Podcast
Two Librans
Hosted by Roman Muradov, Tom Van Deusen · EN
A podcast about the Fall and Mark E.Smith, headed by two cartoonists of moderate renown, Roman Muradov and Tom Van Deusen. If you don't care about the Fall, most of the show is funny digressions and exemplary banter on subjects as varied as Russian Wheel of Fortune, Tom Morello's Dangerous Truths, indie comics, Slack bullying, chocolate fountains, and so much more.
twolibrans.substack.com
twolibrans.substack.com
22episodes
Episodes
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23. Bill is Dead
1w ago01:12:15Tap to summarizeWe have decided that it’s time to discuss the Fall’s horniest and most earnest song, Bill is Dead, in which Mark E. Smith details the number of orgasms he delivered on at least one occasion. A atmosphere of uncharacteristic sensuality pervades not only this song, but this episode as well. We get very horny indeed, and at one point, Roman even details his discovery of the female orgasm. Listen with the lights dimmed and parents out of reach. Mark washes his hands after relieving himself, and so should you.ALSO DISCUSSEDBookshelf backdropsNorm vs MJPa-pa-pa-paaaaaAlison Bechdel’s AI goatsOUR OWN SUBSTACKSRoman Muradov Tom Van Deusen This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit twolibrans.substack.com
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22. Slippy Floor
Apr 2100:48:41Tap to summarizeAnd we’re back, finally and we finally finish covering a song for once, the dense and mutli-part Y.F.O.C. / Slippy Floor. You can catch up on the first part, but the lyrics don’t make a hell of a lot of sense anyway.For our next episode, we have a sEcRet special guest 🤫 and it’ll be a bit of a soft reboot for the show. Till then, enjoy a classic digression-fest with two men bickering intercontinentally.Since it’s the same damn song, let’s put in an alternative mix at least. It’s not very good, but it’s different.ALSO DISCUSSEDHappy 100th birthday to the term “Late Stage Capitalism”🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂Black SethTHIS CHANGES EVERYTHINGIs Slippy Toad a Furry?Listeners, let us know.The Man with the FishThe surprising link between Roy Cohn, Lionel Trains, and Neil YoungHappy New Year from Club ZPS.Roman had a new graphic novel coming out from Fantagraphics last month and it’s already sold out, which has nothing to do with the publisher printing a very modest number of copies. You can still find it in shops, but hurry up. Guaranteed to be a collector’s item. Roman also finished the latest Resident Evil game and had difficult feelings about it:Tom doesn’t have a goddamn thing to report. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit twolibrans.substack.com
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21. Y.F.O.C.
Mar 600:39:11Tap to summarizeIn this episode we intended to cover the entirety of the Fall’s late-career banger “Y.F.O.C / Slippy Floor”. However, we went so off-course we can legally only say we covered the acronym. We’ll cover the eponymous “Slippy Floor” that somehow broke both of Mark E. Smith’s hips another time!The song is still an absolute banger, and we do go a bit into the background, but this episode is pretty much all side-quest missions.INCLUDING!Joe RogaineIsn’t it nice when people you hate turn out to be bad?“It seemed like a good idea at the time!”The golden age of Boob SigningThat’s album art, alrightAmanda Palmer, Patreon Saint of the podPS.Roman has a new graphic novel coming out from Fantagraphics. He’s doing an event for it at Desert Island in Brooklyn, and Tom will join and read some new comics.Guaranteed to be the event of the century.Tom has nothing to plug on his ‘stack, he’s still slowly working on his comic and his prints. Follow him on Instagram, why don’cha? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit twolibrans.substack.com
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20. Poisoned Fishes
