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...
There is definitely a lot of bad rock out there aimed at the same bros who like red-cup/pickup truck country.
February 10, 2026 at 2:47 PM
There is definitely a lot of bad rock out there aimed at the same bros who like red-cup/pickup truck country.
Like all isolated crazies, I have my own theories! But maybe I’ll look up that fella.
February 10, 2026 at 2:45 PM
Like all isolated crazies, I have my own theories! But maybe I’ll look up that fella.
It’s all just another little facet of the decline and fall of a civilization. Not to be melodramatic or anything…
February 10, 2026 at 2:36 PM
It’s all just another little facet of the decline and fall of a civilization. Not to be melodramatic or anything…
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.
I can’t like this… because I know the background. Darn.
February 8, 2026 at 8:10 PM
I can’t like this… because I know the background. Darn.
Yeah, I read that. All this was inevitable and people are right to be outraged. I will say, though, that there will always be people who want to write real books, and people who want to read those real books. The AI grifters are just crowding the market and drowning us out, basically.
February 8, 2026 at 6:51 PM
Yeah, I read that. All this was inevitable and people are right to be outraged. I will say, though, that there will always be people who want to write real books, and people who want to read those real books. The AI grifters are just crowding the market and drowning us out, basically.
Naturally, I just read something disturbing about him on Wikipedia. Why must every well known person be weird?
February 8, 2026 at 6:02 PM
Naturally, I just read something disturbing about him on Wikipedia. Why must every well known person be weird?
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 think a sense of community is a bit lacking on WP. It feels more like old-fashioned web 2.0 commenting; not so interactive.
February 8, 2026 at 4:33 PM
I think a sense of community is a bit lacking on WP. It feels more like old-fashioned web 2.0 commenting; not so interactive.
To be fair, I’ve had other Wordpress blogs for music-related purposes and they did very well. It does require a lot of posting, and I lack time for it now. Everyone seems to think Substack is where the readers are.
February 8, 2026 at 4:25 PM
To be fair, I’ve had other Wordpress blogs for music-related purposes and they did very well. It does require a lot of posting, and I lack time for it now. Everyone seems to think Substack is where the readers are.
Very hard choices. A lot of authors struggle with whether to publish on Amazon because it really is the source of most of their sales. Tech world is hell world!
February 8, 2026 at 3:21 PM
Very hard choices. A lot of authors struggle with whether to publish on Amazon because it really is the source of most of their sales. Tech world is hell world!
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.
