Facebook Post: 2021-04-18T16:26:02

It’s time for our third episode of, “20 Minutes Into The Future.” (I believe the kids are already using the #TMITF hashtag when they chat about it online.) For this one, we are reviewing Season 1, Episode 1 of, “Max Headroom.” Heather and I discuss this and so much more, including our continued tech issues, and how much we really love Billie Bird’s brief performance in this one. Tune in to hear that and so much more in today’s dispatch from, “20 Minutes Into The Future.”

https://20minutesintothefuture.org/2021/04/18/03-keyboarding-abc-s1e1-blipverts/

#MaxHeadroom #Podcast #Blipverts #BillieBird #CyberpunkChristmas #TechIssues

Facebook Post: 2021-04-18T06:45:16

I wrote this song in the 90s, while working in a bookstore, across the hall from a record store. Today I woke up singing it for the first time in decades. I never recorded it with anyone, or really shared the lyrics either. It goes:

“Record Store Girl
Always listening to an ironic band
Record Store Girl
I’ll never get to hold her hand.
It won’t be long
Before I write myself a song
And the song will be called:
Record Store Girl.”

And it’s stuck in my head…

Facebook Post: 2021-04-17T21:19:03

I can’t wait for all financial systems of slavery to fuck off. I’m all for someone owning a small business so they can trade the work they do for other local labor that is also useful to your neighbors, but all forms of capitalism are vile, and our obsession with money is gross and is actively destroying lives.

I’m sick of hearing people talk about money. Rich people can go to hell. Anyone who believes in this system is the true monster of the 21st Century.

(I could really use a fuckin’ job. Can you tell how desperate I am?)

Facebook Post: 2021-04-17T20:24:06

Our Zoom Watch Party was a success, even though we totally got Zipped by Racist and Transphobic trolls, who were absolutely children.

It just goes to show that, if you want to have a Max Headroom watch party, you will run the risks that all people living 20 Minutes Into The Future do when it comes to living “online.”

Hopefully everyone who wanted to participate got in. And if you missed it: message me. We might have a link for you.

Tomorrow Episode Three drops. Until then: Be seeing you!

Facebook Post: 2021-04-16T16:27:49

The fun goes down tomorrow, at 6 PM PST / 9 PM EST! We are having another Max Headroom watch party, and this time it is for S1 E1, the classic, “Blipverts.” Hosted by Heather & Austin of, “20 Minutes Into The Future,” there will be cocktails! Jokes! An Episode of Max Headroom! And a Q&A / hang party afterwards. So join the fun!

bit.ly/MaxHeadroomZoomPartyTWO

#MaxHeadroom #WatchParty #Blipverts #TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture

Facebook Post: 2021-04-16T13:44:50

Now available in the podcast feed: The first inauguration in the United States took place in April, not in January. And on April 16th, George Washington set out to become the first president inaugurated in the United States. Join me for the first installment of a three-part story about a president you don’t know much about… and how his story sounds very American, even today.

https://betweenradiozine.com/2021/04/16/issue-36-the-first-inauguration-1-of-3/

#RadioZine #RadioJournal #BetweenRadioZine #Podcast

Facebook Post: 2021-04-15T18:19:49

This came my way yesterday, and I finally got to take a look at it: the newest issue of “Dialtone Aggressor,” with an essay I wrote about some gear I love. (#GearTalk, as they say.) I write about the @mothhuntermods Tapeworm, and the tried and true Bastl Microgranny.

This zine rules! Interviews with other artists and some great live photos. I believe you can still get them from “Forever Escaping Boredom” out of Florida. Message me if you’d like some contact info.

23 & Me

On this day in 1998, I began my first radio broadcast on KWVA in Eugene, OR. It began at 4 AM, and ran until 7 AM. A momentous day for me! It had taken months of calling and stopping in to chat with the staff and then my application got lost and then the staff changed. But: eventually the stars aligned, I walked in and spoke with the station manager, who had found the application, and at the next staff meeting, they agreed to let me on in the least desirable spot. I leapt at the chance.

I spent the evening before in the bar with friends, wandered out at 2:30 AM, picked up my records at my house, walked to the studio, and began an odyssey that I’m still on to this day, 23 Years Later. I haven’t really left that studio, in a way.

To celebrate my 23rd year, I launched a new show about the eerily prescient sci-fi program, “Max Headroom,” where I’ve been watching and discussing the show with my friend Heather, who has never seen it. And, as if that weren’t enough, I interviewed three of the creators of the US version of the show yesterday, so I could get the full scoop on Network 23 for my 23rd year in radio. The fact that new episodes come out at 23:00 Hours, GMT is merely icing on the cake.

For some, there are plenty of things about the number 23 that are interesting, and while my own particular numerological curio happens to be the number pi (which kept – and keeps – popping up in my life, for a variety of reasons), as an enthusiast of all the dada streaks in our culture, 23 has been of interest to me, too, as it does re-occur in places that are well-worth investigating.

I knew that, going into my 23rd year of radio, that I would want to do something meaningful and significant, to me, if to no one else. And, since I’d been toying with a certain idea regarding “Max Headroom” for a while, it only made since that I should try to line up this new show with this occasion. We even got our release date to line up with the original UK broadcast of the 1985 telefilm, and it felt like we were doing everything right. I was trying to infuse the show with my brand of “Headroom”-style humor, and we pre-recorded so far in advance that there would be no missed deadlines this year, which felt like a win all around. Finally, it seemed like I had done everything right this time. 

What we could not count on was that fate had other plans for and and this show. While I knew in the back of my head that it was possible we could get a few listeners, and many even some mail and interactions from fans, I was not prepared for the fact that the first person to contact us was none other than Martin Newell of The Cleaners From Venus. And, sort of like a story torn from his own songs, Martin called his friend Steve Roberts, who called his friends Brian Frankish and Michael Cassutt… and so on. 

It’s one thing to get interaction from listeners. It’s quite another to have among those listeners The Greatest Living Englishman, with connections to the “Max Headroom” creative team. 

The power of 23 indeed.

I’ll be honest: I couldn’t have lined all of this up on my own, even if I had intended it. I can pick release dates and I can try and be as clever as I want to be, but I could never have planned for something like this. I never could, and I never will be able to. 

I’ve been on countless radio shows and podcasts, worked at and visited a ton of stations and studios, and produced hundred of hours of radio in my life. And, here’s where I could name-drop ’til the cows come home, not that I don’t already do that a lot anyway. And yet, with all this experience under my belt, I still don’t know what tomorrow holds. 

Coincidences and strange encounters, like those of “Max Headroom” and the world of rock and roll, do not afford you a chance to know what is coming next. One day I’m on the phone with Ronnie James Dio’s manager, and somehow this leads to getting free tickets to The Faint, Patti Smith and Ministry. Another time, you get to spend an hour with Exene Cervenka, live on the radio, because once you played an Angry Samoans song for a listener who happened to have connections. Still another time, I’m sitting in while a live episode of “The Puzzling Evidence Show” is being aired on KPFA, watching as these two radio weirdos are offering some of the best verbal wordplay I’ve ever been witness to. I recall Johnathan Richman calling to apologize for missing our scheduled interview, because he had a break-down and was already running late for the show, and he hoped some guest list spots would be enough to make it up to me. Getting to know all the living members of Negativland has been personally fulfilling in a huge way, while being let down by Jello Biafra at a Zolar-X show was actually the perfect kind of encounter to have with him, with hindsight. The time I met Bloodhag long enough to get on the guest list to a show where I got to party with Andrew from Dead Moon is the kind of coincidence that radio just puts in your lap on a regular basis, and it’s not exactly something you can plan around. I stepped into a radio booth 23 years ago hoping to play some silly records and mix in this faux “religious radio” spiel I’d been working on with my friends. And In the here and now, it has led to me talking to my favorite Hollywood Creators, and not just a super-stoned J Mascis backstage at a metal show I was at in Texas. 

I think that is what radio, ultimately, is. In the long run. There’s always one more hour to fill, and there’s always another phrase to turn while introducing the next bit, and there’s always a new twist on an old idea that you could try, and there’s always a new strange coincidence that leads to you having a conversation with someone you admire that you could never have anticipated. 

