The Devil's Music with Pleasant Gehman

Joe Pompeo is a senior correspondent at Vanity Fair and an author. His first book “Blood And Ink: The Scandalous Jazz Age Double Murder That Hooked America on True Crime” was a New York Times Book Review Best True Crime pick of 2022. He’s also written for The New Yorker, New York Magazine, and many other publications. He's also a longtime super-fan and admirer of the early L.A. punk scene. In this episode, Joe and hostess Pleasant Gehman discuss the murder of Jane King, an aspiring actress who fell prey to The Hillside Stranglers. Because Jane was dating Rick Wilder of The Berlin Brats and Mau Maus, she frequented The Masque, Hollywood’s infamous underground punk club. Like the Black Dahlia, who became more famous after death than in life, Jane’s tragic death is also the subject of an article Joe wrote for the 30th Vanity Fair Hollywood Issue titled “Death And The Masque”. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The extraordinary Melissa St. Hilaire, better known on the internet as American Witch 13 is a witch, psychic medium, Paranormal investigator, writer, cat rescuer and straight up lifelong rock’n’roll chick. She’s also the creator and director of “Secrets Of the Craft” a docuseries on witches which premiered on Dead Air Full Spectrum on Oct. 4, 2023. In this Episode, hostess Pleasant Gehman caught up with Melissa just in time for Samhain- or as non-witches call it, Halloween. In this episode they talk about their shared interests: all things weird and witchy, from astral projection to ghost hunts, from spellcasting and speaking with the dead. They also get into rock’n’roll in a big way. Melissa is absolutely wild about U2 and has even wilder stories about meeting and interacting with Bono and the band over the years. Instagram, Tiktok, X & Facebook: @americanwitch13 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Multi-talented Sterling Moon is tarot reader, psychic medium, folk magician, animal communicator, published author and podcaster. Her recent book “Talking Spirits: A Modern Medium’s Practical Advice for Spirit Communication” was published by Llewelyn Books. She also runs The Sterling Moon Divination Academy, teaching classes on the mystical and strange. In this episode, Sterling and hostess Pleasant Gehman discuss everything from her new book, Ouija boards to pet communication, wild things that happened in mediumship sessions, and what it’s like to chat with a spirit who has a crazy sense of humor. Sterling also conducts an actual mini séance on the air. Website: https://www.sterlingmoontarot.com @the_sterling_moon https://www.sterlingmoontarot.com/book-online Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Multi-faceted Ashley M. Ryan, known on social media as Pythian Priestess, is an award-winning screenwriter, a tarot reader and a practicing witch. She’s the founder of the Pythian Mystery School as well as creator of the popular podcast “The Occult Unveiled”. In this episode, Ashley and hostess Pleasant Gehman talk about their similar esoteric interests, spiritual practices and dark pop culture. They discuss how discovering Edgar Allan Poe at a young age changed their lives and compare notes on a shared obsession: the unlikely relationship between 1950’s sex symbol Jayne Mansfield and Church Of Satan founder Anton La Vey, chilling paranormal experiences and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff Smith is the founder and singer of the legendary Texas cow punk band The Hickoids. Beloved cult favorites with a rabid following, The Hickoids have been around for almost four decades, playing their singular blend of hallucinogenic-soaked western style insanity and releasing countless records on various labels. Now that things have opened up, The Hickoids are touring again. In this episode hostess Pleasant Gehman and Jeff talk about wild shenanigans in the 1980’s Texas punk scene; rowdy Everclear soaked parties, and drag racing-which is not what the listener might think. Jeff also tells anecdotes about opening for The Butthole Surfers, a police raid at Tex And The Horseheads’ Hollywood band house, and that time the band thoroughly embarrassed Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth...not to mention the trend of men faking orgasms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

El Vez, known for decades as “The Mexican Elvis” is a rockstar, cultural phenomenon and the alter ego of early West Coast punk rock icon Robert Lopez of The Zeros and later, Catholic Discipline. But that’s not even close where it stops. He’s not just a singer and songwriter, he wrote his own chapter in John Doe and Tom Desavia’s “Under The Big Black Sun”. He’s also an artistc workaholic with multiple projects going at once. He fronts The Little Richards, recently did a tribute show covering the songs of LA punk icons The Screamers, and is touring Spain with Los Straightjackets. In this episode, Robert and lifelong pal hostess Pleasant Gehman chat about the gloomy storytelling show he created, “The Unhappy Hour” featuring his dark humor and dirge-like renditions of 70’s pop hits. They get into their shared experiences during Elvis Week the early 1990s as well as in the 70’s LA punk scene, specifically the infamous night at The Orpheum Theater, where The Germs made their first appearance ever and the Zeros made their first Los Angeles appearance and wound up getting signed on the spot by Bomp! Records...plus much more. Website: www.elvez.net Instagram: @elvezofficial , @mr.rpbertlopez Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Staci Layne Wilson is a bestselling author, award winning filmmaker and the hostess of the popular “Rock’n’Roll Nightmares” podcast. One of her books, “So LA: A Hollywood Memoir” features wild anecdotes about Led Zeppelin, Metallica, and several others. The ultimate California girl, she’s the daughter of a pinup model and Don Wilson, legendary guitarist and founding member of