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
Forgive Me, Forgive Me: Transmission 420, 2018 August 15
Past Lives in Warmer Climates: Transmission 419, 2018 August 11
Still Life with Ample Parking: Transmission 418, 2018 August 8
U_D_M Detour 32, 2018 August 4
We'll Keep Heaven Rolling Along: Transmission 417, 2018 August 1
Lost in a Permanent Dream: Transmission 416, 2018 July 18
Maybe Heaven Is All That's There: Transmission 415, 2018 July 15
You Will Have an Experience That Will Seem Completely Real: Transmission 414, 2018 July 4
Lights Flicker, Time To Start The Show: Transmission 413, 2018 June 27
Distant Sounds Inside Your Head: Transmission 412, 2018 June 13
Astonishing Empathy, or So It Says Here: Transmission 411, 2018 June 6
No Need for You To Cry: Transmission 410, 2018 May 30
Got the Tools but Don't Know the Rules: Transmission 409, 2018 May 23
Circa Nineteen-Eighty-One: Transmission 408, 2018 May 16
Every Fool Will See His Madness Crowned: Transmission 407, 2018 May 15
Sees the Stars at Lunchtime, Says He Has a Plan: Transmission 406, 2018 May 9
Undaunted I Will Be: Transmission 405, 2018 May 2
Tough Kids Love Sad Songs: Transmission 404, 2018 April 25
We're Probably Not Going To Be This Ambient All Evening: Transmission 403, 2018 April 18
Looking into the Void, You're Reckoning with a Question: Transmission 402, 2018 April 11
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