‘The reader may be disgusted by my behaviour and its rubric, and feel that I am defiling the mountain like a piece of grit in your eye. But I belong now in this place, I’m attached to it. The mountain dictates my behaviour as the soil does a worm’s. Can you understand that? What I’m doing here is valid and harmonious.’ — New Juche

 

‘Dennis Cooper has described New Juche as “one of the most inspiring, original and groundbreaking artists working today,” and Mountainhead is arguably the elusive writer/photographer’s most accomplished work to date. Within the structure of a sexually charged exotic travelogue, we discover prose that is at once repulsive, lyrical, and deeply sensual; that is anchored by a raconteur’s instinct for gritty storytelling, yet punctuated by liminal flights of feverish imagination. Mountainhead deftly interlaces personal confession with an unsettling disquisition on pornography, photography, prostitution, the body, identity, and place. In its cascading momentum, readers are confronted by a vertiginous exposition of interpersonally fraught revelation and deception that remains implacably wedded to the thematic emblem of nature as moral alibi.’ — N-BB

 

‘Like Athena from the skull of Zeus, this is a fully-formed work, a confident work. Mountainhead will be an unexpected shot from a cannon and I feel it is destined to fall into the hands of readers looking to read a jungle extension of Bataille and Kosinski. Yet it is truly a singular work, sui generis, a giant black obelisk in the middle of nowhere. The entire time I was reading it, I was thinking: this is a fucked up secret and I wish I could share it with someone else!’ — James Nulick

 

Buy Mountainhead

 

 

 

Further

New Juche Site
Nine-Banded Books
New Juche @ goodreads
New Juche discussion thread @ Special Interests
New Juche @ discogs
New Juche / Whores of Leith @ myspace
New Juche / Whores of Leith @ Me Tunes

 

 

Earlier Works

WASTELAND charts a prolonged friendship and love affair with an abandoned apartment complex in Southeast Asia called The Flowers, and the swampland surrounding it. For three years the author used this space on a daily basis to confront death and solitude, and engage with the physical and mental effects of chronic illness. Over this long period he wrote manuscripts for two books inside the location and developed a feverish sensorial attachment to The Flowers which eventually degenerated into the sort of sexual neurosis for which the complex had originally provided an antidote.

The book is composed of seven short sections of prose and documentary photographs previously posted on this site, culminating in two perverted essays with much more expressive and conclusive photography. WASTELAND is a free PDF release … To download a compressed version of only 26 MB, in which the image quality is compromised, click here.

 

The text behind the photographs is a slug in its shell. Ushering in the Thinking Prostitution series, New Juche interrogates the stinking mouth of an anthropologist to find images of humanity amongst the pus.

What do you feel and do and why, when you experience the expression of distress by the poor, especially when you’re paying them for sex?

THE MOLLUSC can be downloaded for free by clicking here.

 

Continuing the Thinking Prostitution series, New Juche tries hard to assume even more responsibility. What did we do here, that we could not do elsewhere? GYMNASIUM is a visual idiolect that engages hyper-developed definitions of prostitution and ruin architecture, and draws from its wellhead in the myths of the Vietnam War and the reality of Indochinese mothers and children.

GYMNASIUM is appended with HANOI TRIPTYCH, an early piece of reportage. This free PDF can be downloaded here.

 

 

Gallery: Select imagery by New Juche

 

 

Sound: New Juche / Whores of Leith Bangkok Fanny-Rat (2007)

‘Now what to make of this one? As is the Bluesbunny custom, we dutifully read the sleeve prior to listening to the album. The title had caught our attention – “Bangkok Fanny-Rat” – but even that clue did not prepare us.

‘The sounds are ambient and eerie. The voices are distorted (intentionally, it would appear) and are interviews with veterans of the Bangkok sex scene. It all forms part of an aural nightmare as the rich western world meets the poor in Bangkok. “Mission to Ranong” had a worrying, cartoon like voice explaining his experiences on his trips to his that city with remarkable candour, almost revelling in the depravity. “I Fell in Love with a She/Male Stroker” featured an interview with a lady boy. The frankness will no doubt offend but it is an eye opener. Whilst we remember, read the sleeve notes carefully. Maybe the point was to shock but this was jaw dropping stuff. To its credit, there was nothing judgemental about any of this. To that end, the point of it all is a bit of a mystery. Is it exploitation like the old “mondo” movies? There seems to be no conclusion drawn and there is something almost ambivalent about it all. Maybe pointing the finger at the guilty is not such a good idea anyway as we might end up pointing that finger at ourselves if only for letting it happen?