The Ventures. Staci wrote and directed the acclaimed documentary “The Ventures: Stars On Guitars” The film chronicles the group’s incredible history. In this episode, Staci and hostess Pleasant Gehman chat about everything from the horror films Staci’s directed, an odd Manson Family connection, the 1980’s Sunset Strip hair metal scene and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The illustrious Mink Stole is a national treasure. Her incredible career has spanned over five decades, beginning in the late 1960’s when she and John Waters began their lifelong collaboration; she’s had roles in every one of his feature films. She’s also a singer and former advice column writer for The Baltimore City Paper. In this episode, Mink and hostess Pleasant Gehman dish about everything from the pre- “Pink Flamingos” days to her bohemian lifestyle in Baltimore, New York and Provincetown. They compare notes on their time served as cellmates in director Steve Balderson’s women in prison film “Stuck!” as well as her role as an art agent his latest work, “Alchemy Of The Spirit”, currently making the rounds of film festivals. Mink also spills the beans on her latest foray as a budding pianist, working with Peaches Christ, and a sweet but shocking paranormal experience. Website: www.minkstole.com Facebook: www.facebook.comminkstolefanpage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Patrick O’Neil is a prolific author and talented writer whose work has appeared in numerous publications: Juxtapoz, Salon, The Fix, Decibel and Razorcake. A former heroin addict who lead a bank-robbing ring, he cleaned up, started writing in jail and eventually got an MFA in creative writing. This lead to his memoirs “Gun, Needle, Spoon” and “Hold Up”. He’s also an infamous punk legend who spent the 1980’s working behind the scenes as a roadie and tour manager for several famous bands. His latest memoir is out now on Punk Hostage Press. “Anarchy At The Circle K: On The Road With The Dead Kennedys, TSOL, Flipper, Subhumans and...Heroin” has a title that’s self explanatory and the book’s a terrific read. In this episode, Patrick and hostess Pleasant Gehman compare notes on the early 1980’s California punk scene and swap insane cross-country touring stories. Patrick’s experienced everything getting kicked off the Lollapalooza tour and stranded at truck stops in Wyoming or lots at Dead Kennedys concerts to drug deals gone wrong and more. You’ll also hear a few tales from his bank robbing days before he was busted by the feds, got sober in prison and turned his life around. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Multi faceted and uber-talented Abby Travis is a musician, singer, songwriter and actress, whose music career began in the 1986 as bassist for the SST band The Love Dolls and is still going strong. She’s played and sang with The Go-Go’s, Cher, The Eagles of Death Metal, The Bangles, Beck, Masters Of Reality, KMFDM, Elastica and many more. She’s released four solo albums, and is currently one half of the brutalist artcore duo Sumo Princess, with drummer Gene Trautman, who, like Abby has played with EODM, as well as Queens of The Stoneage and Mark Lanegan. Hostess Pleasant Gehman and Abby have been friends since the early 1980’s. In this episode, they discuss some of the many days and nights of debauchery they shared from the Hollywood punk scene in early 1980’s and onwards. Among other topics: anecdotes about Redd Kross, Russ Meyers and drag queen dive bars, insane stories from spending Elvis Week 1999 in Memphis with El Vez, The Mexican Elvis; drug-soaked nights on tour with The Butthole Surfers, and Abby’s performances with Spinal Tap... yes indeed, you read that correctly More from Pleasant Gehman www.pleasantgehman.com Instagram: @princessofhollywood www.facebook.com/pleasant.gehman www.twitter.com/PleasantGehman1 This show is part of Pantheon Podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Multi talented Adele Bertei burst into the public eye as one of the stars of the 1970’s No Wave scene, as organist for James Chance and The Contortions. Since then, her entire career has been extraordinary. She’s a musician, singer, film director/producer as well as a song writer and literary writer. Musically, she’s worked with everyone from Brian Eno, Culture Club and Deborah Harry to Thomas Dolby, Tears For Fears, Anubian Lights and several others. Adele and hostess Pleasant Gehman have known each other for over forty years. In this episode, they exchange anecdotes about Manhattan’s pre-gentrified Lower East Side, including CBGB, Max’s Kansas City, Studio 54, Johnny Thunders, Jerry Nolan, Sid Vicious and Heroin They discuss everything from drag queen culture tothe new music she’s recording, Berthold Brecht, and of course, witchcraft. More from Pleasant Gehman www.pleasantgehman.com Instagram: @princessofhollywood www.facebook.com/pleasant.gehman www.twitter.com/PleasantGehman1 This show is part of Pantheon Podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Multi-talented Liz Worth is a Canadian treasure. She’s an author, poet, ritual performance artist, former music journalist and a tarot expert. Her first book, “Treat Me Like Dirt: An Oral History Of Punk In Toronto And Beyond” brought alternative music into the attention of the mainstream and was called “trailblazing”. A well-known Tarot reader, she’s also instructor and author of two books: “The Power Of Tarot” and “Going Beyond The Little White Book: A Contemporary Guide To Tarot” In this episode, Liz and hostess Pleasant Gehman discuss their similar life trajectories, ‘70’s and ‘80’s punk, psychic phenomena, the oddest readings they’ve both done and Liz’s forthcoming vampire novel “His Name Is Matter”. Bonus: why “Disgusteen” by Teenage Head is one of the best rock’n’roll anthems you may never have heard. Website www.lizworth.com Instagram: @lizworthtarot Twitter:@lizworthtarot Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices