Some of the most interesting books in the world are being published by Feral House and Process Books. These independent publishing houses are run by Adam Parfrey and Jodi Wille in Los Angeles, and they have unique knack for discovering previously hidden worlds filled with interesting characters and amazing stories. Jode and Adam are insanely curious about forgotten, covered-up, and whitewashed history, and their books are full of mind blowing surprises.
They've just released a bunch of wonderful new titles. Here's a rundown of some of my favorites:
Jim Goad's Gigantic Book of Sex,
by Jim Goad
The author of the notorious 'zine ANSWER Me!, Shit Magnet (Feral House), and the best-selling Redneck Manifesto (Simon & Schuster) lampoons every imaginable aspect of human sexuality in 224 hilarious, illustrated, full-color, R-rated pages.
Poop Culture: How America Is Shaped by Its Grossest National Product, by Dave Praeger
Is "The Origin of Feces" a Darwinian concern? Perhaps not, but it is the title to the preface of this tongue-in-cheek and unexpectedly revealing exploration of human behavior by the webmaster behind the popular PoopReport.com.
Mexican Pulp Art, from the Collections of Bobbette Axelrod and Ted Frankel
The lurid cover art of Mexican pulp novels is a pop culture revelation. Never before seen in an English or even Spanish-language collection are the often surreal and psychedelic images of extraterrestrials, robots, dinosaurs, dastardly killers, Zorro, Santo, and many other icons from stories involving suspense, mystery, romance and the supernatural.
Here is the unseen America of government facilities and installations protected by a wall of secrecy, deception, and misinformation. It includes huge, isolated areas (some larger than the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island), along with innocuous office buildings located in the middle of major cities. This "other America" has an enormous impact on your life, but you probably have little idea of its extent, scope, and power.
American Hair Metal, by Steven Blush
There was a time — not so long ago — when pomp and spandex dominated MTV and pop radio playlists. American Hair Metal celebrates this orgy of flamboyance, androgyny and animal magnetism, of big-haired alpha males and the beautiful women who surrounded them. Rare photographs of the biggest bands and unsung heroes surround revealing quotes about the sex, drugs and Rock & Roll style of '80s American hair metal.
Guitar Army: Rock and Revolution with The MC5 and the White Panther Party, by John Sinclair
Guitar Army is the incendiary book that proclaimed "Rock and Roll is a Weapon of Cultural Revolution." This 35th anniversary edition of Guitar Army includes two dozen previously unpublished period photographs, recent writings from John Sinclair, and an introduction from Michael Simmons. A bonus CD contains rare recordings of MC5 and other Detroit-area revolutionary bands, Allen Ginsberg, Black Panther Bobby Seale on the White Panthers, and original White Panther Party meetings.
And here a couple of upcoming books from Process and Feral House that look interesting:
The Source: The Untold Story of Father Yod, YaHoWha 13, and The Source Family, by Isis Aquarian and Electricity Aquarian
It was 1972, time of the cult-occult-commune explosion. By day, the Source Family served organic cuisine to John Lennon, Julie Christy, Frank Zappa and others at the famed Source restaurant. By night, in a mansion in Hollywood Hills, they explored the cosmos through the channeled wisdom of their charismatic leader, Father Yod. Father was an outlandish figure who had 14 "spiritual wives," drove a Rolls-Royce, and fronted the rock band Ya Ho Wa 13, now considered by collectors to be one of the most singular psychedelic bands of all time.
Here are some photos of Father Yod and his commune.
The Secret King: The Myth and Reality of Nazi Occultism, by Stephen E. Flowers and Michael Moyniha
The Secret King is the first book to explode many myths surrounding the popular idea of Nazi occultism, while presenting the actual esoteric rituals used by Heinrich Himmler's SS under the influence of rune magician Karl-Maria Wiligut, the "Secret King of Germany."
David Pescovitz and I are going to visit with Adam and Jodi soon for an on-location podcast.
