Quatermass and the Pit (Ending)

 I have for a very long time been quite fascinated by the bleak and very minimal ending of the Film version of  Nigle Kneale's Quatermass and the Pit (5 Million Years to Earth, US Title) I remember the 1st time I watched this film. It was Christmas sometime in the 1970s. My Dad said I could stay up and watch it with him. When the film finally finished, the ending intrigued me. A while back I mentioned this ending to a friend, he knew instantly what I was talking about and felt the same. I have watched the film many many times and probably have just watched the ending even more. The last sentence spoken in the film with 4:51sec to go is “You’ll have to go round and stop her” a few words said after that but no sentance, no great speech at the end or smiles of relief  that its all over, no warnings for the human race to beware in case it all happens again. Its just this. London has been saved, Andrew Keir (Quatermass) turns the corner and see's Barbara Shelley (Barbara Judd) sitting head hung low, they barely acknowledge each other...if at all. Quatermass stands while Barbara Judd sits. Both look worn out, lost speechless, and completely done in. There is no dialogue. Sirens and a dog barking in the distance the music creeps in and the credits roll, while the end footage of the two of them standing and sitting is looped. This continues until the credits are complete. This ending is very different from the original 1958 BBC version which finishes with the warning "If we cannot control the inheritance within us, this will be their [the Martians'] second dead planet." 
Film ending Credits sequence

CiS Whitby Nov 2021 Levitation

 Despite running a Record Label and having a day job, the mighty Colin Morrison (the man behind Castles in Space Record Label) has now organised a live event in Whitby on the 5th and 6th of November 2021 at Flowergate Hall Whitby. I am really always baffled and impressed by how Colin manages to fit all this in.  Playing live on the two nights are a number of CiS artist: The New Obsolescents, Dohnavur, Simon James, Warrington Runcorn New Town Development Plan, Polypores, Fieldlines Cartographer, Concretism and Richard Norris. A few years back I visited the Deleware Road event and had a lovely time, bimbling around meeting so many wonderful people. I was rather hoping to pop up for the two days and do the same, but unfortunatly being this far South, getting there and booking a room is looking very problematic. Its really is going to be a cracking event. Tickets and info

Broken Folk 10inch EP available now on Bandcamp

I am pleased to say that there is now a limited number of copies of the Seatman & Powell (featuring Belbury Poly) Broken Folk 10inch EP, available from Bandcamp. Previously only available from Ghostbox Records, Belbury Music Shop. A five track EP of collaborations with folk singer Douglas E. Powell /Bellprover selected from my albums, A Rest Before the Walk and all hold hands and off we go. It opens with a remix of the title track Broken Folk by Ghost Box veterans, Belbury Poly.
Melancholic and subtly psychedelic, these songs are redolent of supernatural short stories and winter afternoons out on English landscapes. In these dark rustic reveries, Seatman builds a dense collage of electronics, fragmented melody and found sound, around which Powell weaves his dreamlike lyrics. The 10” is pressed on translucent green vinyl with sleeve art by Belbury Poly's Jim Jupp. It’s released on Seatman’s own label KS Audio and is produced in association with Belbury Music. 
Broken Folk* (Belbury Poly Mix)
Boxes with Rhythms In
Broken Folk
Mr Metronome
My Morning Ritual

All instruments
Keith Seatman (& Jim Jupp on * ). Vocals Douglas E Powell
Produced by Keith Seatman & Jack Packer.
Except * produced by Jim Jupp
Written by Seatman & Powell.
Except * by Seatman, Powell & Jupp
Mastered by Jim Jupp
Cover design by Jim Jupp
(P) & (C) K S Audio 2018
Belbury Music

Broken Folk 10inch EP available now on Bandcamp

Keith Seatman · Broken Folk EP (Excerpts)Seatman & Powell featuring Belbury Poly

Beautify Junkyards & Belbury Poly 30th April

Released on 30th April on all digital channels and on heavyweight vinyl 7” with beautiful gatefold sleeve artwork is by Ghost Box Records in house designer, Julian House. The A side is a cover of The Incredible String Band’s Painting Box, originally written by Mike Heron. It’s a collaboration between Beautify Junkyards and Belbury Poly and produced by Jim Jupp. The flipside is an original by Beautify Junkyards, Ritual in Transfigured Time, produced by João Branco Kyron. Both have a delightfully disorientating sound. The artists complement each other perfectly with their through-the-looking-glass electronic psychedelia. Release Date 30th April 2021