‘Bluesbunny is not even sure that the music is important here. This album is more of a documentary of the human (and not just the male) psyche after the veneer of civilisation has been discarded and, from the evidence presented here, there can surely be no darker or more lonely place. Downright disturbing.’ — Bluesbunny

Excerpt

 

 

 

Excerpt

 

*

p.s. Hey. I’m very happy to be able to turn the blog into a weekend-long welcome mat of sorts for New Juche’s brand new book ‘Mountainhead’, which I unhesitatingly venture to say is easily one of this year’s best works that happen to be located within book covers, period. Please spend what time you spend here this weekend exploring, reading the excerpt, checking out NJ’s earlier works, and scoring a copies of ‘Mountainhead’ for yourselves if you’re so inclined. Thank you, and thank you muchly, Joe. ** Steevee, Hi. I would imagine there are several such BT albums out there. Oops, sorry about sleepness’s unfortunately but hopefully brief return. Goodness gracious on your imminent scoring of the Albini re-produced ‘In Color’. CT keep saying that’s going to be released officially, but … That should be hell of a nice listen. Pass along your thoughts on it and the differences with the Berman version if you don’t mind. Darn about the subway forcing you to turn back. Yeah, even in Paris where the metro is pretty reliable most of the time, I always make sure to head wherever I’m heading about 15 to 20 minutes earlier than usual on Sundays or in later evenings because the service here does get edited down too. I’ll look for that Arnow film. I hadn’t heard of it. The Q&A does sound very cringey. Not to mention that, in theory, his raiding her stage sounds like utter self-indictment central. Huh. ** David Ehrenstein, My enormous pleasure, David. ** Tosh Berman, Yeah, I think people who think ABBA are cheese either haven’t really explored their work or overly know it through covers and mockeries. I think their work is easily among the most sublime, genius-driven pop of the 20th century. ** Dóra Grőber, Hi! It’s a great thing to experience, yes. Yesterday we were rehearsing a scene that, in my head while we were writing it, was going to be amazing/transcendent, and when the actors nailed it yesterday, the scene was just what I had most hoped it would be and even more because they added themselves to it, creating layers that I couldn’t have imagined. Pretty great. It’s both very exciting and very spooky that we start shooting just over a week from today. Not spooky in a bad way. Another great day for you focused around your writing and work! That makes me very happy, and mine was simila,r so imagine I am giving you a high five right now because I am. Still nothing back about the music track. I’ll nudge today. We tried that scene yesterday, and it works so well that it now feels kind of imperative that we use the track. Generally, I was rehearsing all day yesterday, and it went very well. Plus some costume fitting for the three actors we were working with: Benjamin (Roman, main ‘exploding’ character), Sylvain (Guillaume, Roman’s friend) and Benedetta (playing a MetalHead who tries unsuccessfully to teach Guillaume to head bang). Then film-related emails, a good talk with a friend, eating, bla bla. We have a break in the rehearsals this weekend but tons of other stuff we need to do and will do. What did your weekend present to you, hopefully on a silver plate, as they say? ** Hamp, Hi. Welcome! And thank you for speaking so well to David. ** _Black_Acrylic, Hi, Ben. I got my haircut yesterday too. Not a bad day of yours, and that’s super awesome that the first driving lesson was a success! Congrats! Soon enough you’ll be weaving a jag around the streets of Monte Carlo, I reckon. ** Misanthrope, Hi, G. I figure it’s not a coincidence that the words best and beset are so similar. So that’s where you went. Kind of the same situation for me really, just different need-to-do stuff. I didn’t know Mr. Styles has a single out. I feel I should have been spammed about that for weeks now. I’m curious enough now based on your description (but trying to get the Coldplay reference out of my head) to go listen to said single with a mind as open as Montana’s skies, which I assume are very open based on … I don’t know, myth? I hope it grabs and strangles the #1 spot. ** H, Hi. Well, no sooner had I crowed about my health than I started feeling a bit ugh, but I’m power-slamming vitamins and maxing out my powers of denial, and hopefully that should do it. I’m glad you’re starting to feel better. I have ‘Crazy for Vincent’, and I intend for it to be the first book I read on my train ride out to the film set next week. Excited to. I didn’t know Munoz wrote about my work. Wow, that’s a great honor, if it’s true. Well, assuming he didn’t hate my work, although I guess his hatred would be kind of an honor too. No, no writing at all. No time whatsoever. My three in-progress writing projects — TV series, novel, opera — are all backpedaled and waiting for the film project to be finished first. Have a good weekend! ** Okay. Be fully with New Juche and his new book this weekend, hopefully with all cylinders firing, if possible, and I hope you’ll say something here to him, whatever that would be. See you on Monday.

 

“Strange how potent cheap music can be,” Elyiot quipped in Noel Coward’s “Private Lives” in which Noel co-starred with his alter ego Gertrude Lawrence.

