EPISODE NOTES:
This episode, we leave the woowoo for the weird, well, the wonderful of what could be considered an “outsider artist” – by which I mean, someone who has created and conjured wonderful works of art far outside the confines of scenes, streams or currents.
Allow me to gush for a moment – I have been a fan of John Schmersal’s for the better part of my life. Whether it was his angular guitar shapes in his early band, Brainiac, or his approach to songwriting and production in his later groups like John Stuart Mill, Enon, Vertical Scrathcers and Crooks on Tape – John is a paragon, a conduit of crooked clamor and mutant melody and I hold him in the highest regard as a creator.
That aside, it was nice to get the scoops on how his littler known masterpieces were created – the ones like his masonic temple recorded solo project, John Stuart Mill, or the midwifing of his frontmanship with Enon’s “Believo”- both records were birthed simultaneously in the wake of the tragic death of Brainiac’s brilliant, Swashbuckler front man, Tim Taylor, and both are major touchstones for my own sonic experimentation and “outsider music” since high-school. Hell, I even named my high-school band “Believo” in tribute to his work.
There’s a new Brainiac documentary making the festival rounds that answers the long gestating questions about the Brainiac folklore that warrants a hunt and a watch. This documentary seems to have already resurrected the fun and fervor of the Brainiac legend with rare reunion shows and renown fans like Fred Armisen, Buzz Osborne & Steve Albini lending accolades. I feel proud that they are getting some long deserved shine.
Though, past is simply prologue to John and his prolific career post Brainiac and even Enon, as John has created some of the most inventive, incendiary music since. He’s created the irreverent rock of the Vertical Scratchers, the improvisational Enon torchbearers that are Crooks on Tape, he tours with the wonderful Caribou, produces records and gave this longtime fan over three hours of his wonderful time to chat about all of the above. The following has been edited down for time, but you can hear the full, 3.5 hour conversation via our patreon at patreon.com/wethehallowed.
Slither hither weirdos and witches, here’s my conversation with John Schmersal.
Please Like / Subscribe / Share and Review John’s work at:
WEBSITE
BRAINIAC: “Transmissions After Zero” Documentary
ENON
VERTICAL SCRATCHERS
CROOKS ON TAPE
CARIBOU
MUSIC:
“Matters Gray” by ENON
“If Feelings Mean A Thing” by CROOKS ON TAPE
“Refresh The Anchor” by JOHN STUART MILL
THEME MUSIC: http://dakotaslim.net
The episode art was divined by the Disruption Generator by @outletpress via @wethehallowed
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