12 good things of 2007, in no particular order
by Arik Roper

-Habibiyya –If Man But Knew.The reissue with bonus tracks plus a lotta liner notes. Awesome.

–Mycelium Running by Paul Stamets. Serious knowledge from a man who could help save the world by showing us how to use fungi to repair the land. This should replace the bibles in hotel rooms.

– Boredoms 77 Boa Drum -Perfect weather, amazing outdoor festival. (If you couldn’t get in the park after waiting in line for 6 hours, this may have been one of the worst days of the year.)

– The Source Book – More than you ever expected to know about Father Yod , his restaurant, and what exactly the deal was with all the girls.

– Om –Pilgrimage. Return of the heavy innerspace album.

– Pan’s Labryrinth . Great symbolism and message.

– Eastern Promises. Intriguing characters and tattoos.

– Jodorowsky box set. I finally have a legit version of Holy Mountain now.

– The Japanese art wing at the British Museum. Inspiring.

– Led Zeppelin reunion. I wasn’t there, but it happened and I like knowing that.

– Successfully growing mushrooms in my apt. Magic can happen in a plastic tub.

– Steve K’s Golden Age of VHS at Anthology Film Archive in NYC. Beautiful grainy vhs action blown up to cinema-size entertainment. Like flipping through cable channels with 250 other people in the room.

Arik Roper is an artist, designer and major contributor to Arthur. He did the still-available ArthurFest poster, the still-available Comets On Fire/Growing tour poster, the still-available No Neck Blues Band tour poster and the much coveted “Tuff Wizard” Arthur t-shirt design. His illustration work has appeared in Arthur No. 12 (Pinchbeck column), No. 13 (Pinchbeck column), No. 14 (Pinchbeck column), No. 16 (Pinchbeck column), No. 17 (Pinchbeck column), No. 18 (Pinchbeck column), No. 20 (post-Katrina New Orleans), No. 22 (Jeremy Narby painting), No. 23 (Belong painting) and No. 27 (Om and Six Organs of Admittance painting).