Longmont Potion Castle
Longmont Potion Castle | |
---|---|
Genres |
Comedy Prank phone calls Surrealism Thrash Metal |
Instruments |
Telephone Digitech RDS 8000 Electric guitar |
Years active | 1987–present |
Labels |
DU Records Reptilian Records Insides Music Post Replica Records Vinyl Communications |
Associated acts | Hatebeak |
Website | longmontpotioncastle.com |
Longmont Potion Castle (born 1972)[1] is the pseudonym of an anonymous surrealist prank caller who has been active in the Colorado and Los Angeles areas since 1987.[2] Details about his personal life are scarce and his real name is unknown to the public. Over the years, his mostly self-released albums have gained a cult following, notably amongst musicians.[3][4]
Biography
The LA Record describes Longmont Potion Castle's albums as unlike those that most people associate with prank telephone calls, citing that his demeanor is nothing at all like that of The Jerky Boys and Crank Yankers and is actually closer to that of the alternative comedian Neil Hamburger.[5] In a review from the Denver Westword, LPC's recordings are described as advancing "absurdity as an art form."[6]
The anonymous artist has himself described the albums he has made as "phone work" or "absurdist" art rather than the less sophisticated label of "prank phone calls",[1] and has also said, "They may be dumb, but they're not stupid".[1] Those on the receiving end of a Longmont Potion Castle call are often left confused and/or extremely angry, as the calls frequently involve complaints about noise, requests for money or offers to "whoop" somebody. However his calls are rarely very mean-spirited in nature. His recordings combine prank calls with sound collages and his own musical compositions, the majority of which are thrash metal instrumentals. Occasionally, Longmont Potion Castle filters his voice through a Digitech RDS 8000 rack-mounted digital delay panel to produce odd sound effects, thus making whoever he has called even more confused.[3]
In 2006, Longmont Potion Castle announced his retirement. In an interview with The Nerve Magazine, he explained that the box set Longbox Option Package would be the final LPC release.[7] However, in 2008 he released a new CD, Longmont Potion Castle Volume 6. In 2009, he released Volume 7 (not to be confused with his 2005 album of the same name released as a part of the Longbox Option Package box set, a disc that contained only thrash metal music). The album featured several celebrity calls, including ones to singer Eddie Money, Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek, and guitarist Rick Derringer. January 2011 saw the release of LPC 8, in which the artist primarily used Skype on a laptop computer to record the calls.
Discography
Albums
- Longmont Potion Castle - Subliminal Propaganda (1988)
- Longmont Potion Castle II (1992)
- Longmont Potion Castle III (1995)
- Longmont Potion Castle Volume 4 (2001)
- Late-Eighties-Vein (2003)
- Longmont Potion Castle 5 (2005)
- Longmont Potion Castle Volume 6 (2008)
- Longmont Potion Castle 7 (2009)
- Longmont Potion Castle 8 (2011)
- Longmont Potion Castle 9 (2012)
- Longmont Potion Castle 10 (2013)
- Longmont Potion Castle 11 (2014)
- Longmont Potion Castle 12 (2015)
- Split W/ Albert Lerner Trio (2016)
Other releases
- Best of Longmont Potion Castle - Volume 1 (1996)
- Best of Longmont Potion Castle - Volume 2 (1997)
- Live From Longmont Potion Castle (1998/VHS)
- Longmont Potion Castle/Hatebeak split 7 inch (2004)
- Longbox Option Package (2006) Includes volumes 1–5, Late Eighties Vein, Bonus Disc and Bonus DVD
- Longmont Potion Castle Tributes (2010)
- Ultimate Session Bundle (2014) Included virtually every track and video ever produced on a USB thumb drive, included a t-shirt with every album cover as well as a vinyl record. Limited to 50 units total. All 50 sold on first day of availability.
References
- 1 2 3 Prindle, Mark. "Longmont Potion Castle - 2003". markprindle.com. Retrieved 2008-07-14.
- ↑ Hufnagel, Kevin. "Longmont Potion Castle". Dysrhythmia Official Homepage. Retrieved 2008-05-20.
- 1 2 Ferguson, Kevin. "LONGMONT POTION CASTLE: THEY HAD TO PLEASE ME". LA Record. Retrieved 2008-05-21.
- ↑ Noisecreep article: "Dysrhythmia's Touring Essentials: Longmont Potion Castle, Paul Stanley."
- ↑ Kellerman, Harry. "LONGMONT POTION CASTLE @ SAFARI SAM'S". LA Record. Retrieved 2008-05-20.
- ↑ La Briola, John. "Denver - Music - Sound Bites". Denver Westword. Retrieved 2008-05-20.
- ↑ Gordon, Cameron. "Longmont Potion Castle". The Nerve Magazine. Retrieved 2008-05-20.
External links
- D.U. Records - Record label of Longmont Potion Castle
- Interview with Amazing Webzine
- Longmont Potion Castle at last.fm
- Denver Westword review of LPC 5
- LA Record interview with LPC
- Interview with The Nerve
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