Ghost Box · Painting Box (preview)

New Album Update CiS093 (Feb 2022)

Due to many unforseen circumstances which really cannot be helped. The release of my new Album Sad Old Tatty Bunting (CiS093) has had to be put back to Feb 2022. The Artwork (Nick Taylor) has been completed and the album mastered (RedRedPaw) but at present the turnaround times at pressing plants are very very long with lots of extra complications which I will not go into here.
Have agreed with the mighty (and very hard working, I do not know how he does it) Colin Morrison at CiS that a Feb release would be best option at present. I have a been asked to contribute to a few other projects so there will be a couple of new tunes surfacing before then + some Video teasers, by Jez Stevens (who made the Avoid Large Places Video for Time to Dream Album)

Keith Seatman · Sad Old Tatty Bunting Excerpts (Feb 2022)

Test Transmission Archive Reel 44.

Welcome to Test Transmission Archive Reel 44. All the music here, was released between 1970 and 1976. The reason for this is a bit long winded but I will explain. There was always a lot of music in the house I grew up in. My older sister in her room, Mum and Dad playing records downstairs and then my room and my little mono record player which by 1975 had been retired and replaced by my 1st stereo. Then there was the radio, Radio One Two and Luxembourg were the stations that were always on. Late Sunday afternoon/eve we would all gather and listen to the Top 20 countdown and of course Thursday was Top of the Pops and then there was The Old Grey Whistle Test. In 1970/72 my very young record collection consisted of anything I had been given, A Peter and the Wolf LP, Scooby Doo and the Snowman Mystery various very scratched Beatles singles The Monster Mash, Dave and Ansell Collins Double Barrel and Top of the Pops, Hot Hits LPs. But I started to notice different and strange music coming from my sisters room. In the space of a year it had changed from David Cassidy to David Bowie. The very 1st single I ever bought with my own pocket money was Sparks, This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us. Purchased at Weston Heart. My sister’s records and tastes in music were moving and changing fast. John Peel’s Top Gear was on Saturday afternoon plus Sounds of the seventies which was mostly album tracks. I was lucky as my sister worked part time in an independent record shop (Just called record shops back then) and would come home with records, some with very odd looking covers and sometimes these were passed onto me. I had no idea who some of the bands were, but I excepted these odd and fine donations anyway. Another interesting thing passed onto me were the Record Label Catalogues /brochures. I had a pile of these and again I would flick through and wonder who a lot of these bands and musicians were. In school holidays and weekends myself and friend would loiter in the record shop randomly picking out albums and getting my sister to play them. As the 70s creaked on the Music Magazine Zig Zag appeared in the house to accompany the Melody Maker, Record Mirror, Sounds and New Musical Express (NME) There is no real order to the tracks in this mix, all just randomly thrown together as my brain half remembered sounds, extracts comments and moments that were corrected and/or confirmed by my Sister. That said the last 3 tracks had to be at the end. Signalling that something new was yet again being listened to in the house and drifting along the passage into my room.

Clarks Wayfinder Moonshot Shoes

 Did I have a pair of Clarks Wayfinder Moonshot shoes????? I sure did and at the time I was well chuffed. The shoes were part of Clarks Wayfinder range (I had style 38) The original Wayfinder Range had animal tracks on the soles...but Moonshots had silver soles with moon craters (very practical) and a magnet in the heel??? The Magnet was a spare one in case you lost the one you would use to move the space capsule around on your Shoebox Moonscape Panorama (with added action space transfers). After a few short walks to school the silver soles were fairly scuffed and after a bit longer the Lunascape on the soles looked pretty knackered.  I remember being informed very sternly by my Mum that they were very expensive, and twice the price of the standard shoes I would normally get for the school year.
The following year no Moonshot Shoes

Not my Wayfinders.
Just the standard good value, should see me through the school year shoes.

