How a brush with death, a haunted guitar and filmmaker Harmony Korine helped Spiritualized’s JASON (SPACEMAN) PIERCE wrestle a new album of narcotic gospel music into being. By Jay Babcock, with photography by Stacy Kranitz.

In an exclusive excerpt from his new book, legendary film director/author/poet ALEJANDRO JODOROWSKY (El Topo, Holy Mountain) reflects on his encounters with Zen teacher EJO TAKATA and Surrealist master LEONORA CARRINGTON in late-Sixties Mexico City.

NANCE KLEHM salutes weeds—in particular, Artemesia vulgaris, aka mugwort.

The Center for Tactical Magic tells us HOW TO THROW A HEX—and why.

GREG SHEWCHUK on how the continuous prospect of eating shit on a skateboard can keep you humble—and awake.

ERIK DAVIS takes a stand against Cory Doctorow-style iPodiphilia and other data processing-marketed-as-pleasure.

A howl for America’s long-gone liberal media, by DAVE REEVES.

New work by poet MICHAEL BROWNSTEIN.

Psychonaut lookers Guy Blakeslee, Paz Lenchantin and Derek James are THE ENTRANCE BAND. Salubriously styled by the singular ALIA PENNER.

Writer-scholar EDDIE DEAN waxes lovingly about Argentinian bandoneon master Chango
Spasiuk, American rock n roll band Howlin Rain, the Maryland Redbud Tree, the Olympic Hi-Fi Stereo Console and other stuff rubbing him right lately.

Comics artist Joseph Remnant on author Patrick Rosenkrantz’s gorgeous book of underground comix history.

Bull Tongue columnists BYRON COLEY & THURSTON MOORE review choice finds from the deep underground.

JULIAN COPE on an extraordinary art statement of cavernous Detroit Psychedelic soul.

The Melvins’ BUZZ “KING BUZZO” OSBORNE joins C & D as they examine stuff by Endless Boogie, Al Green, Dennis Wilson, King Darves, Buffalo Killers, Hercules and Love Affair, Free Kitten, Arp, Awesome Color, Seun Kuti and Jex Thoth.

HEY BO DIDDLEY!: In Memorium by Plastic Crimewave.

Arthur No. 30 is at the printer, but you can download the entire 72-page magazine as two PDFs now:

Arthur No. 30 Part 1 of 2 (7.2mb)
Arthur No. 30 Part 2 of 2 (4.3mb)

Click here to subscribe to Arthur now via PayPal and receive Arthur for a year, starting with this issue.

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AIDS activists put a giant condom on the home of anti-gay Senator Jesse Helms in 1991…

courtesy John Coulthart!

“Despotism & Democracy” (11 min, Encyclopaedia Britannica Films, 1946)

“Measures how a society ranks on a spectrum stretching from democracy to despotism. Explains how societies and nations can be measured by the degree that power is concentrated and respect for the individual is restricted. Where does your community, state and nation stand on these scales?”

courtesy Will Swofford!

Little Faith, 2008
Acrylic on cotton rag paper
106″ x 2″ x 78″

Delirium, 2008
Acrylic on cotton rag paper
43.25″ x 2.75″ x 40.25″

JIMMY JOE ROCHE – Totems

June 26 – July 26

“For his first gallery solo show, seventh-generation Floridian Jimmy Joe Roche presents a series of painstakingly hand-cut, obsessively hand-painted, and intricately hand-woven paper works. For Roche, they serve as conceptual talismans for the collective American unconscious while capturing the spirit and energy of the Baltimore art collective & warehouse music scenes that play a central role in his life.”

Rare Gallery
521 W. 26th Street
New York 10001
212.268.1520

MIRRORS
feat. Jamie Klimek, Jim Crook, Craig Bell, Paul Marotta & Paul Laurence
with Home and Garden & Rainy Day Saints

July 19th, 2008 at Beachland Ballroom
Cleveland, OH
8PM doors / ALL AGES / $8.00

MORE INFO: Julian Cope on Mirrors

Male Odor Monsters

A group exhibition featuring original works by

Brian Chippendale
Matthew Thurber
C.F.
Carlos Gonzales

Wednesday, July 16, 7pm – August 5

Hope Gallery – 1547 Echo Park Ave 90026

Featuring four artists known for their visionary work in comics, this show presents new pieces that explore collage, watercolour, silkscreen, acrylic, and crayon, with the same inventiveness of form as their narrative work.

A founding member of Providence’s Fort Thunder collective, Brian Chippendale was included in the 2002 Whitney Biennial (as Forcefield), and shown at Deitch Projects (Panic Room, 2006), and D’Amelio Terras (2006). He has published two graphic novels with PictureBox, Ninja (2006), and Maggots (2007). He is also drummer in the band Lightning Bolt, and has collaborated on projects with musicians such as Bjork, Thurston Moore, and the Boredoms.

Matthew Thurber is the creator of the ongoing comic book series, ‘1800-Mice’ (PictureBox), and has had work included in the anthologies Kramer’s Ergot, and the Ganzfeld. As a performer he has appeared as Ambergris at The Hammer Museum in Los Angeles, and as Saxophonist in Soiled Mattress and The Springs, shared bills with Gang Gang Dance and No Age.

C.F. is the alias of Christopher Forgues, creator of the serialised graphic novel ‘Powr Mastrs’ (PictureBox). His work has appeared in exhibitions at Loyal Gallery (Stockholm), The Watari Museum of Contemporary Art (Watari, Japan), and New Image Art (Los Angeles). Under his musical moniker Kites, he has several recordings with Load Records.

Author of the xeroxed comics, Slime Freak, and Rat’s Cocoon, Carlos Gonzales’ work featured in Kramer’s Ergot 6. His musical project, Russian Tsarlag has released cassette tapes on the Unskilled Labor label.

Hope gallery is jointly curated by the bookstore ‘Family’, and the record label ‘Teenage Teardrops’. familylosangeles.com teenageteardrops.com

Hope Gallery
hopegalleryla@gmail.com
323 782 9221

From Grady Runyon:

WHEN: Tuesday, 7/15, 8-10pm
WHERE: Grady’s Record Refuge, 2546 E. Main St., Ventura, 805-648-5565
WHAT: The Pink Snowflakes and The Bad Trips

Yes, it’s some FREE Tuesday-night rock featuring:

The Pink Snowflakes (8pm), all the way from Portland, on tour supporting their new release Sun Chasing……..the band has been claiming a psychedelic buzz of late with their “awe-inspiring Flaming Lips-hobo guitar-wash” (or is it unwashed) sound…….

…….and Ventura’s The Bad Trips (9pm), making a rare local appearance, conjuring their “real-deal, acid-casulty stripper pole music” for all to see…….

So shut down your computer, find your O-mind, and come on down to Grady’s Record Refuge for this unique Ventura County experience!

Remember it’s FREE! See you there!
-GRR

http://www.myspace.com/thepinksnowflakes
http://www.myspace.com/theebadtrips
http://www.myspace.com/gradysrecordrefuge