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On Monday, January 20, 2003 it was reported that a Malawi court had dismissed charges against a radio reporter arrested for interviewing a man who said he had been attacked by vampires. "For months the government has been trying to end a rash of stories about vampires attacking villagers at night and using syringes to remove their blood. President Bakili Muluzi has issued a decree ordering police to arrest anyone spreading them. Community radio journalist Maganizo Mazeze on Saturday interviewed a man from the southern tea-growing district of Thyolo who claimed to have been attacked by vampires. Mazeze was arrested Sunday and charged with broadcasting false news likely to cause public alarm. Magistrate Silvester Kalembera dismissed the charges Monday, saying police did not have an arrest warrant."
Earlier on Monday, Magistrate Diana Mangwana granted bail to 19 suspects charged with conduct likely to breach the peace in connection with an attack on a ruling party official who was believed to be harboring vampires. "Since the rumors began, frightened villagers have beaten to death two men suspected of being vampires, attacked and nearly lynched three visiting priests, and destroyed an aid group's encampment they feared was the vampires' headquarters."
Vampires have long been associated with power and great evil so it is no surprise that the ruling elite are suspecting of harbouring vampires.
1047 marked the first appearance of the word "upir" in a document referring to a Russian prince as "Upir Lichy", or wicked vampire, with 1484 seeing the publication of 'The Malleus Maleficarium', known as the witch hunter's bible, is written by Heinrich Kramer and Jacob Sprenger. The topic of how to hunt and destroy a vampire is discussed. Not until 1734 did the word "vampyre" enter the English language.
Vampires suck the life blood out of their victim, a process with can transform their prey into similar beings. By 2000, the music industry and press act in much the same way.
It is that time of year when everyone wants to predict what the next music craze is going to be abd what sucked about the last one. The most overplayed genre according to Metalindex was pop/punk with "MTVcore" a close second. I have no idea what "MTVcore" is, I presume it is MTV friendly bands, probably manufactored.
On a linked note, the new Linkin Park album is going to be called 'Meteora', and it is said to feature a "heavier" musical direction than the one found on the group's previous effort without sacrificing the band's "trademark melodic edge." It could hardly get much lighter than 'Hybrid Theory'. My brother and far too many other people I know bought it, though Beavis was the only one who hated it.
Another poll on Metalindex was for the 'Most anticipated album of 2003' and I was surprised by the results, in decending order: Ministry, Deftones, Cradle Of Filth, Linkin Park, Spineshank, Guns N Roses, Nothingface, Limp Bizkit, Posion The Well, Shai Hulud, Thursday, Darkest Hour, Depswa and Unloco.
I think someone rigged the poll. I have met so few people who have even heard of Ministry that I can believe that more people are waiting for that than the new Deftones album.
'Entertainment Weekly' has joined in the looking back at last year parade and concluded that in terms of music sales 2002 was dire. With country being herelded as "music's salvation". A scary thought and a trend I hope reverses itself as I can not live in a world full of country music.
"For all the media hype about 2002 marking the 'Return of Rock', consumers don't seem to be buying it. Among the 25 top-selling albums of the year, according to Soundscan's annual report, the highest rock finisher is... Elvis? That's right - and the King only finished at No. 15. Among rockers who DON'T appear on a postage stamp, the top seller was Creed at No. 16. Of course, Avril Lavigne finished at No. 3, but she's about as rock 'n' roll as Sid Vicious is polka."
For those lucky majority who are unaware, polka is a lively dance of Bohemian origin in duple time, current bands of this genre are Eddie Blazonczyk's Versatones, Jerry Darlak And The Touch, LynnMarie, Walter Ostanek & His Band and Jimmy Sturr.
Meanwhile, back in Malawi: "As police we are saying there is no evidence that we have blood suckers in this country," said police investigator Paul Chifisi. "No one has come forward with evidence, be it medical, physical or otherwise."
If he raided the record executives offices or the magazine district in London he would have a glut of evidence.
