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Mather featured on Chopper Franklin’s New Spaghetti Western Dub Song

The Blood, Tears and Thunder DUB song is the second single from Chopper Franklin’s “Spaghetti Western Dub No.1”, the upcoming album out 1/26/24 on Ratchet Blade Records. The lyric video uses clips from the spaghetti westerns “If You Meet Sartana Pray For Your Death” (1968) and “Death Rides a Horse” (1967, both in the public domain.) It also features news clips displaying the violence between the PNP (whose leader was Michael Manley) and the JLP (led by Reagan-stooge Edward Seaga, who had ordered the 1976 assassination attempt on Bob Marley) both during, and after, the contentious 1980 Jamaican elections.

Chopper Franklin's New Spaghetti Western Dub Song

 

“This is well worth a look if you have any interest in Spaghetti Music and or Dub. Chopper Franklin’s latest project is a combination of the two so as far as I’m concerned it can’t go far wrong. The single is great and the production is top notch, I can’t wait for the rest of it …Brilliant.” Spaghetti Western Daily

In the spirit of The Clash, Bad Brains’ and Public Image Limited’s brews of reggae and punk, Franklin takes his original Spaghetti Western compositions and remixes them with the deep, bass-heavy rhythms and echo-drenched soundscapes of Dub. The album features vocals by Mather Louth and the Phantom of the Black Hills.

Heathen Apostles performing at Bar Sinister

The Heathen Apostles will be appearing at Bar Sinister, Southern California’s premiere Gothic club, this Friday, December 8th. Also on the bill at the show at Bar Sinister will be Jason Charles Miller and Carrellee, and it will feature DJ Purgatory.

Show at Bar Sinister

Mather to appear on new Chopper Franklin single “The Scorpion Says DUB”

The Heathen Apostles’ Chopper Franklin’s “The Scorpion Says DUB” is the first single from the album “Spaghetti Western Dub No. 1” (out January 26, 2024 on Ratchet Blade Records). It’s groundbreaking Spaghetti Western Dub music that fuses the vast, arid landscapes of Spaghetti Western music and the heavy rhythms of Dub Reggae, and features Mather on vocals. You can listen and download HERE, and watch the lyric video HERE.

Chopper Franklin - Spaghetti Western Dub Music

In the spirit of The Clash, Bad Brains’ and Public Image Limited’s brews of reggae and punk, Franklin takes his original Spaghetti Western compositions and remixes them with the deep, bass-heavy, echo-drenched soundscapes of Dub.

Chopper Franklin - Spaghetti Western Dub MusicIn a world where music can often feel predictable, Chopper Franklin’s upcoming album offers a refreshing departure from the ordinary. Known for his relentless energy and innovation, Chopper has played with legendary bands and artists (The Cramps, Wanda Jackson, Nick Curran), as well as creating his own projects, often pushing the boundaries of musical genres. “Spaghetti Western Dub No. 1” also features the epic vocals of Chopper’s bandmate Mather Louth (Heathen Apostles) and Ratchet Blade Records labelmate the Phantom of the Black Hills (hillbilly/thrash outlaws). They’ve sang on genre-bending songs like “The Scorpion Says Dub” (the album’s first single), “Blood, Tears and Thunder Dub” (a tale of a good man forced into an outlaw gang) and “The Ghost of a Believer Dub” (a story of a good romance gone bad) that transcend boundaries and invites listeners on an unforgettable journey.

Chopper Franklin - Spaghetti Western Dub MusicThe “Spaghetti Western Dub No. 1” album will be released on Ratchet Blade Records, a label known for its dedication to unique and innovative music. With an impressive roster of artists who push boundaries and challenge expectations, Ratchet Blade Records is the perfect platform for this innovative musical experiment.

Heathen Apostles Partnering With Rocky Road Touring

From the Heathen Apostles Instagram: Heathen Apostles are proud to announce their new partnership with Rocky Road Touring (@rockyroadtouring), a bespoke agency with offices in both the United States as well as the United Kingdom.

The band is excited for this new chapter, as the agency is already home to a large selection of icons spanning across the many sects of gothic music (such as Peter MurphySisters of MercyKilling JokeFields of the Nephilim, and Diamanda Galas). Henceforth, the band will be represented abroad by agent Dana McDonald, and any booking inquiries should be directed to her via dana@rockyroadtouring.com. Offers are already starting to come in for 2024, so if y’all want us in your neck of the woods, be sure to reach out.

In the 1990’s Dana was invited to move to NYC to take the position as Exclusive Talent Buyer for the legendary, Coney Island High. The list of artists whom she booked and promoted at this point is an innovative, exciting, and very diverse roster including The Damned, Modest Mouse, John Cale, Incubus, Alan Vega, 311, Queens of the Stone Age, The Ramones ( last NYC show ) and the list goes on. Around the year 2000, Coney Island High closed and lots of her beloved artists came to her directly asking her to book them a NYC show. She ended up booking them tours rather, and also separately, managing artists, and her agency, DNA Artists was born. She also continued her career as an independent promoter in NYC cultivating weekly and annual events such as Small Beast and The Official ,Annual, Lou Reed Birthday celebration which she continues to co-produce and curate.

From 2017 and up until March 2020 Dana was Head Talent Buyer for renowned NYC venues, The Bowery Electric and Berlin ( NYC) where she booked and promoted 50 local, national, and international shows per month. Most recently she has been specializing in Artist development and booking International Tours. 

“Deaths Head” Gothic Americana Video Review

Recently Nashville DJ Eric Clark posted a “REACTS” video of the Heathen Apostles song (and Gothic Americana video for) “Death’s Head”. For the band, it’s always interesting to hear mainstream media’s take (he reviews Ryan Bingham and Oliver Anthony in the same batch) on what they do. While Eric definitely gets it, some don’t; it’s absolutely not for everybody. And that’s just the way they want it.

Death’s Head is the first of the Heathen Apostles videos from the Fire to the Fuse album, to preview and purchase it click HERE, on iTunes click HERE, for Amazon click HERE.

Directed by the Heathen Apostles
Director of Photography, Still Photography: Lawrence Drayton
Makeup by Alexi Petre
Wardrobe: Cheri Wilson Chagollan, Mather Louth
Snake Handler: Peggy Rivera

Death’s Head written by Louth/Franklin
Produced & mixed by Chopper Franklin at the Devil’s Doghouse, Echo Park, Ca.
© 2015 Ratchet Blade Records

Heathen Apostles - Gothic Americana Video

Heathen Apostles in London – A Surreal Spaghetti Western

As if plucked from a surreal spaghetti western, Mather Louth and Chopper Franklin made quite the spectacle, striding down London’s Pentonville Road in full regalia. That enigmatic sight not only awakened that mysterious voice in one’s head, that in moments of aging self-doubt makes us slip back into our leather trousers and cut-off cowboy shirts, but also sparked a throwback to Lux Interior’s pre-show red wine chase at Sainsbury’s before a barnstormer at the Town and Country in Kentish Town, many, many moons ago.

The crowd erupted in jubilant cheers as the Heathen Apostles, giants of Gothic Americana, took the stage. Under the sonic leadership of the completely mesmerizing Mather Louth, with her stirring vocals and rhythmic guitar, they came alive. They dominated the stage as if they were vampire outlaws in a confrontation that could only end one way. Their performance, laced with elements of the surreal and the mysterious, unraveled like a vividly illustrated Nathaniel Hawthorne poem, with each musician playing a key part. Chopper Franklin’s fiendishly intricate guitar work, Thomas Lorioux‘s firm upright bass, and Luis Mascaro’s evocative violin added a rich depth to their sound.
Heathen Apostles in London - A Surreal Spaghetti Western

With the first haunting notes of Paint the Stars, we were swept away on a spiritual journey deep into the heart of Gothic Americana. The set was a gripping ride through spectral ballads and propulsive rock anthems that navigated through shadowy and mystifying terrains. Mather Louth’s resonant vocals, laced with an eerie undercurrent, twined with Mascaro’s assertive fiddle, piercing the creeping fog of dry ice, and stirring images of phantom prairies and forsaken souls. Her voice flowed seamlessly with Chopper Franklin’s guitar, which spun complex webs of sound, vibrating with the soul of Gothic storytelling.

The crowd was held captive by Mather’s powerful voice during songs like Lily of the West. Simultaneously, Chopper’s feverish guitar work in Gravedigger’s Song and Long Gone Lonesome Blues created a seamless blend of Americana with Gothic allure. The musicians’ harmonious interplay, bolstered by Lorioux’s rhythmic prowess and Mascaro’s poignant violin, further captivated the audience during Two for the Road and Without a Trace.
Heathen Apostles in London - A Surreal Spaghetti Western

The atmosphere was dense as Get Outta Dodge and The Reckoning reverberated through the venue, making its very foundations tremble. The spectral melodies, captivating visuals, and the dark allure crafted by Heathen Apostles surrounded the audience in a world between reality and the supernatural, evoking a sense of adventure and mystery.

As the twilight fell over Islington, the echoes of the soul-stirring fusion of Gothic Americana and Country and Western continued to reverberate through The Lexington. Even as the embers died down, we were left yearning for more. The Heathen Apostles had etched themselves into our dark hearts, ensuring their spectral melodies and mystical storytelling would stay with us long after the last note had faded into the night.

Heathen Apostles in London - A Surreal Spaghetti Western

Heathen Apostles Live – Good Times and Dark Murder Ballads

It was the night Bloodgrass came to the dark environs of the Six Six Bar in sleepy university city, an unusually large flock of jet-black crows seen above the ever-reaching spires of Cambridge. The portents were heavy and the anticipation was high. Cutting a swathe across the country on their first U.K. tour, Los Angeles outfit Heathen Apostles were bringing their Gothic grace to the many, whispers of good times and dark murder ballads an irresistible draw.

Heathen Apostles - Dark Murder Ballads

Heathen Apostles have been casting their own particular spell for a decade now, their own brand of blackened Americana bringing a stark and much needed contrast to the saccharine filled confection that Nashville has made its billions from. They’re an incredibly tight and powerful outfit, the only thing bloated being the rotting corpses in their songs. There’s an authenticity here that keys into the reality of the Old West, grit sprinkled with the Gothic as if Tim Burton directed TV show ‘Deadwood’ but toned down his more archly camp sensibilities. Certainly, the musicianship is dazzling and the songs themselves reveling with an intoxicating atmosphere.

Whilst the lighting in the Six Six is always frustratingly mainly from the back with little to shine onto the performers except light from the bar itself, the darkness and backlit effect worked well in this instance, the band bathed in red and somewhat shadowy. With the glorious voice of Mather Louth, tinted with a Southern burr, the Apostles have the perfect singer to tell tales of things that should be left in the twilight world between Heaven and Hell, her delivery bringing it all to life. Next to her, the foreboding tall, thin figure of Chopper Franklin exudes rock ‘n’ roll from his every move, his guitar and mandolin used with dexterous and deadly intent. Completing the quartet, the driving upright bass of Thomas Lorioux is a thunderous and relentless force, breathless in its drive and the violin playing of Luis Mascaro is the lightning to Lorioux’s thunder as it darts in and out, sometimes dancing but equally capable of bringing a deftly unsettling air.

Heathen Apostles - Dark Murder Ballads

Capable of doing elegiac as well as the frantic, there’s a great dynamic at play as the heavy ‘Death’s Head’ and a galloping ‘Fools Gold’ stand shoulder to shoulder with the frisky ‘Shady Grove’ and the folk of ‘Roots Run Deep’. New material hits the spot too as ‘Black Hawk’ illustrates just what a rich seam of material they’re digging and with ‘Gravediggers’ touchingly dedicated to the late, great Mark Lanegan and the grandeur of their cover of Hank Williams ‘Ramblin’ Man’, the outfit show they’ve certainly got the style and talent to continue to work this fertile land.

Closing with the buoyant drinking song ‘Two More for the Road’ and a tremendous ‘Without a Trace’, this black-clad gang rode out of town with smiles on their faces, their job here done and their willing victims slain by glorious murder ballads. Magnificent.

Review by Paul Monkhouse

Heathen Apostles Review – Gritty Western Music

Gothic Americana supergroup The Heathen Apostles at The Edge of The Wedge, Southsea: ‘Dark and delicious fun’ | Review
If you’re familiar with the gritty western TV show Deadwood, you could imagine The Heathen Apostles as the ideal inhouse band for Al Swearengen’s Gem Saloon. By Chris Broom

Heathen Apostles Review - Gritty Western Music

If not (and why not?) picture a dusty, wild west town where talk is cheap and life is cheaper still – but with a great soundtrack.
Hailing from Los Angeles, the four-piece play a gothic take on Americana and bluegrass – which they have aptly dubbed ‘bloodgrass’. And the band walk it like they talk it – no casual jeans and T-shirts here – the men are dressed in funeral-black suits while frontwoman Mather Louth cuts a striking pose with her waist-length red hair. They look as if they could have stepped off the high plains circa 1890.

