Books of Some Substance

On this episode of the podcast, David is joined by author and translator João Reis, author of The Translator's Bride, to talk about lovable literary scamp, the warm and cuddly and optimistic Austrian writer Thomas Bernhard's Old Masters: A Comedy. They discuss the common aspects of Bernhard's style in general—a monologic riff rife with musical patterns of recursive invective as dark as it is humorous—and Old Masters in particular, which aims its hatred at, among other things: museum guides and their “art twaddle,” Russian tourists, public bathrooms, reading too much of a book, nature, newspapers, Austrian culture, the ubiquity of music, the idea of a happy childhood, crowds, teachers, housekeepers, politicians, Heidegger, Beethoven, all the old masters, and the failure of art to be nothing better than a survival skill "to cope with this world and its revolting aspects."        

Alexis Marshall, vocalist of Daughters, chats about Jean Cocteau’s 'The Holy Terrors'. They discuss Marshall's approach to writing, the book's allegory of Cocteau’s addiction, and its nightmarishly dream-like atmosphere. They also mention Daughters’ latest record and Marshall’s new solo single. Stay surreal out there...

Twenty years ago, Mark Z. Danielewski unleashed the labyrinthine horror novel House of Leaves, a work of fiction that would make both Daedalus and Derrida proud, a sprawling, convoluted, multi-narrative that pushes the bounds of reading and interpretation. But is there a minotaur of meaning lurking somewhere in the halls of the text? Or is it simply the narrative form of Nietzsche's maxim that "there are no truths, only interpretations"? Join David, Eric, and Nathan as they wander the ever-shifting halls of interpretation within the House of Leaves.  

In this episode of the Books of Some Substance Podcast, Nick chats with Brett Campbell of the Arkansas doom metal band Pallbearer about M. John Harrison’s Viriconium. They talk through how the themes of Viriconium made it into the band’s music, how Harrison’s use of shifting time and memory and place subvert expectations of genre fiction, and how it is an endless challenge as a human to try not to continually categorize and simplify complex things. And perhaps most entertainingly, the two embark upon a hero’s journey of attempting to summarize just what exactly happens in these dizzying stories. Listen in and you too can see this quest to the end! Pallbearer’s latest full-length, Forgotten Days, is available now via Nuclear Blast. Grab a copy of the record, a copy of Viriconium, and get ready to transcend any and all genres.

In this episode of the Books of Some Substance podcast, Nick chats with Alex Edkins of the Toronto punk band METZ on the day that their latest record, Atlas Vending, came out. Alex highlighted J.G. Ballard’s High-Rise as a favorite, so we talk through the psychological, inner-space prophecies of the book and relate it back to our current technology-saturated landscape.  Spoiler alert: we are all animals and the internet isn’t exactly helping. METZ’s latest full-length, Atlas Vending, is available now via Sub Pop Records. Listening to it might just provide enough cathartic release to prevent you and your fellow trendsetting urban condo-owners from sliding back into a lawless, primitive existence and reveling in constant acts of hedonism and violence. No promises, though — results may vary.

In this episode of the Books of Some Substance podcast, Nick chats with Michael Berdan from the New York City noise-rock-slash-industrial-metal band Uniform about Hubert Selby Jr.’s The Room.  We talk about the importance of tone and aesthetic in both vocal delivery and fiction’s prose, about Berdan’s deeply personal connection to Selby Jr.’s writing, and, perhaps most importantly, about how art can be coarse while still delivering a message of hope and compassion.   Uniform’s latest full-length, Shame, is available now through Sacred Bones Records and is, truthfully, the absolute perfect musical accompaniment to Hubert Selby Jr.’s writings.  Grating, boundary-pushing perspectives of humanity abound. We might all be isolated, but we're not all alone.

The podcast explores John Steinbeck's East of Eden, discussing its exploration of good and evil, the family saga, and philosophical themes. They examine the lack of depth in characters and the theme of individualism versus collective thinking. The theme of choice and individual responsibility is explored, along with the Hamilton family and the themes of money and success. They delve into the character of Kathy Ames and the concept of Tim Shell. The simplification of ideas and the political aspects of the book are also debated.

In this episode of the Books of Some Substance podcast, Nick is joined by Steve Von Till of the seminal metal band Neurosis for a conversation about Ted Hughes’ Crow: From the Life and Songs of the Crow. Von Till’s prolific career now includes his latest solo record, No Wilderness Deep Enough, and his first published book of poems, Harvestman: 23 Untitled Poems and Collected Lyrics, both of which provide ample material for discussing his approach to songwriting, lyrics, poetry, and their endless overlaps. Naturally, references to the film The Crow are made and Nick predictably (and repeatedly) confesses that he likes things with a dark tone.   Grab some Hughes, some Neurosis, Von Till’s new solo record and/or poetry collection, and settle in for a relaxing discussion of language, art, and the subtleties of everything in between.

In this episode of the Books of Some Substance podcast, Nick is joined by Dylan Desmond of the Seattle doom metal band Bell Witch for an in-depth discussion of Leo Tolstoy’s The Death of Ivan Ilyich. Listen in as we discuss what exactly Desmond connects with in Tolstoy’s writing, how this short novel was remarkably ahead of its time in documenting the emptiness of a materialist life, and how unique of a conundrum death is to us all.   Grab some Tolstoy and/or some Bell Witch (Stygian Bough Volume I, their new collaboration record with Aerial Ruin is out now on Profound Lore Records) and get ready for the comfortable pain of the slow burn.

What’s that you say? Didn’t read Steinbeck in high school? Well then welcome to the safe space of Cannery Row, where one is not judged by achievements or accolades, but by the innate goodness found deep within.   Ahhhh, just kidding, this one’s more about having a rollickin’ good time gettin’ into fights with fishermen, getting thrown into (and buying your way out of) jail, and sharing a snort here and there of the best kind of liquor known to man: free.   Join Nick, Nathan, and David as they discuss the joys of this classic romp — as well as its overwhelming sadness and loneliness — and try to figure out just where or when in American history this might have occurred. At the very least, you’ll leave with some of the warmth to be found in the things that make us human and/or some weird ass gastronomical ideas.