Longmont Potion Castle

Longmont Potion Castle
Genres Comedy
Prank phone calls
Surrealism
Thrash Metal
Instruments Telephone
Digitech RDS 8000
Electric guitar
Years active 1987–present
Labels DU Records
Reptilian Records
Insides Music
Post Replica Records
Vinyl Communications
Associated acts Hatebeak
Website longmontpotioncastle.com

Longmont Potion Castle (born 1972)[1] is the pseudonym of an anonymous surrealist prank caller who has been active in the Colorado and Los Angeles areas since 1987.[2] Details about his personal life are scarce and his real name is unknown to the public. Over the years, his mostly self-released albums have gained a cult following, notably amongst musicians.[3][4]

Biography

The LA Record describes Longmont Potion Castle's albums as unlike those that most people associate with prank telephone calls, citing that his demeanor is nothing at all like that of The Jerky Boys and Crank Yankers and is actually closer to that of the alternative comedian Neil Hamburger.[5] In a review from the Denver Westword, LPC's recordings are described as advancing "absurdity as an art form."[6]

The anonymous artist has himself described the albums he has made as "phone work" or "absurdist" art rather than the less sophisticated label of "prank phone calls",[1] and has also said, "They may be dumb, but they're not stupid".[1] Those on the receiving end of a Longmont Potion Castle call are often left confused and/or extremely angry, as the calls frequently involve complaints about noise, requests for money or offers to "whoop" somebody. However his calls are rarely very mean-spirited in nature. His recordings combine prank calls with sound collages and his own musical compositions, the majority of which are thrash metal instrumentals. Occasionally, Longmont Potion Castle filters his voice through a Digitech RDS 8000 rack-mounted digital delay unit to produce odd sound effects, thus making whoever he has called even more confused.[3]

In 2006, Longmont Potion Castle announced his retirement. In an interview with The Nerve Magazine, he explained that the box set Longbox Option Package would be the final LPC release.[7] However, in 2008 he released a new CD, Longmont Potion Castle Volume 6. In 2009, he released Volume 7 (not to be confused with his 2005 album of the same name released as a part of the Longbox Option Package box set, a disc that contained only thrash metal music). The album featured several celebrity calls, including ones to singer Eddie Money, Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek, and guitarist Rick Derringer. January 2011 saw the release of LPC 8, in which the artist primarily used Skype on a laptop computer to record the calls.

Discography

Albums

Other releases

References

  1. 1 2 3 Prindle, Mark. "Longmont Potion Castle - 2003". markprindle.com. Retrieved 2008-07-14.
  2. ↑ Hufnagel, Kevin. "Longmont Potion Castle". Dysrhythmia Official Homepage. Retrieved 2008-05-20.
  3. 1 2 Ferguson, Kevin. "LONGMONT POTION CASTLE: THEY HAD TO PLEASE ME". LA Record. Retrieved 2008-05-21.
  4. ↑ Noisecreep article: "Dysrhythmia's Touring Essentials: Longmont Potion Castle, Paul Stanley."
  5. ↑ Kellerman, Harry. "LONGMONT POTION CASTLE @ SAFARI SAM'S". LA Record. Retrieved 2008-05-20.
  6. ↑ La Briola, John. "Denver - Music - Sound Bites". Denver Westword. Retrieved 2008-05-20.
  7. ↑ Gordon, Cameron. "Longmont Potion Castle". The Nerve Magazine. Retrieved 2008-05-20.
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