Allister Thompson
@allistert.bsky.social
"Amateur" ambient/folk musician, "Professional" editor/author of thoughtful speculative fiction, generally on climate and human folly. From some place currently called “Canada.”
thegatelessgate.bandcamp.com
http://www.allisterthompson.com
thegatelessgate.bandcamp.com
http://www.allisterthompson.com
Pinned
Allister Thompson
@allistert.bsky.social
· May 29
‘Birch and Jay’ is not just another post apocalyptic adventure novel. It’s also about how we can heal instead of destroy, which is all modern human beings have ever done. We created this situation that will cause so much suffering, but do we have the courage and honesty to learn from our mistakes?
I've just realized that if I had branded my recordings "Mellotron shoegaze" or "Mellotron dream pop," I'd probably be indie-famous instead of completely obscure at this point. Boo-urns.
February 13, 2026 at 4:36 PM
I've just realized that if I had branded my recordings "Mellotron shoegaze" or "Mellotron dream pop," I'd probably be indie-famous instead of completely obscure at this point. Boo-urns.
Poilievre trying to mimic a human experiencing a feeling is quite gross to witness.
February 11, 2026 at 10:12 PM
Poilievre trying to mimic a human experiencing a feeling is quite gross to witness.
If AI ends up taking all our jobs and we are starving because social welfare doesn't exist any more, then, you know, heads on pikes of unwanted leaders is a time-honoured way of rectifying societal ills. Just putting that out there.
February 11, 2026 at 2:58 PM
If AI ends up taking all our jobs and we are starving because social welfare doesn't exist any more, then, you know, heads on pikes of unwanted leaders is a time-honoured way of rectifying societal ills. Just putting that out there.
If you like Krautrock, prog rock, and weird homemade music videos, then I certainly have something for you!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbvW...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbvW...
"Wooden Head, Parts 1 to 3" by Sons of Birches (prog/psych/Krautrock, 2021)
YouTube video by Allister Thompson
www.youtube.com
February 10, 2026 at 8:03 PM
If you like Krautrock, prog rock, and weird homemade music videos, then I certainly have something for you!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbvW...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbvW...
Read all the dramatic significance you want into things about the Super Bowl, fine, but please don’t discuss the goddamn commercials.
February 9, 2026 at 10:10 PM
Read all the dramatic significance you want into things about the Super Bowl, fine, but please don’t discuss the goddamn commercials.
Here’s a Black History Month reading recommendation, a novel by an often overlooked genius. Difficult but rewarding, like most of his books.
February 8, 2026 at 5:53 PM
Here’s a Black History Month reading recommendation, a novel by an often overlooked genius. Difficult but rewarding, like most of his books.
I started a Wordpress blog no one reads, that being the inferior platform for getting readers, because I thought we were supposed to shun Substack. Meanwhile, people supposedly more ‘progressive’ than me happily type on Substack. Isn’t being good hard these days?
www.theguardian.com/media/2026/f...
www.theguardian.com/media/2026/f...
Revealed: How Substack makes money from hosting Nazi newsletters
Exclusive: Site takes a cut of subscriptions to content that promotes far-right ideology, white supremacy and antisemitism
www.theguardian.com
February 8, 2026 at 3:02 PM
I started a Wordpress blog no one reads, that being the inferior platform for getting readers, because I thought we were supposed to shun Substack. Meanwhile, people supposedly more ‘progressive’ than me happily type on Substack. Isn’t being good hard these days?
www.theguardian.com/media/2026/f...
www.theguardian.com/media/2026/f...
Well put.
Every instance of "AI democratizes the arts, you're classist and ableist and a gatekeeper for trying to stop it" is a slap in the face to the literally centuries of poor, disabled people making art on the margins and a crass lie in service of a machine that strips down and regurgitates dreams
February 6, 2026 at 6:03 PM
Well put.
Come the end of ‘26, this will be one of the best releases I heard this year. A huge creative step up for what was already a very good band.
blackwaterholylight.bandcamp.com/album/not-he...
blackwaterholylight.bandcamp.com/album/not-he...
Not Here Not Gone, by Blackwater Holylight
10 track album
blackwaterholylight.bandcamp.com
February 4, 2026 at 1:06 AM
Come the end of ‘26, this will be one of the best releases I heard this year. A huge creative step up for what was already a very good band.
blackwaterholylight.bandcamp.com/album/not-he...
blackwaterholylight.bandcamp.com/album/not-he...
It really was a magical time for weird, silly album art. No matter what kind of being you depict, make sure to stick some boobs on it. That rocks! Good band, though.
February 3, 2026 at 2:23 PM
It really was a magical time for weird, silly album art. No matter what kind of being you depict, make sure to stick some boobs on it. That rocks! Good band, though.
It’s sometimes comforting to see how some things never change, like the heavy metal category at the Grammys containing no heavy metal.
February 2, 2026 at 10:48 PM
It’s sometimes comforting to see how some things never change, like the heavy metal category at the Grammys containing no heavy metal.
When you think about it, King Crimson/Pete Sinfield’s ‘21st Century Schizoid Man’ and ‘Epitaph’ really do summarize this century’s downfall of humanity.
January 31, 2026 at 7:29 PM
When you think about it, King Crimson/Pete Sinfield’s ‘21st Century Schizoid Man’ and ‘Epitaph’ really do summarize this century’s downfall of humanity.