Children's Poetry, Spoken Word, Nursery Rhymes & Folk Tales LPs

Over the years I have acquired.....and lost a number of LPs that have contained some very interesting Children's Poetry, Spoken Word, Nursery Rhymes/Folk Tales and general strangeness. Here is a selection of some of my favs.Voices was on the Argo label and was part of a series of 6 volumes of sound music and speech, released in association with Penguin Education. I found one of my copies lurking about in a shop in Lynton. The Searching Years on Abbey was another interesting car boot find. The album consists of Childrens Poetry, Spoken Word, Orchestral and Organ pieces. All intros on The Searching Years are by Robert Gittings
Music for Children by Carl Orff was originally released in 1958 and re-released by Trunk Records. The copy I have is a 1958 version, which I found in the back of a box in a charity shop.

 

The Wonderful World of Quentin Smirhes

 I first became aware of Quentin's surreal and wonderful work via Jim Jupp at Ghostbox Records. Jim sent me a link to two of Quentin's Youtube Videos (Bird Box Orchestra and Picture Box extended ending) I became quite obsessed with watching these (last time I got like this was when I kept watching Salad Fingers)  I should point out that Quentin is the creation of writer, film-maker and performer Sean Reynard. Tap his name into Google and you get this wonderful description. Quentin Smirhes, created by writer and film maker Sean Reynard is the febrile re-imagining of children's school TV from the seventies cupboard. It's like 'Vision On' directed by Jan Svankmajer. Bob Fischer had a very in depth and lovely interview with Sean Reynard for his excellent Haunted Generation site.
For all Quentin's wonderful videos go here 
You can purchase Quentin some Luncheon Meat here.

Test Transmission Archive Reel 43

 

Its Feb so time for the 1st Test Transmission Archive Reel of 2021. This time round we have music from Mount Vernon Arts Lab, Sandra Kerr & John Faulkner, The Beutify Junkyards, Field Lines Cartographer, Wolfen, Brian Prothero, Wings, The Damned, Twelve Hour Foundation, Simon Heartfield, A Certain Ratio, The Precisions and Something from The Why Don't You. Loads of other Oddities and such lurking about in there as well. So sit back put your feet up (or maybe not...you just might want to have a dance) Until next time. Keep safe and please look after yourself.

Fantom Book Titles

Very interested to find out recently from the rather wonderful A Year in the Country that Fantom Publishing had been very busy reissuing some novelisations of ’70s children’s television dramas.
These are The Children of the Stones, King of the Castle, Sky, Raven and Moon Stallion. They also have the follow up to Children of the Stones, Return to the Stones (1st published Nov 2012) set 25 years after the events at Milbury, Matt returns to visit his Father who now lives in the Manor House...and all is not well.

Teletopics 1966

From Practical Television

11 short excerpts from Sad Old Tatty Bunting (Feb 2022 Castles in Space)

Keith Seatman · Sad Old Tatty Bunting Excerpts

Here are 11 short excerpts from my new album Sad Old Tatty Bunting. Due for release Feb 2022 on the wonderful Castles in Space. Track 7 Jumpy's Playroom* co-written with Jim Jupp (Belbury Poly, Ghost Box Records) who also produced the track and supplied some lovely synths. Track 11 Burial at Bevill’s Leam** Co-written with Douglas E Powell who also narrates the strange tale of the Burial at Bevill’s Leam (featuring some extrame left and right panning) This Record is intended for use only on special stereophonic reproducers. Stereo Sound, however, is reproduced only when stereo equipment is used. Listening in mono could result in the loss of instrumentation and/or voice. The tracks are 1 A Swish of the Curtain 2 The Grand Alchemists Parade 3 Mrs Lawes & the Late Mr Pomfrey 4 The Gnome Zone 5 Sad Old Tatty Bunting 6 Tread Carefully and Say Goodbye 7 Jumpy's Playroom* 8 In The Fields Round the Back 9 Farthing’s Chase 10 Building a Hole with a Saw and a Bowl 11 Burial at Bevill’s Leam** All instruments Keith Seatman, with: * Jim Jupp - Synths ** Douglas E Powell - Voice All tracks produced by Keith Seatman and Jack Packer, except: *Produced by Jim Jupp All Tracks written by Keith Seatman, except: *Seatman and Jupp **Seatman and Powell Copyright Control Keith Seatman 2021

Garden of Earthly Delights mix Friday 13th November

Here is my set/mix list from the recent Garden of Earthly Delights Show. Broadcast on CRMK Radio on Friday 13th November. A bit thank you to Shane for asking me to do another mix.

