Litany: Music News Covering Skinny Puppy, Download, ohGr and Related Projects

Hello from Houston following a lovely New Orleans evening. I fell madly in love with that city on the ohGr tour last year and it was great to be back and see the locals again, if only for a few hours surrounding the hectic pace of the show. It's been an amazing past few nights, what with my finally getting to meet Litany's founder and my internet big brother, Scott Graham, in St. Petersberg. Sadly, I still owe him a margarita. Tonight, I will attempt to recover and find some good food in Houston and await tomorrow's show.

Some pictures from Ft. Lauderdale and St. Petersberg are up on the Litany.net facebook.

Phil Western (Download, PlatEAU) and I, Braineater (artist of Too Dark Park and Last Rights and musician in his own right) will be performing at the Luv-a-fair 29th Anniversary show at Celebrities in Vancouver on December 3rd. If you're anywhere nearby, you will want to make sure you are there.

Good morning from sunny St. Petersburg Florida. I'm back on tour and could not be happier about it if I were severely over medicated. Last night in Ft. Lauderdale Otto von Schirach guested with a set involving catsuited models, metal grinders, and various alien creatures gallivanting across the stage. Tonight's show may not include Otto, but it should be no less fantasmagastic, and I have it on good authority that a certain founding father of Litany just might be in attendance to share a margarita with me on the patio.

Check some pics from my Norfolk and DC trips on the Litany.net facebook.

Happy Thanksgiving to all in Litany land! And my special hearty holiday wishes to the members of the roving Puppy caravan celebrating out there on the road.

Tonight WLUW Chicago's Abstract Science, will broadcast two live shows from Mark Spybey's Reformed Faction at 10pm CST. These will be streamed live on the web for your worldwide aural pleasure.

Here's their blurb about the broadcast:::

REFORMED FACTION is a musical group formed in 2005 by three former members of ZOVIET FRANCE: Mark Spybey (Dead Voices on Air, Download, Zoviet France), Robin Storey (Rapoon, Zoviet France) and Andy Eardley (Zoviet France) who would leave the group in 2006 . After the groups seminal concert in Vienna on 10 November 2005 they found themselves releasing their debut album "Vota" on the Austrian record label, Klanggalerie. Their second album, "The War Against…" was released on Soleilmoon Records in September 2007. Their most recent release in 2009 is a lavishly packaged triple album entitled "I am the source of light, I am not a mirror," on Soleilmoon Records. Their new and upcoming album, "Until," will be released by the Italian label Greytone in January 2010. They also have two vinyl albums coming out soon on Russia’s Brudenia Records and Tourettes Records from Houston, Texas. In the fall of 2010, Soleilmoon will be releasing a new album and they will also be re-releasing both "The War Against," and "I am the source of light, I am not a mirror." The band continues performing and recording today as a duo of Mark Spybey and Robin Storey.

The first performance was recorded live at Moritzbastei, Leipzig, Germany on 15 september 2006.The second performance was recorded at Kreuzberg Keilig Kruez kirche, Berlin, Germany on 7 october 2007.

Visit Abstractscience.net for listening links.

It's been a few days since I've posted as I've been trying to recover. Not from the nearly indescribable tour experience itself but from the colossal thud-like return to normal life signified by my Monday morning walk into work. It actually wasn't nearly as crushingly depressing as it might have been had I not had an inkling to get myself back out on the road. Rather than let my precious accrued vacation time expire, I have opted to rejoin the tour starting this Friday in Ft. Lauderdale and following along until the final show in LA. Somehow the stars have aligned properly to afford me this opportunity. Words cannot express just how much I am looking forward to hearing those first few notes of that next show. Once back out there I will resume posting strange images from the road.

In the meantime, everyone will want to read this new interview with Ogre from Regen, first brought to my attention by Nectrotek on the Epilogue Mailing list (a topic of discussion at the recent NYC Litany meetup that I was able to attend all too briefly). Ogre lays out the complicated saga regarding the upcoming Skinny Puppy and ohGr records in detail. Read the whole thing here. Here's a teaser:::

"...and this is all going along while we're trying to deal with SPV, and there's just very little coherent information coming from them as to what will happen to the record once it actually gets turned in. We are just trying to move forward, and I think with the material that we did write for that record that ended up being an ohGr record, I was really happy with how that turned out, so it's all a win-win situation for me."

