Tribal Gothic

Homage to my friend - Professor Orbi Foto

2011-11-29T18:43:00.000-08:00

Professor Foto would be about 70 if he is still around. Some time ago, he vanished it seems into the wind, or into some Secret Scientific Assignment perhaps, or to Prague. I like to romanticize. His work was ahead of its time twenty years ago, and it actually still is ahead of its time today.

As well as being an accomplished Mathematician and Electrician, Professor Orbi Foto was a Theoretical Particle and Quantum Physicists. Professor Foto was also a student of the Occult Subjects and Arcane Knowledge of Secret Societies, a person of fantastic wonder. I hope you enjoy Prague, Professor...

Tribal Gothic Animated Esoteric QR Logo

2011-11-13T15:48:00.000-08:00

I have been playing around with QR Codes and Dark Gothic versions of the Tribal Gothic logo. My Droid actually captures the QR Code info from this Animated Gif, and goes to my Tribal Gothic Flash site. Click to Activate Animation...

How I helped start the Chupacabra Legend in Miami – Seriously

2011-07-07T13:34:00.000-07:00

Many years ago (around 1980) I was a young lad in a Band known as Crystal Mythos. (The name of the band was derived from an Ink Drawing I did of Great Cthulhu with Crystal Eyes.) This Band was a crazy three piece unit doing our own progressive thing – somewhat of a blend of King Crimson, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Rush, Black Sabbath and ELP – quite the unusual sound for Miami in 1980!

We were quite crazy, I must say. We practiced out of a warehouse in West Miami, and I was notorious for building Cannons and Flash-pots (featured in other areas of this Blog). Being a huge fan of Horror and Sci-fi Movies, I built myself a “Space Monkey” outfit. This was made of Black Shag Carpet, a Latex Mask with custom fit lenses that glowed red when hit by car lights, Claws from the movie, The Fly – and the occasional Smoke Bomb that I would fit into the mouthpiece of the mask. We would drive in our roadie’s van to different locations in Miami (usually, the more Spanish area of Hialeah) and we would do “Hit-and-Run” visits to apartment complexes just after darkness, in which I would dress up in the “Space Monkey” outfit, jump out of the van after we were parked around the corner, and jump out from behind bushes, scaring those who dared to look. During one of these events, a woman who was washing a pot on her front porch, dropped the pan with a loud crash and screamed so loud that just about all the doors to the different apartments opened at the same time to see something really bizarre run around the corner behind the bushes… At any rate, I take great pride in knowing that I most likely helped to start the Chupacabra Craze in Miami ;)

No Iguanas were actually harmed...

Fairy Time Distortion Sphere in my Garden

2011-07-03T15:46:00.001-07:00

Fairies messing with my Garden again...

Tribal Gothic Bubble Bath Art

2011-06-28T18:29:00.001-07:00

Working on a new Art Project, while taking Bubble Baths (which I do often, in homage to Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy). And yes, this whole post was created in the Bubble Bath.

At the Mountains of Madness

My Co-Conspirators in the Bubble Bath Madness Art

Just another Garden Photo

2011-06-27T12:54:00.001-07:00

Lillies, Echinacea, Coneflowers and miscellaneous plants mixed into the front of the Rose Garden. The Lupins just finished blooming...

The Cyber Gothic Hell Throne

2011-06-01T20:04:00.000-07:00

Homage to H.R. Giger. Complete with Skull Arm-Rests; Cyber-Skulls/Machinegun Headset. Working Syringes and Seat Clamps. Picture taken at South Beach Art Exhibition, 1993. Chair and paintings by Tribal Gothic. These were indeed fun times...

The Night the Writings of Dwight MacPherson Went Terribly Wrong

2011-05-27T15:01:00.000-07:00

A Cthulhu Mythos inspired piece of Sound Architecture: "The Night the Writings of Dwight MacPherson Went Terribly Wrong" - While working on a story one night, the thunder crashed, a dog barked, and... Something wasn't right... Did he simply go Insane, or did he enter those Blasphemous Dark Realms Between Worlds where many Dark and Dangerous things await...

The Night the Writings of Dwight MacPherson Went Terribly Wrong by Tribal Gothic

Play with the Embeded Player - or, follow the Link to Soundcloud to hear the Sound Architecture Madness.
http://soundcloud.com/tribal-gothic/the-night-the-writings-of
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Dwight MacPherson can be found at: http://dwightmacpherson.wordpress.com/

The Failure of Stargate Universe

2011-05-17T14:45:00.000-07:00

Once upon a Spacetime Dreary, while I pondered week and weary... This pretty much sums up the bleak and depressing Stargate Universe. This may seem strange coming from me; a lover of Vampire, Horror and Dark Surrealism and Dark Sci-fi flicks. However, Stargate Universe never gave us any chance of hope, nor was it exceptionally Dark enough to be Artful. The Dark and Dreary wasn’t just the situations faced by the crew - it WAS the crew. Many of the lead characters were so flawed that you really wanted to jettison them out into space. Arguments and more arguments - while Space is left largely unexplored. Hello. This isn’t the movie Alien, where the Dark Atmosphere was so excellently crafted. This was a series that failed to deliver, and instead, focused on relentless conflicts.

Good Sci-fi is fantastic escapism, allowing one the chance of getting away from some of life’s stressful moments. I felt drained after most episodes of Stargate Universe. So many Arguments, and so much endless damage to a ship that if allowed, could have propelled us to fantastic adventures. Where was the Sleek, Sexy, Kick-Ass Adventure that many of us wanted... Not on Stargate Universe.

Alien Gothic Meteorite Jewelry

2011-05-10T15:40:00.000-07:00

I have found inspiration in Meteorites and have been designing Alien Gothic Meteorite Jewelry for awhile now. Featured below is one Dark piece. There is something Wonderfully Strange about a piece of Alien Metal that is Billions of Years Old - and that crashed to Earth some estimated Six Thousand Years Ago.

Tivoli Bunny

2011-05-09T09:58:00.001-07:00

I bought Tivoli Bunny a few years ago at the Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark. She keeps us company - and always looks so regal ;)

Tivoli Gardens - Copenhagen

I Love it when my Garden kicks in !

2011-05-02T08:32:00.001-07:00

My Spring Garden is Wonderful to Enjoy when in Full Bloom. Almost there - Canmint and Lavender is just starting to Bloom ;)

The Darkest Shadows

2011-05-01T19:09:00.000-07:00

I re-imagined the Theme Song for Dark Shadows and gave it a Modern, Tribal Gothic Industrial Ambient Surreal twist. For those of us who love Modern, Alternative Gothic Music -- and old Gothic TV and Movies. Vintage Dark Shadows put to Modern Tribal Gothic...

Blogging from the Droid - The Rose Garden

2011-05-01T18:45:00.001-07:00

The latest Garden pic from the Droid. The Rose Garden is kicking in... Well, the Roses and Lupines are taking over whatever the Mint leaves room for. So far, a really nice smelling garden !

Sexy, Gothic, or Psychedelic...

2011-04-26T17:12:00.000-07:00

As a creator of Gothic / Psychedelic, Ambient and Surrealistic Alternative Music (or Sound Architecture) I have recently become extra creative and started creating Music Videos to put on YouTube. For one of my more Playfully Trippy songs “Crazy Bunny finds a Balloon” I created a silly little clip with a toy bunny playing with a Balloon. Uploaded on February 4, 2011 08:10 PM; this video as of Today, has 163 views. As an experiment, I created another, more mature version, in which I used two scantily clad Vixens playing with Balloons. This version “Sexy Bunnies Having Fun with Balloons” was uploaded just recently on April 22, 2011 07:19 PM; and already has as of Today, 1126 views. This also beats out my more Gothic and Psychedelic Videos that I created for the predominately Gothic and Psychedelic Songs and Sound Architecture. This experiment proved beyond a Dark Shadow of doubt that... Sexy is so very, very attractive (of course).