1 The Double Deckers - Theme from Double Deckers
2 Gary War - Highspeed Drift
3 Ivor Cutler - Darkness & The Path
4 Drew Mulholland - The Black Beacon
5 Ewen MacColl & Peggy Seeger - I Got Me Tight Black Jeans
6 Gary Bellington - Back In London (Sept Ballad)
7 Aphrodite's Child - The 4 Hoursemen
8 Blanck Mass - Chernobol
9 Monkees - Star Collector
10 Concretism - Dick and Stewart Opening Titles
11 Vashti Bunyan -  Diamond Day
12 Cate le Bon - Wild
13 Concretism - Dick and Stewart- Green Fields
14 Stranglers - Yellowcake UF6
15 Dynatones - The Fife Piper
16 Bellprover - I'd Like to Lodge a Complaint
17 Sonic Boom - I Can See Light Bend
18 Sly and the Family Stone - I Want To Take You Higher
19 William D Drake - Homesweet Homestead Hideaway

Test Transmission Archive Reel 42

 

After a bit of a break here we have another Test Transmission Archive Reel. Lots of electronic goodies and oddities for you this time. Roger Limb, Cerrone, Prince Rama, Simple Minds, Belbury Poly, Pjcat, Pierre Arvay, Klaus Wunderlich, John Foxx, Pink Floyd, Devine and loads more. As I always say (most of the time) not sure when the next one will be??? so until then please keep safe.

 

It’s Not What It Seems

 

 

It’s Not What It Seems is a CD compilation of tracks inspired by the post-punk / DIY / cassette scene which flourished in the early 80s. Featuring Belbury Poly, Pye Corner Audio, Keith Seatman, Scanner, Lagowski, Sculpture, Renaldo and The Loaf, Graham Dunning and Si Heartfield and others! Each artist operates under a secret disguise for this release and only The Burning Trestle knows for sure who did what!

Out on Bandcamp Friday 6th November and available for pre-order now!

http//theburningtrestle.bandcamp.com/album/its-not-what-it-seems.

The Quietened Dream Palace, A Year in The Country Pre-Order

Preorder 3rd November 2020. Released 17th November 2020.
Will be available at our Artifacts Shop and Bandcamp page.

The Quietened Dream Palace is an exploration of closed down cinemas, including those which have been abandoned, become derelict, reopened as something new or demolished and there is little or no trace of any more.

Features music and accompanying text on the tracks by: Grey Frequency, Field Lines Cartographer, Keith Seatman, Pulselovers, Sproatly Smith, The Howling (Robin The Fog of Howlround and Ken Hollings), Folclore Impressionista, Listening Center, The Séance, Widow’s Weeds, Handspan, The Heartwood Institute, A Year In The Country and Vic Mars.

The Odeon/Salon Cinema Southsea
My track on The Quietened Dream Palace "Saturday Matinee" was inspired by the
very noisy and chaotic Saturday mornings I spent there. 

Photos from Cinema Treasures

Six Twenty Negative. The Twelve Hour Foundation

The Twelve Hour Foundation return to Castles in Space with their first new LP for two years. A beautiful album "drawing on abstract childhood emotions and their associated memories".

  Bristol's Twelve Hour Foundation return to Castles in Space with their first new LP since 2018's long sold out "tree little mile egg book...and other non sequiturs". Their blend of musique concrète, treated field recordings, library music, early electronic pop and the Radiophonic work of John Baker and Paddy Kingsland has never sounded better.

Out on Castles in Space November 20th

I love what Jez and Polly produce as The Twelve Hour Foundation, I also had the pleasure of meeting them both at The Deleware Road Festival Salisbury Plain in 2019. I watched their set and was absolutly blown away. Six Twenty Negative is another superb collection of fantastic Pop tunes created using vintage analogue synthesizers house hold objects. I 100% gaurentee that your foot will be tapping all the way through this album (plus a little bit of dancing round the house, I always do)

 

 

Photoplay Devil Movies

Photoplay Film Monthly was the Empire Magazine of its day. In the 1970s we would have Photoplay delivered to our house every month. Of the 100s of issues of Photoplay my Father had, this edition, with features on The Exorcist and Zardoz is the only copy I have managed to save. Every now and then Photoplay would publish special editions. When it was announced that Photoplay would be publishing a Devil Movies Special Edition I tore along to Smiths and parted with 50p. 

Inside this special edition apart from the obvious films (Exorcist, Omen, Exorcist 2 Heretic, Rosemary's Baby) there are some interesting others. The Sentinal, Ruby, Suspira, The Devil Rides Out, Race with The Devil, Eye of the Devil (David Niven, David Hemmings, Donald Pleasence, Deborah Kerr, Sharon Tate) and Burnt Offerings (Oliver Reed Karen Black, Bette Davis) 

Now there was no way that I could see any of these films as I was quite young and could only just get into see a film under the old A classification which I think was the equivalent of a PG today. So for a few years this Devil Movies magazine was the closest I got to any of these films. To this day I have still not seen Burnt Offerings which in fact was released as an AA. Maybe one day.

The Sonik Youth Club, Braunton, Devon

 Way back in Feb 2020 myself and Jim Jupp were invited to play a DJ set at The Sonik Youth Club in Braunton North Devon. Unfortunatly we all went into lockdown, and with no chance of us playing this set live we were asked by Doug to do a mix for  The Sonik Youth Club on Mixcloud. Hopefully when all this is over a swift journey to Braunton might just happen...but until then put your feet up and enjoy all the The Sonik Youth Club mixes here
And now some words from and about The Sonik Youth Club.
The Sonik Youth Clubis a collection of DJ's and music enthusiasts coming together to play live DJ sets in amazing spaces. No genres, only interesting and diverse music performed by and for free thinking people. The first Sonik Youth Club was a live event at Saunton Road Studios, Braunton, Devon, 29th Feb 2020 and featured 3 live DJ sets from Doug Powell, Buko and Si Gracia. Saunton Road Studios is a great little venue, it’s not only a recording studio but it doubles up as a live venue and bar with great local beer, ideal for a small gathering of 50 or so. Perfect for the Sonik Youth Club. I’ve always wanted to put on a night were anyone could come and play anything they wanted to, not necessarily DJ’s and not a typical dance night and not even in a club setting, just a cool place where folks could listen to music that they are not usually exposed to. The first night was a great success with the promise of something a bit different from the usual night out at local pub. Buko opened the evening with a set of Psych, 60’s garage and Experimental Electronica. Doug Powell’s set was a wide-ranging mix of 60’s French Pop, Psych, Folk and Electronica. Si Gracia ending the evening with his trademark set of Jazz, Funk and House. Soon after we all went into lockdown, so Doug had to move the Sonik Youth Club online to Mixcloud. It was a shame not to able to carry on with the live events. Doug told us, but this opened up an opportunity for us to be heard worldwide and to get submissions for DJ sets and mixtapes from across the globe. We are currently up to 9 mixes and have loads more waiting in the wings to be posted. Mixes still currently available;
Sonik Youth Club 1, Doug Powell DJ Mix
Sonik Youth Club 2, Doug Powell DJ Mix
Sonik Youth Club 3, Lee Ackland DJ Mix
Sonik Youth Club 4, Jay’s Chaos Indie Classics Mix Tape
Sonik Youth Club 5, Russ Never Sleeps Mix Tape
Sonik Youth Club 6, Alan Cook DJ Mix
Sonik Youth Club 7, Stribbs DJ Mix
Sonik Youth Club 8, Jez Stevens DJ Mix
Sonik Youth Club 9, Keith Seatman & Jim Jupp DJ Mix