit is less trivial than it sounds--Coil's presence on a compilation is a really good indicator of quantity. I've "discovered" a lot of good sounds just picking up the various "various artists" records on which Coil appeared. And I take the willingness to do comps as an indicator of niceness in a person--easygoing, plays well with others, etc.
So I guess that's it.
It was a lovely evening sitting in the studio and letting the music flow through me, loudly, though I couldn’t seem to say anything correctly when it was time to speak. There is a certain magic(k) in the air whether you listen to this in blinding sunlight or at nighttime as intended.
Since this program was broadcast, 418 days ago now, I've gone "on the air" 57 times. I have delivered 53 pre-recorded episodes on account of the pandemic. I am most definitely biased but I have to say that none of those episodes are better than this one.
BOMBAST playlist, 2020 February 27, 2100-2300:
Everything is good and divine
https://www.facebook.com/radiobombast?ref=hl
https://twitter.com/KidCatharsis
Get Ready for That Albini Sound: Transmission 508, 2020 January 29
Songs About Happiness Murmured in Dreams: Transmission 507, 2020 January 15
You Should Know What You Look Like: Transmission 506, 2020 January 11
He Bites on the Neon and Sleeps in a Capsule: Transmission 505, 2020 January 8
Insight, Foresight, More Sight: Transmission 504, 2020 January 1
Five to Twelve, Almost Gone: Transmission 503, 2019 December 31
Let This Evil Season End: Transmission 502, 2019 December 24
Don't Ask Me Why, For I Don't Know Why: Transmission 501, 2019 December 18
What Can We Do To Stop This Insanity? Transmission 500, 2019 December 11
Cruising Altitude Departure 33, 2019 December 7
Can You Guess Which One of Us Does Not Give a Toss: Transmission 499, 2019 December 4
They Don't Call Me Loverboy for Nothing: Transmission 498, 2019 November 27
People Are Telling You, "Be in the Moment": Transmission 497, 2019 November 20
You Can't Arrest Me, I Pay Rent Here: Transmission 496, 2019 November 16
Forget Your Worries, Embrace Abundance: Transmission 495, 2019 November 13
I Seem To Be Saying Increasingly Dangerous Things: Transmission 494, 2019 November 9
All You've Got To Lose Is Your Mind: Transmission 493, 2019 November 6
OK Sister, You Have a Jezebel Spirit Within You: Transmission 492, 2019 October 31
Bodies Up and Bodies Down, Bodies Moving All Around: Transmission 491, 2019 October 30
Hundreds of Miles Going Nowhere: Transmission 490, 2019 October 23
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