FERAL HOUSE – serie

Adam Parfrey was, before starting iconoclastic publisher Feral House, a writer. His foresight in revealing extreme trends and societal angst long before mainstream media had any inkling of the darkness bubbling just under the surface of American culture earned him praise and derision. Apocalypse Culture (1987) was hailed by J.G. Ballard as the 'terminal documents of the Twentieth Century.' Many of the included essays are eerily prescient as Parfrey warned about right-wing militias in the early nineties and documented the rise of conspiracy-dominated thinking decades before Republican government officials loudly declared political opponents were satanically inspired drinkers of baby blood. Yet Parfrey's interests were wide-ranging and Apocalypse Omnibus includes profiles of outre characters, artists, and, yes, some crackpots. Parfrey loved tweaking American mythology by resurrecting lost texts highlighting outlaws and outsiders. He continually sought to expose the absurdity of American culture. His collective writings have become the ur-texts of the 'Dirtbag Left.' Parfrey was fascinated by the contrast between America portrayed as wholesome freedom-loving peacekeepers and the reality of covert military operations, mass-drug experiments, and the obscured 'wizards' hidden behind the curtain pulling the levers of power. His work has been lauded as groundbreaking and criticised as dangerous. In a time when truth has been stretched to the breaking point, Parfrey's essays remind readers that there is always more to the story. Apocalypse Omnibus also contains material previously published in the out-of-print books, Apocalypse Culture 2 (2003) and Cult Rapture (1995), as well as new material culled from his extensive private archives. It also contains a selection of Parfrey's essays and investigations, originally published in the San Diego Reader, Village Voice, Hustler Magazine, and on his own site, and inaccessible for years, are collected here in a single volume. Black and white images with full-colour art by Joe Coleman.

Hit Girls is the story of local and regional bands whose legacy would be otherwise lost. Despite the modern narrative labelling women as anomalies in rock music, the truth is: women played important roles in punk and its related genres in every city, in every scene, all over the United States. The women and bands profiled by Jen B. share their experiences of sexism and racism as well as their joy and successes from their days on stage as they changed what it meant to be in a band.

Al Ridenour, creator and host of the popular Bone & Sickel Podcast brings readers back to pagan Europe in Season of Madness. The book follows the sun from the darkest winter nights to the promise of nature's rebirth as symbolized by Spring. Ridenour explores the history and customs of the Old-World Carnival, focusing on European regions where celebrations have gone unchanged for centuries and reflect the brutal realities of the old, agricultural world. Season of Madness takes readers to cultural hinterlands where Carnival is more strange, more marvelous, and even a bit frightening. Where Spring is welcomed by clowns carrying inflated pig bladders and sheepskin monsters walk the land with clubs covered in hedgehog spines and plows are dragged over cobblestone streets by villagers in masks painted with blood. Folk horror fans take heart as the old world beckons with the coming of Spring! Readers will learn about regional and local celebrations' origins, history, and quirkiness from ancient Rome to modern Bulgaria. Season of Madness explores the interconnectivity of pagan beliefs throughout Europe and how those beliefs and traditions evolved over time and through the Christian conquest. A SEASON OF MADNESS is sumptuously illustrated with over one hundred historical and modern images and illustrations in this deluxe paperback edition. Ridenour's first book, Krampus and the Old, Dark Christmas: Roots and Rebirth of the Folkloric Devil (2018) is considered by critics the definitive authority on pagan winter celebrations. Aside from his books and podcast, Ridenour is a sought-after expert and lecturer.

Weirdumentary examines over 45 movies, positioned as documentaries, that began with Chariots of the Gods (1970) and ended with The Man Who Saw Tomorrow (1981). Relying on spurious experts, questionable evidence, and low-budget dramatisations, these pseudo-scientific documentaries examined subjects ranging from the Bermuda Triangle to Bigfoot, from the paranormal to speculative histories. And they made millions of dollars from Americans who repeatedly bought tickets to them at movie theatres. Weirdumentary features a fun and accessible history of these crazy films, individual entries on all of them, and a plethora of fantastic images. Weirdumentary is a must for fans of the cinema, of pop culture, of the 1970s, and of UFOlogy, the paranormal, cryptids, and all things weird!