Blake Judd and Neill Jameson
September 11, 2014 12:29 PM Subscribe
You may know Neill Jameson as the frontman/honcho for black metal favorites Krieg, who have a new LP Transient for Candlelight Records, or via his involvement in Twilight, the supergroup headed up by Blake Judd of Nachtmystium and featuring members like Thurston Moore, Aaron Turner, Jef Whitehead (Leviathan), Stavros Giannopoulos (The Atlas Moth), and more. But Neill's involvement with Blake Judd goes much deeper than that: Theirs is a friendship that was initally forged based on a mutually shared interest in music many years ago. In the following firsthand account, Neill recalls the history of some of the darker moments of his friendship with Blake Judd, ones that eventually lead to him severing his ties with the celebrated black metal musician, and the stark reality of drug addiction.
"He stole money from his bandmates? That's adorable." - Burzum
posted by jbickers at 12:53 PM on September 11, 2014 [7 favorites]
posted by jbickers at 12:53 PM on September 11, 2014 [7 favorites]
From earlier today: Thurston Moore Attempts to Explain Black Metal "Pussies" Comment by Saying More Crazy Stuff About Black Metal
Also, in current events news, Aaron Turner of Twilight is previously known for his old band Isis which is being mistaken for a certain terrorist organization.
posted by ndfine at 1:13 PM on September 11, 2014 [2 favorites]
Also, in current events news, Aaron Turner of Twilight is previously known for his old band Isis which is being mistaken for a certain terrorist organization.
posted by ndfine at 1:13 PM on September 11, 2014 [2 favorites]
"I have never been more psyched on the decision to bring my own towel anywhere ever." Indeed.
posted by BigHeartedGuy at 1:32 PM on September 11, 2014
posted by BigHeartedGuy at 1:32 PM on September 11, 2014
This Neill Jameson guy seems like a slow learner. The things Judd did were shitty and dishonest, but Jameson still kept hanging around. I don't get it.
posted by dortmunder at 2:02 PM on September 11, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by dortmunder at 2:02 PM on September 11, 2014 [1 favorite]
Well dortmunder, Judd was famous and got gigs and publicity. If you want to play music in front of people, you sometimes end up hanging out with people you wouldn't otherwise.
Picture it, you're working in a record store, trying to get your own thing off the ground, which isn't going very well and someone you know calls you and says "Hey, do you want to play with Thurston Moore"?. It's hard to say no to something like that, even if the guy calling is a prick.
posted by lumpenprole at 3:13 PM on September 11, 2014
Picture it, you're working in a record store, trying to get your own thing off the ground, which isn't going very well and someone you know calls you and says "Hey, do you want to play with Thurston Moore"?. It's hard to say no to something like that, even if the guy calling is a prick.
posted by lumpenprole at 3:13 PM on September 11, 2014
Picture it, you're working in a record store, trying to get your own thing off the ground, which isn't going very well and someone you know calls you and says "Hey, do you want to play with Thurston Moore"?. It's hard to say no to something like that, even if the guy calling is a prick.
Uh, that's all sorts of wrong. Jameson's been a member of Twilight since its inception, and he is the guy who called up Thurston Moore, who only played on Twilight's third album (that's per TM himself in ndfine's link up above). Judd didn't call anyone. The real problem with dortmunder's comment is that it ignores the fact that Judd is an addict, and that friends of addicts generally don't just cut them off at the first sign of trouble (not a value judgement, just a statement of fact).
But in more happy news, the above-mentioned Aaron Turner, of Isis and Twilight, has TWO new albums out, both on Profound Lore (YESSSSSSS): one as Sumac (with Brian Cook of Botch on bass) and the other is a new Old Man Gloom record.
posted by The Michael The at 3:21 PM on September 11, 2014 [2 favorites]
Uh, that's all sorts of wrong. Jameson's been a member of Twilight since its inception, and he is the guy who called up Thurston Moore, who only played on Twilight's third album (that's per TM himself in ndfine's link up above). Judd didn't call anyone. The real problem with dortmunder's comment is that it ignores the fact that Judd is an addict, and that friends of addicts generally don't just cut them off at the first sign of trouble (not a value judgement, just a statement of fact).