So I have no idea how to predict what is coming after this.

What I can say is that, strange coincidences and name drops aside, most of that 23 years has not involved having cool things happen to me. The majority of that time has involved sitting alone, in front of a radio consul, trying to create something that I would want to find if I was sitting at home, listening instead. And while that kind of life is a little lonely, to be sure, and has lead to periods of solitude over the long haul, it all seems worth it when I perfectly nail a one-hour broadcast, or get to do something wild like this.

Being a radio creator is a strange and wonderful life, and sometimes, only when you can reflect on the long arc of things, can you see that the things you did to get here were part of a larger pattern, much like thinking back on a radio show you just heard, to find the running theme through the entire show. 

In the moment, there is only pushing forward. You can’t predict what exactly will happen. There is only finding the next track, the next sample to mix overtop, the next perfect transition, the next idea for a show.

There is only moving forward. To the next show, the next year, the next milestone, and hope that the not-knowing is something you can live with. While I love to reflect, I must also scan the horizon, looking for the next outcropping where I can land my radio boat, and hope to find the next thing that inspires me to build a little show there.

Thanks for listening, all these years. Let’s see if we can make it to 46.

Be seeing you.

Facebook Post: 2021-04-15T06:57:20

Today is my radio-versary. Been on the air for 23 years now. Feels both longer and shorter, and I have a lot to say on the subject.

I thought it might be fun to try and line up this new podcast, about “Max Headroom” and Network 23, for my 23rd year. You know, for a lark? It was funny to me, anyway.

Turned out I actually made contact with Network 23, without really trying. Who knew I’d be talking to Brian Frankish, Steve Roberts & Michael Cassutt – people who made “Max Headroom” – for my 23rd radio-versary.

Here’s a few thoughts on the last 23 years of making radio, the privilege that comes with it, and the constant, deep uncertainty that lies ahead.

https://austinrich.org/2021/04/15/23-me/

#Radio #23 #MaxHeadroom #Podcast #SteveRoberts #MichaelCassutt #BrianFrankish #MidValleyMutations #AustinRich #Unpredictable #Anniversary

Facebook Post: 2021-04-11T16:22:19

It is our distinguished honor to announce that we will be having three of the creators of “Max Headroom” as guests on our podcast. Writers Steve Roberts and Michael Cassutt, and Producer Brian Frankish, have all agreed to interviews, and to a one-off, panel discussion of the work it took to get the show on the air. And it will all be on our show, in the coming weeks.

This is huge news. We’re incredibly excited, and we can’t hold this news in any longer. Here’s the press release for the full details.

https://20minutesintothefuture.org/2021/04/11/join-us-for-writing-producing-the-future/

This is the perfect time to subscribe, because the only way to hear these is on 20minutesintothefuture.org

Facebook Post: 2021-04-11T16:12:36

Now it can be told! It’s a new, off-week episode of “20 Minutes Into The Future,” and it is a hot one, for a show that is less than 30 minutes long. We absolutely offer details on our next Zoom Party (April 17th), we unveil a NEW REMIX of our theme song by kiisu d’salyss of The Secret Light (which absolutely makes our theme song KICK ASS), we address listener correspondence, AND introduce a new segment of our show, “Memories of Max,” where people call in with their stories of what Max means to them. It’s a lot to pack into a 30 minute show like this, but we do all of that, AND MORE!

Because in this episode, we announce something we’ve been sitting on for a few weeks now: we have been in contact with Brian Frankish and Michael Cassutt, part of the creative team that brought the US show to life, and FURTHERMORE, we had the pleasure of speaking with Steve Roberts, who wrote the UK Telefilm, and most of the ABC program along with Michael.

This is a real honor, and we are very excited to bring these conversations to you. All three were very generous with their time, and offered great stories about their careers, and working on “Max Headroom.” They seemed as excited to speak with us as we were to speak with them, and we think that comes through, too.

We will be dropping these in regular running order, along with our normal stock and trade, where we talk about episodes we watched. We’re still massaging the schedule, but we knew we couldn’t sit on these interviews for very long, and we wanted to let you know as soon as possible.

The first one arrives May 2nd, where we offer a panel discussion with Steve, Michael and Brian, led by Heather and Austin. It’s an informal walk through their lives and work, and we hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

So, tune in and enjoy “Memories of Max,” and be sure to thump the new theme song. Then check back next week, when we review “Blipverts,” and then two weeks after that: “Writing And Producing The Future: A Conversation with Steve Roberts, Brian Frankish & Michael Cassutt.”

It’s been a joy to work on this program, and the fun is only just beginning! In the meantime:

Be Seeing You!

Facebook Post: 2021-04-10T10:17:23

Something has been cooking in the “20 Minutes Into The Future” kitchen, and we are dying to tell you about it. So we will have a half-hour, off-week episode tomorrow, to get everything off our chests, and to introduce you to a new segment on our show, “Memories of Max!” This is where listeners call in with their stories of the character, what they remember from growing up, and other related experiences with the show. You can leave your “Memories of Max” in audio form, by calling: (585) 678-1211. Or, send us an e-mail: mitchheadroom@gmail.com. Your correspondense may wind up on the show!

If you haven’t already done so, please subscribe to the program. The more listeners we have, the more weight that holds in podcast aggregators, like iTunes, and thus, makes it easier for others to find. And, speaking of: please leave a review, if you can, in whatever service you use to listen to us. Those reviews also help people find the show, and are a good way for us to find out what you like about the show. 

And: tell a friend! The old-fashioned, word-of-mouth system of advertising still works, and we are grateful for everyone who has already sung our praises.

So: tune in tomorrow for our new episode, and we’ll do our best to keep this news until then…

Facebook Post: 2021-04-09T12:20:48

One of my favorite experimental albums released in 2019 is “The Secret Assembly” by Daona, a UK band who really captured my imagination. I began listening to, and playing their album, which led to them composing a piece that debuted on my program, “Mid-Valley Mutations.”

On my half-hour talk show, “Somewhere In-Between: A Radio Zine,” I speak with Daona about making music and art, and how a partnership can lead to other beautiful things.

The full conversation will come out on “Mid-Valley Mutations” later this year. Visit daona.bandcamp.com to check out “The Secret Assembly” and their composition for our program, “Nightside of Eden.”

Facebook Post: 2021-04-04T16:18:35

Today is the 36th Anniversary of the original broadcast of “Max Headroom” on BBC 4. This hour-long telefilm was the first time the world was exposed to the character, and the ideas associated with him.

To celebrate, the new episode of our podcast, “20 Minutes Into The Future,” is out NOW, where Heather and I discuss this telefilm, sexual harassment at the workplace, and and why we both can’t stop gushing about the glorious Blank Reg.

Some very cool things are happening with our show, and the only way to stay on top of it is to subscribe to the podcast, where you can stay current on everything we’re doing with Max. And trust me: we are making an announcement soon that you won’t want to miss out on.

Thanks to all the Maxheads out there keeping Network 23 alive. We’ve had a great start, there’s a lot more to come.

Until then: Be Seeing You!

https://20minutesintothefuture.org/2021/04/04/02-music-video-logic-bbc-4-telefilm-max-headroom/

Facebook Post: 2021-04-03T12:40:26

Tonight is the night! At 6 PM, PST (9 PM, EST), we will be meeting up on Zoom, and you can join us! Follow the link below, and we’ll all meet up to chat about Max. 

We’ll wait a few minutes, to let people log in. Then we’ll watch the UK Telefilm, “Max Headroom.”

If you want to watch at home, with higher quality audio, you can here: https://youtu.be/aZY-yQYVf38

Or, you can watch / listen on the Zoom party, which will have questionable audio, and commentary from Heather & Austin.

After we watch the film, we’ll open up the Zoom party to questions and conversation.

bit.ly/MaxHeadroomZoomPartyONE

This is gonna be a ton of digitized fun. Join us!

