Dandy revolutionists?

Does dandyism have political implications? While Lord Bassington-Bassington certainly has political opinions, he likes to think that they have little relevance to how he dresses. Even if his taste for the classic might reveal a predilection towards conservatism. And sure, today people assume that if you dress a bit old-fashioned it's because you long for the days when the lord of the manor held sway, peasants knew their place and pheasants lived in fear.

An assumption as stupid as suspecting that all who wear jeans hanker back to the social order during the Wild West.

For men who take an interest in clothes come in all shapes, sizes and colours, from all walks of life and hold all sorts of political convictions. So while perusing an edition of The Communist Manifesto the other day, Lord Bassington-Bassington was pleased to find these comments on the connection between men's dress and revolution in A.J.P. Taylor's insightful introduction.

"None of them (Marx' early disciples) was a proletarian in the new Maxist sense; none, that is, was a factory worker. Their occupations provide striking examples of the class from whom revolutionaries are often drawn. Most of them were tailors - an occupation which gives a man much time for solitary revolutionary reflection and also perhaps an intimate distaste for the upper classes."

"In old England the village cobbler was always the radical and the Dissenter. After all, the lord of the manor had to have his boots made and mended, whatever the cobbler's political opinions."


So how better to celebrate these astute observations than to publish a picture of Russian Futurist poet Vladimir Mayakovsky? Lord Bassington-Bassington first saw this picture when still a puppy, on the back of an LP of Swedish punk and hardcore, and it's fair to say that it has exerted a certain influence on how His Lordship dresses.

A gentleman's armour

"No, no, really, I, uh, I don't think it went in too deep. The... advantages of layers of tweed. Better than kevlar." – Rupert Giles

Jännerwein live

Lord Bassington-Bassington would like to share this video of a very nice performance by Jännerwein.

Because there is something that's just so satisfying about following a project from its humble inception, seeing it mature and burst into full bloom.

Because this is one of those rare live events where the audience actually shuts up.

But mostly because Lord Bassington-Bassington, being the somewhat stupid and senile canine he is, keeps losing the link to this video. So by posting it here His Lordship would have no excuse to misplace it.

Chappist magick?

Lord Bassington-Bassington has recently become reacquainted with one of the heroes of his youth, namely intrepid young reporter Tintin. This has had several important effects on His Lordship's daily life (such as wearing breeks much more frequently) but also in delving into the lovely character of Professor Calculus, the ever perambulating, always pendulating eccentric.

Of course, it was Professor Calculus who introduced the young Lord Bassington-Bassington to pendulation. And lo and behold, His Lordship found this book in one of the book stashes from the Sufi Master's old library.

Time to try one's paw at it! But what to pendular with?

Bingo! With His Lordship's passion for pocket watches, pendulation shouldn't be a problem. We're sure that lots of fascinating Fortean finds will be unearthed in the near future.

Words of wisdom

(The dictator in question is, of course, none other than Roderick Spode. Thanks to Mrs. Boyle for the image.)

Luciferian Women's Day

Since Lord Bassington-Bassington's friends the Somersetians asked us to translate this promotional text for the Heretical Cellar, so they could share it at their ZOAS Press website, so why not post it here as well.

Saturday, March 7th
The Heretical Cellar presents
Those damned women: Lucifer as feminist icon


For many Norwegians, occultism is associated with über-macho black metal. That makes it easy to forget that several of the trailblazing occultists also were pioneering feminsts. The mother of Western occultism, Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, founded her own religious movement at a time when a woman's place was by the kitchen counter, and the rebel angel Lucifer inspired women to demand their rights.

The Heretical Cellar invites you to an early start to the International Women's day. Join us for a trip through esoterical and decadent environments to meet prophets in skirts, lesbian Luciferians, Dagny Juel and the actress Sarah Bernhardt.

As a guide we've invited Per Faxneld, associate professor at the University of Stockholm, where he has defended a doctorate thesis entitled "Satanic Feminism: Lucifer as the Liberator of Woman in Nineteenth Century Culture".

Faxneld is as good a public speaker as he is a rock-solid academic, so this is something we're really looking forward to.

Faxneld's thesis is also published in book form (Molin & Sorgenfrei forlag) and will be available for sale this evening.

As usual there's food, drink, music and darkness at Katedralen in Parkveien 13 (it's a bit into a side street). The party will cost you 70 kroner, and you must be 18 years to enter. We open our doors at 19:00 hours and continue into the Women's day itself.

Welcome to an evening dedicated to feminism and Lucifer!

The event on Facebook.

And we couldn't resist linking to this write-up of Dr. Faxneld's book.

Art Nouveau Cthulhiana

This marvellous artwork was an early Yuletide present from Lady Mju, Lord Bassington-Bassington's better three-quarters, Lady Mju, and was commissioned, of course, from artist Kim Holm, known for his deep delvings into the Lovecraftian. Isn't it grand? With a proper frame, it will grace the walls here at Bassington Manor.

It won't exactly be out of place, either, because there's already enough Lovecraft-inspired artwork, literature and films here to make the place feel a bit like a Mythos theme park already.

But taking a cue from Lady Mju, the latest addition to the Lovecraftian collection needs a name. The winning suggestion will get a prize. For real. Totally. Suggestions in the comments field, please.