Dog mit uns

This is possibly the best art since Julian Quaye's dandified canines, but with an even better racial match than even that captivatingly Prussian canines we have seen since Der Kaiser.

Stolen from the obviously very talented artist Zarnala.

Non-Lovecraftian Lovecraftiana: A Few Favourites

Great Cthulhu watching over the research material.


H.P. Lovecraft hasn’t only become a cornerstone of horror fiction, he also more or less created his own, instantly recognizable subgenre: one full of scholars hovering on the edge of sanity and hidden cults worshipping ancient beings in far-away places.

So it shouldn’t be surprising that it seems to have become a rite of passage for horror writers to try their hand at penning a story or ten in his style or set in his universe. This has been going on since Lovecraft’s own time, but has escalated in recent years because the lapse of copyright (70 years after Lovecraft’s death in 1937) means that anyone can use the Gentleman of Providence’s material and themes with impunity.

The resulting deluge of Lovecraftiana gives Lord Bassington-Bassington mixed feelings. For as anyone with even the most superficial acquaintance with genre literature will have figured out already, much of it is little value: Uninspired re-tellings of Lovecraft stories done by people who couldn’t write to save their sanity. His Lordship tries to resist buying and reading it all, fearful that all the crap imitations will kill his taste for the real thing, in the same way that watching one too many Elvis impersonators might turn you off The King for good. But as his bookshelves attest he hasn’t really succeeded in conquering his compulsion to buy and read pretty much everything Lovecraft-related.

So is it worth it? Yes. Not only because derivative trash can be fun to read too, but also because sometimes his Lordship comes across material that is superb, reminding one of why he found this stuff appealing in the first place.

A long while ago, Lord Bassington-Bassington was issued a literary challenge by his better three-quarters, Lady Mju: To produce a list of the ten most readable Lovecraftian stories not written by Lovecraft. The challenge was accepted, but like most things here at the Chronicles it took a looooong time.

His Lordship would like to defend himself by pointing to the sheer amount of reading necessary to complete this task, but that’s really dogwash. The real reason for the slowness is that Basset hounds are best at sleeping on the sofa.

But anyway, here it is: Lord Bassington-Bassington’s ten favourite Lovecraftian stories written by someone other than ol’ Grandpa Theobald himself. This is not to be taken as some sort of attempt at some sort of Lovecraftian canon, they are merely some of His Lordship’s personal favourites. The stories are also not presented in any particular order.

1. “A study in emerald”
By Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman pays homage to Sherlock Holmes and the Great Old Ones at the same time by creating a Victorian world where the Cthulhu and his compatriots have successfully conquered the world. The result is fantastic, and a lot of fun. Does humour belong in Lovecraftiana? Neil Gaiman certainly seems to think so, and it’s hard to disagree with him.

2. “Notebook Found in a Deserted House”
Robert Bloch

It’s hardly surprising that the best attempts at writing Lovecraftian tales come from people who knew how to write already, and Bloch (best know for the Hitchcock-adapted Psycho) sure knew his way around a typewriter.

Robert Bloch has actually written a lot of Lovecraftiana, and this is perhaps not even the one that contributes the most to Lovecraft’s Mythos. But it is a favourite of Lord Bassington-Bassington’s: A quite straightforward, sometimes a bit silly but nevertheless terribly effective, thriller. One of few stories His Lordship has read which actually made his pulse race even if he was lying down – and had read the story several times before.

3. “The Strange Dark One”
Wilum H. Pugmire

No such list would be complete without “Captain Pugmarsh”, the world’s leading Lovecraftian gay punk Mormon. Not content with penning the occasional Lovecraftian tale, Pugmire writes Lovecraftiana full-time. In the process he has created his own Lovecraftian setting, Sequa Valley in the Pacific Northwest. The results definitetely transcend the normal fan fiction, darkly decadent and dream-like.

This is His Lordship’s favourite Pugmire story, not least because it revolves around a bookshop. More stories should revolve around bookshops. Perhaps all of them.

4. “The Faces at Pine Dunes”
Ramsey Campbell

Like W.H. Pugmire, Campbell has created his own locales, around the river Severn in eastern England, and produced a cycle of Lovecraftian stories set there. As Campbell himself readily admits most of those are pretty run-of-the-mill (some of them are juvenile works), but “The Faces at Pine Dunes” is something else.

