Rest in Peace Hubert Sumlin, 80, well known as the pivotal guitarist for the late blues innovator Howlin’ Wolf, passed away this week. Howard Tate, 72, one of the masters of soul singing, also moved on to higher ground this week. I want to take a moment to say how much each of these men contributed to my education and...
Music Is Where the Heart Is: A Short Talk with Annie Barker
Annie Barker, a Los Angeles singer-songwriter currently living in the UK, started her music career back in the young days of the new century. One thing that stands out about Annie Barker is her voice. It delivers a similarity to Cocteau Twins’ Elisabeth Fraser, but maintains its own uniqueness. Annie Barker’s voice is trained in jazz, but the songs found...
Da Vinci and The Turin Shroud
You might not realise it but you’ve probably seen Lynn Picknett and Clive Prince before. They’re there as passengers on the double-decker bus taking Robert Langdon (played by Tom Hanks) to London’s Temple Church in the film adaptation of The Da Vinci Code, and their presence in the scene was no accident. Rather, it was an acknowledgement of that story’s...
Nightmare on Ice: Interview with Rage Of The Yeti’s David Chokachi
As lifeguard Cody Madison on TV’s hugely successful Baywatch, actor David Chokachi risked his life to save others, while his Witchblade character of Detective Jake McCartey did the same trying to expose police corruption. In the upcoming Syfy Saturday Original Movie, Rage of the Yeti (airing November 12 @ 9:00pm EST/PST) the actor throws caution to the wind once again...
Anthony Bourdain Discusses The Art of the City Break in New Series The Layover
It’s hard to think of something travel and food related that Tony Bourdain actually hasn’t done (or eaten), but he’s surprised us again with a new show that hits the ground running, delivering a delightful roller coaster of a ride through 24-47 hour visits to thrilling places around the world. Tony shared his thoughts with us on his inspiration for...
Calling All Smartphone Users: Paranormal Researchers Need YOUR Help!
Technology is a tricky mistress. Just when you think she’s reaching out to help, her other hand whips up to smack you round the face. In theory, smartphones should be fantastic news for serious researchers of the strange, combining as they do portability, ubiquity, and increasingly high-quality video and photographic capabilities. These days, more than ever before, anybody stumbling into...
Examining The Fabric of the Cosmos with Brian Greene
Good old reality just isn’t what it used to be. Recall the Stephen Hawking story about the woman who insisted the earth was a flat plate that rested on the back of a giant turtle. When asked what supported the turtle, she said “It’s turtles all the way down!” The structure of the universe as we are coming to know...
A Vampire Bit Our Housekeeper! Real Tales of the Supernatural
Shirley Spycalla lives on the tiny island of Montserrat in the eastern Caribbean where, with her husband Lou, she runs the Erindell Villa Guesthouse. While holidaymakers love the Caribbean for its sandy white beaches and clear turquoise waters, beneath the stunning scenery these islands are positively steeped in dark tales of mysterious forces and supernatural beings, the best-known example being...
An Interview with John Shiban, Executive Producer of AMC’s New Western Hell On Wheels
Over the past few years we’ve seen an abundance of TV shows whose quality of acting, production, and writing have inspired many to consider this the “Golden Age of Television.” Shows like Mad Men, The Killing, Dexter, and others are beautifully rendered and many times more cinematic than what we’re used to seeing on the small screen. It’s a grand...
Might This Be The Best Way To See A Ghost?
I’m sitting in a blacked-out room, gazing into the empty depths beyond a mirror’s surface, waiting for a spirit to appear. The only source of light is a small candle behind me, throwing flickering shadows onto the darkened walls and ceiling, and the overall effect is more than a little eerie. To be honest, I’m a bit nervous here. My...