| Longmont Potion Castle | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Virtual Balboa, Brock Winthrop, Bart Hacker, Wyatt, Prick Baxter, Tommy Vee, Red Brown, Fennel Cartwright, Frickey Weaver, Cooter, Bernard Fuddle, Dirk Funk, Curtis Nala, Gomez, Levi Goulet, Buddy Gripple, Grover Knox, Desmond Sanford, Holmes, Reginald Maplethorp, Dudley, Gianini, Nuno Gloop, Tanyo Lubbock, Luke, Kermit Neville, Nipper, The Polish Stallion, Lars, Don Savage, Rusty Savage, Sissy, Wallace Thrasher aka Stretchy, Dr. Slap, Bonecrusher Smith, Bo "Bobo" Tucci, Nigel Zacket, Spicy Legato, Dusty Staccato, Lloyd Wabbit, Herbert Prick, Axel Rod, Jacques, Mr. Freebus, Monroe, Kirby, Cecil Conklin, Bart Hacker |
| Origin | Denver, Colorado |
| Genres | Comedy Prank phone calls Surrealism |
| Instruments | Telephone Digitech RDS 8000 Electric guitar |
| Years active | 1987 - present |
| Labels | DU Records Reptilian Records Insides Music Post Replica Records Vinyl Communications |
| Associated acts | Implement of Prognosis |
| Website | longmontpotioncastle.com |
Longmont Potion Castle (born 1972 or 1973)[1] is the pseudonym of an anonymous surrealist prank caller who has been active in the Colorado and Los Angeles areas since 1987.[2] Details about his personal life are scarce and his real name is unknown to the public. Over the years, his mostly self-released albums have gained a cult following, notably amongst musicians.[3][4]
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The LA Record describes Longmont Potion Castle's albums as unlike those that most people associate with prank telephone calls, citing that his demeanor is nothing at all like that of The Jerky Boys and Crank Yankers and is actually closer to that of the alternative comedian Neil Hamburger.[5] The magazine goes on to cite some of the topics discussed and parties dialed in the artist's calls: "peacock bowel, owl bowel, peacock meat, squid meat, gorilla ointment, Nugent, Orange Julius, biblioduwangus, woven bread, moving rope and cords into another state, pleated clothing, the Epiphone Dolphin, pumpkin brew, GG Allin, UPS, and opportunities to engender a coalition with the Vatican."[3] In a review from the Denver Westword, LPC's recordings are described as advancing "absurdity as an art form."[6]
The anonymous artist has himself described the albums he's made as "phone work" or "absurdist" art rather than the less sophisticated label of "prank phone calls",[1] and has also said, "They may be dumb, but they're not stupid".[1] Those on the receiving end of a Longmont Potion Castle call are often left confused and/or extremely angry, however his calls are rarely mean-spirited in nature. His recordings combine prank calls with sound collages and his own musical compositions, the majority of which are thrash metal instrumentals. Occasionally, Longmont Potion Castle filters his voice through a Digitech RDS 8000 rack-mounted digital delay panel to produce odd sound effects, thus making whoever he has called even more confused.[3]
In 2006, Longmont Potion Castle announced his retirement. In an interview with The Nerve Magazine, he explained that the box set Longbox Option Package would be the final LPC release.[7] However, in 2008 he released a new CD, Longmont Potion Castle Volume 6. In 2009, he released Volume 7 (not to be confused with his 2005 album of the same name released as a part of the Longbox Option Package box set, a disc that contained only thrash metal music). The album featured several celebrity calls, including ones to singer Eddie Money, Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek, and guitarist Rick Derringer. January 2011 saw the release of LPC 8, in which the artist primarily used Skype on a laptop computer to record the calls.