Facebook Post: 2021-04-02T16:43:41

Here’s a Friday Treat that you’ll enjoy: here’s a different edit of the interview that Heather and I did with Martin Newell, where you get to hear TWO new songs from his FORTHCOMING ALBUM that is NOT YET OUT YET! So, if you want to hear a couple samples of the new album, “Penny Novelettes,” and hear a few stories about what it’s like to be Martin Newell, then you’ll want to check out this 25 minute podcast, which you can now enjoy at your leisure.

Martin is as charming as his songs are catchy, so you’ll want to check this one out, for sure.

betweenradiozine.com/2021/04/02/issue-34-the-martin-newell-interview/

Facebook Post: 2021-03-31T15:30:17

Sometimes, you get to chat with someone who was a big creative influence on you and the way you think about things, and you have to just go back to the rest of your day afterwards, and pretend that this didn’t mean as much to you as it very clearly does.

I’m not sure if I’m any closer to whatever it was that I was looking for when I began this quest. But I can say that some part of me is going to be processing this for a little while.

Facebook Post: 2021-03-28T17:43:43

It’s our off week, so we have a… bonus episode? Where we are announcing our ZOOM Watch Party happening next Saturday, and where you can there the two different appearances we made on WAYO Radio.

Please, enjoy this unexpected audio treat, and get ready for the ZOOM Watch Party we’re hosting next Saturday!

Enjoy the show!

https://20minutesintothefuture.org/2021/03/28/zoom-party-announcement-and-wayo-promo-broadcasts/

Facebook Post: 2021-03-27T16:55:21

On 24 March, 2021, I had the distinct pleasure of speaking with Martin Newell, legendary home-taper, a big figure in the Cassette Trading Network in the ’80’s, and The Greatest Living Englishman, with a staggering amount of poetry and published, literary work, in addition to his Weekly Podcast, the Oddcaste.

Martin is the driving force behind The Cleaners From Venus, but his solo albums are just as inventive and whimsical, attracting the likes of Andy Partridge to work on producing for him.

capturedtracks.com has reissued Martin’s solo albums, and a new edition of “The Off White Album” hit stores YESTERDAY.

In this conversation, my friend Heather and I discuss this reissue, the impending documentary about his life, and plenty of other bits and bobs throughout the half-hour.

This is actually a 30 minute edit of an 80 minute conversation, that will come out on 20minutesintothefuture.org this summer. But for now, you can enjoy this version, where you get to watch Martin Go-Go Dance for the camera, as well as get pumped while you wait for your copy of “The Off White Album” to land on your doorstep.

It was a really honor to speak with Martin, and he is as wonderful as his albums and songs. As a tease, you can hear a sample of one song from an album that has not yet been released yet, at the end of this video. So stay tuned! The album is coming out this summer… but you can hear this sample, NOW!

Facebook Post: 2021-03-23T06:52:58

I finally got some boxes, to sort / store my mail. This is not everything; I know I have at least one or two boxes of letters from the rest of my life stored elsewhere. But this is relatively recent correspondence, largely stuff that was inspired by the last year of isolation, and or the last few years of mail orders.

Previously, everything was shoved in a box, without being labeled or anything. At least this way I can find the right person when I’m looking for their letters / mail. I will probably need another box very soon, and this particular brand of box is probably better suited for non-paper storage. But it’s a start.

What’s interesting about participating in mail and mail art: the people you hope will write back often don’t. But people you didn’t anticipate start interacting with you more than you ever imagined would. And, with the time delay and intimacy of letters, it is often a bit of an exercise to pick up where you left off, and track the story over time.

I don’t get as much mail as I’d like. But it certainly is entertaining me, in the here and now.

Facebook Post: 2021-03-21T16:28:04

And, we are Live & Direct on Network 23! You can hear our first episode, where we outline what our viewing order is, what our history with the show has been, and iron our the plan for our brand new show.

If you heard previews, this is different. And, if you aren’t already, please subscribe to the show! Leave a favorable review, and help keep the show going!

Let us know what you think, and in the meantime: enjoy!

https://20minutesintothefuture.org/2021/03/21/01-we-can-title-em-too-our-pilot/

Facebook Post: 2021-03-21T11:30:26

There’s a lot going on today, but if you aren’t doing anything this evening, I will be a guest on UB Radio Salon with @dasalaubuibi & @ubpixie tonight, starting at 6 PM PST.

You can tune in and hear it all on DFM.nu, where I will be performing UBSR for listeners. (User Binaural Sensory Radio.)

Listen as Vic Sputnik talks their way through fixing the engine of the Starcloud, then consider while Detective Dexter Roland meets with a new client for the first time. It’s pulp fiction UBSR, and you get to reap the results.

This will be a headphone show: “quiet experiments” for two hours.

We hope that you will be kind enough to join us.

Facebook Post: 2021-03-20T15:59:26

I hadn’t seen these since our first break-in a while back, and I was a little worried that they might have gotten lost in the craziness of the move and the holiday season at the time. (We were moving around the Christmas season, and were at our new house Christmas Day while our old house was being robbed.) Anyway, these apparently went into a box that went unlabeled, and was then buried among other items that both Marla and I were surprised too see when we were cleaning our garage.

I was always into Halloween, even as a kid, so in Jr. High I made these in my arts and crafts class. I was never really that good at art growing up, and since I wasn’t given a lot of opportunity to write creatively in school, or make radio at school for that matter, it never occurred to me that I was creative, either. Regardless, these were important enough to me to keep. For the longest time I kept pins and buttons in the pumpkin, next to my bed, before I was married.

The green character is named Tweak, who appeared in a story I wrote in High School, based on the imaginary adventures Tweak and I had when I was younger. Tweak was an imaginary friend, sort of: he floated around using psychic powers, and was a vegetarian creature from a magical island in the Aegean Sea, full of all sorts of strange creatures, sort of a more pastoral version of Monster Island, from the Godzilla films. Tweak is discolored here; I never really got him painted right, and sort of gave up. His skin should be more lizard like, his horns should be more brown and should look like they are growing out of the skin.

I’m still not a very good visual artist, but for some reason, I’m pretty proud of these.

Facebook Post: 2021-03-20T14:33:43

This part of the studio / office was looking like a disaster, so I finally took the initiative to put it all in order. This required organizing the bookshelf, which I had been dreading.

One of my first real jobs was working in a bookstore; first, in my mom’s used shop, and then later, at B. Dalton. Before that, it had all be food service janitorial work, and as a kid interested in music and art and books, I was miserable in all those shitty jobs. I would cry myself to sleep, covered in grease and hamburger smell. But bookstores allowed me to put on a bow tie, and talk to people about Brautigan and Douglas Adams.

I loved working in bookstores. I was the nerdy comic book collector in my group of friends, and bookstores had comics, so I was into it. I did my best to do my best at that job.

I worked for B. Dalton / Barnes & Noble for 10 years. I was positive I would retire from that company. I worked my ass off, became the manager for the music department. I poured my entire paycheck into books and booze and was proud of that job. I was sure I had found my place in the world.

A corporate manager was hired on one day, and took over managing the Barnes & Noble I worked at. She was one of the most difficult managers I’ve ever encountered. She found something wrong with everyone, except those who agreed with her and her alone. She systematically fired all the long-term staff, who were eligible for benefits and long vacations. Then she increased the turnover to the point where, within six months, almost no one I knew still worked there. I was one of the first people fired, for showing up early one day to make sure the returns in my department were finished promptly. (I’ve never understood her logic, either.)

The moral of the story is: you shouldn’t have goals or dreams, because corporate America will eventually fuck you over once in a big way, if it means that they can fuck over many more people who will come after you to take your place.

After that, I decided to go to college to pursue writing and radio. Not that my degree ended up being worth anything either, but at least it was a nice distraction from being fired.

And at least I still have the books.

Facebook Post: 2021-03-18T06:58:31

We registered a phone number for our podcast. 20 Minutes Into The Future: A Max Headroom Podcast. If you have memories of Max that you want to share on our program, you can give us a call and leave a message. As the show rolls out, you can leave your responses to new episodes via the phone. This is your chance to be a part of the show: Audience Participation!

1 (585) 678-1211

You can also e-mail us, if you prefer text interactions. Just contact our producer, and they will forward the message to us:

mitchheadroom@gmail.com.