“Crazy Bunny finds a Balloon”

“Sexy Bunnies Having Fun with Balloons”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9LEfYv7VhI

Pennies from Heaven – Metaphysical Manifestation

2011-04-04T15:05:00.000-07:00

Many years ago, while trying to figure out what bizarreness was occurring during sleep, I read a few books by Robert Monroe, including Journeys Out of The Body. Monroe mentioned that he had a piece of clothes hanging in the closet, that when checked, seemed to manifest two dollars (if I remember correctly). Occasionally, he would check this item and each time, there would be a couple dollar bills in the pocket. Each time he removed these bills, and the process repeated.

Recently, I found two pennies in the sink when moving a couple dishes that needed to be washed. Where the hell did these pennies come from, I wondered. I removed the pennies and placed them on the window ledge and washed the dishes. A couple days later, there were Two More Pennies in the sink! I first thought that they were the same pennies, but when I looked at the window ledge, the first two pennies were still there. I really appreciate this Cosmic Manifestation thingy - but, shouldn’t we be up to about two five dollar bills (from the original two dollars of Robert Monroe) and not down to two pennies. Anyway, I am appreciate and I hope the cosmic forces continue to fill up my sink with financial success.

Monster in the Closet - for Misbehaving Children

2011-01-17T20:16:00.000-08:00

The Monster in the Closet M500 is a mechanical, automated device designed for unruly or misbehaving children. Using a simple Fear Technique to entice children to behave, or else. Secretly place the device on the floor, in the closet within the child’s room, and activate. Unit comes with rechargeable batteries (8 hr operation time), user manual and aroma refills.

The Monster in the Closet Model 500 comes with a variety of preprogrammed sounds actions and aromas all activated by a timer and a heat proximity sensor switch to sense a child’s movement towards the closet. As the child gets closer to the closet, the device, detecting the child's movement, emits aroma - and stronger and harsher scarier sounds and various vibrations simulating movement. If the child is too close to the door the device can create an ultra low frequency sound initiating nausea, vomiting and distress. If the child actually opens the closet door, the device renders an intense flash and emits a very loud scream. The child is shot with a stun gun rendering the child unconscious. The device then sends a Text Message to your cell phone to alert you of the situation. The device has 5 options for aromas, including rotten eggs, rotting flesh, pond scum, garbage, and cesspool. Note: Sometimes harmful to small children.

The 4 Keys to Altered States via Synchronistic Audio Resonance

2011-01-07T20:09:00.000-08:00

Note: It is Initially recommended to play the Four Synchronistic Audio Resonance Keys in order – starting with: “The Vibrating DMT Machine Elves of the 11:11 HyperSphere”. Using this link at Soundcloud, each Synchronistic Audio Resonance Key will play one after the other, in sequence. Later, one can select the Key desired for a specific type of Synchronistic Audio Resonation. Etheric, Astral, or Hallucinogenic.

There is a MultiDimensional State of Vibration in which an Alternative Reality Manifests. The options to access these Realms are varied, but Four Options are offered for consideration - and the Synchronistic Audio Resonance Key is given for each. One of the most efficient methods is found in a naturally occurring Hallucinogenic Compound that exists in the Human Brain: N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT - found not only in several plants but also in trace amounts in humans and other mammals). The First of the Four Synchronistic Audio Resonance Keys is appropriate for DMT and may be found Here: The Vibrating DMT Machine Elves of the 11:11 HyperSphere See: DMT The Spirit Molecule for more information.

The Second Synchronistic Audio Resonance Key is found Here: A Failed Event in Time and is properly used either as a continuation of the first Key, or as a Key in itself initiating a Resonance Pattern for OOBE. If one isn’t familiar with “Astral Projection” - (or, the shifting of “Consciousness” within the Realm of Yesod), then that area of study is recommended first.

The Third Synchronistic Audio Resonance Key is found Here: Gothic DMT HyperSphere and is an extension of the first two Keys – after initial success in entering the “Alternative Reality”. This will allow access into the Vibrational Citadel. Playing this Synchronistic Audio Resonance Key while “Consciousness” has entered the Alternative Reality (Higher Vibrational Realm), one will be guided to the Vibrational Matrix Citadel.

The Forth Synchronistic Audio Resonance Key is found Here: Winter Solstice and is an extension of the first three Keys – or, can be used as a Lower Frequency Access (usually within the Etheric, or Lower Astral). Playing this Key nightly may, over time, setup a Harmonic Resonance inducing a shift in Vibrational Reality to the Etheric, or Lower Astral as desired.

If using the Second, Third and Forth Synchronistic Audio Resonance Keys within a Sleep Pattern, It is recommended to play each Key at night while resting – and again around 4:00 in the morning. Setting an alarm for that time is appropriate. The Fourth Synchronistic Audio Resonance Key works well as a starting point if one is attempting Access strictly via the use of Synchronistic Audio Resonance Keys and Sleep Patterns.
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Tribal Gothic Songs now on SoundCloud

2010-12-08T12:24:00.000-08:00

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http://soundcloud.com/tribal-gothic

Dark Alien Gothic Ambient Psychedelic Surrealistic - and sometimes a hint of Victorian SteamPunk.

The Apparition

2010-12-08T09:40:00.000-08:00

This is a true story. After all these years, I still wonder what really happened. Sometimes Mysteries remain Mysteries.

...sniped details...

Personally, I don’t have an answer, but it was an amazing occurrence. I dreamed of this event for years afterwards.
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Encounter On The Moon

2010-11-16T08:07:00.000-08:00

New Song by Tribal Gothic - Ambient Gothic Psychedelic Sci-fi

http://www.tribalgothic.com/Encounter_On_The_Moon.mp3

The Space-Time Distortion UFO Hoax

2010-11-15T17:56:00.000-08:00

Earlier today, I shared a photo on Twitter of a “UFO” actually within my home – Distorting Space and Time. This photo was anonymously emailed to me this morning. See photo below.

The mystery was finally solved when I found proof that Purple Bunny (a.k.a. Crazy Bunny) used a Starbucks Frappuccino bottle cap and a Salvador Dali Clock to create the Illusion. I apologize to the many UFO groups that contacted me today for details and requests for interviews. I offer the below photograph as comparative evidence, and hope we can all put this incident behind us.

Cemetery Dance

2010-10-23T18:18:00.000-07:00

New Song by Tribal Gothic

http://www.tribalgothic.com/Cemetery_Dance.mp3

A Failed Event in Time

2010-10-21T17:06:00.000-07:00

Inspired by one of my favorite Movies: The Time Machine (1960), I created an Ambient, TeslaPunk, SteamPunk, Sound-scape piece of Music. Imagine that a Victorian Time Machine was started up – and something went wrong... Something just didn’t go quite right...
http://www.tribalgothic.com/A_Failed_Event_in_Time_M.mp3

The Time Machine (1960) at IMDB http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054387/

The Gothic Ambient Adventures of Crazy Bunny

2010-10-05T13:46:00.000-07:00

I have started writing Electronic Music again after a few years off. Going for the Gothic, Ambient, Psychedelic sound that I toyed with in the distant past, I have started the new venture with a series of songs based upon the Adventures of Crazy Bunny. Poor little Crazy Bunny always seems to be getting into trouble. I have three songs created at this time, with more in the works. I will update the blog with each finished song. These songs are in mp3 format and available at http://www.tribalgothic.com/ – just click on the links below the image of Crazy Bunny...

