The Cliffs of Insanity

I haven’t done one of these in about 10,000 years, so let’s get this show on the road.

1. Full name: Tracy Angelina Evans
2. Nicknames: Tin, Tinhuviel, George, Darth Shriek
3. Birthplace: Asheville, North Carolina USA
4. Birthday: 10 September, 1967
5. Where Do You Live Now?: San Diego, California
6. Parent(s): Father Unit has passed.  Mother Unit is here in San Diego.
7. Sibling(s): ZERO
8. Looks: Better off invisible.
9. Favourite Animal(s): Anything non-human, except for millipedes and centipedes.  Like humans, they can go fuck themselves.
10. Favorite TV Show(s): Impractical Jokers, Better Call Saul

11. Favorite Kind(s) Of Music: Most everything but Country and Opera.
12. Favorite Movie(s): Sci-Fi, Unusual, Conceptual, Foreign
13. School: Some college, focusing on English and Veterinary Assistance
14. Future School: I’m too old for this question. The Chapel Perilous

15. Future Job: Testing new, effective sleep aids.
16. Boyfriend/Girlfriend: nah
17. Best Buds: I’m a bit of a hermit these days.
18. Favorite Candy: Milk Dud
19. Hobbies: Music, reading, writing
20. Things You Collect: Grudges, CDs, movies, moments in time.

21. Do You Have A Personal Phone Line: Yes
22. Favorite Body Part Of The Opposite Sex? The eyes and brain
23. Any Tattoos And Where Of What?: Red & Black Triskele on right hand, Green Shriekback logo on left hand, Mwanza Flat-headed Agama with green and blue hues instead of pinkish and blue.
24. Piercing(s) And Where?: not anymore
25. What Do You Sleep in?: clothing
26. Do you like Chain Letters: aw HELL NAW.
27. Best Advice: Reality is peripheral.
28. Favorite Quotes: Hope for the best, expect the worst. - Mel Brooks.
29. Non-sport Activity You Enjoy: sleep
30. Dream Car: A transporter

31. Favorite Thing To Do In Spring: Avoid the sun.
32. What’s Your Bedtime: Whenever I’m lucky.
33. Where Do You Shop: Wherever I can.
34. Coke or Pepsi: Cheerwine

35. Favorite Thing(s) To Wear?: Something loose that will allow me to blend into my surroundings.
36. Favorite Subject(s) In School: English and Creative Writing

37. Favorite Color(s): Green, Red, Black
38. Favorite People To Talk To Online: People with brains and a wicked sense of humour that has set them on the road to Hell.

39. Root-Beer or Dr. Pepper? Root beer

40. Do You Shave? I’m too old for that bullshit.

41. Favorite Vacation Spot(s): I don’t do vacations.  My favourite place to BE is England.
42. Favorite Family Member(s): Smidgen
43. Did You Eat Paint Chips When You Were a Kid? WHAT?
44. Favorite CD you own: Currently Without Real String or Fish by Shriekback
45. The ONE Person Who You Hate The Most: Going with an old standard here and saying Pat Robertson.
46. Favorite Food(s)?: Potatoes
47. Who Is The Hottest Guy or Girl In The World?: I have a very short list.
48. What Is Your Favorite Salad Dressing?: Bleu Cheese.
49. When You Die, Do You Wanna Be Buried or Burned Into Ashes? I don’t care, as long as I end up on Craggy Dome.
50. Do You Believe In Aliens?: Absolutely.

51. If You Had The Chance To Professionally Do Something, What would You Do? I’m already a Professional Misanthropist.
52. Things You Obsess Over: Various artists, ideas, philosophies, theories, general weirdness
53. Favorite Day of the Week: Don’t bloody care.
54. An Authority Figure You Hate: The Feudal Mistress still tops the list.
55. Favorite Disney Movie: Bambi
56. What Is Your Favorite Season? Winter
57. What Toppings Do You Like On Your pizza? Cheese, with extra cheese, and cheese on the side.
58. Do You Like Your School Food Itself (As In The District Food): I never ate it.
59. If You Could Live Anywhere, Where Would You Live? Avebury, Wiltshire, UK
60. Favorite Thing(s) To Do On Weekends: Sleep, if I can accomplish it.