 

(Noel and Gertie)

(Gertrude Lawrence “Someday I’ll Find You”)

 

Noel and Gertie really understood Cheese.

But what is about Cheese? It’s not good, but it’s not exactly bad either It’s not Camp — though it often border on it.

It’s appeal is emotional and weirdly asethetic — in a decidedly debased sense.

Like pornography “we know it when we see it” or in this case hear it.

The Queen of Cheese is undoubedly Bonnie Tyler.

 

(Bonnie Tyler)

 

Wiki says Bonnie Tyler (born Gaynor Hopkins; 8 June 1951) is a Welsh singer, known for her distinctive husky voice. Tyler came to prominence with the release of her 1977 album The World Starts Tonight and its singles “Lost in France” and “More Than a Lover”. Her 1978 single “It’s a Heartache” reached number four on the UK Singles Chart, and number three on the US Billboard Hot 100.

In the 1980s, Tyler ventured into rock music with songwriter and producer Jim Steinman. He wrote Tyler’s biggest hit “Total Eclipse of the Heart'”, the lead single from her 1983 UK chart topping album Faster Than the Speed of Night. Steinman also wrote Tyler’s other major 1980s hit “Holding Out for a Hero”. She had success in mainland Europe during the 1990s with Dieter Bohlen, who wrote and produced her hit “Bitterblue”. In 2003, Tyler re-recorded “Total Eclipse of the Heart” with singer Kareen Antonn. Their bilingual duet topped the French charts.

Her latest album Rocks and Honey was released in 2013 and features the single “Believe in Me” which she performed representing the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest 2013. Both “It’s a Heartache” and “Total Eclipse of the Heart” are among the best-selling singles of all time, with sales in excess of six million each. Her work has earned her three Grammy Award nominations and three Brit Award nominations, among other accolades.

BONNIE UNLEASHED!

 

(“Total Eclipse of the Heart” Bonnie Tyler)

(“I Need a Hero” Bonnie Tyler)

 

You can see the effect she had on housewives everywhere in this great scene from Bandits starring the great Cate Blanchett.

 

(Cate Blanchett Bandits)

 

When it comes to Cheese of the “Velveeta” variety there’s —

 

(“Feelings” Morris Albert)

 

Made even more memorable by Carol Burnett’s “Eunice”.

 

(Eunice sings “Feelings”)

 

And what was Disco all about anyway but Cheese ?

 

(“I Will Survive” Glora Gaynor)

(Barry White “Love’s Theme”)

 

But don’t think for a moment that Gran Opera is exempt — as this seminal scene from Diva shows us.

 

(Wilhelmenia Wiggins Fernandez Diva — La Wally)

 

Undoubtedly the Cheesiest of all music events is the Eurovision Song Contest.

Wiki sez “The Eurovision Song Contest (French: Concours Eurovision de la chanson), sometimes popularly called Eurovision but not to be confused with the Eurovision network that broadcasts it, is the longest-running annual international TV song competition, held, primarily, among the member countries of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) since 1956. The competition was based upon the existing Sanremo Music Festival held in Italy since 1951.

Each participating country submits an original song to be performed on live television and radio and then casts votes for the other countries’ songs to determine the most popular song in the competition. The contest has been broadcast every year for sixty years, since its inauguration in 1956, and is one of the longest-running television programmes in the world. It is also one of the most watched non-sporting events in the world,with audience figures having been quoted in recent years as anything between 100 million and 600 million internationally Eurovision has also been broadcast outside Europe to several countries that do not compete, such as the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and China. An exception was made in 2015, when Australia was allowed to compete as a guest entrant as part of the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the event In November 2015, the EBU announced that Australia was invited back as a participant in the 2016 contest after their success in 2015.Following their success again in 2016, Australia will compete again in 2017. Since 2000, the contest has also been broadcast over the Internet via the Eurovision website.

Winning the Eurovision Song Contest provides a short-term boost to the winning artists’ career, but rarely results in long-term success. Notable exceptions are ABBA (winner in 1974 for Sweden), Bucks Fizz (winner in 1981 for the United Kingdom) and Céline Dion (winner in 1988 for Switzerland), all of whom launched successful worldwide careers after their wins.

Ireland holds the record for the highest number of wins, having won the contest seven times—including four times in five years in 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1996. Under the current voting system, the highest scoring winner (and only winner) is Jamala of Ukraine who won the 2016 contest in Stockholm, Sweden with 534 points. Under the previous system, in place from 1975 to 2015, the highest scoring winner is Alexander Rybak of Norway with 387 points in 2009″.

Here’s the 1958 winner “Nel blu di pinto di blue” (aka. “Volare”) written and sung by frequent Pier Paolo Pasolini collaborator Domenico Modugno.