Feb 401:13:47Tap to summarizeToday we are covering several terrible songs by probably the worst ex-member (although the membership itself is disputed) of the Fall, E* Bl*n*y. We censored his name because he seems like the sort of person who googles himself, and I don’t think there’s a single kind word said about him in this whole episode. So, E*, if you stumbled upon this, just walk away. You have a life, a family, and a career. This is just a tiny podcast made by practitioners of the lowest artform in history.For everyone else, prepare to explore the wild world of this guy, as well as various forums and obscure musical review sites, where E*’s mates have gone out of their way to write something positive about his “skronking wonk bonk.”Note: This video is age-restricted for pretty graphic real-life war footage. It should also be taste-restricted for being utter shit.This is a bit of an unusual, ‘proper’ podcast, where we ‘do a journalism’ and go deep down a rabbit hole of mediocrity, instead of just endlessly derailing each other. It’s the NPR of Two Librans, except actually good.ALSO DISCUSSEDPascal Le Gras’s cover artHonking Skronk Rock recorded at a rented house in HolmfirthAnother act from the Manchester Bl*n*y-verseSeriously, who in the hell IS this guy?!Mark hits a nadirProto-Blaney from Fast ShowEric Clapton on his racist past: “I just thought it was funny”PS.Don’t forget to follow our personal stacks!Roman has a new graphic novel coming up on Feb.24th from Fantagraphics. And if you’re in London, you can get it signed on Feb.26th at Gosh Comics.Tom has nothing to plug on his ‘stack, he’s still slowly working on his comic and his prints. Follow him on Instagram, why don’cha? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit twolibrans.substack.com
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19. Das Vulture Ans Ein Nutter-Wain
Jan 2601:00:01Tap to summarizeWe continue our European travelogue through our misadventures through Berlin and Leipzig last summer, and to accompany it we chose to discuss The Fall’s “Das Vulture Ans Ein Nutter-Wain”, a song whose title in German means absolutely nothing.We also discuss our old bugbear Patti Smith (the bleeper had to do overtime on this ep), Jordan Peterson’s all-meat diet, and Roman’s dangerously truthful Trumpberg-trolling on Instagram. Roman is pretty trashed on this one after a full day of irritating his audience online for no reason. Probably not his finest performance, but the man was dealing with Society, give him a break, damn it! Tom is drinking too, but that’s pretty par for the course.ALSO DISCUSSEDRoman’s Epstein momentJordan Peterson DESTROYS feminism by talking over womanPatti Smith’s N-word pass revisitedPreviously discussed in episode 11.Beyond Bath and BeyondHere she is confirming that she indeed is a n************. This might be the most irritating interview with anyone, ever. She uses N-word within the first minute (different times).IYKYKOther classicsTom interrupting Roman’s “meditating”Saul Steinberg getting a little flirty with the interviewer(different times)The Crumb biothat probably desperately needs promo from our very popular podRoman’s cursed children’s book that brought him questionable new audiencesFriend of the pod Anna HaifischFriend and collaborator of the pod James TurekMen sleep on layers of bedsheets and think it’s fineUsPS.Don’t forget to follow our personal stacks!Roman has a new graphic novel coming up on Feb.24th from Fantagraphics. And if you’re in London, you can get it signed on Feb.26th at Gosh Comics.Tom has nothing to plug on his ‘stack, he’s still slowly working on his comic and his prints. Follow him on Instagram, why don’cha? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit twolibrans.substack.com
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18. Papal Visit Pt. 1
Jan 701:00:00Tap to summarizeWARNING, INFANT!If you came to the pod looking for informed Fall commentary, this episode might not be the best place to start. It was ostensibly to be about the Fall-filler “classic” Papal Visit, but things got badly derailed when we discussed our European adventure together earlier this year. If you’re looking for a decent introduction to our somewhat-Fall-related banter, check out our recent recent ep on Bonkers in Phoenix. Otherwise, enjoy the travelogue!As a result, the least-deserving song in the Fall catalogue is a two-episode special, so stay tuned.LADZ ON TOURWe’re going over our first and last pub crawl pilgrimage to Manchester, and get derailed into discussing beastmodes, Leigh Bowery at the Tate, sensitive actor Pedro Pascal, early British indie games, bouncy castles and other worthy matters.ALSO DISCUSSEDLS Lowry 360 experienceVR ColonoscopyLeigh BowerySHUT UP, LITTLE MAN!That egg gateDizzyRoman’s scenic death marchA bouncy castle near a church (church was on the left)The Mancunian NeckbeardThe semi-official MES pub crawlHoney, we have Cuphead at homeBank Holidays in ManchesterBEAST MODEPS.Don’t forget to follow our personal stacks.Roman is back with an exciting new Terrible Father adventure:Tom is still cranking away furiously on his comic, and you can read the last installment with its proper formatting.PPS.From one of the lavatories. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit twolibrans.substack.com
