Texas Overture

Latest Episodes:

The Jewel of West Texas Mar 25, 2024

We explore the life of "Border Healing Woman" Jewel Babb. Babb lived for nearly 90 years in the West Texas desert as a mystical healer, mother, and goat herder. Source: "Border Healing Woman" by Pat Littledog

The Charmed Life of James Avery with Sam Cummins Feb 12, 2024

Fellow Texan Sam Cummins of Nymphet Alumni fame joins us for our Valentines's Day special. Together we explore the life of a notorious Texas jeweler of legend. James Avery is known for his tinkling silver charm bracelets, sleazy love life, and vigorous Episcopalianism. We discuss the TX archetype of The James Avery Girl, sleep away camps, talismanic charms throughout the ages, charm bracelets as autobiography/protection/handcuffs, Milagros, Queen Victoria The Influencer, Texas-Euro-kitsch, what it takes to be a true romantic, and more... Thanks for listening to Texas Overture :)

Extra reading:

https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/gods-jeweler/

https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1040106/

2024 Overture Jan 07, 2024

2023... what a year! We catch each other up on our personal lives ( Faith journeyed to West Texas, Camille ritualistically burned effigies) then list the films, books and songs we had on heavy rotation in the past calendar year. Plus, as a special end of year treat, we answer select calls from TO listeners.

The Marian Apparition Episode Dec 19, 2023

In honor of the Christmas season and the recent feast day, we pay respects to the Virgin Mary and her place in South Central Texas culture. We discuss Mary as a unifying maternal figures, Juan Diego and the Virgin de Guadalupe, Ingo Swann’s “The Great Apparitions of Mary,” and the implications of Marian apparitions around the world. Plus, we’re joined by our friend Abby to talk briefly about her experience as an apparition witness on a pilgrimage to Medjugorje...

West Texas Desert Forever Dec 03, 2023

Wrangling tumbleweeds, we explore the deception and promise of the West Texas desert, Baudrillard, the mythology of Marfa, Donald Judd's unique criticism and minimalism, the viability of artist enclaves, the precarity of small towns, 10,000 year old clocks, the rise of 'instagrammable spots', survival, surveillance, etc.

Spiritual Map of Texas Nov 10, 2023

We're back -- and we're developing a Spiritual Map of Texas. Born from a dream Faith had, we each select a special TX location and unravel its many layers on historical, emotional, geological and geomagnetic levels...

Conservation Burial with Campo de Estrellas Sep 17, 2023

We are joined by friends from Campo de Estrellas, a conservation burial cemetery in Bastrop County. We discuss contemporary burial practices in Texas, climate concerns, the allure of lingering in cemeteries, being a good ancestor, memory in land, death in industrialization, and more.

Companion reading:

Campo de Estrellas website

https://campodeestrellas.co

At Rest in the Fields by Sarah Wambold

https://www.texasobserver.org/celebrating-childhoods-end-at-eloise-woods/

Jerry Hunt, The Synthesizer Shaman Sep 04, 2023

We discuss legendary Texas artist Jerry Hunt, a pioneering presence in the development of electronic composition and experimental new music. Influenced by everyone from John Cage to John Dee, Hunt was a virtuosic pianist by trade who made his name through his experimental, interactive, and technical way of making music. He is noted for incorporating celestial alphabets and occult themes in the composition and programming of his oblique and complicated work. Through challenging conventions Hunt gained world renown in New Music circles. He was also funny and strange and lived a beautiful life in East Texas for most of his life with his partner, Stephen Housewright.

Books:

Partners by Stephen Housewright

Transmissions from the Pleroma by Blank Forms

Our playlist:

T/EXperimental Mix

Links:

Jerry Hunt website with interviews, reviews, links to books, etc.

Irida Records on Bandcamp

Blank Forms

Episode Sounds:

John Cage and Jerry Hunt

TX Overture Massacre with Zoyd Wheeler Aug 22, 2023

Joined by friend of the pod Zoyd Wheeler (@shakenjack) we discuss the universe and lore behind the early work of Texas director of legend, Tobe Hooper.