Campbell’s clever use of British mythology creates a coming of age-story that manages to use classic Lovecraftian motifs while still having a totally fresh feeling.

5. "There Are More Things"
Jorge Luis Borges

It seems astounding to think that a Nobel Prize laureate actually penned a story dedicated to H.P. Lovecraft, but then Borges was possibly the coolest writer who ever lived.

This is very minimalistic and clever re-working of some key Lovecraftian themes. And even if Borges himself seems to have been a bit ambivalent about the story, it is probably worth about a dozen of those anthologies of Lovecraftiana being churned out these days.



The wall here at Bassington Manor.


6. “The Courtyard”
Alan Moore

Alan Moore is one of the most important people working in comics (or “graphic novels” as pretentious types would have you call them) but this is a normal black letters on white background-based short story. And a pretty superb one, dealing with punky cults and linguistic horrors.

True to Mr. Moore’s day job “The Courtyard” has been adapted as a comic, and forms the first part of Neonomicon. It’s not bad at all, but one should probably skip the second part, which descends into the usual trap of sex and monsters which often afflicts attempts to make Lovecraft more “contemporary” and “cutting edge”.

7. “Furierna från Borås”
Anders Fager

Lord Bassington-Bassington doesn’t really like reading Anders Fager. Quite simply because Fager’s fiction makes him feel uncomfortable. But then, that’s part of the whole point of horror fiction, isn’t it? So let’s say it’s a compliment. Simply put, Fager transplants Lovecraftian themes to modern-day Sweden.

As for Lord Bassington-Bassington’s grumblings about disgusting human copulation in the entry above, there are no rules without exceptions. Fager’s use of sexual elements works like a charm. Or perhaps a curse. And speaking of curses, Fager’s international recognition is bound to be hampered by the fact that his stories are only available in Swedish. International publishers take note.

8. “The Last Feast of Harlequin”
Thomas Ligotti

While Lord Bassington-Bassington dislikes Anders Fager, he finds Thomas Ligotti positively repulsive. But there is no way around him. As Edgar Allan Poe was the most important horror writer of the 19th century, and Lovecraft of the 20th, Ligotti is the most important horror writer working today.

While Ligotti is mostly (in)famous for his nihilistic “corporate horror” stories, his Lovecraftian works are among the best ever produced. “The Last Feast of Harlequin” might not even be the best of the bunch, but as it is essentially a deft re-telling of Lovecraft’s “The Festival” (which again is a re-telling of Arthur Machen’s “The Happy Children”) it instantly found its place in His Lordship’s heart.

9. “The Burrowers Beneath”
Brian Lumley

Lord Bassington-Bassington has an ambivalent relationship with Brian Lumley’s Lovecraftian stories, which tends to be depressingly derivative when he tries to stay true to Lovecraft. Lumley is more enjoyable when he writes about his supernatural investigator Titus Crow, a sort of occult Sherlock Holmes, and just does what he pleases to the Lovecraft mythos – sometimes making an awful mess of things.

This is a bit long for a short story, which is why the excerpt “Cement Surroundings” tends to appear in anthologies (also because its faux-Lovecraftian tone fits in better) but this is shameless, pulpy fun.

10. “The Hounds of Tindalos”
Frank Belknap Long

Frank Belknap Long’s little tale of time-travelling perfectly encapsulates H.P. Lovecraft’s concept of “cosmic horror”. All in all, this is a superb Lovecraftian story. All it needs to achieve perfection is a more accurate description of the Hounds. You know, something about the ears and jowls and such. Come on, that’s not too much to ask is it?


So there you have it, ladies and gentlemen. A small list. What next? A list of Lord Bassington-Bassington's favourite Lovecraftian films, perchance?

His Basset's Voice

An arresting tattoo

Lord Bassington-Bassington's musings on tattoos seem to have had consequences. On the body of one of Norway's finest, no less. For surely what we're seeing here is a reader of the Chronicles?

Here at Bassington Manor, though, the canine part of the household hasn't had much progress on the body art front. Despite having even gone so far as commissioning designs for a tattoo, it seems like His Lordship will stick to adornments on his footwear for the present.

Heretical season opened

More heresy coming soon to a cellar near you. If you live in Oslo, that is.

Vitruvian Basset

Surely more elegant than the human version, or what?

Greetings from the Free State!

