Two of steampunk’s online magazines have recently released issues dedicated to the “Weird West,” a particular subgenre of steampunk that explores the Old American West though with a twist, of course.
Exhibition Hall fifteenth installment has contributions by Diana Vick, organizer of Steamcon in Seattle, Washington; an interview with steampunk author James P. Blaylock; and reviews of related fiction and events.
The sixteenth edition of the Gatehouse Gazette contains reviews of Wild Wild West, Nickel Children and Italian Western comic Magico Vento. Ramon Fagan reports from Texas on steampunk at the Dickens on the Strand festival; Hilde Heyvaert is back with her Steampunk Wardrobe column as is novelist Carol McCleary with a feature about Oscar Wilde’s adventures in the Old West.
After some careful consideration, a few changes are going to be made to the blog.
First, we’re going to disable comments — we have a perfectly wonderful forum for discussion, where we have a team of moderators to deal with the ever-problematic spam.
Second, we’re moving toward establishing a more stable schedule of postings.
Finally, you can now submit things you’d like to see on the blog by mailing submission at brassgoggles.co.uk
“A short film I’ve been working on this year as editor has just been released. It’s set during the Crimean War with some steampunk twists such as a steam-powered gatling gun, so I thought it might be of interest to yourself and your readers.
“We’re running a quirky and fun competition at the moment, an idea that’s been generated by our Steampunk fan base.To celebrate an invite to the 2011 World Steam Expo and a headline at the UK Steampunk Asylum festival and our new live DVD …. we’re giving away some goodie bags containing: all our recorded material, DVD, signed flyers, Sunday Driver cooking recipes …. and some music recorded by the band exclusively for the competition.
So…. here’s the question: What would the Sunday Driver tour mobile look like? Sea, Land or Air!! Pirates or Time Bandits… we want your brain on paper!!!
To enter simply send a jpg of your image with your name and address to: music@sundaydriver.co.uk : Closing date for the comp is 7th Dec 2010!”
Ok, it’s not strictly Steampunk, but it’s definitely in the spirit, and on the lighter side. I present to you, Fighting Trousers by Professor Elemental:
“Greetings!
We just thought it would be a smashing idea to inform the Brass Goggles blog that the website for the Lovelace Reader has launched! It can be found here, along with more information on the reader:
http://lovelacereader.tumblr.com/
We just thought we’d let you fine folks know and we hope we’re worthy enough to be linked from your blog!
Hailed by New Zealand’s National Radio as the pioneer of a new sound, Jordans music has been variously described as “industrial folk”, “folk noir” and “Antipodean Steampunk” yet defies any cut and dried description. Imagine a 19th Century Nine Inch Nails banging on old iron and steam powered machines, combined with the Dead Can Dance’s electronic folk soundscapes and Sinead Oconnor’s vocals in the background.
Jordan combines pioneer-era industrial found sound, with folk instrumentation and etherial vocal melodies. She usually writes “concept” albums with stories, old and new, told song by song. This means it makes sense to hear them whole. For that reason, her first 4 CDs are available via the discography listing on her Webpage for private listening purposes. Her Blog “the secret life of machines” is also read-worthy.
I’ve listened to her latest release, and I would have to agree with professional reviewers, her new release “How the Dead Live” is original, dark, and very, very powerful. One reviews states that this release is ” A soundtrack to the cinema of unease”. What more can I add? Have a listen.
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders Fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders Fields.