61. Favorite Magazine(s): Don’t have one.
62. Favorite Flower(s): White rose

63. Favorite Number(s): 5

64. Favorite Ice Cream flavor(s): Ben & Jerry’s Wavy Gravy

65. What Kind of Guys/Girls Are You Attracted to?: Dangerously intelligent, beautiful, talented, and hilarious.

66. What’s Your Most Embarrassing Moment? I inadvertently introduced myself to someone as his wife.

67. If You Could Change One Thing About Yourself What Would It be? I would be fearless.

68. Do You Eat Breakfast First Then Brush Your Teeth or Brush first ten eat breakfast: breakfast first.

69. Favorite Time of Day: Whenever I get to sleep.

70. Can A Guy and Girl Be Just “Best Friends?”: Why not?

71. Do You Ask The Girl/Guy Out Or Do You Wait For Them To Come To You?: I don’t go there anymore.

72. Do You Mind Paying For Sex? I never would.

73. What’s The Most Important thing In Someone’s Personality: Sentience

74. Do you have a pager or cell phone? Cell

75. Favorite Sport: Flambodious Butt-walking

76. What Was the Best Gift You Ever Received? Love

77. How Long Did This Letter Take You To Finish?: Not very long.

78. What Did You Listen To While Completing It?: Electric Light Orchestra’s Alone in the Universe.

79. Are you or would you like to be married in the near future (next 5 years)? NEGATIVE

80. Don’t u just hate how psychics never win the lottery? I hate it more than I don’t win the lottery. I hate psychics, especially the ones who claim to talk to your dead relatives.  They’re grifters who should be drawn and quartered.  The End.

The band have posted an hour-long interview, answering fans' questions. Take a gander, and don't forget to pick up a copy of Without Real String or Fish.

• The Illuminatus Trilogy by Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson: The penultimate conspiracy theory book. I haven't read it since 1993, when I lent the book to someone who promptly moved to Louisiana. It will absolutely rock the foundations of any belief you hold sacred. I contend that The Invisibles would never have come into existence had it not been for this book.


• Riddley Walker by Russell Hoban: aka "Shriekback required reading." Set at least a couple of thousand years in the future, the remnants of humanity in England are barely recognisable as such. The plot follows a young man, Riddley Walker, who has experienced some major moments in a very short period of time. He shot what may be the last wild boar in England (this is referenced in the Shrieks' "Beatles Zebra Crossing"), his father died leaving Riddley to be his tribe's Connexion Man on the ripe age of 12, and he discovers he is dog frendy. The book is written phonetically to reflect the English of a post-nuclear holocaust future. It takes a couple of pages to get used to reading it but, long after you've finished the book, the slang sticks with you. This book was heavily influential in the making of Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome. The children in that movie speak Riddley-speak.


• Pilgermann by Russell Hoban: Beautifully written, as are all of Mr. Hoban's works, Pilgermann tells the story of a European Jew travelling to Jerusalem on a pilgrimage, and the places and people he encounters en route. The language of this novel creates a certain spiritual uplift in the reader, or at least it did for me. Russell Hoban is a master of poetic prose, painting his novels more than writing them at times.


• The Silmarillion by JRR Tolkien: It's my belief that one cannot fully understand the scope and wonder of The Lord of the Rings without reading The Silmarillion. It's a difficult book to read, but well worth the effort. This tells the story of the creation of the world and the birth of both Elves and Men, and it's a collection of the myths and legends of the First and Second Ages of Middle Earth. Tolkien's most personal and beloved work, The Silmarillion was never completed by him; rather, it was compiled by his son Christopher. Like most true myths, The Silmarillion was ever changing and, therefore, never ready for publication, at least in Tolkien's opinion. He began working on it in 1914 and he was writing on it until the day he died.


• Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn by Tad Williams. This trilogy, consisting of The Dragonbone Chair, Stone of Farewell, and To Green Angel Tower rivals the literary pageantry of The Lord of the Rings. Tad Williams has the ability to create such sympathetic characters, you may actually find yourself brought to extreme states of emotion throughout your reading experience. The main character, Simon Mooncalf, is thrown into the adventure of which he'd always dreamt when he was nothing more than a castle scullion, and he soon finds out that adventure leaves a lot to be desired when it also entails threat of death, going hungry, and being cold and alone. Fortunately for Simon, he finds some very good friends on the road, and this ragtag group work to save the world from a power-sick king, a malevolent monk, and a race of angry Norns, led by the undead Storm King. Breathtaking.


• Imajica by Clive Barker: a book every Pagan should read. This is Clive Barker's best book. Period. The story is about John Furie Zacharias, aka Gentle's attempt to reconcile the Five Dominions of creation, fulfilling his destiny as a Maestro. It follows his journey through the Dominions along with his assassin lover Pie Oh Pah, and the discoveries he makes during his journey, culminating in a reality-shattering confrontation with his father, the god Hapexamendios. Based on a dream he had, Clive Barker's passion shines through with every word in this book. You haven't truly read Clive unless you've read Imajica.