Lord Bassington-Bassington has been on an small pilgrimage to Rijeka, Croatia, following in the footsteps of arch-dandy Gabriele D'Annunzio: The poet who annexed the city and established the Free State of Fiume right after WWI. After all, one isn't a proper neofolk nerd unless one has taken a certain interest in this enigmatic character, and since "nerdy" is one of the most appropriate adjectives to describe Lord Bassington-Bassington, perhaps even more so than "droopy", His Lordship has already visited D'Annunzio's famous Vittoriale in Italy proper. So this time it was time to explore the Fiume Republic.

While D'Annunzio's anarcho-fasco-artisto-dandyist republic only lasted a short while, its influence on local culture lives on today, more than a century later.

Many of D'Annunzio's troops wore fezes, and the fez is still a feature of the cityscape. As in this obvious D'Annunzian reference.

D'Annunzio's sense of style lives on in the local populace.

Even the Toy Museum commemorates D'Annunzio. This exhibit is an obvious nod to his daring airborne exploits.

While some light summer reading is always good, Lord Bassington-Bassington also recommends Italian band Ianva's concept album about the Fiume affair.

"Twa corbies": Social realist version

While out on an early morning walkie in the Oxford University Gardens, waddling across cricket greens and along country lanes, Lord Bassington-Bassington happened upon a most wonderful sight: Twa corbies frolicking on a tennis court.

Surely this deserves a spot on the list of The 41 Most British Things That Have Ever Happened?

Live in Oslo

Do pop by if you have the chance. Lord Bassington-Bassington's good friend Frater Zog is organizing. We are, however, unsure about whether there will be a Germanic Bear Search this time around.

Micro Presses, Micro Books

A micro press should issue micro books. And now Valentine & Valentine have produced a most appropriate title.

This tiny tome, a short discussion of the aliases used by TE Lawrence (you know, the one of Arabia) is so small and well made (sown spine and everything) that it is hard to wrap one's head around it.

So to show its size, here is the book next to some everyday objects.

What? You mean straw boaters, bow ties and statues of Great Cthulhu aren't everyday objects for you? Then surely it's time to reexamine your life, Sir!

Happy Flag Day, Swedes!

It's the national day of the Swedes today. Or, as it's known here at Bassington Manor, Official Solblot Appreciation Day.

Solblot live in Oslo in 2007, at Lord Bassington-Bassington and Lady Mju's stag and hen party. Thanks to the Somersetians for the picture.

It's time to make oneself a drink and listen to some obscure recordings. And shout out: Congratulations, dear Swedes!

Of Muslims and Micro Presses

Danish journalist and explorer Knud Holmboe (1902-1931) must have been an all-round interesting chap. Having travelled widely in the Arab world, Holmboe joined the small trickle of Westerners whose spiritual search led them to embrace Islam. On this one can have many opinions; while a staunch Caninist, Lord Bassington-Bassington has certainly never hid his interest in Islamic spirituality.

And anyway, anyone wearing a Fez in 1920s Copenhagen is an instant hero of His Lordship.

Mr. Holmboe was also a poet, and this side to this interesting gentleman's life leads us into the second part of this post. For a selection of his poems have recently been translated into English by Lord Bassington-Bassington's friend Mads Peder Lau Pedersen and published in an edition by micro press (what other word can there be for something smaller than the small press?) Valentine & Valentine. For aficionados of the weird it will come as no surprise that one of the Valentines of the name is none other than Mark Valentine, accomplished author in his own right.

The collection, entitled Yellowing Leaves and published in 25 copies were of course sold out immediately.
But the pictures above aren't published just to rub the noses of the Chronicles' readers in the fact that Lord Bassington-Bassington has something they don't. Rather, it is to bring to your attention a press so small that it doesn't even have a website. So how does one keep abreast of their limited releases?

Sending an email to Mr. Valentine at ‎markl dot valentine at btinternet dot com might help. Tell him the droopy-eared one sent you.

Sartorial Anarchism

Anarcho-dandyism in Fascist Italy, as seen in the superb mini-series Il commissario De Luca.

Well, Lord Bassington-Bassington's stance on bow ties should be well known at this time.

As usual, hats off to the World's Coolest Librarian.

Dude on tour

Because Lord Bassington-Bassington is quite fond of King Dude's music. And rather likes the little he's heard of Ms. Paré-Phillips. This could be a nice evening.