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17. Jingle Bell Rock
Dec 2500:52:17Tap to summarizeThis episode we cover such festive topics as school shootings, Zohran’s waifu (who is definitely listening to the pod), and the prison industrial complex! Since this is the first episode we recorded and edited in a timely manner, we even talked about the newest Jeffrey Epstein “drop” and other topical matters—listen now, or feel irrelevant forever.JINGLE BELL ROCKMerry Mark E. Smith-smas, boys and girls, it’s the very first Two Librans Holiday Special! This episode’s Fall song is a bizarre cover of Jingle Bell Rock from a mid 90s John Peel session, with a wild story behind its improvised lyrics. We delve into the song’s history, and its many, many cover versions, almost all of them terrible.For comparison, here is the original. We’ll go over all the missing and added lyrics, green M&S bags, Brussels sprouts, old beef, and all.We’re a little drunk on this one. So sneak off from staid and awkward family time, lock yourself in the bathroom and spend some quality time with your real family.ALSO DISCUSSEDThe story behind the coverFrom the new audiobook version of Steve Hanley’s the Big Midweek.Roman’s exceedingly thoughtful gift for TomGets yours hereNY post headlinesPrisonJust friendsKurt Vonnegut farting aroundRiver City Ransom US cover artPS.Don’t forget to follow our personal stacks. Tom is still cranking away furiously on his comic, and you can read the last installment with its proper formatting.Roman recently had a work trip and made some exciting drawings about office life. If you’re reading this before the end of the year, his annual subscription has a discount, and he’s pledging to put out more posts. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit twolibrans.substack.com
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16. British People in Hot Weather
Dec 500:53:35Tap to summarizeHowdy-ho, fellow and honorary Librans, to a brand-spankin’-new episode we recorded months ago! Now that we’ve crossed the threshold into winter, it’s a great time to release an episode that we recorded in late spring and said will “probably come out this summer.” When Tom heard that while editing the episode it made him very sad! He looked outside at the frosty gray day from his millennial gray apartment. He then looked back at Adobe Audition and started sobbing. Poor Tom.But Tom was rapidly filled with cheer as he realized this was the episode where we discuss…BRITISH PEOPLE IN HOT WEATHERYes, what better time to share a song about summer than in the middle of the winter of our diss-content? This banging tune will certainly warm you up, whatever cold region you might be currently inhabiting.Mark brings himself to giggles singing about how poorly the British handle the heat in this weird B-Side released around the time he went through a divorce and recorded Extricate. It might be their most spite-fueled album, which is really saying something when you consider their catalogue, and it’s nice to hear Mark get a little silly in this pretty throw-away track.ALSO DISCUSSEDSpending the summer with Tom Hank’s son (really.)No joke, this is Tom Hank’s sonFellow faux-Jamaican-Patoi lover, Adrian BrodySound of the Summer.Kubrik’s scene compositions in Barry Lyndon This great interview with Robert Crumb at the 92nd St. Y (if you listen closely you can hear Tom laughing in the audience!)The intensely disturbing Claymation film The Adventures of Mark TwainHere, watch the whole fuckin’ movie!Roman’s very short career in Facebook gamesPS.Don’t forget to follow our personal stacks. Roman recently came back from France with some very French comics to show.And whoa! Tom is writing comics again! Holy shit, you’d better subscribe so you can READ THE WHOLE BOOK as he slowly draws it! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit twolibrans.substack.com