 

(Domenico Modugno “Nel plus di pinto di Bluu”)

 

And here’s Mega-Adorable Alexander Rybak —

 

(Alexander Rybak “I’m in Love with a Fairytale”)

 

“Eurovision” is a major annual event for LGBT’s all over the world — particulary in countries not at all friendly to the LGBT.

Et maintenant, le piece de la resistance du fromage.

 

(The KLF, Tammy Wynette “Justified and Ancient”)

 

You’re Welcome!

 

*

p.s. Hey. Today the maestro of many things who is technically known as Mr. David Ehrenstein regales us with this lovely and suggestive guest-post, which is your cue to pay extra-added attention and luxuriate locally today, and, of course, to say something back to David re: the post’s or in some other regard, please. Thank you, folks. And biggest thanks to Mr. E. ** David Ehrenstein, Ah, there you are. One more warmest thank you. My favorite Bonnie Tyler song is ‘It’s a Heartache’, which I think (?) just predates her embrace of complete cheese? Very interesting add/correction about the Coke’s vehicle. It makes all the difference in the world, funnily. Great, you on ‘Maurice’! You are boon central today. I’m excited to read it asap. Everyone, Please ice today’s David Ehrenstein cake by going here and reading his thoughts on the return of Merchant-Ivory’s film version of EM Forster’s great novel ‘Maurice’. Rewards await! ** James Nulick, Hi, James. Thank you. It’s true, and I hasten to say that France’s sweets are the royalist of the royals. Things sound suitably lovely there in Vancouver. Such a nice city, I think. I think the script of ‘Permanent Green Light’ is 60 pages. In our case, no, that ‘minute per page’ thing is absolutely for sure not the case. Our movie has lots of space in it that can’t be noted in script form. Oh, you’re already finished with the big V? Safe trip southwards. And a guest post would of course be wonderful of you to doand very, very welcome! Thanks, James! ** Steevee, My vibes and powers of luck are firmly on your side in this battle with the mysteries of what causes conking out. Did your re-viewing of ‘Fire Walk With Me’ bring anything new to the plate? I gave up on those download sites for good a couple of years ago. I don’t know a one that’s reliable at this point. ** Tosh Berman, Hey. Cool, great that you picked up ‘Boulders’ and ‘Mustard’! Was ‘McCartney’ the first big one-man band record? Makes sense. I know that Todd Rundgren started making complete control records pretty early on, early 70s, but maybe not first. Totally on board with your assessment of Roy Wood. His genius is so unique, and he’s so, so underrated, and I don’t know why. It’s very strange. ** Dóra Grőber, Hi! Thanks for crossing and sharing your fingers with me. I hope we’ll hear something one way or another today. We’re going to rehearse that scene today using the music track we want in hopes. It is really, really interesting to watch the script come alive. When we wrote it, we had very clear ideas of how the dialogue should delivered, and we’re sticking to that, but the actors are unique, rich people, so they flesh out the dialogue in ways we hadn’t expected. It’s super exciting. It’s like when it was a script, skeletons were delivering the dialogue, and now actual people are, if that makes any sense. Anyway, it’s very thrilling. What a perfect sounding day: reading and writing, sigh. Cool. Mine wasn’t as wildly busy as usual, mostly figuring stuff out via emails and phone calls with the location scout, decor people, assistants, etc. No crises, just more gradual movement forward. It is kind of a big shock to realize that by this time next week we’ll be on our way to Cherbourg for good, and that we’ll start shooting in just over a week. Yikes. How was Friday? Was it a Friday to remember? ** Grant Maierhofer, Hi, Grant. Thanks. I did get the pdf, and I’ll do something on the blog early next week. It might be a simple thing because I am literally without moments to spare right now what with the non-stop film prep, but I’ll do something. Everyone, there’s an excerpt from Grant Maierhofer’s awesome and recently reprinted book ‘Maurice’ newly online and readable by you. You on ‘Finnegan’s Wake’? Wow, interested. Okay, take good care, man. ** H, Hi, h! Thanks a lot. He is/was a wonderful writer. Oh, god, the flu. I’m so sorry. I’m living in terror that I’ll get sick because I literally can’t do that right now. The film prep is kind of insane, but it’s going mostly very well. I like my apartment, although it’s like a veritable train station these days. Take care. Feel much better! ** Marcus Whale, Hi, Marcus! What a sweet and great pleasure to see you! Did I ever tell you ‘face to face’ how much I loved your recent-ish album? It’s fantastic. I listen to it a lot. Major kudos! Thank you about the Munoz post. Of course it’s nothing but an honor to have it here. You good? What’s happening? ** Right. Now spend your brain cells and other faculties with Mr. E’s post until further notice, ‘further’ being until tomorrow at least. See you then.