Good morning from the road to DC, my last show on the tour - for now, at least. Last night at Norfolk was a blast with a large Litany turnout. For some reason I spent most of the evening wearing a cowboy hat left at the venue by Eric Church the night before. Thanks to everyone for the post-show festivities and ridiculousness. The show itself continues to evolve and last night was visually the most impressive yet.

I've just posted some pics from Philly on the Litany.net facebook. See you folks tonight!

Direct from Japan through a hotel room in Norfolk, VA comes the debut video from BananaSloth's album Zombie Battle 2019. Watch I love to ride the Shinkansen, directed by Cris Ubermann.

The bus is pulling into Philly as I type, passing shop windows displaying hanging chickens and dangling shoes side-by-side.

I've been getting a bit lax with the photos the past few nights, as the sleep deprivation set in for a bit and resulted in me being slightly-less than optimally functional as a social creature. But I've posted some shots from Worcester's cavernous stage on the Litany.net facebook.

Unfortunately I have to be the bearer of bad news and announce that the North Carolina show planned for the Tremont Music Hall on 11/20 has been canceled. I will try and get an official comment shortly.

After the NYC show last night (in my opinion the best I've witnessed thus far on the tour) I've somehow found myself back in my home state of New Jersey. Secaucus, to be exact. NYC had the largest gathering of Litany folk to date. It was great to see you all and I'm sorry that I wasn't able to talk to everyone for very long. An extra special hello to Rene H. C., a true OG of the SP online world. Glad to know you are now a New Yorker! Hopefully there will be more reasons for us all to get together in the near future.

The band will be doing an in-store appearance at Digital Ferret CDs in Philly at 732 S. 4th on Thursday from 230-300pm to sign autographs. Then it's on to the Trocadero.

Worcester was another amazing show with a large Litany crew in attendance. Thanks to all of you! It was nice to see many of you again after meeting you a year ago at the Boston ohGr show, which seems both like just yesterday and decades ago. I've discovered that time functions completely differently when you're on tour. When I eventually get home I think I'm going to watch 200 Motels again with a completely different eye.

I've uploaded some pics from Toronto and Montreal. Go to the Litany.net Facebook to see them. Again, these are all the spoiler-free shots. More pics will follow.

Twenty-four years and two days ago Skinny Puppy played their first touring gig out of town in a Toronto club called The Diamond, photographically preserved on the sleeve to Back and Forth Six.
Just a few short hours ago they played that very room again under its new name, the Phoenix. It's a cliche but the shows just keep getting better. Each night another song makes my jaw drop.

My thanks to the many Litany folk who said hello tonight and, for that matter, the past few shows. I have given up trying to name everyone here but please know that it really does mean a lot to me to know that people out there appreciate the site.

Unfortunately for Montreal folk, Danny tells me that they are out of Last Rights vinyl. They should have more come Worcester-ish. But the secret password of "Michael J. Fox" will still earn you a handshake. Tip Danny well, folks.

See you at the next show.

Tonight is the Toronto show and whole Litany crew is reportedly assembling as I type this. See the forum for meetup details.

Since some people have said they've had trouble finding me and in order to test a new image uploading scheme set up by the amazing, intrepid, magical Afra Ahmad, I give you this picture of myself and a Francis Bacon from the Chicago Institute of Art.

Good morning from my Toronto hotel room, where I am about to take what is sure to be a delightful and luxurious shower. But even before I get the day of Detroit grime, sweat, stage blood, canine saliva, and god knows what else off of what I think is my skin, I felt the need to share some images with you. Go to the Litany.net Facebook to see a gallery from Detroit.

While I'm waiting to go in for the Detroit/Royal Oak show, take a look at some basically spoiler-free shots I took of Cleveland on the Litany.net Facebook.

Good morning from Royal Oak, Michigan. Or Detroit. Last night's show in Cleveland was even tighter than Chicago, including the best rendition of one particular tried and true classic that I've ever heard Skinny Puppy play. Not unrelated to this is the talent of Ken Marshall behind the board making these shows sound like none I've ever heard before. I've said it before, but if you're a fan, you do not want to miss this tour.

Big hellos and thanks to the folks who shook my hand and introduced themselves last night. It was especially nice to see Arvin again, I hope you make your way back to NYC.

Become a fan of the Litany.net Facebook page to see the photos I've been taking a long the way.

See some show spoiler-free images from my Chicago travels on the Litany.net Facebook.

The brand new double vinyl and bonus CD reissue of Last Rights has arrived at the merch stand in Cleveland and is gorgeous! All you need to do is ask Danny, your friendly SP shopkeep for it, and give him the secret password "Michael J. Fox."

