“How do we know this is everything, just because we can’t think of anything else?” –RA Lafferty
The concept of a Brain-Weave was explained to me as “the collected unconscious of a group of people, in variable states of sensory arousal, connecting and in that connection a new reality blossoms”. A psychiatrist might call this “Folie à deux” or “mass hysteria”.
While I agree that in some instances the negative connotations of this diagnosis is warranted, I differ in interpreting the Brain-Weave as wholly negative. Are not the members of any given punk band intertwined in a Brain-Weave of sorts? Does their passion for the subject of their songs, and the visceral sensory experience of blaring drums and amplifiers not produce the arousal needed? Does the hypnotic act of rehearsing and performing as a collective not hint at the subconscious connection?
To the Brain-Weave there is no difference between the sporadic improvised movements of a Jazz ensemble and the rigidly rehearsed pop of any top 40 artist. The connection exists in a state uncontrolled by us. Sure we can feed it and try to mold the circumstances to be advantageous for producing the weave but In the end it’s not ours to choose. We can no more choose to participate in the weave than we can choose to participate in the beating of our hearts.
When I lost my friend Mike last year I could tangibly see the effects of his absence in my life. I could see the box with his ashes, I could read all the nice things everyone had to say about him. I could commiserate with buds about him never playing his guitar again or fixing that amplifier or microphone. But I couldn’t feel that he was gone. I could not feel that he was no longer a part of my life. Mike and I had a complicated relationship but I know our friendship is alive because unlike an animal the Brain-Weave can never die.
During the mid 2000’s Worshiper was quickly gaining a reputation as one of Philly’s loudest bands in the underground scene. Worshiper, made up of lifelong friends Mike Parry, Curt Howard, and Benji Davis, had a tumultuous few years; self-releasing their debut To Binge And Purge In LA and embarking on their first and only tour with Boston’s Bad History Month. Though they had a rowdy and devoted cult following, their first release never quite received the accolades it deserved. That being said, they carved out their place in Philly history with their intense live performances and heavy raw sound. They disbanded soon after in part due to songwriter and frontman Mike Parry’s battle with opioid addiction. On June 16th 2021, after years of progress, Mike relapsed and sadly lost his life. The impact of his death permeated the music scene leaving many friends and fans stunned.
Strange Mono has been working with Curt and Benji to try and breathe a second wind into the criminally underrated album that Worshiper produced in 2010. We are announcing a reissue of this tape and are donating 100% of the proceeds to benefit Prevention Point in their mission of harm reduction in the city of Philadelphia.
Recorded at Philly’s legendary Sex Dungeon Studios in one afternoon, Worshiper is sludgy post-hardcore at its pinnacle. This fully remastered cassette reissue features a previously unreleased song and includes the original recordings as well. We hope that this release can raise awareness about one of Philly’s best bands and help
Check out this full interview with Worshiper. We talk about the past, Faux Fetus Collective, dumb cops, trauma responses, pigs blood, and top 5 metal bands.