The first song about Crazy Bunny’s adventures is: ‎"Crazy Bunny's Acid Nightmare" http://tinyurl.com/2625774 - first song I have created in a few years (about 2 MB). In this adventure, Crazy Bunny has a little trippy experience.

Song 2 (about 3.5 MB) in the Crazy Bunny series... Crazy Bunny stumbles upon the real "Plan 9 from Outer Space" - Ooops… "Crazy Bunny's Plan 9 from Outer Space" http://www.tribalgothic.com/Crazy_Bunnys_Plan_9V2.mp3

Song 3in the Crazy Bunny Series: "Crazy Bunny Finds a Balloon" http://tinyurl.com/2ejwp3z
Gothic, Ambient, Psychedelic...

The next songs scheduled are:
“Crazy Bunny finds a Sugar cube” and “Crazy Bunny’s Steampunk Adventure”

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My Alien, Mad Max and Sci-Fi Inspiration

2010-09-10T15:11:00.000-07:00

My Alien, Mad Max and Sci-Fi Inspiration is revealed in this old photo of one of my earliest Large Airbrush Paintings from the mid 1980’s. Clkick on image for a larger view. (These are the two central panels - top of painting not shown.)

Obviously inspired by Giger and Alien, this painting is actually 8' by 16’ when the two side panels (not shown here, but are shown below) are attached. (Yes, that is 16 feet.) The Canon in front of the Painting was made in the early 1990's and is featured elsewhere in this Blog. The debris on the floor of my old Bay of Miami, Studio is broken glass from firing the Canon inside and destroying the overhead lighting of the 21’ high Cathedral Ceiling. This was one of many Canons I created and they shot everything from toy Teddy Bears to Tennis Balls… This one would fire a Teddy Bear four stories. Over the years, I have lost many works of art, since Explosives and Art do not always mix very well. Thus, I stay away from Explosives these days.

Left and Right Side Panels (without Central Panel). I am actively looking for my photos of the Center Panel !

The Nightmare...

2010-08-27T19:05:00.000-07:00

A few nights ago, I experienced an unusually vivid Nightmare which was accompanied by pronounced emotions of terror and dread. While I am a prolific dreamer, this was quite an unusual experience. The Dream or Nightmare basically started with me standing in an upstairs, outside balcony - of a house I lived in about 20 years ago. Note that this house did not actually have this upstairs, outside balcony setup. As I stood there, I noticed with the impending feelings of terror and dread, that the Moon was low on the horizon and oppressively large. Probably three times larger than the largest I have ever seen it in reality. It was in front of what appeared to be a Black Hole and an outer black circle.

The bizarre thing is that this did not seem to have a Dream quality about it. It was so vivid and my thinking was very clear and analytical. The scene was extremely pronounced. I immediately thought that I should go check the News – thinking that perhaps the reporters would have an announcement on some disastrous cosmic event with impending doom. Doom was definitely the feel of the dream. This is when I noticed the sky… The sky was Black. Hauntingly Black. From just before the Moon to back behind me and off to the sides… Black. I then noticed that there were very dark grey patterns, a mosaic pattern up in the sky. I realized these almost black patterns were moving slowly forward towards the Moon. The Whole Sky was moving overhead. I realized it was an absolutely enormous UFO! To block out the whole sky all the way off to the distance, it would have to be as large as Alaska – perhaps as large as the whole United States, or larger. I was as shocked as I have ever been in a dream.

I am not a Doom and Gloom person. I love all things Gothic, Sci-Fi, Horror – but in the Artistic sense. I do not believe in popular End-of-the-World scenarios (Y2K, Revelations, Nostradamus, 2012, etc…) I am very scientific and analytical – though, I do believe in “Paranormal” strangeness - and I have certainly had my share of such activities over the years. Everything from growing up in a “Haunted House” where it was normal to hear voices at night and view occasional nocturnal glowing Orbs in the back yard. I have had a problem throughout the years with watches that stopped working. I seem to affect streetlights, and throughout the years I would have infrequent episodes that fit the classic description of Out-of-Body experiences. The house I currently live in seems to be frequented by Darting Shadows. However, this Dream simply is a mystery. If part of the “Paranormal” weirdness, I just don’t get it. But, weirdness it definitely was!

Explosive Art and Sci-fi Insanity

2010-08-03T13:03:00.000-07:00

Over the years, I have been involved in creating a variety of “Performance Art” which mostly included electricity, jiggling Baby dolls hanging from hooks or, Explosives. In today’s crazy, paranoid world, I no longer create art with Explosives. First; if a problem arose, it would be hard to explain to the officials of today’s mindset that: no, really I am just building a Syfy Cannon for fun – not to destroy the world. And second; I feel that I survived several close calls throughout the years - misfires, cannons overloaded, etc. I once fired a cannon inside my studio that wiped out several paintings. And I once fired a “Teddy Bear Cannon” inside an Art Gallery on Miami Beach that almost took out a fellow Artist. I simply take the safer approach these days.

However, those memories from the Explosives Art Days are some of my favorites. I built Sci-fi Cannons that shot everything from toy animals to Fluorescent Light Tubes. I had one Hell of a good time!!! Below are just a few photos from that era.

Higgs Boson - Found!!!

2010-07-28T07:54:00.000-07:00

I really don’t know why Scientists have such a hard time finding things. Recently, they have gone to such trouble and expense to find the “Elusive” Higgs Boson. Building the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and using other extreme measures, they have so far failed. I have decided to give them just a little help.

With a simple search at WhitePages.com I found Mr. Higgs Boson with little difficulty. You can duplicate my search and findings using this link: http://tinyurl.com/298uh4c Images of my findings are posted below. Click on the Images to Enlarge. I really do not expect the Scientific Community to award me the Billions of Dollars I just saved them – however, a few funds deposited into my Bank Account is always welcome. I will next try to find Dark Matter.

Esoteric Messages – 11:11 The Ghost in the Machine

2010-07-12T21:15:00.000-07:00

Since about 1980 I have encountered a strange phenomena (adding to my already existing other strange phenomena of OOBE experiences, Lucid Dreams, Street Light Interference Syndrome and witnessing weird Plasma Spheres). The emerging phenomena was simply the frequent occurrence of 11:11 on digital clocks – and progressing to other means of manifestations (such as on printed receipts, etc.) Back in the 1980’s, there was no Home PC and Internet (for the most part, it existed for College and Military use) and no real way to search out any information on the subject at hand, except to simply ask if anyone else was experiencing this bizarreness. With a little asking around, I did find out that my Sister and Mother also experienced this “Ghost in the Machine” (as I would later name it). Thus, if this was an indication of some form of Insanity, at least we kept in the family.

In the mid 1990’s with access to Home Pc’s and the Internet, I finally did a search for 11:11 (while writing an article on the topic) – and was completely blown away by what I found! Seemingly thousands (perhaps hundreds of thousands) of people were experiencing a phenomenon I thought was my own private crack in “Reality”. Thousands! I found articles, groups, theories and more. I was floored. WTF was going on!

Most theories involved a person, or a particular group, wrapping personal & current Belief Systems around the 11:11 enigma to enforce said belief systems. Ideas such as: Messages from “Angels”, “God” and the “Higher Self” were frequent. However, since I try to avoid Wal-Mart (and listening to Elvis) and since I feel that “Angels”, “Demons”, “God” or the “Higher Self” are not really responsible for vague 11:11 occurrences - and plates of spaghetti looking like Iconic Figures from Religion and Myth, I felt there must be some more “Logical” reason for this phenomenon.

