#htttgap

“I just think once we’re free, we’ll stop doing what we’re told, which is just consume. If we don’t stop, we’ll eat the fucking world.”

This film began as a short story gleam in the eye of Neil Gaiman which was then refracted through Philippa Goslett’s adaptation. She saw our hero Enn as a young Neil-like punk comic book artist from much-mocked suburban Croydon. Naturally the film includes 70’s classics: the first UK punk single “New Rose” by The Damned (Captain Sensible & Rat Scabies did time in Croydon); Lou Reed’s “I Found a Reason” (thank you Hal Willner and Laurie Anderson!), “Nursery Chymes” by the great Bruno Wizard of The Homosexuals (who cameos as our club MC). But DIY being both our medium and our message, this album favors the new stuff and we had didn’t have room for period gems like Bruno’s “Soft South Africans” or Dub Specialist’s “Starring Dub”. The punk side of things is anchored by our fictional band Dyschords, created by Bryan Weller and singer Martin Tomlinson (bless you Danny Fields for those YouTubes videos of Martin’s band Selfish Cunt). Kudos to Dyschords producer/mixer Rory Attwell. AC Newman contributed the instant classics “Fuck All” and “Angry Universe” (inspired by a line from the short story) while Ezra Furman delivered the creamy “Rainy Life”. Along with Justin Craig and Tits of Clay (the Broadway Hedwig band), I formed The Dyslexic Cnuts (which lasted for a day… so punk) to record the song “Extraction” with cabaret legend Amber Martin who offers the melt-in-your-mouth “Bermuda” (and who also voices the soul singer in Mum’s kitchen scene). The vast and deep alien soundscape was conjured by sonic sorcerers Matmos (who also give us the faux krautrock “Flecken”, or “Cum Stain” in German). Maestro Nico Muhly provided alien choral textures and a glorious Exit Requiem for our departing aliens (or was it a Brexit Requiem?). Xiu Xiu’s Jamie Stewart and I spawned the trans-species alien-punk “Eat Me Alive”, performed live by Alex Sharp and Elle Fanning, as well as our space-dance credit song “Between the Breaths” voiced by indie goddess Mitski. Bless you Michael Hill for shepherding our musical flock. I urge the reader to make things with her/his/their mates. As with us, a wonderful time will be had by all.

get the poster here.

Book title: The Way to Become the Sensuous Woman (1969) by J

Author Neil Gaiman (American Gods, The Sandman, Stardust) and director John Cameron Mitchell (Hedwig and the Angry Inch) speak about their alien punk filled film "How to Talk to Girls at Parties" starring Elle Fanning, Alex Sharp, and Nicole Kidman.

The adorable man that is John Cameron Mitchell - being totally adorable over my Hedwig tattoo 💜 taken at the How To Talk To Girls At Parties premier during London Film Festival

Book title: Virys Boy and the Colony by Enn