Sunday is just around the corner. I’m stoked. For anyone in the test audience, or for those who received the March Postcard, you’ll be happy to hear that Episode One has been re-edited, and is longer and has more jokes in it. So even if you think you’ve heard it before… we’ve made some fun changes.

Thanks again for all the advance interest. Don’t forget to call with your memories of Max from over the years.

See you… 20 Minutes Into The Future!

Facebook Post: 2021-03-17T19:22:16

I’m not on the Socs as much as I used to be, as I’m largely working on this project these days (among other fun things not ready to announce). But forget all of that stuff:

This new show launches this Sunday. Our second episode corresponds with the 36th Anniversary of the first broadcast of the original “Max Headroom” telefilm. We will be announcing a viewing party via zoom very soon. After that, we’ll have a new episode every two weeks. And, we hope, you will be joining us.

The premise is very simple: my friend Wendella Mermelstein has never seen Max Headroom, and sort of remembers the coke commercials from the 80’s. I am a big fan, and have seen most of it a few times each. Together, we watch Max (in a variety of forms), and talk about it afterward.

Humorously, since we all live online now anyway, and TV rules our lives, and the police are finally as scary in real life as depicted on the show, our current lives are strangely parallel to the world of Network 23 and The Fringes. And, with all the ’80’s retro nostalgia and VHS aesthetic that vaporware is predicated on, Max is probably more relevant now than it ever was.

We discuss all of this, and the potential for what a Max Headroom sitcom would look like, and so much more, on our new show.

We’ve worked very hard on this, and I’m excited to get your reactions. So click “enjoy” on the page, which will be the main FB presence for the program.

Get ready to live 20 MInutes Into The Future.

Beginning Sunday, at 23:00 GMT. (19:00 EST or 16:00 PST.)

facebook.com/MaxHeadroomPodcast/

Facebook Post: 2021-03-13T18:07:16

One year ago this weekend: the last time I went out in public without fully internalizing that the pandemic was worse than I thought. All my shifts had been canceled, so I went to this show at The Space, where @xpartxtimexstraightedgex was playing a show to commemorate a tape I mixed for their band. Then I had Olsen Twins rehearsal that Sunday. Re-reading my blog and journal from then, even though I had read the news, and should have know how serious it was, I was still a week away from fully being conscious of how bad it was. We locked down pretty quickly. I started wearing a mask, reluctantly at first, within another couple weeks.

Re-reading my thoughts from then are so eerie, as I’m still locked down, I’m still canceling plans , and I’m still lost, confused, and a little lonely as a result.

I miss you.

Facebook Post: 2021-03-13T17:18:20

Finally got the CD shelf in the left, and assembled it. Finally motivated me to get the CDs in order.

There’s a couple boxes of CDs not on these shelfs, left over from the 90’s, that are out in the garage. But I probably need to get another shelf like the one in the left to hold everything.

The small box in the last photo are the 3” collection.

I could probably spend the next several years listening to these and have a good time doing it.

Cheap And Plastic #2 is now for your enjoyment!

My continued friendship with Hal McGee and his Electronic Cottage group of artists has been fruitful yet again, as I had another track included on the most recent compilation, Cheap And Plastic #2. This is a sequel to the 2012 compilation that has a killer line-up in and of itself, so to be included in the follow-up, which again has an incredible playlist, is nothing to sneeze at. And the comp was sequenced by Chris Phinney too, who knows a thing or two about how to sequence a compilation. I’m continually impressed with the kinds of work this group churns out, and it humbles me when I think that I’m occasionally not in the mood to write and record. To see how much material these folks have put out is pretty motivating.

The Cheap And Plastic concept is actually pretty great: sure, it can be easy to make a lot of experimental music when you have a ton of gear, often very expensive, that can accompany you while you perform an instrument that you are playing “live.” So, to cut to the chase: what can you do with the cheapest gear you have? There’s a little more to it than that, but the idea is to be quick, to be cheap, and to find inspiration in the innovation that thrift-store gear can offer you.

To that end, I decided to use a keyboard that M found for me while in a thrift store: a “Beat Bugs” branded toy that is shaped like a skateboard and has a keyboard on one side. While the samples of animated kids characters playing Beatles songs will be LOVELY to bend, there is something very simple about the generic synth sound that I’m really fond of. I’ve used it a few times on different pieces, but usually as an overdub, on top of other stuff I’m recorded. For this piece, I only used this keyboard, and allowed myself to add another take over the previous one, provided I panned it differently.

Using only those two tools (this keyboard and panning), I proceeded to compose something of which I’m really quite fond. There are no samples, and no slowed down loops that I’ve manipulated on the computer first, which then creates a bed of sound for me to mix and chop samples over. None of that. In a way, it’s just me, the keyboard, and the music that came out of me. Some of the simplest sounds I’ve ever made.

While my track is only one of many, it’s not what this is about. You really should check out the whole thing, as the other artists are very excellent, and there’s tons of cool things in this collection. And it’s LONG! I’m still working through it, there is so much excellent music here!

I get to make some cool music, and participate in some cool stuff, and I’m truly humbled by how lucky when I think about it. Hopefully some of you are entertained by some amount of this, because I’m having a very good time.

Fliers

I bought one of these portfolio folders from the @artdepartmentsupply and put my fave old show fliers in it.

I attended / performed in all of these shows, except the X flier, which I got from an ex many years ago, who has since passed away.

I have twice as many that still need a home, but these are the important ones. At least they won’t rot away in a box somewhere, not being seen or stored well.

Looking at these makes me miss being in Cathead more than I have in years. And it made me miss a period in PDX where Cheryl and I would go to shows several days a week.

And another era, before that, when Sierra and I would go to shows all the time in Eugene.

And even further back, when I wanted more than anything to see live music, and play in bands, because holy shit, these albums are amazing.

Music is the best, and I wish I could put up fliers again.

I fuckin’ miss all of you.

Facebook Post: 2021-03-10T15:17:12

I bought one of these portfolio folders from the @artdepartmentsupply and put my fave old show fliers in it.

I attended / performed in all of these shows, except the X flier, which I got from an ex many years ago, who has since passed away.

I have twice as many that still need a home, but these are the important ones. At least they won’t rot away in a box somewhere, not being seen or stored well.

Looking at these makes me miss being in Cathead more than I have in years. And it made me miss a period in PDX where Cheryl and I would go to shows several days a week.

And another era, before that, when Sierra and I would go to shows all the time in Eugene.

And even further back, when I wanted more than anything to see live music, and play in bands, because holy shit, these albums are amazing.

Music is the best, and I wish I could put up fliers again.

I fuckin’ miss all of you.

Facebook Post: 2021-03-08T18:08:38

I’ve been very lucky, and have received a few excellent books in the mail lately, which I’m very much looking forward to reviewing.

“This Could Be The Cover” is a book where it is mailed around to different artists, and they each fill a page before mailing it to someone else. (I got it from Hal McGee, and I desperately need to fill a page and send it along.)

“White Screen” was published by my mail-art pen-pal, John M. Bennett, in 1976, one year after I was born!

Formaldehydra’s new CD / Zine is perfect for trying to get work done in the afternoon.

“Medicine For A Nightmare” is a beautiful book / zine that contains art written / drawn / photographed during the pandemic.

Amazing stuff, and I’m very excited to have a change to get stuff like this!

Thanks friends!

Books

I’ve been very lucky, and have received a few excellent books in the mail lately, which I’m very much looking forward to reviewing.

“This Could Be The Cover” is a book where it is mailed around to different artists, and they each fill a page before mailing it to someone else. (I got it from Hal McGee, and I desperately need to fill a page and send it along.)

“White Screen” was published by my mail-art pen-pal, John M. Bennett, in 1976, one year after I was born!

Formaldehydra’s new CD / Zine is perfect for trying to get work done in the afternoon.

“Medicine For A Nightmare” is a beautiful book / zine that contains art written / drawn / photographed during the pandemic.

Amazing stuff, and I’m very excited to have a change to get stuff like this!

Thanks friends!

Facebook Post: 2021-03-07T16:03:13

I went to check out the #SalemSnailMailArtSwap at The @artdepartmentsupply today, and it was really excellent! It’s so cool to see an art show like that in Salem, and I couldn’t wait to check it out. Plus, I hadn’t been in since a lot of the new changes have been made, so it was worth the trip. The store looks great, and I picked up a new portfolio so I can hold my old show fliers. I already need another one.

Anyway, not only is the show incredible, and the other entries are very, very cool, I was stoked to see that my entry was prominently on display! How very cool! I don’t think I can do the show justice here, only to say that I was really excited to see so many other people who are local, and also participate in mail art! I am humbled to be included in such an excellent show.

Has anyone named the snail yet? Because it is amazing.

The other artists did incredible work, so you should check it out the next time you’re downtown. I’m looking forward to hearing about the other excellent events that they will put on this year!

Thanks again!

#SalemSnailMailArtSwap

I went to check out the #SalemSnailMailArtSwap at The Art Department today, and it was really excellent! It’s so cool to see an art show like that in Salem, and I couldn’t wait to check it out. Plus, I hadn’t been in since a lot of the new changes have been made, so it was worth the trip. The store looks great, and I picked up a new portfolio so I can hold my old show fliers. I already need another one.

Anyway, not only is the show incredible, and the other entries are very, very cool, I was stoked to see that my entry was prominently on display! How very cool! I don’t think I can do the show justice here, only to say that I was really excited to see so many other people who are local, and also participate in mail art! I am humbled to be included in such an excellent show.

Has anyone named the snail yet? Because it is amazing.

The other artists did incredible work, so you should check it out the next time you’re downtown. I’m looking forward to hearing about the other excellent events that they will put on this year!

Thanks again!


New Mini-Mutations! A New Podcast! And A New Postcard!

It must be March. 

This month, Mini-Mutations has a new 30 minute EP that you can only hear via the new postcard that is being mailed out to mailing list subscribers AT THIS VERY MOMENT. This EP, “Five Hundred Thousand,” is a three part exploration of new material, new ideas, and new experiments that is at the heart of all that Mini-Mutations does. I’m excited to have the EP out, and would love to share it with you. 

Which brings me to these postcards. Every month, original content that is not available any other way is available for you to enjoy, directly sent to your mailbox. It’s a musical postcard that combines old-fashioned Postcard technology with new-fangled QR-code technology, to offer you new music in the privacy of your own mailbox. Join the mailing list, and receive each new postcard when they are made! These were recently written up by the Eugene Weekly, and are now an international sensation! (Cards have landed in Canada, Germany and Taiwan.) We’ve hit almost 30 states, too, so help me make it all 50, and join the mailing list, today! 

As an incentive: this month’s postcard comes with some bonus material, in addition to the new Mini-Mutations EP. On March 21st, a new podcast is launching. 20 Minutes Into The Future: A Max Headroom Podcast is a show where we watch Max Headroom, and talk about it. With this postcard, we offer a chance to hear the first episode before the show officially launches. You can find out more information about the show at 20minutesintothefuture.org. We officially launch on March 21st. Our second episode, where we discuss the UK Telefilm, will coincide with the 36th Anniversary of the original broadcast. Keep your eyes on the website, as we will be hosting a watch party on Zoom, the details of which will be on our site. In the meantime, you can enjoy our first episode via the postcard, before anyone else can hear it. 

March is going to be a great month, and. It all starts with this new postcard. Get yours, now!

March Postcards Are Ready For You!

Is it that time of year already?

Marking the one year anniversary of our collective horrific experience that we’re all still working through, here’s 30 minutes of new Mini-Mutations, meditating on everything that it means to be in the particular rut we’re all in these days. 

If you are on the mailing list: don’t worry! You will receive a postcard, just like normal. We received a couple of donations last month specifically for postage, and if you would like to help us out on that front, we would happily accept the help. 

If you have not received a postcard yet, and would like to know more, you can visit austinrich.org/postcards/ to get all the information. And, if you just want to take the plunge: sign up for the mailing list. 

I’ve been spending a lot less time on social media, and interacting over there just does not scale for me, right now. I need that time to focus on my kittens, editing podcasts, returning actual mailed letters that I get from people, and recording things. That doesn’t mean I won’t be off it entirely, or that I won’t return. But I just don’t have the bandwidth for it at the moment. Maybe in the future. When I’ve got a little more space for it in my everyday life.

So, if you would like some interaction, e-mail or traditional post is sort of where it’s at. I would love to get an e-mail or letter from you. I think it is actually be better way to roll…

I dig this new card. Hopefully, you do, too. 

Our Program Launches March 21st!

Our new program launches on 21 March 2021. There’s a lot more information over on that page.

20 Minutes Into The Future

Our Premier Episode will be airing at 23:00 PM, GMT, on 21 March 2021.

6 PM, EST, or 3 PM, PST.

You can hear a sample of our pilot now if you subscribe to the show:

iTunes RSS or Generic RSS. We are also on Mixcloud.

Subscribe today, and live… 20 Minutes Into The Future!

* * * * * *

36 years ago, BBC 4 took a chance on a very unusual 60 minute “telefilm,” that was to offer the backstory for their new “digital presenter,” who would be showing 13 weeks of music video programing later that Spring and Summer.

What began as an experiment in testing out “cyberpunk” on broadcast television, became “Max Headroom,” who ran rampant through our culture as he moved from mainframe to mainframe, infecting us with the same kind of digital buoyancy that we were all looking for in the…

View original post 329 more words

Facebook Post: 2021-02-09T07:17:25

Our “Max Headroom” podcast launches 21 March. Our second episode, where we talk about the BBC 4 telefilm, will air exactly 36 years after the original broadcast, at 23:00 GMT. (6 PM EST, or 3 PM PST.)

You can subscribe today, and hear a 10 Minute sample of our pilot. Then get ready for our official launch, March 21st.

For more information, and how to subscribe in iTunes (and elsewhere): maxheadroompodcast.wordpress.com/2021/02/09/our-program-launches-march-21st/

We Now Live in The Future!

Facebook Post: 2021-02-04T07:42:41

My submission for the #SalemSnailMailArtSwap happening @artdepartmentsupply, which will get dropped in the mail this morning. This includes a collage on the envelope, a mail-art collage piece inside, three mini-‘zines (limited quantities, hand cut/folded/numbered, available via the mail), and three pieces of Mutated Money, each one with unique serial numbers. I’m really looking forward to this art show, and I can’t wait for more stuff like this to happen in the area. Well done, @artdepartmentsupply!

Mini-Mutations makes a couple appearances on Lord Litter Radio!

Combing back through all the various missives that have reached me in recent months, I failed to mention that Mini-Mutations has been getting a little action on the radio shows of Lord Litter!

Lord Litter has been making compilations and radio shows since 1987, and you can find almost all the broadcasts on archive.org. It seems as if the Lord seems to enjoy the split release I put out with Michael Cosma, which you can still get on CD, and digitally through haltapes.com. I’m quite proud of that one too, as it is my Halloween release.

So, why don’t you tune in to Lord Litter’s show? He’s got excellent taste, and a very cool radio show.

Complexity Is Here!

File this one under the, “It got shoved in the back and was lost for a little while,” heading, as it was certainly overlooked.

Just before the end of the year, Lob Instagon released the most recent installment of their COMPLEXITY compilation series, something that was very long overdue, and which, as of this writing, is accepting submissions for the SIXTH volume. This is a series not bound by genre, but does try to keep submissions in the “eight minutes or less” category of music. As the saying goes, “Life is Complexity – Complexity is NOW.”

This isn’t the first time I’ve been on one of these compilations. For this particular series, I’ve been working on a very long Mini-Mutations piece, that is all about Complex Numbers. I recorded the bulk of the piece way back when I first submitted to this comp, so I actually haven’t revisited any of this material in quite some time. It is sort of foreign to me, in that way, and I’m pleasantly surprised at the results.

These comps are all fantastic, and are a good overview of some excellent artists working in experimental music right now. Plus, I like the mission statement: as long as there are new submissions, and as long as everyone is still interested, this series will keep going. And, they are free! What better price for you to enjoy some excellent new music.