The Scientific Approach:

For seeking the obvious, I looked at the method of manifestation. 11:11 seemed mostly to be a Digital Phenomenon, since who would really notice it on a sundial or analog clock. It started for me in 1980 (even though some groups stated that the 11:11 current started / was initiated much later) and often, it was actually Flashing on my old Digital Alarm Clock. Even a receipt printout that contained a total of $11.11 was manifested via a digital machine. (This purchase made while talking to a friend about 11:11)

While studding Quantum Mechanics & Entanglement, Non-Local Reality, Multiple Universe Theory and Holographic Universe Theory – I found out about current attempts by a few Theoretical Scientists who are actually working on sending a signal Back in Time via Laser (such as the experiments of University of Washington physicist John Cramer and others http://www.seattlepi.com/local/292378_timeguy15.html ). This experimentation is currently in the works – however, what if the first major success of “Time Travel” is the successful transmission of “11:11” from the Future, to the Digital Quantum Matrix of Today (and focused initiation around 1980). This would be perfect for the process: A simple signal that would gradually get enough attention, for enough years, to finally not only get noticed as something bizarre, but get reported enough in different media – meaning that if sent far enough from the Future – It could be recorded and recovered. Kind of reminds me of: Bad Wolf from Dr Who.

This process may not actually be confined to Protons (or even those elusive Tachyons) – it may be Mental Energy affecting the Digital Quantum Matrix. So, if I could get each of you reading this – please pass this on to anyone that may wish to try this experiment: Focus nightly on sending a Mental Signal of 11:11 to about 1980 through 2010. Do this nightly for as long as you can. If successful, we will have masses of people reporting the bizarre phenomena of 11:11, and wondering, just what is this Ghost in the machine.

Meeting H.R. Giger...

2010-06-29T05:53:00.000-07:00

I met with H.R. Giger, my long-time Artistic Idol, on Friday, June 28, 2002 at his museum in the 400 year old castle of Chateau Saint-Germain, in Gruyeres, Switzerland. I can't stress enough how nice Giger actually was. Not only is he an amazing artist (and one of the most influential of the late 20th century - and earyl 21st century) he is an amazing person.

My mini Giger Shrine includes a book that Giger graciously signed for me (including a personalized fingerprint - as he touched the wet ink and then pressed it to the book), a photo of the encounter and a pamphlet for the Giger Museum.

In the Giger Museum you will find many classic works by Giger (some of my personal favorites) and works by other artists. There is nothing like seeing this incredible work up close. The detail simply isn't conveyed in his books. Paintings, sculptures and more; it is an amazing sight to see. The Giger Bar across the street from the museum is now open. It was a dusty work in progress when I visited in 2002. Amazingly, H.R. Giger invited me in to tour the unfinished Giger Bar. I had no sleep the night before, but this experience was my caffeine high.

Giger Bar in very early stages - Friday, June 28, 2002

Courtyard to the Giger Museum

The Windrow-Ravenswood Deck by Winneganfake

2010-06-26T15:57:00.000-07:00

I am going to feature different Artists now and then on this blog. The first to be featured is known on Twitter as: Winneganfake (who seems to depict images of treasures lost to history). The following image is: King of Sea.

"The Windrow-Ravenswood Deck. Long thought lost in the annals of history and urban legend..."

"Correspondance: The King of Hearts or Cups.

Divination: The King of the Sea lies deep beneath the surface of all things. He is the relentless force of the tides, the unrestrained hunger of the depths. He embodies strength, raw force, and the most primal elements of nature."

Many fine works by Winneganfake can be found here: http://winneganfake.deviantart.com/prints/

More info on the The Windrow-Ravenswood Playing Deck can be found at Tormented Artifacts: http://tormentedartifacts.com/deck.html

King of Bones by Winneganfake

Promoting Gothic, Steampunk and Sci-Fi Artists

2010-06-25T10:23:00.000-07:00

I will start promoting other Gothic, Dark Fantasy, Steampunk and Sci-Fi Artists on my blog. I will soon be increasing redership and sharing links. If you are interested, contact me via Twitter. http://twitter.com/Tribal_Gothic

Garden in Progress

2010-06-21T12:48:00.000-07:00

Little by little, the Front Garden is taking shape. I still have a problem with Mint trying to take over - it has crept into the Frog Pond (obscured in this photo) and the Frogs are now Minty fresh.

Alien Gothic Steampunk - Reversible Necklace Pendant

2010-06-15T16:33:00.000-07:00

Unique, Fantasy Design with elements of the Cosmos. From Beyond... When the Alien Alternate Dimensions of Gothic and Steampunk collide... A very unique Alien Gothic piece of Art. Strangely and Beautifully Adorned with esoteric Texture, Antique Clock/Watch parts and Swarovski Crystal.

One-of-a-Kind: Made with hardened Polymer, Velvet cord, Clasp. Matte coating. Black and Silver. Main Pendant is 2 3/4" High. Black Velvet Cord with silver fasteners.

Just listed this on Etsy: http://tinyurl.com/22qdyx8

The Visitors...

2010-06-07T14:23:00.000-07:00

I am visited by a unique group of eclectic Visitors. Some visit by day, and some by night. Some are very stealthy - and some more bold. They come out of the shadows, out of the bushes, out of the trees… Some come out of the sky.

Even though I live within the City Limits (only 15 minutes from Downtown) The Visitors come and visit me every day and every night. They creep, craw, walk, slither and fly.

They know the Day and know the Night. They carefully chose ther visits…

This is a visual list of some of The Visitors:

LOST Thoughts - and darker concepts...

2010-05-24T11:05:00.000-07:00

I rewrote bits and pieces of this since first published.

So… It seems that perhaps, LOST did not really have a game plan from day one (as they did in The Prisoner, for instance) and those in charge tied up as much as they could, considering that several occurrences and facts within the story were a bit contradictory.

My Choice of Ending: After two hours of a good season finale, LOST fell a little short and delivered a feel-good ending that really did not add up to the complete accumulated timeline and story facts. I imagined a bit darker ending - where at the very end, you would have Jack, and perhaps Desmond sitting on the beach and Desmond asks: “Why won’t you let me leave?” in fantastic Jacob / MIB fashion.

Ending the show with everyone being in Purgatory (or, more realistically perhaps – the Astral) and then moving on… For one thing, for all of them to create their Thought Form Reality within the Astral, they already must have known “where” to “meet” within such said “Reality” – which would really defeat the whole deal of: A place where you could find each other. Let me state that again. Oh, never mind. Just reread it. The ending did however fit with the whole Dharma Buddhism aspect.

One little pet peeve of mine with some of the viewers is that many posted after the finale: “Oh, I was right. I had this idea in Season 2.” Meaning, that everyone was dead and that they were in Purgatory. Actually, this isn’t the case at all. They were NOT dead on the island. Some died on the island (Such as Jack) and some died much later - Hurley, Kate, Desmond, etc. Some even died off of the island – such as Kate, Desmond, Sawyer, Richard, etc.

I really expected a much stranger and more honest ending. The Light could have been Alien or technological in nature – or perhaps more in line with Ancient Jinn Myths. The Wheel that changes the Dimensional qualities of Time Displacement..? What happened there? It was too good of an idea to abandon. And, all this talk about “The Rules” and what about Richard Alpert (and not Richard Alpert/Ram Dass – though, that would be very interesting), Egyptian Statues, and: What is the Island? Excuse me, but: What the hell is the Island!

I feel that they took the easy way out (and we should have seen it coming with names like: Jack Shepard and Christian Shepard). Touching - yes. A good ending - well...

Oh, for those who still don’t get it: They did NOT die when the plane crashed on the Island.

One last thought: Was it really all about Jack? Lost opened with Jack opening his eyes – and ended with jack closing his eyes. In one way, it was about Jack. In other ways, it wasn't of course...