Watch:

Eggshells (1969) : https://youtu.be/-6LeL2iXktI

Texas Chainsaw Massacre I (1974)

Eaten Alive (1976)

"Don Pedro, Pray For Us" Aug 06, 2023

We discuss the legacy of Don Pedro, the famous South Texan curandero, healer, and folk saint. We are joined by Ixa, a Texas woman whose great-grandmother actually studied under the man in question, for a broader discussion contextualizing modern spirituality, her family's experiences with 'the healer of Los Olmos Creek,' herbalism, prayer, and more.

Hot Wells & Healing Waters Jul 24, 2023

We explore the glamorous and enterprising heyday of hot healing water resorts in Texas — from Mineral Wells to Marlin. Many of these places were built (late 1800s-early1900s) around natural, mineral imbued springs that were said to have a wide variety of benefits. The attracted everyone from Hollywood elites, grifters, miracle workers, and magnetic healers. Many of them have fallen to ruin.

Plus, we sit down with our friend Professor Jonathan Paul De Vierville, who may be the world's leading living expert on Hot Wells in San Antonio. We also learn he knew Steve Pollock in the 70s... everything is connected.

Other topics include: Mesmer, balneology, hysterical women finding solutions, Jung, the state of "healing" today, modern elixirs, the spiritual and physical health benefits of a good soak, and more. This is our season finale, thanks for listening to TO.

Reading:

"Crazy Water, The Story of Mineral Wells and Other Texas Health Resorts" by Gene Fowler

Prophetic Dreams & Precious Scents Jul 08, 2023

In this special episode of Texas Overture, we break traditional narrative form to enact an eerie dream Faith had one fateful night. Armed with our metal detector and a reservoir of "summer feeling" we explore the rich and colorful scent pathways and silent forces of various outdoor locations in our local environment.

Listen for: Jonathan Richmond, dispatches from the dreamworld, memory mapping, summer field recordings, droning cicadas, Barry Hannah & Texas Overture fragrance line research.

The Slaying of SA's Shroom Doctor Jun 10, 2023

We discuss the phenomenology of psychedelics and the global ascent and local downfall of legendary Texas mycologist Dr. Steven Pollock — a pioneering psilocybin researcher and neighborhood "Dr. Feelgood" who met a strange and early death at his home in San Antonio in February of 1981.

Love & Orbs with Zoyd Wheeler May 19, 2023

Zoyd Wheeler (@ShakenJack) joins us in the East Texas wilderness to discuss the Archives of the Impossible conference, inter-dimensional love, Husserlian phenomenology, the perils of tragic romance with orbs of light, Medieval mystics Hildegard of Bingen and Margery Kempe, near death experiences, UFOs & the Nation of Islam, disinformation campaigns, Raymond Carver, small town legends, and more.

Plus, we reconnect with the Mystic of Matagorda - Forrest Bess.

The Conference May 06, 2023

A special bonus episode of Texas Overture... We break down our upcoming road trip to the big Archives of the Impossible Conference at Rice University.

Cryptids of Texas with Ken Gerhard Apr 19, 2023

We discuss the state of cryptozoology in Texas, industrial dance music, Texas Bigfoot, time slips, science, and "The Big Bird" with local cryptozoologist Ken Gerhard.

Hobos & Bozos with Bill Daniel Apr 01, 2023

We discuss train-hopping hobo culture, crust punks, mythological monikers, and get off-track with the Texas filmmaker and photographer behind Who is Bozo Texino? Plus, a special interview with our train-hopping friend, "Kenny Chesney."

Watch Bill Daniel's Who is Bozo Texino? :https://youtu.be/gSqMAADNKA8

Hobo Shoetring's Youtube channel: https://youtu.be/E7H9gH5_Qs4

Hobo Stobe's Youtube channel (R.I.P): https://youtu.be/hPu11tJp8Nc

The Mystic of Matagorda Mar 20, 2023

We dive into alchemy, the unconscious, and the strange visionary life of Forrest Bess — the East Texas shrimp fisherman, outsider artist, and mystic.

The Secret School at the Olmos Basin Mar 04, 2023

We explore mysteries surrounding the Olmos Basin in San Antonio, Whitley Strieber and his secret school, aliens, strange nun-like figures, baby poetry from a Texas Poet Laureate, and the headwaters of the San Antonio River as a source of "energy."

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