Thanks again for your support, and thanks again to Lob, for making such excellent music for the work to enjoy.

February Postcards Are Ready!

The February Postcards are ready, and will go out in the mail tomorrow. Anyone currently on the mailing list will receive one. If you would like to get on the mailing list, then just send an e-mail to austinrich@gmail.com. Make sure to mention you want to join the postcard mailing list, as the bots are only so good at all of this.  And, if you are feeling so inclined, please make a donation, to keep the postage flowing.

This month’s postcard includes a pair of demos from the new batch of songs that the Master Control Unit has been outputting, for the second album by Shot Reverse Shot. These demos will not be available anywhere else, any will only be heard in this format on this postcard. (They might not make the final cut for the album; you never know.) If you want to hear these, you should get on the mailing list, NOW.

And, if you want to get the album or the 7″ by Shot Reverse Shot, why not check out the Bandcamp page, for all your merch needs.

It’s a little musical concert… sent straight to your mailbox!

Enjoy!

New Digital Compilation with a Mini-Mutations Collaboration released TODAY!

{AN} Eel, out of Toronto, Canada, is one of those tireless artists who is constantly working on new projects, in a way that keeps Mini-Mutations on track. (If I want to feel motivated, I just think about Chris Phinney or Dylan Houser or {AN} Eel, and I realize how lazy I truly am. You should check out their work. They are very impressive.

Anyway, this particular compilation series is a stellar run of collaborations, where all eight volumes include collaborative work by two different artists. I’ve been on one of these comps before, and it is a great change of pace to work with someone you have never worked with before. (And, remotely, even.)

This time, I worked with an artist who goes by the name BB, and I actually did a very atypical bass performance on this particular track. But, really, our track is only one part of this comp. There are 34 other artists on this comp, collaborating on 18 tracks. It’s pretty epic. And, now, you can enjoy it, here. Thanks again, {AN} Eel! You are a powerhouse in the world of experimental music.

Photo Easter Eggs

It’s been very odd to get contacted by strangers, who want to get on the postcard mailing list. And, when I finally got copies of the Eugene Weekly,* it started to make a little more sense why they. might be inclined to seek out my e-mail address: the story takes sup half a newspaper page. That’s a lot of column inches devoted to this thing that I do. If I read this in a paper, I would probably contact me, too.

But the length of the story is still wild to me. This is sort of like being told, “Yeah, can we write a little something about (insert some small thing that you do creatively),” only to find that they are going to run with it in some amount of detail. I never thought that the postcards would be such a hit, but they were certainly a big hit with me when I got them. The way of the world is very strange.

Anyway, seeing the photo that I took in my office / studio, I realized there’s a fair number of personal Easter Eggs that are visible, and not just my trademark bow tie and Hal Jordan graying temples. So I thought it might be fun to run down some of the more interesting ones. It never occurs to me that, perhaps, I have had some adventures and have seen some things until I try to summarize something as simple as what’s in the photo that was seen in the paper.

So, to my best recollection, here’s a run down of some of the things you can see in this photo. I would say that the only real difference between the cropped photo and the full photo you can see on the website, is that you can see a lot more of the boxes of comics and ‘zines from my collection.

Anyway, in the photo, you can see:

My childhood teddy bear, Jasper, who I have had since I was four or five.

No less than two pieces of gear gifted to me by kiisu d’salyss of the band The Secret Light, who was in the very first band that I was ever in, and who has consistently gifted me useful pieces of gear over the years.

Not one but two velvet paintings, that I was given by the owners and operators of the Velveteria, when I was an employee there way back when.

A Dead Kennedys poster that was given to my by my long-lost friend Lyra, who I haven’t seen in years, and who I miss dearly.

A Star Wars kite that I have had since I saw Return of The Jedi when it was new as a kid.

A Tom Waits poster that I was gifted by the staff at the record store across from the B. Dalton bookstore I worked at.

A They Might Be Giants poster that I got from KPSU when I worked there.

A Weezer poster that was gifted to me by my sister who was downsizing the stuff she owned.

And Tiki Commander Geordi Laforge, the newest addition to that wall back there.

I’m sure there’s more, but those are the ones that stand out.

 

February’s Postcard is almost ready. If you want to get on the mailing list, send me an e-mail:

austinrich@gmail.com.

*(Thanks again, Marc Time & Cori Larson! I will happily take more copies, if you happen to have extras lying around and you would like to send it along!)

 

Buy Two CDs, Save Money On Your Purchase!

$18. Both the new Mini-Mutations and Shot Reverse Shot albums in one set. 

Save four dollars when you buy both the new Mini-Mutations and the new Shot Reverse Shot albums together, at once! These both came out in January or 2021, and offer two different takes on the kinds of music that we like to make.

 

Reading Nancy Comics And Listening To Irv Teibel (Experimental). 

The new album by Mini-Mutations! Professionally duplicated CDs provided by kunaki.com, these discs contain new music and live performances not available elsewhere, and now you can get it on this continuous audio presentation that deals with some of the thorniest issues in our world. Home-made packaging contains your own mutated money, a chance to join Professor Schwartzwelder’s “Mini-Mutations Civil Disobedience 101” Club, and a card that proves your disc was inspected by #34, the most well-regarded inspector money can buy. Limited quantities, not available digitally. Get yours today!

 

Dimension X… Minus One! by Shot Reverse Shot (Not Experimental) 

The debut album by Shot Reverse Shot! Professionally duplicated CDs provided by kunaki.com, these discs contain new music by the interstellar collection of cyborgs, clones and androids, who perform new tunes written by the Master Control Unit, and produced by Austin Rich! Old Time Radio On Your 21st Century Stereo! This music is not available digitally, so if you want to hear these songs, you’ll have to get the disc! Limited quantities, so you should get yours today!

I’m quite proud of these releases, and I can’t wait for you to hear them. Hopefully you enjoy these as much as we do.

New Release from Sweatband Records & ChefSac! The Remixes!

$5. Limited Quantities! INTRODUCING CHEFSAC… with REMIXES! 

In February of 2020, the excellent release by Chefkirk and Le Petit Sac – INTRODUCING CHEFSAC – landed, just before the pandemic really took hold of our everyday lives. This was a pretty excellent gift to receive just before everything went sideways.

Then, a number of artists were secretly contacted by CHEFSAC to provide them with remixes of this material, for a series of releases that have been coming out on the cassette imprint of Sweatband Records.

I am happy to announce that a remix Mini-Mutations is among the many remixes that are available as a part of this series of cassette releases. And we are in pretty good company, too. There’s a pretty excellent group of folks on the Sweatband Records roster, and I do like the idea of a humble remix titled “What You CHEFSAC” making an appearance on one of these tapes.

I’ve largely self-released my own material, and I’ve enjoyed the flexibility and the freedom to do exactly what I want, the way I want to. But I’ve also been lucky enough to get on compilations for the NorCal NoiseFest every year, and both Arvo Zylo and Hal McGee have been kind enough to include stuff I made on their releases, too. Sometimes it seems improbable that anyone would like this stuff enough to release, but I guess the fact that I have faith in this project at all has helping make it a reality in the world at large.

Anyway, there are a very limited number of these tapes, and I don’t think there’s plans to do more than one run, so if you want the tape, contact me directly. First come, first served; these won’t be on the Merch Page just yet, but I will certainly sell one to you. $5. Limited Quantities! 

Once we are sold out, I will make the track available somewhere else, so it doesn’t fade into obscurity.

Thanks again, Chefkirk and Le Petit Sac! Always fun

 

New From WTBC In 2021

WTBC decided to hit the ground running this year, and that means that we have four new releases, all within the first month of 2021! And with these releases, we are debuting a brand new project that we have the pleasure of working with: Shot Reverse Shot. THIS IS NOT EXPERIMENTAL MUSIC. Shot Reverse Shot offer Space Grunge Metaphors that offer a charming glimpse into the musical world of deep space travel. This band isn’t like anyone we’ve worked with before, and we are very excited to bring you this band. 

