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In Search of… The Devil’s Footprints

21 Feb

February 21, 2013

ISO footprints cropped

Religious scholars have long pondered the mysteries of the spiritual world. Does God exist? What happens when we die? Do humans have an eternal soul? For thousands of years the most wise and learned men of religious academia have tried to answer these questions and failed. However, they have succeeded in making one major religious discovery: Satan does not wear sneakers.

In England, on the night of February 8th 1855 after a heavy snowfall, a series of hoof-like marks appeared in the snow. These footprints, most of which measured around four inches long, three inches across, between eight and sixteen inches apart and mostly in a single file, were reported from over thirty locations across Devon and a couple in Dorset. It was estimated that the total distance of the tracks amounted to between 40 and 100 miles. Houses, rivers, haystacks and other obstacles were travelled straight over, and footprints appeared on the tops of snow-covered roofs and high walls which lay in the footprints’ path, as well as leading up to and exiting various drain pipes as small as four inches in diameter. There were also rumors about sightings of a “devil-like figure” in the Devon area during the scare. Many townspeople armed themselves and attempted to track down the beast responsible, without success.

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Clearly, this is ridiculous. Everyone knows that Satan is a slick-looking man in a tuxedo with a pencil mustache.

Theories abound. One theory says that a man in a hot air balloon dangled his feet just above the ground and let them touch the earth and then lifted back into the sky and over any obstacles. Another theory says that it was an escaped kangaroo. Escaped from where? Australia I guess. Another theory, one advanced clearly for the comedy aspect, claims that it was made by hopping mice.

Yeah, hopping mice.

Frankly, there have been much more interesting theories put forth, mostly from the alternative press.

 footprints for satan

The truth, as they say, is out there. And this one is way out there.  Way out of print, that is. Trust me, in my role as a serious paranormal investigator I have attempted to track down that book for years. They say you can’t judge a book by its cover but in this case I don’t care. Look at it! Now that’s what we paranormal researchers call a book!

But back to England, 1855. Few people know that Devon was the center of a secret devil cult whose attempts to summon The Master often met with mixed results. It was this cult that was responsible for The Devil’s Footprints that cold British winter. From my own archives of the occult I present this rare postcard.

 twofer

Throughout that cold winter, the minions of these evil men tramped over the countryside to spread the evil and corruption of The Devil. And while it was not Satan himself who spread the cloven tracks across the country, it was one of his goat-legged minions.

Torgo Walking

Tuneful Tuesday: Music for Lovers Only

12 Feb

February 12, 2013

I had a snowday on Friday due to the huge storm that hit the Northeastern US. Technically I was supposed to be working from home but you know what that really means: I was on the couch watching War of the Gargantuas.

This is a really good old Japanese monster movie in which a giant hairy brown monster fights a giant hairy green monster, with Russ Tamblyn thrown in for American audiences. Hmm, rereading that last sentence, I realize that I may have a different definition of “good” than you do.

Anyway, somewhere in the first third of the film, the scene shifts for no apparent reason to an outdoor nightclub (no apparent reason other than the reason apparent to all of the viewers that it is about to be attacked by the monster) where a lounge singer is about to take the stage. This is a highpoint of the film and the singer is given a really large spotlight and an inordinate amount of time onscreen. The thing is though, the song stinks and the singer is awful.

Wow, she can really belt out a tune. And I love the way she somehow manages to make the song fade out as if she was dubbed.

That song is stuck in my head. And I am not the only one. I mentioned this film to my brother and he said “the one with the lousy ‘words get stuck in my throat’ song?” and he hasn’t seen that film in years.

We are not the only ones to have that unforgettable tune caught in the steel traps of  our minds. Check out this recent Scooby Doo cartoon:

Have to admit, that is totally cool. It is almost (but not quite) enough to get me to watch Scooby Doo.

But it gets worse. You never know what you are going to find on YouTube. This song was so influential that none other than Devo, not the most stable of folks themselves, covered it too. This is a short clip of them doing the song live in France, where presumably, like Jerry Lewis before them, they are revered as comedy gods.

And it gets still worse.  (Or better, depending on how you like the film.) If you plug War of the Gargantuas into Amazon.con you will find this:

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2013 split EP from Pantera/Down vocalist Phil Anselmo and Metal warriors Warbeast. War Of The Gargantuas includes two songs from each artist. This album serves as the first release of any solo work by Philip Anselmo during the span of his nearly 30-year legacy. Also, the two Warbeast tracks on the split feature former bassist Alan Bovee before his amicable departure from the band.

Not bad for a movie known for a lousy song and this guy:

gaira

Before I go, I’d like to leave you with these parting words of wisdom:

If my lips could only say the pretty words
That I feel in my heart.

If my voice could make the sound,
I would tell you how I love you
And we’d never be apart.

But with just one look into your face,
My mind starts to drift right into space,
And the words get stuck in my throat.
The words get stuck in my throat.

If I had a hidden microphone inside of my heart,
I would turn the power on.

It would amplify my love for you, and swear to always love you,
And you’d never be gone.

But with just one look into your eyes
I become excited and it’s no surprise
That the words get stuck in my throat.
The words get stuck in my throat.

And every time I try to call,
I can’t speak at all
Because the words get stuck in my throat
The words get stuck in my throat.
The words get stuck in my throat.

Doo Doooooo Doo Doo-Doo-Doo-Doo