I don’t know how many people I’ve met who agree with me that ‘Dark’ is the best TV show they’ve seen not named ‘The Wire,’ but it’s quite a few now.
January 30, 2026 at 2:25 PM
I don’t know how many people I’ve met who agree with me that ‘Dark’ is the best TV show they’ve seen not named ‘The Wire,’ but it’s quite a few now.
Explaining how darn important my book is to someone at the Ontario Library Association Superconference today.
January 30, 2026 at 1:50 AM
Explaining how darn important my book is to someone at the Ontario Library Association Superconference today.
You ever have moments of realization when the name you’ve had your whole life just sounds silly to you? “Allister.” What kind of name is that to haul around for decades? If I’d been called “Trevor” or “Andrew,” would I have achieved more?
January 28, 2026 at 2:15 PM
You ever have moments of realization when the name you’ve had your whole life just sounds silly to you? “Allister.” What kind of name is that to haul around for decades? If I’d been called “Trevor” or “Andrew,” would I have achieved more?
Really appreciate the six shares, but only three codes claimed for 60 tracks of a life’s work? Pretend it’s 1995 and music isn’t devalued by streaming. Have a code. C’mon.
Not long ago I released a 60-track "best of" from my decades making ambient, psych, prog, and folk music. I would like you to have a code for your collection, if you please. If you enjoy those genres, you'll find something to like.
See below for codes.
thegatelessgate.bandcamp.com/album/ethere...
See below for codes.
thegatelessgate.bandcamp.com/album/ethere...
Ethereally Obscure - The Best of "Box Set", by Allister Thompson - The Gateless Gate
60 track album
thegatelessgate.bandcamp.com
January 28, 2026 at 12:23 PM
Really appreciate the six shares, but only three codes claimed for 60 tracks of a life’s work? Pretend it’s 1995 and music isn’t devalued by streaming. Have a code. C’mon.
I'm now getting author scam emails that aren't even addressed to me as an author; they're addressed to my clients who put me in their metadata when they self-published. Surely this scam is no longer working on anyone at all?
January 27, 2026 at 11:29 PM
I'm now getting author scam emails that aren't even addressed to me as an author; they're addressed to my clients who put me in their metadata when they self-published. Surely this scam is no longer working on anyone at all?
Not long ago I released a 60-track "best of" from my decades making ambient, psych, prog, and folk music. I would like you to have a code for your collection, if you please. If you enjoy those genres, you'll find something to like.
See below for codes.
thegatelessgate.bandcamp.com/album/ethere...
See below for codes.
thegatelessgate.bandcamp.com/album/ethere...
Ethereally Obscure - The Best of "Box Set", by Allister Thompson - The Gateless Gate
60 track album
thegatelessgate.bandcamp.com
January 27, 2026 at 3:31 PM
Not long ago I released a 60-track "best of" from my decades making ambient, psych, prog, and folk music. I would like you to have a code for your collection, if you please. If you enjoy those genres, you'll find something to like.
See below for codes.
thegatelessgate.bandcamp.com/album/ethere...
See below for codes.
thegatelessgate.bandcamp.com/album/ethere...
I do love that album. It's one of the great lost prog/psych albums in a way, despite the fame of its maker. And it's a trip!
@joebankswriter.bsky.social returns to D&Ts as we look at, and perhaps re-evaluate, Michael Moorcock's 1975 album The New Worlds Fair.
I was pretty underwhelmed when I first got this on CD in the 90s. But I was wrong. It has aged like a fine Melnibonéan wine.
I was pretty underwhelmed when I first got this on CD in the 90s. But I was wrong. It has aged like a fine Melnibonéan wine.
The New Worlds Fair
Joe Banks braves the radioactive zone to join me on the Ferris Wheel and discuss the 1975 album by Michael Moorcock and The Deep Fix – The New Worlds Fair – the 50th anniversary edition…
breakfastintheruins.com
January 24, 2026 at 1:53 PM
I do love that album. It's one of the great lost prog/psych albums in a way, despite the fame of its maker. And it's a trip!
We're already at the point where a significant amount of queries I get say something like "I'm looking to hire a human editor."
January 23, 2026 at 3:03 PM
We're already at the point where a significant amount of queries I get say something like "I'm looking to hire a human editor."
It'll be -40 C in the nighttime this coming weekend, and also my bday. "True Winter" is one of my best chilly releases.
I thought I'd share that "true winter" experience with you.
So here's download codes so you can enjoy some freezing ambiance. (see next skeet)
thegatelessgate.bandcamp.com/yum
I thought I'd share that "true winter" experience with you.
So here's download codes so you can enjoy some freezing ambiance. (see next skeet)
thegatelessgate.bandcamp.com/yum
January 22, 2026 at 11:35 PM
It'll be -40 C in the nighttime this coming weekend, and also my bday. "True Winter" is one of my best chilly releases.
I thought I'd share that "true winter" experience with you.
So here's download codes so you can enjoy some freezing ambiance. (see next skeet)
thegatelessgate.bandcamp.com/yum
I thought I'd share that "true winter" experience with you.
So here's download codes so you can enjoy some freezing ambiance. (see next skeet)
thegatelessgate.bandcamp.com/yum