Lab Monkey Death Dream

2010-04-28T08:22:00.000-07:00

This was Painted several years ago in protest, when I read a report of animal abuse: Hideous experiments on Monkeys, Dogs and other animals. Many Artists who paint dark destructive scenes have a soft spot for animals. I do believe that in today’s society, there are other ways to sufficiently gain lab results without abusing animals.

The Frog Pond Mystery

2010-04-16T11:49:00.000-07:00

I built a small Pond about 4 years ago and surrounded it with Rose, Lavender, Mint and other blooming plants. It has a fountain in the center and was used basically for decoration. A couple years ago, a bunch of Water Frogs moved in. I am not sure where these frogs came from, as the closest water source is a small creek about two blocks away. I end up with about 6 Frogs each year – and after mating season, a pond full of Tadpoles.

The Garden next to the Pond

The Gothic Steampunk Gardens

2010-04-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

Most of my Gardens are not really Gothic or Steampunk. However, I have started to incorporate Gothic and Steampunk elements into some of the Mini Gardens. Here are just a couple photos of the beginning works. I will Blog more about the Gardens and share more Photos as the Gardens progress...

Gothic Solar Light

Steampunk Rabbit

The Beauty of Travel

2010-04-09T14:58:00.000-07:00

I have traveled quite a bit in my life. From Miami to NY to San Francisco to much of the United States - the Bahamas; Mexico; Prague; London; Paris; Belgium; Copenhagen, Norway, Sweden, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland… The list goes on.

I would really love to inspire others to get off their Ass and Travel! The world is an amazing place to visit. The Map is NOT the Territory – see it in person. Live in another country for a while – experience this planet. I have lived in and visited many places. Enjoy this huge mud ball floating through space. It is quite an experience!

Modern Alchemy

2010-04-01T19:27:00.000-07:00

"The eternal quest of Alchemists – to change base metals into gold – was actually achieved to a certain degree in Soviet nuclear reactors, where radioactivity transformed some Lead nuclei into Gold." --Discovery Magazine

The Exotic Bat Flower

2010-03-10T08:54:00.000-08:00

Most of my Gothic friends know about the Bat Flower, or Devil Flower (Tacca chantrieri) and admire the exotic quality of this species - native to the humid regions of Southeast Asia. I originally came across this specimen while living in Copenhagen. The local flower stores imported this variety of exotica from Spain. They do well in the Tropics and Sub-Tropics; however, getting them to survive a cold winter indoors is very tricky, but some do have success. This link has a bit more information on the Exotic Bat Flower: http://www.rareflora.com/taccachablack.htm

Dragons, Bikers & Design...

2010-02-25T08:24:00.000-08:00

About 20 years ago, my Biker friend Robert, requested my help and expertise for creating a Dragon around the small pond he recently installed. We didn’t draw up any plans – we just fueled our creative juices by consuming beer and Tequila; and allowing the South Florida sun to cook our brains just a bit more than usual. Our plan was that Robert would drive me to the local building supply outlet in his El Camino and I would select 50 lb bags of concrete mix (the total ended up being approximately 2,200 lbs of concrete mix), wire, tubing, buckets and just about anything else I could think of. I had been designing Nightclub Interiors at the time – and had plenty of ideas.

Robert knew we were in trouble when I had about 8’ of ground foundation laid down and he said: “Oh, yea. That will look good.” And I replied: “That is just the main section of the Body. Still need neck, head and tail.” If you measure the Dragon by following the curves from tip of the tongue to the tail, it measures about 20’ long. Robert helped quite a bit with the design of the head – and helped mix and dig, drag, push and pull… Considering my plans of having the Dragon spit fire didn’t materialize, I think the project turned out quite well.

After the Dragon was completed and the final touches were added to the pond and surrounding landscape, Robert added an Orchard garden and then won the North Miami Beach Beautification Award for 1990.

Robert & Dragon (& Beer)

Progress

Avatar was Fantastic - but, what about Roger Dean?

2010-02-02T14:19:00.000-08:00

Today, I celebrated Groundhog Day (02/02/10) by finally seeing Avatar in IMAX 3D. It was simply amazing. Visually stunning! One of the first things I noticed was the obvious inspiration from Rock Art Artist, Roger Dean. This inspiration was prevalent in the whole film. In fact, it was SO prevalent, I thought Avatar might be a homage to Roger Dean. Those of you over the age of 35 – or, those of you who are knowledgeable in 1970’s 1980’s Album Art (Yes, Asia, etc.) must have picked up on this obvious feature. During the credits, I looked for some acknowledgement to Roger Dean, and didn’t see any. Thus, I did a Google search: “Avatar Roger Dean” and found that many people are talking about Dean’s obvious inspiration – and lack of any credit at all. Try this search: Avatar Roger Dean and see the results. Especially, look at this link: Did Prog Rock's Greatest Artist Inspire Avatar? - and note the Images.

It kills me that one of the greatest Fantasy Artists of recent times was so obviously used and abused – without any credit or payment. Surely, Avatar and James Cameron could do right by this fantastic artist and give credit due. Roger Dean’s Floating Islands, Dragons and Landscapes deserve better!

Haitian Art Memories…

2010-01-13T19:22:00.000-08:00

I lived in Miami and Miami Beach for most of my life. I moved from Miami in 2000 to visit Copenhagen for 4 years, and even though I did return to the US, I have so far failed to return to the land of Sun, Beaches and the Melting Pot of Nationalities. At one point, I lived in North Miami, just a block from the beautiful Intercostal Waterway. This was primarily a Haitian/Spanish area in which many of my neighborhood friends at the time were Haitian. These were very hard working people. They put up with my crazy Performance Art antics - in which I blew up many a TV set with gunpowder, and shot toy animals out of a Mad Max type Cannon. They were too busy working hard to feed their families, to worry about what Performance Art I might do next.

One of the Art Galleries I frequently exhibited at was a Haitian Art Gallery. Even though I was your standard pale Goth type; they just loved my crazy Dark Surrealistic style of painting. They even commissioned me to paint a few Deities from their structure of belief.

This recent devastation of Haiti hits close to home for me. Haitians never had the easy opportunities that some other nationalities automatically had when arriving in Miami. Life in Haiti was for the most part a poor man’s struggle. I am out of touch with my Haitian friends from the crazy Miami Art days, but my thoughts are with them and their families. I do not wish to get political, however there are many ways to help if you so desire. I will share this information just in case: American Red Cross Haiti Relief.

A Tale of Stinging Wasps, Rockets, Explosives and …

2010-01-12T12:27:00.000-08:00

Many years ago in Miami… Starting at about the age of 12, I started making my own fireworks. This was a more innocent and carefree time, where going to the local Drugstore and purchasing the ingredients for making gunpowder was neither frowned upon nor, deemed a devilish deed. The group of friends I hung out with were use to chasing my model rockets that I custom built. Some of these rockets were successfully launched in the large field next to my house, and some simply exploded upon the launch pad. When I mixed various metal powders in my fuel, some of these rockets exploded with wondrous color.

One fine day, when I was about 14, my friend Armando (who lived across the street) wanted my help in getting rid of some wasps which had built a nest in the hollow T support of their outdoor clothes line. This was simply a 3 foot horizontal tube on top of a 6 foot vertical support tube. Another such structure was about 12 feet down the yard, with the hanging wires running between the supports, end to end. This end of the support was about 6 feet from the kitchen window and Armando feared the wasps might thus fly into the window when opened.

When Armando approached me for help, I was in the middle of working on a new batch of rocket propellant – an idea immediately came to mind… We could tape both ends of the tube shut – with one end containing a small bag of homemade rocket fuel. Thus, the wasps would be trapped in the tube, and when lit, the rocket fuel would explode in a small flash and kill all the wasps. BTW, these were a particularly aggressive type of local South Florida variety of wasp.