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15. Bonkers in Phoenix
Oct 3100:56:13Tap to summarizeJust in time for spooky szn, one of the more disturbing Fall songs from an album with a kind of holiday skull. More importantly, we finally fulfill the astrological premise of our podcast, and talk for an unreasonable amount of time about a certain Bushwick bar, centered around the stars and their signs. We go in deep, reading google reviews and missions statements, and, as usual, end up in the doghouse, discussing whether it’s cool or not to ruin your ex-wife’s songs. We also talk about “straight bars” where we feel safe, Roman’s amorous escapades, rejection vouchers, and many other things. Listen till the end for a bonus interview with the man Mark E.Smith and the woman Brix Smith themselves.ALSO DISCUSSEDThis fucking styleGet Your Birthday Song from Hermeto PascoalThe Less “Doctored” Earlier VersionWhat do you think, listener, is it better? We think it is, and Mark was a bit of a knob to dismantle this song further for no good reason.Normal Men Weigh In on Brix’s Contributions Aaaawesome Book for Real Dudes of the ManosphereThe ClassicalThe Other Great Kr*utr*ck Album ArtPS.Don’t forget to follow our personal stacks. Roman is halfway through his long depressing book, and in the next chapter the umbrella story from this episode might reappear in a slightly altered form.Roman’s 15 minutes on Substack from back when Ghibli AI was relevant. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit twolibrans.substack.com
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14. Lie Dream of a Casino Soul
Oct 1401:10:05Tap to summarizeAre you feeling parched? Well, it’s time for another Two Librans episode, so open your cake holes and we’ll douse you from our content firehose! Before we start to discuss The Fall, which is ostensibly the subject of this podcast, we start the episode with a new, short-lived and deeply problematic segment dubbed “The Dog House” (a.k.a. “the Meat is Back”) in which we wanted to go over the latest breakups in comics scene, for all the single minglers out there. We cut almost all of it, out of respect for our colleagues.MEIN DYKHOFFOnce we get that out of our systems, we get to the real subject of today’s episode, a discussion of the classic track Lie Dream of a Casino Soul.Adorned with classic Savage Pencil art, this non-album single slaps in every possible way, from the pling-plong keyboards to the lyrics, which are discussed to no end and no point on The Annotated Fall.There’s a lot of bickering in the comments there until, on the seventy-ninth comment, someone posts the lyrics, written by Marc E. Smith himself, scanned for a Omega Auction of his estate:So there you have it, he doesn’t say “So I think I’ll cut my dick off”, he says “I think I’ll cut my Dykhoff”, which makes zero sense.NEW FACTS EMERGEOh, but does he? When putting together these notes months after the recordings, we came across another Omega auction with the lyrics to the song, with hand-written additions by Marc. So this will remain a mystery until we use AI to resurrect Marc so we can ask him ourselves. Get on it, Zuckenberg!ALSO DISCUSSEDThe great Savage Pencil (who is still alive)SavX’s badass artwork for Big Black’s (middling) Headache EP… which replaced the original, truly reprehensible packaging conceived by the original edgelord, Steve Albini (do not look this up).They’re just pumpkins.It’s just a cheeseburger (squint).Okay, Gooner.How do you celebrate 3/11?Chechnya in Cars 2Marc Bell invented The Minions, period.Jeffrey Lewis’s terrific Legend of the FallPS.Don’t forget to follow our personal stacks. Roman has become public domain, apparently.Also, his new book is up for preorder! Don’t miss his sombre side with this one.And whoa! Tom finished his portfolio, fucking finally! Mostly professional animation work but also has some of his drawings and prints. And he’s working on a new comic, he swears!http://tvd.designHe’s also going to start his blog again, he swears!https://substack.com/@tomvandeusen This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit twolibrans.substack.com
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