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
To Those Who Offend You, Show Mercy: Transmission 381, 2017 November 29
You've Made Me Suspicious of People Who Are Kind: Transmission 380, 2017 November 19
Asterisks in My Eyelids: Transmission 379, 2017 November 15
From Luxury to Landfill: Transmission 378, 2017 November 8
Catharsis Family Values: Transmission 377, 2017 November 1
Join the Queue of Future Has-Beens: Transmission 376, 2017 October 25
Where People Feel No Anguish and Need No Hate: Transmission 375, 2017 October 18
In Fact This Is Very Serious; I Have Nothing To Regret: Transmission 374, 2017 October 11
Question Sessions over Cakes and Coffee: Transmission 373, 2017 October 4
Noodle and Man Are Separated by a Comma: Transmission 372, 2017 September 27
One of the Perks of Being a Radio Personality: Transmission 371, 2017 September 23
Mundane by Day, Inane at Night: Transmission 370, 2017 September 20
Send Flowers, Please: Transmission 369, 2017 September 16
My Skin Is Deeper Than Is Thought: Transmission 368, 2017 September 13
Deep Into the Empire's Ear: Transmission 367, 2017 September 6
For Reasons That Are Not Going To Be Disclosed: Transmission 366, 2017 September 2
Are You Patient and Kind with People: Transmission 365, 2017 August 30
You Think It's Over Now, But We've Only Just Begun: Transmission 364, 2017 August 25
We Smoked in Heaven and We Laughed Off Hell: Transmission 363, 2017 August 23
Everybody Tests the Membrane, But No One Pushes Through: Transmission 362, 2017 August 16
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