We set the plan in motion. Armando approached the right side of the tube (which was about 6 feet from the kitchen window) and was ready with a large piece of wide packaging tape. I simultaneously approached the left side of the tube with an identical piece of tape, plus a large wad of rocket fuel wrapped up in tape, and containing a long fuse. One… two…three… Armando quickly slapped his piece of tape over his end and I simultaneously, snugly pushed the wad of explosives into the tube and quickly sealed it further with tape – the end of the fuse was sticking out and thus, quickly lit…

Armando’s sister was in the kitchen washing dishes at the time. The window was cranked wide open – however, the screen was shut. Just then, she came closer to the window to see what we were doing.

BANG! SCREAM!

It is interesting to note that a wasp nest full of afternoon wasps can be fired like Shotgun ammo completely through a screen window and splatter someone in the chest with a gooey, singed mass. Luckily, no one was hurt – except for a colony of wasps. Don’t try this at home!

The Mental Misdirection of Thought Provoking Film...

2010-01-03T14:48:00.000-08:00

I have long called this class of Movies: “Mind F*** Movies” - and the ones listed below are some of the best in recent years. Of course, many of Alfred Hitchcock’s films could have made this list, however, I am only including one film by that talented Director. This list is in no particular order, as each of these films has their merit in plots that deceive, twist and turn, and confuse in general – while hiding some Grand Illumination Noir to be revealed. These are highly recommended.

1. Vidocq (2001) - Strange and Darkly Surrealistic French Film with Gérard Depardieu, Guillaume Canet, Inés Sastre. Fantastic film! French with English subtitles... Trailer

2. Dark City (1998) – Can I just state: Strange and Darkly Surrealistic (again) Think Matrix. Trailer

3. The Matrix (1999) – What can I say that hasn’t been said before. (No link needed)

4. The Prestige - The Prestige (2006) is a film starring Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, and Michael Caine. With David Bowie as Tesla. Directed by Christopher Nolan. Make sure you watch from the very beginning to the very end. There are many Mysteries to be revealed! Trailer

5. Momento – Also by Christopher Nolan. I’ve told you this before, haven’t I. Trailer

6. Fight Club – One Hell of a Mind F*** Movie! The trailers never did it justice. Multi depth, subliminal twist and turns with one big surprise wrapped in Dark Poetry. A must see film!

7. IDENTITY (2003) - Clever and Deceptive: Trailer

8. Jacob's Ladder - Based on MK-Ultra... Trailer

9. Angel Heart (1987) - "Harry Angel has been hired to search for the truth... Pray he doesn't find it." One of Mickey Rourke’s better performances. Trailer

10. David Cronenberg's: eXistenZ (1999) – “Reality”..? Trailer Allegra: "This is it you see. This is the cage of your own making. Which keeps you trapped and pacing about in the smallest possible space forever."

11. Pi – 1998 Sundance winner. Numbers and the esoteric meaning of… Trailer

12. Naked Lunch – Surreal, Trippy and Bizarre. Based upon the book by William Burroughs. Directed by David Cronenberg. Trailer

13. Twelve Monkeys (1995) – Time shifts, or Reality shifts… by Terry Gilliam - Trailer

14. Brazil - by Terry Gilliam (1985) Bizarre Fantasy. Trailer

15. Mulholland Drive (2001) – by David Lynch. Dark, brooding and mysterious. Trailer

16. Lost Highway - Another great Film by David Lynch - Trailer

17. Thirteenth Floor - Directing could have been a little bit better. Still a good one to watch. Trailer

18. The Sixth Sense - What can I say. I see... Trailer

19. Siesta - Couldn't find a Trailer for this one.

20. Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho. Of course!

21. Pan's Labyrinth - by Guillermo Del Toro. Trailer

22. And… the old TV show: The Prisoner. Be seeing you...

Comments welcome!

Looking for Life in the Multiverse

2009-12-22T10:26:00.000-08:00

It is nice to know that you have been in Fashion even before fashion arrives. As a long time enthusiast of Vampires and just about anything Gothic, I have also been quite the enthusiast of said Multiverse and Multidimensional “Realities” for the past 25 years. Seeing the esoteric possibilities of Multiple Dimensions arrive to the forefront of Scientific Thought has put quite a smile on my face. Dr. Kaku has taken the lead in this area, in recent times – with quite a prolific cornucopia of high-level thought on the subject - which has now hit the cover of Scientific American Magazine.

• Multiple other universes—each with its own laws of physics—may have emerged from the same primordial vacuum that gave rise to ours.

• Assuming they exist, many of those universes may contain intricate structures and perhaps varied forms of life.

• These findings suggest that our universe may not be as “finely tuned” for the emergence of life as previously thought.

And, per Vampires and Gothic...

My "Steampunk" Doorbell... Delivery guys love it.

2009-12-19T20:18:00.000-08:00

I created this Steampunk Doorbell last year and mounted it on the front of my house. Most Pizza and Delivery guys love it. It acts as somewhat of an intelligence test, as some people understand that the Glowing Blue Button in the center is the key - and some don't. I can honestly say that it receives many comments.

How to Travel to a Parallel Universe - Teaser

2009-12-19T18:19:00.000-08:00

Just a small sample from the mind of Dr. Michio Kaku (and other Theoretical Scientists). The New "Reality".

Life and Death on Mars - The Sahara Desert may know...

2009-12-18T11:15:00.000-08:00

ALH84001 is a 13,000 year old meteorite from Mars, found in 1984 in the Allan Hills Region of Antarctica. This sample contained nanometer-sized iron sulfide and iron oxide grains (which was theorized were produced by bacteria) and organic compounds known at polyaromatic hydrocarbons, or PHAs, which suggested the organic remains of Martian organisms. In November of 2009, NASA scientists commenced new research that used a new analysis technique, called ion beam milling, to study the iron grains. They concluded that there is "considerable evidence" that the nanocrystal iron grains were not the result of geology, which leaves biology as the real only other alternative.

Finding Life on Mars may be much more difficult that finding a needle in a haystack. One only needs to look at the Sahara Desert to illustrate this point. Only recently (and only available in certain areas) proof has been found that the Sahara Desert was an Ocean 30 Million years ago. It then became Swamp and then Rain Forrest. Then, with devastating climate shifts, the area became the Sahara Desert. One could research miles and miles of the Sahara Desert and not see any evidence of life, or even past evidence of an ocean. With this in mind, and knowing that Mars once had an Atmosphere, and with increasing evidence of Ocean erosion - the possibility is looking better and better that some form of life once existed on Mars. Perhaps we will eventually find skeletons as advanced as the Whale skeletons we are now finding in the Sahara Desert.

Victoria's Secret Christmas Commercial By Michael Bay

2009-12-16T18:06:00.000-08:00

I loved this commercial. It was Audio Delight and Visual Eye Candy the entire time. Included a lot of things Michael Bay is known for. Smokin Hot Girls, Action, Explosions - and really nice Sound.. What more could u ask for? :)

SteamPunk Live!: A Retrofuturist Dream

2009-12-15T16:55:00.000-08:00

RE/Search Publications (V Vale) has been printing unique and Progressive works for several years. One of my favorites by RE/Search is Modern Primitives by V. Vale and Andrea Juno. “Modern Primitives is the Bible of Body Modification, including tattoo, piercing, and scarification.”

Recently, with the emergence of “Steampunk” from Cyberpunk, Victorian Era inspiration and other quaint modalities of Fantasy – RE/Search has published: SteamPunk Live!: A Retrofuturist Dream. Personally, I haven’t picked up this latest gem yet. However, I have enjoyed much that has come from the progressive RE/Search minds. Worth a look.