The heresy continues

And now the Heretical Cellar has a website of sorts again.

Season's greetings!

We here at Bassington Manor have had a visit from the Ostara Bunny!

Any similarities to Germanic superhero Superfritz are surely a coincidence.

At Stockholm

Some pictures from Lord Bassington-Bassington's visit to the Swedish capital a week ago.

From Fredrik Söderberg's new exhibition. Because Christianity is the new Satanism.

Halo Manash.

The King in Yellow?

Arktau Eos, also possibly known as The Musical Sand People.

All pictures by Lady Mju. Thank you!

Oh, and His Lordship stumbled across the linen suit of his dreams.

The Heretical Cellar goes to space

in a Haunebu II, and might stop by to help build some pyramids.

 

If you're in the neighbourhood, drop by. And yes, we're working on new web pages.

Tattoo shoe

Lord Bassington-Bassington has always had an ambivalent relationships with tattoos. In his early youth, when books such as Modern Primitives inspired people around him to do scary things with their bodies, His Lordship decided that this wasn't for him. It didn't improve his relationship with body modification culture that he at some point became convinced that Odin wanted him to not have tattoos (well, it's a long story...)

In later years Lord Bassington-Bassington has come to realize that tattooists can produce some beautiful work – even basset-related! By Jove, His Lordship has even considered getting some ink himself.

At the moment, though, it seems like Lord Bassington-Bassington's natural contrarianism will lead him to remain one of the very few in his circles with an unadorned body, but that doesn't mean that His Lordship doesn't want to enjoy tattoos. And when tattoos can be combined with the long-eared one's somewhat obsessive relationship with Jeffery West footwear, it's a surefire hit.

On Lord Bassington-Bassington's recent visit to London, the Jeffery West shop in Piccadilly Arcade (also known as "His Lordship's magnetic north pole") had one of their special services on offer. So a pair of quite charming Chelsea boots were purchased.

Tattoo artist Aasen Stephenson ready to swing the needle.

The finished result.

Remind you of anyone...?

Happy basset, by the amazing Tini Malitius.

Lost hound

Panic on the streets of London! Somewhere in the Putney area, south of the Thames and close to several excellent tweed outfitters, little Fritzi is lost. We hope he is doing okay.

Vinyl wormwood

(Przybyszewski used as a model by his friend, Norwegian symbolist painter Edward Munch)

Malört forlag, one of Scandinavia's coolest small presses and probably the world's best dressed publisher, has released records before. But this time they've come up with the splendid idea of issuing a little seven inch on vinyl, which instantly endears them even more to Lord Bassington-Bassington's heart.

The release is intended as a companion disc to an upcoming release of a selection of works by Polish decadent writer Stanislaw Przybyszewski, known for his occult proclivities. Indeed, according to scholar Per Faxneld Przybyszewski might be the first person in history to construct a coherent philosophy around Lucifer as a positive symbol. So no wonder that they describe his novel Satans Kinder (a true European, Przybyszewski wrote in both Polish and German) as a "Satanic Anarchist novel". How can one resist?!

And the book wouldn't be complete without this little seven inch. It contains contributions by three very interesting artists, namely Blixa Bargeld (known for his work with The Bad Seeds and Einstürzende Neubauten), drone metal maestro Stephen O'Malley (Sunn O)))) and Jill Tracy, who each deliver a specially written track. And of course this little gem is strictly limited.

So go get it already, and tell 'em a certain long-eared Lord sent you.

Chocolate cobbler

Matching colours can be difficult, especially when one is, like Lord Bassington-Bassington, a bit colour-blind (even if canines can see colours). One must simply accept what assistance one can get.

So imagine Lord Bassington-Bassington's joy when His Lordship encountered this charming young chap at the airport in Bergen. Apparently, the young chocolate lab was very taken with the Jeffery-West brogues with contrast lacings. Not only was it a perfect match, the little chap was also very keen on helping with shoe cleaning.

Sorry for the bad pictures, but it is a bit hard to both photograph a puppy who catches the exquisite scent of finer footwear and keep it from chewing it at the same time.

Rebel club

Because Lord Bassington-Bassington loves club ties. And Moomintrolls. And because this lovely coaster was a Yuletide present from Lady Mju. Thank you very much!

Perhaps it is time to finally try to join the Handlebar Club?