Heathen Apostles Review - Gritty Western Music

Over the course of five albums and various EPs the band have carved themselves a distinctive niche.
Louth’s voice veers from the beguilingly sweet to a snarl that suggests you’d better not cross her.
The set draws on their own material as well as several well-picked covers, including a brace from the ‘hillbilly Shakespeare’, Hank Williams, Sr – Ramblin’ Man and Long Gone Lonesome Blues, the latter getting as close to pure country as this band allow. Another welcome cover is the haunting, natural fit of Mark Lanegan’s Gravedigger’s Song – another artist who was more than a little in touch with his dark side.
Guitarist/mandolin player Chopper Franklin is a veteran of the late-’70s punk scene, and at times attacks his instruments like he’s still in one of those bands. He is an imposing, impressive figure, towering over Louth.
Meanwhile the fingers of Thomas Lorioux on standup bass are frequently a blur as he anchors the others with his furious basslines.
Along the way there are murder ballads, a hefty heap of heaven’n’hell, and plenty of booze – the main set finishes with their own song, Two For The Road.
The final encore, a thundering The Reckoning, is preceded by violinist Luis Mascaro’s blistering version of Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D Minor – a piece more typically associated with the organ. I can comfortably say I’ve never heard anything like it. If the devil came down to Southsea instead of Georgia, he would have surely lost his bet again.
This has been the band’s first, long overdue UK tour. Devil willing, they’ll be back soon for more dark and delicious fun.

Anniversary of Gothic Western-Style Video “Misery and Gin”

Heathen Apostles - Gothic Western-Style Video

It’s been seven years to the day since the Heathen Apostles blew fans of Gothic Americana music away with their unique cover of Merle Haggard’s classic song “Misery and Gin.” Their haunting, Gothic Western-style rendition of the classic track expertly uses haunting strings and the ethereal vocals of Mather Louth to create a brooding, melancholic soundscape. It’s a style that the band has become revered for, and it’s on full display in this unforgettable rendition. Louth’s voice, in particular, is a standout in the track- it’s powerful and emotive, yet restrained, perfectly capturing the raw emotions of the lyrics.

Heathen Apostles - Gothic Western-Style Video

Seven years on from the release of the “Misery and Gin” cover, the Heathen Apostles remain at the forefront of Gothic Americana music. Their unique blend of genres and exceptional musicianship has garnered them a passionate fanbase around the world. And, of course, their talent for reimagining classic tracks like “Misery and Gin” ensures that their Gothic Western-style version will continue to captivate listeners for years to come.

Directed by the Heathen Apostles

Mather Louth as The Dead-Eye Gal
Chopper Franklin as The Howlin Gun
Mister Luz as Black Bart/Buffalo Bill Cody
Natasha Paulson as The Country Girl
Stevyn Grey as The Peacemaker
Timbo Gruse as The Bartender
Ayriel Hartman as The Flirt
Lauren Foulk and Damian Stellabott as The Couple

Special FX aging makeup: Jennifer Corona
Beauty makeup: Alexia Petre
Wardrobe: Cheri Wilson Chagollan, Chopper Franklin, Mather Louth
Shot at Wonderland Studios (Anaheim, Ca., thanks to Cheri Wilson Chagollan www.wonderlandstudiosoc.com) and Johnny’s Bar (Highland Park, Ca., thanks to Zak Crandell and Romina Corilla).
Post Production at the Devil’s Doghouse, Echo Park, Ca.

© 2016 Ratchet Blade Records

Heathen Apostles – Dark Sound of the Appalachians

Gothic Americana supergroup The Heathen Apostles make their Portsmouth live debut: ‘We’re lean and mean and ready to do it!’ | Portsmouth News Interview If you take a pinch of Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, a touch of Bauhaus, plus the blues of Howlin’ Wolf, Loretta Lynn and Bessie Smith, as well as a hefty dose of the dark sound of the Appalachians, then you’re getting close to the dark sound of the Heathen Apostles. But perhaps the band hit upon the best epithet for their gothic Americana with the atmospherically titled Bloodgrass EPs, currently numbering four volumes in total. This is roots music that revels in the dark side.​

The band was created in 2013 by vocalist Mather Louth, formerly of ‘swamp jazz’ band Radio Noir, and guitarist Chopper Franklin, a multi-instrumentalist known for his past with garage-rock legends The Cramps and cult punks the Mau Maus among others. They recruited upright bassist Thomas Lorioux, from the group The Kings of Nuthin’, and violinist Luis Mascaro. Based in Los Angeles, they are making their long-awaited UK debut this month, including a date at The Wedgewood Rooms in Southsea.