WTBC now offers professionally duplicated CDs, limited edition lathe cut records, and hand-made ’zines and paper ephemera, all delivered from our house, to yours! These are just some of the things we have to offer for the music and written-word enthusiast in your life. And all of them are available, NOW!

Our musical postcards contain new music by WTBC artists, designed in-house, and mailed directly to your home.  The music on those postcards are unique to those cards, and are currently unavailable any other way. Think of them as socially distanced audio performances, that you can enjoy from the comfort of your mailbox. 

We also have 8” records, split tapes and CDs, and a selection of ’zines that are not available elsewhere. If you want to enjoy these unique items, visit our store, and find releases by Mini-Mutations, The Olsen Twins Ghostlight Ensemble, Shot Reverse Shot, Half Eye, Formaldehydra, DEATH MUTATIONS and more, all of this – and more – are all waiting for your enjoyment at wtbc.bandcamp.com.

Order Today! And: Be Seeing You!

 

Facebook Post: 2021-01-22T07:43:54

WTBC decided to hit the ground running this year, and that means that we have four new releases, all within the first month of 2021! And with these releases, we are debuting a brand new project that we have the pleasure of working with: Shot Reverse Shot. THIS IS NOT EXPERIMENTAL MUSIC. Shot Reverse Shot offer Space Grunge Metaphors that offer a charming glimpse into the musical world of deep space travel. This band isn’t like anyone we’ve worked with before, and we are very excited to bring you this band.

WTBC now offers professionally duplicated CDs, limited edition lathe cut records, and hand-made ’zines and paper ephemera, all delivered from our house, to yours! These are just some of the things we have to offer for the music and written-word enthusiast in your life. And all of them are available, NOW!

Our musical postcards contain new music by WTBC artists, designed in-house, and mailed directly to your home. The music on those postcards are unique to those cards, and are currently unavailable any other way. Think of them as socially distanced audio performances, that you can enjoy from the comfort of your mailbox.

We also have 8” records, split tapes and CDs, and a selection of ’zines that are not available elsewhere. If you want to enjoy these unique items, visit our store, and find releases by Mini-Mutations, The Olsen Twins Ghostlight Ensemble, Shot Reverse Shot, Half Eye, Formaldehydra, DEATH MUTATIONS and more, all of this – and more – are all waiting for your enjoyment at wtbc.bandcamp.com.

Order Today! And: Be Seeing You!

Facebook Post: 2021-01-21T06:50:02

Improbable As It May Seem…

Sometimes, word of mouth does you right.

A friend told a friend, who requested a postcard, and told another friend, and I was suddenly on the phone with William Kennedy of the Eugene Weekly, talking about postcards.

I assumed it would be a small blurb about something different happening with the mail. Instead, it is much longer.

You can read the article here: https://www.eugeneweekly.com/2021/01/21/the-postman/

Now: can someone from Eugene save and send me a copy? I’m still sort of blown away…

The Postman always Promotes Twice

Improbable As It May Seem

Sometimes, word of mouth does you right.

A friend told a friend, who requested a postcard, and told another friend, and I was suddenly on the phone with William Kennedy of the Eugene Weekly, talking about postcards.

I assumed it would be a small blurb about something different happening with the mail. Instead, it is much longer.

You can read the article here.

Now: can someone from Eugene please save and send me a copy? I’m still sort of blown away…

How Cool Is That?

Sometimes, we lead lives that are more charmed than we remember, or even realize at the time. Little experiences can change everything around us in big ways, and the smallest things said at a point in the deep past can echo forward in strange, and unpredictable ways.

For example: I had become good friends with a gentleman who used to be known on the Inter-Web-A-Tron as kungfuramone. They had always been a cool dude, and was involved in at least a few bands that had made albums and played out. One had even toured.

Anyway, when kungfuramone moved to Portland, he happened to land a room at Jesse Sutherland’s house, during the transition period between The Automatics and The Epoxies starting to take off. (I remember being at their house during an early “Adhesives” practice session.) Knowing kungfuramone allowed me to attend a number of cool parties and gatherings; one of my birthdays was spent at an Epoxies show, which was incredibly memorable.

During one of the many parties I attended at their house, which was a wonderful pad that was a lot of fun to hang at back in the day, I remember getting into one of those kitchen conversations that you have with a group of your friends when you are several drinks into the evening, and almost anything else could happen. A few of us were talking about the next projects that they were going to work on, and most of it revolved around, “I wanna write a song about this,” or, “my next album will be like that.” It was actually quite lovely, listening to all these friends of mine plan the next step in their creative lives.

I was involved in radio at the time, and I had been in a couple bands before that. But nothing to write home about, and certainly nothing that recorded very diligently, or seriously. So as a way of contributing to that conversation, I threw out the following sentence:

“Someday, I’d like to just record a full album of songs that I wrote. Nothing fancy, just something that I came up with.”

I remember Jesse nodding, and saying, “That’s not too hard. You should do it.”

I am recalling this scene, this experience, this moment more and more, and now that I have professionally duplicated copies of my new album in my hands, it is pretty impressive to have finally done, even if it was almost 15 years later.

It took me the longest time to realize that if I wanted to make art, that I had to do it myself. I had to start the band, I had to design the image, I had to record the song myself. And then, it took a while to discover that I could even teach myself how to do things I didn’t know how to do, if it was important to me, and contributed to the work I was doing. I was not young when it occurred to me that I should probably try and write ‘zines and join a band. I was in my 20s before I even stumbled into radio. But to call myself an artist took until I was well after 40, and realizing that I could make music – any kind of music that I wanted to – was probably only obvious to me last year.

I’m not sure I learned much more than is the obvious lesson in nearly every self help book and confidence boosting guide that I  have ever been exposed to. I had to undo, and work through, so much built-in confusion and self-doubt that I couldn’t, and shouldn’t, make art that was important to me. I still run into that problem. What business, what right do I have as a white, middle aged guy, to think that my art needs to be presented to the world. Especially the esoteric crap that I make.

Anyway, this album was a strange thing to dream up, a weird thing to make, and a bizarre thing to see completed. And now, for some reason, a 50 minute album of space grunge is now available to be listened to by anyone who likes to the idea of a sci-fi electronic rock album.

Thanks Jesse Sutherland, for inspiring this one. Thanks Jesse Ransom, for being a part of that original conversation.

Thanks everyone else, for making it possible for me to make stuff like this.

 

Facebook Post: 2021-01-16T09:50:36

As a DJ, I recognize that getting music to other DJs is how you spread the word about new music.

If you are a DJ or a podcaster, and you would like our music to play on your show, contact us. It’s that simple.

More information: https://austinrich.org/2021/01/16/promotional-radio-copies-are-now-available-for-radio-djs-staff/

Or, write to: austinrich@gmail.com

Promotional Radio Copies Are Now Available For Radio DJs & Staff!

If You Host A Radio Show, WTBC Has Got You Covered.

Promotional copies of our newest releases are available now for radio personnel and podcasters to obtain, for use on your programs.

As a current DJ, and someone who has built their show largely on the kindness of other artists, I have often depended on promotional materials to help flesh out the program. Knowing that DJs can often have a deficit of money to spend on producing their shows, WTBC is offering their newest releases, or any old releases, to DJs and radio staff.

Here’s how it works: send an email to austinrich@gmail.com with information about your show or podcast. WTBC has a secret stash of promotional materials that we can e-mail or send to you, physically, so you can play them on your shows. It’s pretty simple, really, and hopefully it will help get the word out about our new endeavors.

Radio and Podcasts are the cornerstone of how we spend our time in the 21st Century, and it is important to know that our DJs and podcasters have the best possible tools to present the bests possible shows to their listeners. Just know that, in this effort, WTBC has your back.

Facebook Post: 2021-01-16T09:32:04

New Year, New Mutations. Same Old Nancy.

It’s: “Reading Nancy Comics & Listening To Irv Teibel.” A new album by Mini-Mutations, including a new song, unique to this disc! Not Available Digitally!

Limited Quantities! Act Today!

More Information: https://austinrich.org/2021/01/16/the-new-mini-mutations-record-is-now-available-for-you-to-enjoy/

And, of course, e-mail: austinrich@gmail.com.