Just pulled into Cleveland for the first time after the whirlwind of the Chicago show. Last night was a surreal evening. In a random turn of events some of you might have encountered me working the merch stand last night giving Danny, the regular merch guy a spell. When in Rome, eh?

The show last night was everything I'd hoped. At some point when I can form coherent sentences again I will try and compose some to properly describe it. In the meantime suffice it to say that if you are in the area, I expect to see you tonight at the Cleveland show.

Big hellos to all the Litany folks who came out and said hello after the show last night. Nancy, Vince, Britney, Darkman, Scorched Earth and his bubble-tea-shirt wearing companion, Zino, Leb, F7, Symmetric, Adam and Cuthbert, Ryan, Corva, and Shamanavi. Hopefully I'm not forgetting anyone.

And once again I just want to mention the extraordinary hospitality and graciousness of Afra Ahmad and Paula. It was great to finally experience Chicago and to finally spend time there with you guys in person. Hopefully we can do it again soon. Now I've got to go explore Cleveland.

As I drift off to sleep on Afra's sofa (yes, not only does the man graciously host Litany, but he is also putting up with me as a houseguest) I wanted to let you know about this article promoting the SLC show in Slug Mag featuring interview material with Ogre. Read it here. And here's your clip:::

"There's obviously something shocking about our music and our performance,” says Ogre, "but we've been very fortunate to be able to use that shock to speak to people about different issues we feel passionately about. It’s a great gift, and a great weapon."

Hello, Chicago. I think we will get along just fine.

I'm about to head to the airport to fly out to Chicago to see my first show on this tour tomorrow night. I'll be there with Afra, the man who runs prongs and hosts Litany. Without his fantasticness, this website you are reading now would exist only in the most theoretical fabric of our minds. You, the Litany reader, owe him a hearty handshake and probably a drink. You can look for me without glasses in Chicago or any of the next umpteen shows.

Keep reading this space for any deranged stories I have to tell about our travels along the way. Also, please keep the emails about meet-ups and travel suggestions coming!

Watch this clip of Ogre being interviewed by Foreskin radio after the Vancouver show. The recount of his first meeting with Blixa Bargeld of Einstuerzende Neubauten is worth your time investment alone. Beware, for those who don't want to know anything about the performance this clip includes some potential tour spoilers.

Watch it here.

Read this new interview with Ogre from the Cleveland Scene. Topics covered include his prior area performances, The Process, and theatrical highlights. Read the whole thing here.

Here's a clip:::

"The idea of me as a 23-year-old kid who couldn't sing and wrote poetry, when I was 5 and 6 growing up in Calgary, I had always fantasized about being in a studio and being a singer. I guess that was manifest destiny in some way. The idea to go in and make a record so far against the grain of what was considered popular or acceptable music at the time, that was the shit. So in a lot of ways, the music became a narrative, and the narrative became my life. There isn't a day in my life that I don't express some appreciation for how something so strange and abstract - you're talking about making lemonade out of lemons - can be so embraced by people."

And if you're going to the Cleveland show, as well, say hello to me. It'll be my first time in town and I'll probably be spending most of my night looking for Harvey Pekar.

Forum member Exilajei posted a link to this new interview with Ogre from SoCal Music Today. Topics covered include the tour, the upcoming Puppy and ohGr records, and Ogre's film roles. Read the whole thing right here.

Here's a clip:::

"Insolvency has always been of interest to me. The idea of insolvency, that it can dissolve things. Wipe the slate clean. Taking layers on and then off ... has always been an interesting thing to me. The idea of insolvency, we have a song back on one of our earlier records, called insolvent [sic]. It was our first EP. So the idea of insolvency came from what I was telling you just a second ago, our distributor and label in Germany has put us through insolvency late. We were supposed to release a new record and also do a tour. Basically what they told us would be two months, has, as we thought, taken a lot longer. And so we had to compose a lot of different ways to present our music, and with going on tour. So the insolvency is just kind of dealing with the whole economy and things like that but the tour itself isn't really eaten around that per say. But it is certainly related to the way we are marketing things."

You might have noticed the stunning lack of a presence of the website (and man) formerly known as SPtravel, the entity that has been assisting in getting people to Puppy shows and documenting their happenings online since Doomsday in 2000. He's decided to retire from chronicling these events online and instead is now living out his years as a social consultant to the internet stars. Far be it from me to try and fill the gaping void he has left in all of our hearts. I offer the tour section of the forum and my upcoming tour blog as my humblest make-do.