Resident Occupant: Truman Bentley interview

From: Will Dockery <will.dockery_at_gmail.com>
Date: 25 Jun 2005 02:52:27 -0700

Following true underground publishing spirit, Resident Occupant is not really a zine, per se but sheets of paper, spewing random thoughts mostly about the occult, politics or art. The layout is usually around three pages of 8-1/2 x 11" (double-sided) plain xerox paper, folded like a letter. The pages themselves drip of crude, clip art coupled with inlays of words or paragraphs all depicting a dark, repugnant look and feel - kinda like you are reading or receiving something extremely forbidden. Sometimes the pages read personal stories that have nothing to do with Anton LeVey or his Church of Satan, but whatever the subject matter, Resident Occupant's true catch is the infamous (and much complained about) type-set. Even though I consider myself a young 30-something person, you will need magnifying glasses to read this stuff. Actually, there are so many words crammed in these cryptic letters, the readers becomes dizzy after awhile and it's normal to find yourself moving the pages in complete circles to read it in it's entirety (one newsletter opens with: "Dear friends, we recently noticed how some readers start twitching and wincing like spazz monkeys while trying to read the fine print of this newsletter. Ha! So, we decided that we would print a lot of it in finer type in order to throw off the unfit and the unwashed.") The folks also claim to receive emails from God. Another charm of Resident Occupant is that the publisher carries on the true zinester nature by exercising the fine art of zine trades. Send these guys a ton of stamps and you're set for a while. Little is known about the crew at Resident Occupant and throughout the zine pages, it is usually stated that, "we work 24-7-365," (in producing Resident Occupant - I actually believe it). After reading some of this, you too will be convinced that this could only be produced at 3 in the morning and by candlelight. One issue stated that this 'is a direct transcript of the words spoken to us from the ethereal plane by our friend and spirit guide teacher, 'o-yama.' His name is Japanese for Satan.' Another "issue," claims to teach a 'absorption form of witchcraft 'seeing that all iconic symbols in America are biblically based, ' while infusing thoughts on the representation of the apple and how it's tied to Disney's Snow White. Another issue talks about a much beloved collection of David Peel & the Lower East Side music forever lost, while most issues almost always include a bunch of photos of Anton LeVey's old stomping ground (before he passed away, that is). Despite that the writing is uncontainable, one thing is consistent, in between these deep, profound findings, subliminal messages are weaved carefully in each sentence about sending stamps. Sometimes you will find some flat lines about politics that make you take some notice about the world around you. Even though, with one look, you will have to agree that this is as punk rock as a zine grimoire can get. As I found myself getting caught in some random thought, I was met with these subliminal messages: 'go pick up your dirty clothes and start some laundry. Go read this newsletter by a running washing machine so that 'no other forces' will hear the secrets contained in this newsletter.' DTR did some digging and received these questions answered from a man whom leaves us with this bit of info: "The world tells me my name is TRUMAN BENTLEY, JR."

Dig This Real: How long have you been doing Resident Occupant? Truman Bentley, Jr.: Resident Occupant, The Newsletter has been created by me/it since 1971. I was seven years old and hand typed it and used rubber stamped headlines. I cranked out about twenty copies then. In High School I would sneak and use the AB Dick purple stencils and acted like I was running copies for a teacher, thus getting free printing. The small type and JABBERWOCKY was to keep the teachers from shutting down the UNDERGROUND PRESS. As long as it was considered silly and harmless, and difficult to read, it was allowed to proliferate, total wolf in sheep's clothing. Now back to the age seven hand created issues. They left me totally exhausted from days of work. This prepped me for my future intense retinue of Sovietsque style SAMISDAT PRESS dedication. As far back as I can recall personal consciousness; to about age one, I was already grown in my mind. In fact most people that know me, the ones I have known since early 1966 are disturbed by how I have always been the same person. I think this is what scared the shit out of adults that knew me as a child.

DTR: It's stated that you work on Resident Occupant 24 - 7 - 365, is this true and who actually puts it all together? TBJ:The voices in my head compose it. Then when the energy is right I straight out type it using Microsoft Works on a 3,1/2 floppy in the same point type each time. I write twenty pages, proof read it then print it. Reduce the twenty pages 50% on a photo copier, then hand cut out each column of type and hand paste it on a single 8,1/2"X11" piece of paper. It takes two, ten pages on each side. Depending on how many photos, some copy is lost. I seldom continue to a third page. The next writing spurt I type over the previous copy on the disk. The paste up serving as the master copy. When printing, one copy of each page is made. Then it is used to run in the machine to create the two sided copy. This is so the master paste up won't get eaten by the machine.

DTR: Resident Occupant is heavily flavored with occult and magickal flavor. What do practise?
TBJ: Unlike Andy Warhol that was a member and attended Catholic church, I attend a Southern Baptist, a very snobbish big city WASP church. I have never been Baptized but have attended Sunday school and church fanatically my entire life. The varities of myself, the me in my head, feels perfectly comfortable leaving church and going home to watch an Anton LaVey video. In fact often when a sermon becomes boring my mind floats off into a hum of Marilyn Manson's Anti-Christ Superstar or The Beautiful People. I think the head Blue Meanie lives in my head along with Max, Glove and a few Apple Bonkers from the film, Yellow Submarine. Like Brian Warner I was also affected by Willy Wonka, and H.R. Puff n Stuff. As far as religion, I can find no fault with anything Jesus said. However, Lavey's Satanic Witch is also based in almost 100% truth. The only difference is Lavey is like a knife, it can cause you to cut yourself, if you break society's residual taboos by getting caught applying Lavey's ideas too overtly. As far as magick. I believe as Aleister Crowley said, 'the only truth about magick is that it doesn't work.'

DTR: How big is your circle/distribution? How many people are on your list (approx.)?
TBJ: Circulation? I write people that write me back. I send newsletters to any cool looking addresses I stumble across. Whenever I get stamps or have a few dollars to buy some. Once I advertised in Fate magazine. The ad cost thirty bucks. I was lucky if it generated ten dollars.

DTR: Is it true that you put zines in bottles and then float them down a river?
TBJ: Rather than recycle making a profit for the city I put zines in all glass and plastic bottles I get a hold of and seal the lids against saltwater with wax and tar. A bottle launched from St.Petersburg Florida in 1997 was found near Capetown South Africa in 1999. I have had over fifty responses (from all over), from the thousands of bottles let loose in creeks, streams, rivers, bays, and oceans. My friend at a fish hatchery gets a kick out of putting wax sealed plastic medicine bottles with zines, etc. in fish he stocks lakes and streams with. The farthest, from Florida, from release in North Georgia. The farthest bottle, Japan from a trip to San Francisco in 1990, (found in 1998). This was tossed in the bay near the Golden Gate Bridge.

• edie

Received on Sat Jun 25 2005 - 02:52:31 PDT