“You can make your own music / song by song, brick by brick.”

The New Mini-Mutations Record Is Now Available For You To Enjoy!

You Can Meme Like This. Or You Can Meme Like That.

$10 From WTBC Records. Not Available Digitally! Limited Quantities On Physical Media Items! Act Fast! 

There is so much in this world this is constantly vying for our attention. New TV shows. Social Media. That person in the street yelling about the Venusians who are about to invade our planet. And let’s not forget that string of local pets and animals that all want you to rescue some kid who is stuck in a rusting tractor out in Old Man Thornton’s corn field. Are you really the only one home at this hour of the day? Isn’t there a volunteer fireman nearby, somewhere?

With all of that going on, sometimes you just want to get away from it all. Maybe, for example, you want to disappear with that book of Nancy comics that you enjoy so much, and sit in a graveyard for while to read it, without the prying eyes of your neighbors trying to figure our which of the two of you prints their own money. But even in the most remote graveyards, with the world sufficiently blotted out by the sounds of nature, it would be wonderful if someone made the perfect soundtrack that you could listen to. Not too loud, of course. But just loud enough to really make the cops wonder what you’re up to.

Now, of course, there are many albums that would be perfect for this kind of listening experience, and Columbia House now has a section for this genre in their 12-CDs-For-A-Penny club this year. But, while it might not be a new, or even unique, idea to make an album meant for just such listening condition, Mini-Mutations might as well throw their hat into the ring, with their newest musical offering on CD, and not available in other formats! (Yet!)

 

“Reading Nancy Comics & Listening To Irv Teibel” is the CD you need To Guide You On The Best Possible Path During Your Journey Into the 21st Century.

While some albums offer only one use in your daily life, this collection of live performances and unique-to-this-disc recordings will actually serve many functions for you, and is the perfect multi-tool for these troubled times. The circular nature of the disc allows for replacement in any circumstance where a coaster, frisbee or improvised wheel is needed. In conjunction with the cover, it can also act as a windshield scraper, or as a visor in particularly sunny conditions. There are ample blank white spaces on the cover and interior, which enables you to use those surfaces for taking quick notes if you write very, very small. Fortunately, the cover is recyclable, too.

The entertainment within, however, can be used in a multitude of ways, too. Either as a guided meditation, or turn by turn instructions for that trip to visit your relatives, this disc can fulfill the essential functions of any listened audio that you might find you need to hear out in the built world. Weather it is the audio descriptions of the art at a local museum, the commentary track by a director that you know and love, or even as a new soundtrack to accompany a viewing of The Wizard of Oz, you will find that our new album can meet almost any need that you might have in this modern, bustling world.

Certainly, we also recommend that you consume the media in a traditional manner at some point, too, but when it comes to the value proposition of this material item, it is important to note that we have designed it with flexibility in mind, even if the disc itself is not actually so.

 

Critics Might, Someday, Consider Raving About Some Project Tangental To This One, So You Get In On The Ground Floor, While You Still Can.

Your average album might come with some digital files that are easily lost or misplaced in the flotsam and jetsam that is the average computer interface. And, knowing you, you have a very particular way you like your meta-data to be encoded, anyway. This is why this album is not available digitally, to prevent this kind of problem. When you rip this disc in the comfort of your own home, you will know that we had nothing to do with the way you choose to misplace your files afterwards. And that’s a promise you can count on!

Instead of those hopelessly old-fashioned files, as if you are an .mp3 hoarder from the late 20th century, your purchase includes the following 21st Century items that you can keep as long as you remember that they are important in this fast-paced world of one century later:

YOUR PURCHASE INCLUDES:

An audio Compact Disc, which contains the audio of the brand new album by Mini-Mutations, for you to play at your neighbors when they are fighting or making love!

One New Composition, Unique To This Disc, Never Before Heard by Mortal Humans! Plus four live performances, not available to enjoy elsewhere anymore! This music is not for download. To get it, you need to own this disc!

One Black And White Cover, containing images and information that DIRECTLY RELATE to the audio on the disc!*

An information card that you can fill out, so you can join Professor Schwartzwelder’s “Mini-Mutations Civil Disobedience 101” Club!

One piece of Mutated Money, which is not legal or valid tender in the United States, but apes some of the elements thereof, including unique serial numbers so I can track your international movements at airport checkpoints!

Each album is numbered, and was Inspected by #34, the most trustworthy inspector that money can buy, ensuring the the product you have just purchased is of the highest possible quality, when it comes to experimental music from Salem, Oregon.

 

* We actually coordinated those elements together, in some fashion, if you can believe it.

 

Supplies Are Limited! Offer Void In Wisconsin & South Carolina!

On average, Mini-Mutations puts out no less than 12 releases a year, which makes the first one of 2021 to be an absolutely essential part of any respectable person’s record collection, if they like being respectable, that is. So why not avoid the rush after everyone has read about this on vice.com, and order your copy of this album today, before the sands of time disappear like the days of our lives…

Reading Nancy Comics & Listening To Irv Teibel.

Can you think of a better way to spend the afternoon?

Introducing… Shot Reverse Shot!

Available Now: The Debut Split 7″, and The Debut CD, from the New Space Grunge combo, Shot Reverse Shot!

Blasting out of the garage in a space-faring vehicle knocked up over the weekend by some old friends, the Space Grunge sounds of Shot Reverse Shot are now ready for you to enjoy! This is not experimental music, nor is it loud ‘n’ fast punk rock, avant jazz, or, really, like anything else WTBC Records has released. This collection of electronic rock music, programmed by the Master Control Unit and performed by a loose collection of clones, cyborgs and androids, offers a unique look at the musical story of the future we have often been denied. Now, you can pick up these new sounds from deep, deep space.

 

Half Eye Limited Edition Split 7″ From WTBC Records and Gorbie Lathe Cuts!

Hand-made, lathe cut 7″ record by Gorbie Lathe Cuts, available in stunning white, offering the first music on 7″ by either Half Eye or Shot Reverse Shot! Covers printed by Salem Printing & Blueprint company. This package was hand-cut, folded, glued and assembled in Salem, OR, and contains an assortment of wonderful goodies, including: a download code for the B-Side to the Half Eye tune, a thrilling number called “Sex Bender”; a limited-edition mini-zine only available here, titled “Mirrors,” created by Matt Orefice & Austin Rich; and, the “Seven Bound Beacon EP,” a short digital release by Shot Reverse Shot that can only be accessed through this record. There’s only a handful of these that were made, so get yours today!

$12, Shipping Included in the US. Not available digitally! Limited quantity! Order today!

 

Dimension X… Minus One! The Debut Album from Shot Reverse Shot.

Are you ready to bring Old Time Radio to your 21st Century Stereo? This album contains 15 tunes by the newly assembled rock ensemble, Shot Reverse Shot! Futuristic Electronic Space Grunge for you to enjoy, today! But this isn’t just a simple musical album that you put on to enjoy while washing the dishes in your native pod or craft. This professionally duplicated disc is a 50 minute journey with the crew of the Starship Hyperion, as they travel beyond The Furthest Stars, into emotions and places that people have never had to visit before!

Produced by Austin Rich in Quarantine, this album is not available digitally! If you want to hear these songs, they are only available on these CDs, provided by kunaki.com, and in limited quantities, too! Packaged with the album is a code for access to the, “Don’t Count The Suns EP,” exclusively available with this release.

$12, Shipping Included in the US. Don’t miss out on this unique musical release! Not available digitally!

 

Limited Edition CD / 7″ Set!

While preparing the 7″ and CD releases for Shot Reverse Shot, we discovered that our supply chain could offer unique items from other timelines. While we could only get a few, we managed to procure a very small number of the 7″ on clear lathes, with different labels! This 7″ comes with a re-packaged version of the debut CD, professionally duplicated, and is the perfect starter pack for the person who is interested in booking first-class tickets with Shot Reverse Shot. These are very handsome looking records and discs, so they will go fast.

$20, Shipping Included in the US. Supplies are Limited!

 

SHOT REVERSE SHOT, from WTBC Records.

WE NOW LIVE IN THE FUTURE!