Heathen Apostles - Dark Sound of the Appalachians

Heathen Apostles. Picture by Rebecca Van Der Schaft

As we discuss their roots, Chopper says: ‘For me it goes way back. Almost every band I’ve been in has been roots-music based, even the punk band the Maus Maus I was in back in the early ’80s, we were very heavily based in R&B and The Stones and The [New York] Dolls, and still had that aggressiveness, and there was a little bit of that goth – early-’80s goth-rock is just the best – and it kind of evolved from that.

‘I’ve been in gothabilly bands and cowpunk, and it’s always had that roots base, which I loved. It was right there in my first band, everyone listened to blues and R&B and reggae and being exposed to that as a teenager, I saw this as an evolution of that. We definitely lean more towards the gothic-Americana in that we are doing the country and the bluegrass, and there’s some of that blues and R&B, a little gypsy jazz here and there – you throw it in a big stew and mix it all up and hopefully it’s palatable.

The two met through mutual acquaintances. ‘I’d see her see at some of the local clubs around here,’ recalls Chopper. ‘We ran into each other at a party – it’s just two blocks from where we now live, ironically, and I mentioned that I wanted to do this project, something along these lines. It had always been a dream of mine to have a project with all of these influences. I mentioned it to her, it was just an idea at that time, and I had to finish up another project. I gave her two songs, she came over and sang on one of them, in the studio here and it was just magic. I knew she was going to be the singer. It was Dark Was The Night, which was our first real single we put out. ‘Everything else fell into place. We did things a bit backwards – we recorded our album and shot our video before we even played a show, so we were able to put this whole thing together and present it to musicians and collaborators and show promoters as: “This is what it is”.

And as you can see from the pictures, the band has a strong visual aspect. ‘I’m self-taught in that regard and I’ve had amazing mentors over the years. It’s always been an interest of mine, so the band has been a good platform for me to experiment with that sort of thing. In certain videos we just come up with these crazy visual concepts, like I’m a resurrected moth woman and Chopper is resuscitating from a bone circle – just go with it…!

‘The videos are really where we have fun and over the years we’ve been blessed to work with friends of ours who are very talented directors or digital artists. We did this one video that was inspired by German expressionism, and it’s all black and white – it’s awesome. It offers more of the realm that our music exists in and the way that we see it.

The band’s most recent release is the single Gothic Western Haunts single for ‘weird west’ animated series The Goodbye Family, which Chopper also writes the score for. ‘Lorin (Morgan-Richards, the show’s creator) reached out to us during the pandemic,’ explains Chopper. ‘He’s been making that comic for quite a while and it’s his take on gothic western, and he’s heavily influenced by the original Addams Family as well. He decided he was going to do an animated series and he reached out to us to do the music. It’s worked really well.

While much of their material is original, the band is no stranger to a well-chosen cover song too. ‘That’s always fun,’ says Chopper, ‘especially once you’ve determined with your band what your sound is and what you want to put out there, to grab a song that’s not quite the genre, but is a great song… We did Echo and The Bunnymen, but we’ve also done old Irish and English murder ballads and everything in between.’

On 2019’s Dust to Dust they also tackled the haunting folk song In The Pines, perhaps more familiar to modern audiences as Where Did You Sleep Last Night? by Nirvana on their Unplugged album. And that’s not to mention Gershwin’s classic Summertime on Bloodgrass, Vol.1. ‘Especially with a song like that, it’s a challenge because it’s been done so many times and it’s been interpreted so many times – how do you make it fresh?’ says Mather of the latter song. ‘For me, filter it through your own lens. I’ve had people come up to me and say: “That was really ballsy that you guys covered that, because everyone’s covered it, but yours is unique somehow”. As long as you put yourself into it and put what you love into it, it’s what’s unique to you. When you’re trying to flat-out recreate a song, that’s where you have that magic opportunity.’

Edited for space, for more on the Heathen Apostles’ dark sound of the Appalachians by Chris Broom, read the full interview HERE.