Life as an Art Project - Esoteric Thought: Part I

2009-12-11T17:58:00.000-08:00

Going back about 10 to 25 years ago, I was pushing the envelope every way I possibly could. I saw Life as an Art Project – and “Reality” as something fixed in parameters only to those who allowed restrictions, dogmatic structure and Social Programming to block out Potential and Possibilities with the ever present gossamer curtain hinted at within various Esoteric Orders (and richly illustrated in the movie: The Matrix). A fan of Socrates, Dr. Timothy Leary, Terence McKenna; and the fantastic mindset of: Think for Yourself & Question Everything. How can one be truly honest with the MultiVerse if one does not Question Everything. Freedom, is seeing Potential. Thank you Dr. Michio Kaku (and many modern Theoretical Scientists) for keeping the expansion of the “Mind” an important aspect of finding “Reality” – and finding our True Nature. From Quantum Mechanics to Multiple Dimensions and Multiple Universes… From Esoteric levels of formulation and Enlightenment; from Mystery Schools and Mothman Madness to new and emerging patterns of Thought…

I haven’t changed my position over the years. One still needs to push the boundaries. What is “Art”? What is “Reality”..? If you answer these questions too quickly, put more thought into it. I have changed the process I use. My Motto and Lifestyle use to be: “Wild Times and Wild Days”. I have had several glimpses behind the Curtain. Oz is exceedingly a bizarre place. I have learned that the Wizard is as much Us, as it is that great Known Unknown – the Mystery of the Cosmos. There is a Great Riddle of the Sphinx. The Answer to the Riddle isn’t really too hard to grasp. The Path to the Answer though…

Those Artist and Thinkers that resonate with the above Mental Masturbation will understand, and keep the Flame burning. Push the Edge. Know Thyself. Know thy Art. And truly know, that a glimpse beyond the curtain is only a moment away – only an experience away…

Aliens, Multi-Dimensional Reality and Paranormal Visitations

2009-11-22T16:28:00.000-08:00

I think the Multiverse is much stranger than we imagine. Many of the top Theoretical Scientists now believe in an unlimited number of Dimensions. These Alternate and Multi Dimensions come, Consensually via modern Scientific thought, in one of 4 types. I won’t venture too deeply into the 4 primary different types, however, suffice it to say we may have parallel lives (Parallel Existence) or/and we may have other weird Dimensions flowing through where you are sitting right now. There may be Higher Vibratory Dimensions and Fractured “Reality” Dimensions. There may even be several types of Alternate Reality / Dimensions that we haven’t even theorized yet. I find it very Exciting that we may actually have an unlimited number of Alternate Lives, and that other Inhabitants may be Dimensionally “Visiting” right now. Some of the best works on the subject are by Dr. Michio Kaku, and on a more Paranormal vista - works by John A. Keel (especially: The Mothman Prophecies) and Jacques Vallée. Vallee's UFO classic, Messengers of Deception is quite an interesting read.

I do wish to share a thought that flows through that mess I call a mind now and then: Imagine a technologically advanced Alien Civilization that was 500 years more advanced than us. What would the mode of transportation, cities, “aircraft”, etc. look like? Now imagine that this Alien Civilization was 1,000 years more advanced than us. Would you recognize modes of transportation, the Entities themselves, etc. How about 5000 years more advanced than us… 20,000 more advanced than us… 100,000 years more advanced than us… 500,000 years more advanced than us… 1,000,000… The age of the Universe does allow for an Advanced Alien Civilization to exist - that is more than several Million years more advanced than us, if they (or some type of Natural Disaster) didn’t wipe themselves out. Would we even know if they were right next to us right now..? I do know one thing. They sure wouldn’t be crashing their poorly driven UFO’s in the desert.

New Tribal Gothic Website soon...

2009-11-21T18:03:00.000-08:00

Finally making progress on the New layout of the Tribal Gothic Website. This has involved much work so far: Images, coding, Flash, etc. I cannot take full credit, as part of the layout is from a template – however, there continues to be much modification to said template. All will hopefully be uploaded soon.

Not being “Normal” was never a choice.

2009-11-20T06:58:00.000-08:00

Over the years, I have had the somewhat unique pleasure of being asked why I like what I like or, enjoy what I enjoy – as if I chose to deliberately detach myself from the common likes of most other people. I admit that I never really fell prey to programming, be it Social, Political, Religious or other systems of “Belief”. Perhaps, the hint is that I almost always put “Belief” and “Reality” in quotes. Consensual reality and programming – no thanks, not for me.

The origins are obscure – however, I remember even at the tender age of 5 or 6, enjoying shows where the main character or characters were the outcasts or, the unique thinkers. Such shows as: Secret Agent Man, The Prisoner, The Addams Family, The Munsters, Bewitched… I watched and listened to anything unique, unusual – out of the Norm. I also started my interest in Vampires, Aliens, Paranormal, Horror Movies, Sci-fi and general outsiderness at around 6 years old. Perhaps, this could have something to do with the glowing globe/sphere that occasionally visited the backyard at dusk and later in the night. It could have something to do with my sleepwalking around that age… I was prone to see Shadows moving on the walls late at night (an active imagination perhaps) and the mist that somewhat quarterly invaded my room around Midnight and again at around 4:oo am… Perhaps it was the Sleep Paralysis… The 11:11 occurences… The Streetlight effects… Only that, and nothing more. No Raven, no Owl, no…

Perhaps it is simply that I have been blessed/cursed with an incredible “Imagination” and seem to see beyond what most others view in their daily lives. Even at age 5 or 6, I sought different music, different TV shows, different Artists… Dali, Bosch, Giger, Escher, Edward Gorey… Gothic was soooo appealing. Black was my favorite color since the age of 4 (seriously) and anything Psychedelic was appealing – as it is with many children. I performed the usual Mind-altering experiences as a child: spinning until you get so dizzy you fall down… I would sit and stare off into the distance until I thought I could “see” beyond “Reality”…

So, these days, when I listen to Skinny Puppy, Bauhaus, Sphongle, Sun Ra, Tones on Tail, etc…. And, I watch movies that twist the theme of “Reality” like: Vidocq, The matrix, Dark City, eXistenZ, Videodrone, Fight Club, Wanted, 12 Monkeys, Brazil… And I work on my Alien Gothic Steampunk Art - It all seems quite “Normal” to me.

Friday the 13th

2009-11-13T06:47:00.000-08:00

Since I have an affinity for the Viking, Pagan and other belief systems that were persecuted, tarnished and in some cases destroyed via the agents of oppressive and hateful dogma over the years, I tend to favor this theory on Friday the 13th. Quoted from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friday_the_13th

"One theory by author Charles Panati, one of the leading authorities on the subject of "Origins" maintains that the superstition can be traced back to ancient myth:

The actual origin of the superstition, though, appears also to be a tale in Norse mythology. Friday is named for Frigga, the free-spirited goddess of love and fertility. When Norse and Germanic tribes converted to Christianity, Frigga was banished in shame to a mountaintop and labeled a witch. It was believed that every Friday, the spiteful goddess convened a meeting with eleven other witches, plus the devil - a gathering of thirteen - and plotted ill turns of fate for the coming week. For many centuries in Scandinavia, Friday was known as "Witches' Sabbath." --{ Charles Panati, Panati's Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things, 1987, p. 13. "

"Another theory about the origin of the superstition traces the event to the arrest of the legendary Knights Templar."

Tribal Gothic is going to Mars - Again!

2009-11-08T16:53:00.000-08:00

In late May and then again in early June of 2003, two separate Mars Rovers were launched on a 7 1/2 month journey to the surface of Mars. The first Rover landed on the Martian surface around January 2, 2004 and the second one around January 20, 2004. The two rovers — MER-A Spirit and MER-B Opportunity, have been making news ever since. Each Martian Rover contained a DVD with individual names submitted to NASA. Thus, Tribal Gothic has been on Mars (in digital form) since 2004.

- -- Actual image of the DVD from Mars - - -

The new Mars mission also allowed for the option to send your name on a Microchip to Mars. NASA's Mars Science Laboratory rover is heading to Mars in 2011. Tribal Gothic will once again be digitally heading to mars!

Mars Exploration Rover - Wikipedia

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Re-Vamping the Tribal Gothic Website

2009-10-16T19:27:00.000-07:00

Giving the Tribal Gothic Website a Total Overhaul and Re-Vamping! Hopefully, this process will be finished soon!

The Angel's Trumpet Tree.

2009-10-11T17:38:00.000-07:00

Growing Tropical Plants in a non-tropical climate is tricky. Psychotic and temperamental Fall and Spring Seasons make for a difficult time - and many rescue missions involving bringing the plants indoors for periods at a time. Still, it is all worth it. Here is my Angel's Trumpet Tree/Bush in full splendor.

The Definitive Truth about 2012

2009-10-03T16:27:00.000-07:00

In most calendars, the year 2012 follows 2011 and is followed by 2013.

An Evening with Vincent Price

2009-09-22T11:41:00.000-07:00

I have always been active in meeting and engaging with personal Icons and inspiring individuals. For the first half of my life, Vincent Price was such an Icon and such an inspiring individual. Many years ago (during one of his many peaks) I attended a lecture given by Vincent Price at a community college in South Florida. After the lecture, I met up with Mr. Price to offer the typical fan support and obtain an autograph. He seemed just a bit embarrassed about his iconic status, but obliged with the autograph, seeing how much I appreciated meeting him. He was truly a classic gentleman - and to me, an Icon.

Alien Gothic Steampunk - and Meteorites

2009-09-17T11:22:00.000-07:00

I have been a Gothic Artist for many, many years. I have also produced Sci-fi and Steampunk inspired works for quite a few years (progressed from Cyberpunk). Always thinking beyond the normal boundaries – Rules/Regulations of certain varied Genre. Now, I have found some comfort in using the term: “Alien Gothic Steampunk” blending the Darker forms of Gothic Subculture with Steampunk and Sci-fi. I have started a new line of works (Pendants, Bracelets, etc.) that contain Meteorites (and other exotic ingredients). Long live Alien Gothic Steampunk! http://viemecanique.etsy.com/

The Campo del Cielo Meteorite

2009-09-13T18:46:00.000-07:00

Secret Ingredient: Meteorite - Campo del Cielo

Basic Information · Location: Campo del Cielo, Gran Chaco Gualamba, Argentina, about 500 miles north-northwest of Buenos Aries. Latitude 27 degrees 39 minutes South, Longitude 61 degrees 44 minutes West. · Structural Class: Coarse octahedrite, Og, Widmanstatten bandwidth 3.0 ±0.6 mm. · Chemical Class: Group I, 6.68% Ni, 0.43% Co, 0.25% P, 87 ppm Ga, 407 ppm Ge, 3.6 ppm Ir. · Time of Fall: 4,000 to 6,000 years ago

History The first record of the Campo was in 1576. A Spanish governor learned of the iron from the Indians who reportedly believed that it had fallen from heaven. The governor sent an expedition under the command of one Captain de Miraval who brought back a few pieces of a huge iron mass he called Meson de Fierro (large table of iron). The location of the find was the Campo del Cielo (field of the sky or heaven), a fitting name for the location of a meteorite. Since the Indians believed that the irons fell from heaven the name may have come from the meteorites. The area is an open brush-covered plain that has little water and no other rocks--very good country in which to locate meteorites.

Structure of the Campo del Cielo

The Campo del Cielo is described as a polycrystalline coarse octahedrite. At 3 mm the Widmanstatten bands are thicker than those at Canyon Diablo or Odessa, but still thin enough to have the same coarse octahedrite classification. The mass was composed of large austenite crystals from 5 to 50 cm in size. On break-up the fragments were cold worked like those at Sikhote-Alin and Gibeon. It has been hypothesized that the original body was tabular in shape and broke up on entry into the atmosphere. Chemistry of the Campo del Cielo: The Campo del Cielo is classified in Group I, 6.68% Ni, 0.43% Co, 0.25% P, 87 ppm Ga, 407 ppm Ge, 3.6 ppm Ir. Of course, almost all of the remaining portion of the meteorite is iron. The important minerals are: · Kamacite--this iron nickel alloy makes about 90 percent of specimens in finger size and width crystals. Neumann bands are common. · Taenite and plessite, the other iron-nickel alloy constituents are found at grain boundaries. · Schreibersite is uncommon. · Troilite is found aggregates with graphite and silicates.

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Sci-fi SteamPunk Scented Essential Oil Burner

2009-09-02T16:07:00.000-07:00

Sci-fi SteamPunk Essential Oil Burner - for scented oils. Made of Wood and metal SteamPunk Essential Oil Burner - of Sci-fi, Victorian Fantasy design. This very unique one-of-a-kind item was made with vintage and found watch / pocket watch parts - plus, Swarovski crystals and found items. Painted wood base. Oil holding area unscrews for easy cleaning. Can also rotate/adjust top portion for heat adjustment.

SteamPunk Paperweight by Vie Mecanique.

2009-08-26T16:42:00.000-07:00

From an Alternate Fantasy SteamPunk World... Very decorative and unique Metal, Glass and Wood SteamPunk Paperweight of Victorian Fantasy design. Light refracts and uniquely bends and enhances image depending on lighting and angle of viewing. 3" dia. at base.

Made from old Watch and Pocket Watch parts, Swarovski crystals, fine Magnifying Glass Dome, wood and felt base.

SteamPunk Paperweight by Vie Mecanique

After many years of being an Artist, Musician, Cosmic Entity, Quantum thinker...

2009-08-24T14:03:00.000-07:00

After many years of being an Artist, Musician, Cosmic Entity, Quantum thinker; and whatever else I am – I still continue to recreate myself; reinvent the patterns that are “Me”. Like rings on a tree, each one being a slightly different progression. These past few years have seen a modification of personality – perhaps more understanding, I hope. The real point is that we create our “Reality” one thought at a time. It doesn’t matter if you look at it from a Quantum Physics viewpoint (sub-atomic; wave collapsed to a particle = manifestation to Newtonian “reality”) - or, a Kabbalistic structure of manifestation of possibility to material (Yesod to Malkuth). Each “Thought” and “Belief” continually creates ourselves; our “Reality”. We are directors of a movie of life. Sure, there are special effects teams, supporting actors / actresses sub-directors, critics… However, it is Our film. As an example of modified “Reality”; I never thought I would meet my favorite Artist (who, the adventures of, I had following through Magazines, Movies and the Internet) – but when I allowed that reality of actually meeting this person, I met him in his museum in Switzerland some years ago. I never thought I would see one of my most inspiring and favorite paintings – but when I allowed that reality, I saw this painting up close in person at the Prada in Spain. I never thought I would live in Copenhagen, Denmark (where Niels Bohr made such a Quantum splash)… I ended up living there for almost 4 years. Now, I am in the next moment of allowing a new positive reality to manifest! New Ideas and works. New modes of thinking and living.

Mostly from our WordPress Blog

2009-08-16T19:16:00.000-07:00

Much of this blog from the beginning will be from the Tribal Gothic WordPress Blog. This is giving us an opportunity to be creative and experiment with different features from various web apps.
--TG

Tribal Gothic is up and running on WordPress!

2009-08-16T14:27:00.001-07:00

This is our first post on WordPress. We will be sharing updates as well as photos of New Gothic Steampunk Creations. Now, back to the Studio...