The Haunted Almanac (Part One)

Here is the first part of a never ending serial we call The Haunted Almanac.
Haunted Almanac part 1 by Radio Guignol

It's a ghost story of sorts, although one can never be too sure who the ghost is. Is it the living, as they define the departed with their grieving memories? Or is it the dead, as they beckon with haunting absence?
Oh, don't let me sound too hopelessly philosophical, The Haunted Almanac is a hoot; it's a vaudeville good time, full of song, dance and all the absurdity death is heir to. Now go! Listen! Bucky awaits!

[music by G Lucas Crane, words by Ric Royer]

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Further listening:
This is one of my favorite ghost love stories, "How Love Came to Professor Guildea" Thanks Antoinette Suiter for turning me on to this one.
http://www.escape-suspense.com/2008/02/escape---how-lo.html

Further viewing:
Here is a little movie I was in. It's something like hell, vaudeville, and stand-up tragedy. Oh yes, "Comedy".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aRsOt9jw_4

Meanwhile... Return of the Summer People

We just finished recording the next episode of Radio Guignol, now off to edit it and post! It will be some delightfully dark nonsense called The Haunted Almanac, a vaudeville ghost story with hit songs. We will post it soon...
so... but... so...
In the meantime, we bring you a short seasonal incantation from our 2007 album, Dark Cabinet of the Strange Weird. It's meant to keep all of evil people of July at bay. The track is called Return of the Summer People. "Enjoy".

http://soundcloud.com/radio-guignol/return-of-the-summer-people

Return of the Summer People (incantation for July) by Radio Guignol

(Dark Cabinet of the Strange Weird was released by Ehse Records. For more tracks, go here: http://ehserecords.com/ehse010.html)

(image by Erin Womack)

Man Killing

Here it is, the first installment of Radio Guignol: http://soundcloud.com/radio-guignol/man-killing

Man Killing by Radio Guignol

It took us a little longer than expected to wrap this one up and post it, but now that the skin is broken, you can count on the blood to flow more regularly from here on in. Our aim is to present one episode every month or so, a mix of classic Grand Guignol plays by the original authors like de Lorde and Méténier, and new works of the weird, sinister and macabre by contemporary authors.

Our first episode: Man Killing.
It's a charming little slasher play set in idyllic suburbia. If you can't think of anything more frightening than masculine-normativity, then this should fill you with all the anxiety of a real world. So hit the link, sit back, get ready to have your lawn mowed, your car washed, and your garbage taken out. Taken right out.
Man Killing was written and read by Ric Royer, music by G Lucas Crane.
Recorded by Bevin Kelley at Steinart Studios.

Now for some extras.

Here are three pieces of writing for those of you with an appetite for things textual and intellectual. First you will find the text of the story Man Killing, featured in this episode. Plus, a section of Carol J. Clover's Men, Women and Chainsaws, an appropriate selection for today's story. You will also find a short essay about Grand Guignol. I also suggest a few links for further reading in the sidebar.
- Man Killing Script.
- Men, Women and Chainsaws.
- Life of Slice; Grand Guignol as Melo-Naturalistic Drama.

And some music? We recommend that you wash this story down with any one of the many fine horror film soundtrack selections provided for you free via upload by our friends at Cosmic Hearse: http://cosmichearse.blogspot.com/search/label/Soundtrack
Also, for more music by G Lucas Crane, who composed the soundscape for this months episode, go nonhorse.

Subscribe already.

(image from Kurt Ralske's
Rediscovering German Futurist Cinema)

Radio Guignol is a monthly recording of weird tales, uncanny narratives, and scary stories by contemporary writers of the macabre, maligned and wicked, as well as radio play versions of classic Grand Guignol plays.

Every month each episode (hosted by Ric Royer, with music by G Lucas Crane) will be posted here with additional comments, links to the scripts, and recommended listening and reading for the month.
All things dark, dare to be tragic, stay tuned...