Haneke a movie director

I have a new saying, “that’s as cheerful as a Haneke movie.”

 

Death to Videodrome

 

Recently a friend gave me a copy of the movie Videodrome on DVD.

For those who don’t know about the flick. Here’s a trailer.

I have seen the movie on VHS and cable many times over the years which is a very valid way to see it given that the VHS tapes in the movie throb and live. It was always a weirdly fun sensation to take the tape in and out of the VCR after watching it. Cable felt appropriate too since Videodrome was going to be shown via cable.

So watching it on DVD felt a bit different.

First of all, I hadn’t seen it in many years.

How many times have I seen it? 

Sorry, lost count.

I should mention that I’ve never seen it in a movie theatre or via streaming.

The sharpness of seeing it on a DVD really surprised me. My mind’s eye was just used to the old VHS grain and not the crisp image.

The movie still holds up to me, although I have sensed something in it that I didn’t feel before.

I now feel that the character Bianca, while not as bad as the people who turned Videodrome against her father, is still using Max and not the “good” character my analog hazy memory recalled.

In Videodrome there are no good people. There is just torture. 

Supposedly there is philosophy. 

To my mind no matter the philosophy, there is just torture

Death to Videodrome.

Long live the new flesh.

Yours in cult movies,

Count Robot

Danger Zone?

What I want to know today is, can Kenny Loggin's beard save us from the danger zone?

 

Something Unusual

Something Unusual 

This is the first Astro Al release of 2026. A concert bootleg.

This was recorded at Melrose Porchfest on 9/29/18.

The people hosting us were pretty awesome.

Nice crowd and great weather that day too.

Halloween season was right around the corner so we did a spooky leaning set.

Lots of background noise because we were outside on a porch on a busy suburban Saturday.

We did play an early version of I Was A Teenage Ghost but dropped it from this release because it sounded like crud. Well more like crud than the rest of the set. 

Here’s a song by song breakdown of the show.

1. Liquidating Lemonade Stand - A fun short absurdist story tune. It always amazes me that kids like this one given the subject matter.

2. Rio Santos vs. Chumpenstien’s Monster - Rio Santo’s tells the story of how he defeated Chumpenstien’s monster then convinced Chumpenstien’s followers that there is a better way to live.

3. Where Do the Shadows Go When They Don’t Belong? - A two part tune. The first part is about becoming deaf, the second part is a supernatural horror story. I play the theremin on this one.

4. Kings of Terror - Always a fun tune to play. All about the great old school horror actors. From the Creature Double Feature album.

5. Mansion of Dracula - A horror story told by DNA Girl while I further torture the theremin.

6. The Phantom Beat - Bongo percussion and weirdness. All about transformation in dreams. Beep! 

7. You’re Dead, So Shut Up - There’s not much more fun than a song about zombie wives that won’t die. The video we did of this track was a lot of fun.

8. Something Unusual Will Save The (Fill In The Blank) - Every show we try to do at least one unique bit, this is it from the show. A ranting thing parodying everything from CEOs to charities. 

Life is absurd and it’s best to laugh at it.

Astro Al is:

DNA Girl: Vocals/voice, guitar, percussion

Count Robot: Voice/vocals, theremin, kazoo

Rio Santos: Storytelling, wrestling display

Cover photo by the talented Elaine Foley!!! 

A Rubber Dubber Records release

Bootlegged live at Melrose Porchfest 9/29/18

astroal.com     astroal.bandcamp.com

copyright 2026 Astro Al

yours in making sounds,

Count Robot

2025 & 2026

 

In 2025 we were able to do a lot of creative stuff.

DNA Girl and I were on 5 Neurodivergent albums. Damn! Pek is behind all the Neurodivergent stuff and he does an amazing job of having everything down to a science.

DNA Girl and I helped create the following albums.

Album: Hemlock Echoes - Amplissima 

Album: Ghost Dog - Static Apparitions

Single: Haunted Galaxy - Astro Al 

…And a lot more, I’ve already covered that in other ravings.

I finished my 7th novel. Mentioned in a prior blog post.

Ok so on to the future, 2026!

A video by Static Apparitions will be made for a video festival.

An album by Tim Mungenast & Astro Al (coming soon)

An album by E Dahlfree & Astro Al. This is a first ever as E records with us in Amplissima and Neurodivergent and this was a chance we had to record as a trio. Quite fun!

More albums.

More live streams by Neurodivergent. First one is in February. 

Astro Al might play a live show in front of people. No details can be shared yet.

Maybe I’ll finish novel 8 but I doubt it. More likely that will happen in 2027.

Your guide to my future,

Count Robot