But in more happy news, the above-mentioned Aaron Turner, of Isis and Twilight, has TWO new albums out, both on Profound Lore (YESSSSSSS): one as Sumac (with Brian Cook of Botch on bass) and the other is a new Old Man Gloom record.
posted by The Michael The at 3:21 PM on September 11, 2014 [2 favorites]
Oh wow, I didn't know there was a new Old Man Gloom record. That's awesome news. I liked those records more than most of the Isis catalog.
posted by ndfine at 3:40 PM on September 11, 2014
posted by ndfine at 3:40 PM on September 11, 2014
The real problem with dortmunder's comment is that it ignores the fact that Judd is an addict, and that friends of addicts generally don't just cut them off at the first sign of trouble (not a value judgement, just a statement of fact).
Being friends with an addict is one thing (which I have personal experience with, BTW), being business partners with them is another.
posted by dortmunder at 4:00 PM on September 11, 2014
Being friends with an addict is one thing (which I have personal experience with, BTW), being business partners with them is another.
posted by dortmunder at 4:00 PM on September 11, 2014
Uh, that's all sorts of wrong. Jameson's been a member of Twilight since its inception, and he is the guy who called up Thurston Moore
Oh, I know. I was simplifying. And I think you're right about not cutting your friends off. But I think you keep going with people that you've become sick off for a lot longer if there's a successful musical venture between you.
posted by lumpenprole at 4:45 PM on September 11, 2014
Oh, I know. I was simplifying. And I think you're right about not cutting your friends off. But I think you keep going with people that you've become sick off for a lot longer if there's a successful musical venture between you.
posted by lumpenprole at 4:45 PM on September 11, 2014
That had a whole lot of bands if never heard of in it. I'm intrigued.
posted by OmieWise at 7:46 PM on September 11, 2014
posted by OmieWise at 7:46 PM on September 11, 2014
Yikes, I have read my fair share of metal drama internet articles but this one just tired me out. I wanted King Buzzo to appear halfway through the article and talk about pretty much anything other than sadly typical addict biz partner music dude beefs.
posted by beefetish at 9:06 PM on September 11, 2014
posted by beefetish at 9:06 PM on September 11, 2014
That had a whole lot of bands if never heard of in it. I'm intrigued.
So am I. Sort of. I mean, does Graveworm classify as black metal? If so, then how could I not be intrigued?
posted by philip-random at 11:47 PM on September 11, 2014
So am I. Sort of. I mean, does Graveworm classify as black metal? If so, then how could I not be intrigued?
posted by philip-random at 11:47 PM on September 11, 2014
There had been rumors about this stuff for a while, and I remember seeing Blake at a show a few years back (not one he was playing) and he looked absolutely awful. I'm acquainted with a few people connected to him in various ways and seeing all this shit aired out on Facebook has been pretty weird.
If you want to play music in front of people, you sometimes end up hanging out with people you wouldn't otherwise.
Yeah. I've been toiling away somewhere in the periphery of Chicago metal for a while now and if I had somehow gotten the opportunity to play with him, I can't say I wouldn't have seriously considered it, even knowing the rumors.
posted by evisceratordeath at 7:31 AM on September 12, 2014
If you want to play music in front of people, you sometimes end up hanging out with people you wouldn't otherwise.
Yeah. I've been toiling away somewhere in the periphery of Chicago metal for a while now and if I had somehow gotten the opportunity to play with him, I can't say I wouldn't have seriously considered it, even knowing the rumors.
posted by evisceratordeath at 7:31 AM on September 12, 2014
Just a clusterfuck of stupid annoyingness from everyone. And all this over some generic boring sludgy music that to my ears seems utterly the same as all the other tedious, humorless black metal music. A plague on all their houses.
posted by lupus_yonderboy at 1:16 PM on September 12, 2014
posted by lupus_yonderboy at 1:16 PM on September 12, 2014
Just a clusterfuck of stupid annoyingness from everyone. And all this over some generic boring sludgy music that to my ears seems utterly the same as all the other tedious, humorless black metal music. A plague on all their houses.
I'm getting the vibe you don't care for it.
posted by josher71 at 12:33 PM on September 17, 2014
I'm getting the vibe you don't care for it.
posted by josher71 at 12:33 PM on September 17, 2014
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posted by Wolfdog at 12:44 PM on September 11, 2014