Episode 19 - The Monsters Are Coming

Locust Radio

In this episode of Locust Radio, Tish, Laura, and Adam discuss the theme of, and editorial for, Locust Review #10, “The Monsters Are Coming,” the social construction of the monstrous, the idea of “solidarity with monsters,” differentiating between “their” monsters and “ours,” and how every accusation from the far-right is an admission of guilt. We also touch on the obliviousness of the British ruling-class and its recent “coronation” spectacle, and the looming midnight of the 21st century.

In this episode, we also listen to music from Melissa Carper, Omnia Sol, and Kid Pixie. Please go to their bandcamps and buy their music!

Adam also interviews Nick Shillingford from the Socialist News and Views podcast, and Luke Herron-Titus from Southern Illinois Democratic Socialists of America, for the third Irrealist Worker’s Survey (IWS). In the IWS interviews we discuss solidarity with AI, self-determination for Frankenstein’s monsters, working-class sabotage, conspiracy theory robots designed by Oxford University “scientists,” being liminal spaces, and more.

Artists, authors, books, articles, and artworks discussed in this episode include:

B. R. Ambedkar, The Annihilation of Caste (1936); William Blake, “Jerusalem” (1808); Kelly Budruweit, “Twilight’s Heteronormative Reversal of the Monstros: Utopia and the Gothic Design,” Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts , 2016, Vol. 27, No. 2 (96) (2016), pp. 270- 289; Jeffrey Cohen, Monster Theory: Reading Culture (University of Minnesota Press, 1996); Emory Douglas (visual artist, member of the historic Black Panther Party for Self-Defense); Silvia Federici, Caliban and the Witch (Autonomedia, 2004); Brian P. Levack, “The Horrors of Witchcraft and Demonic Possession,” Social Research, Vol. 81, No. 4, Horrors (Winter 2014), pp. 921-939; Dave McNally, Monsters of the Market: Zombies, Vampires and Global Capitalism (Haymarket, 2011); China Miéville (author); Anupam Roy (visual artist); Mary Shelley, Frankenstein (1818); Susan Stryker, “My Words to Victor Frankenstein Above the Village of Chamounix: Performing Transgender Rage” (Gordon and Breach Science Publishers SA, 1994); Enzo Traverso, Left Melancholia: Marxism, History and Memory (2016); Tish Turl and Adam Turl, Stink Ape Resurrection Primer (serialized in Locust Review #4 onwards, 2021-present); HG Wells, The Island of Dr. Moreau (1896); HG Wells, The War of the Worlds (1895-1897); and more…

Locust Radio is hosted by Tish Turl, Laura Fair-Schulz, and Adam Turl. It is produced by Omnia Sol and Alexander Billet.