C.M. James / Fantome Press Collection
A Guide and Inventory
Spec.rare.cms.315

INTRODUCTION

The C.M. James/ Fantome Press Collection consists of documents, publications, video tapes, cassette tapes, correspondence, etc. all relating to the small press owned by C.M. James, The Fantome Press, and the cassette distribution project he ran, called the Underground Culture Vultures. The Fantome Press has been operating in Warren, Ohio since 1976 and publishes original works by various authors including C.M. James.

Overview of the Collection:

Box and Folder Listing:

Box 1

Cassette tapes from C.M. James’ collection, listed alphabetically by artist or in absence of artist by title - includes as much recording information as provided on cassette or case.

• Aguja. Live at Cleveland Public Theatre. Luna Bisonte Prods, 1989.
• Andrew Speaks to the Underground Culture Vulture.
• Apocalypse. Sex Freedom In Germany. 1970.
• Backyard Mechanics for Language. 2 Live 4 Words. Burning Press, 1989.
• Backyard Mechanics for Language. “Deshabille-toi”, “radios”, “I need you”, “prick punch”, “translations from a Vietnamese phrase book”. Burning Press, 1988.
• BBC Radio 4. “Personal Obsessions”, and “Who Shall Bind the Infinite?”. 1995.
• BBC Radio 4. “Scapegoats” Homosexuals. 1994.
• Berry, Jake and John M. Bennett. The Lemurs. Luna Bisonte Prods, 1991. (2 copies).
• Boone, Louis. Church of the Insane. audiofile Tapes, 1987.
• Bruno Pollacci. (English and Italian Versions).
• Cassette Fest: 1998. WCSB 89.3 Cleveland, 1998.
• Clark, David and Chris Culhane and John M. Bennett. Bed Wetting. Improvisational Music, 1991.
• Coroto, Mark (Fa Ga Ga Ga). “Horace Tapscott”. 2001.
• Coroto, Mark. (Fa Ga Ga Ga). M&M. 2000.
• Cowpie Bill’s Harionia. The Hate Generation.
• Crackerjack Kid. Art Strike Mantra: An Audio Mail Art Project. Tom Dimuzio Studio, 1991.
• Dambuilders, The. Encendedor. Eastway Records America, 1993.
• The Helston Furry Dance. 1979.
• Ka-Spel, Edward. Apples (Big) China Doll.
• Kimika. MPH. audiofile Tapes, 1990.
• Mail on Tape 1. “Audio- Letter”. 1999.
• Malebolgue. Deleted. Blackround Wrekhords, 1993.
• Milan, Lee. Audio Letter. “De File”.
• The Moon and the Sledgehammer: Documentary on the Page Family. Gun Hill, 1972.
• Music Machine. What If!.
• Mystery Laboratory. Sampler.
• Newes, Jaspar. (An amazing new cassette).
• Picture Noises from the Global Swamp. ASFi, 1988.
• Porter, Bern and Mark Melnicove. Sleepers Awake by Kenneth Putchen. 1990.
• Porter, Bern. Williamson Street Blues. Audio Muzixa Qet, 1990.
• Porter, Bern and Elizabeth Was. Williamson Street Night?. Audio Muzixa Qet, 1990.
• Qwa Digs Under Paris’s. Amnesia Flashback Unwound. Swinging Axe Productions.
• Slovakia.
• Sonic Graffiti. 1998.
• Spare Cut: inter/views w/ factor x.
• Stone Talk. Toad Hiway Press, 1990.
• The Underground Culture Vulture. Bizzaro Cult Music: Pulp Music.
• The Underground Culture Vulture. Touch of Evil.
• Weiner, Hannah. Weeks. Audio Muzixa Qet, 1989.
• Where It’s At ’88. audiofile Tapes, 1988.
• Whorrall, Bill. “Horinzontal Hubcab Network”, “Lucky Electricity”, “Elvis Slide”. 1991.
• Wyngarde, Peter. The Chicago Conspiracy Trial: Parts 1 and 2. LP. Practical Electronics, 1967.
• Wyngarde, Peter. The Chicago Conspiracy Trial: Part 3. LP. Practical Electronics 1967.
• Your Host Bobby. Anomist.

Box 2

1. Correspondence addressed to C.M. James or Underground Culture Vulture requesting cassettes as seen in advertisements. Most relate to ads placed in either the publication Discoveries or the publication Factsheet Five #50. Copy of advertisement for Underground Culture Vulture in Factsheet Five #50.
2. Two editions of SPUN Magazine, Issues #91 and #92. Letter from SPUN Magazine regarding ad placement in publication. Correspondence requesting cassette as seen in ad in SPUN Magazine.
3. Requests to C.M. James from all different senders for “Tape #1”. Requests to Underground Culture Vulture for various cassettes including “Package #3”, “Package #4” and “Warped Wax #1”. Correspondence to Underground Culture Vulture for “Weird Audio”.
4. Correspondence addressed to Mike James, C.M. James, Fantome Press, or Underground Culture Vulture pertaining to advertisement in different magazines or reviews in magazines including Blazin’ Auralities with copy of Issue #2 of the publication; Russell Records, two postcards from Eternal Networks; and Full Moon Publications.
5. Post cards and correspondence without envelopes to C.M. James or Mike James regarding exchange of cassettes, cassettes sent in the past, or collaboration on casssettes. Post card from David C. Smith regarding sent trading cards.
6. Correspondence from Bob Minerley and Dan Giddings to Underground Culture Vulture regarding old time radio shows.
7. Multiple pieces of correspondence from Rev. M. Harper, Mark Morey, Steve Bynum, or Eric Bradner to Underground Culture Vulture or C.M. James regarding cassettes.
8. Correspondence to C.M. James from Fritz Jonker dating 1998 - 2002. Includes handwritten letters, postcards, a copy of T.G.I.U #6, and three copies of The Hall of Records: Diary of a Fool. 6 post cards, 3 of each kind, by Boomerang Freecards in Amsterdam.
9. Multiple pieces of correspondence to C.M. James or Underground Culture Vulture from Charles Kline and Brian Johnson. Two pieces of correspondence from Randy Ferguson regarding the Brother Terrell tape.
10. Multiple pieces of correspondence to C.M. James of personal nature or familiarity, includes holiday greetings. Correspondence to C.M. James regarding topics other than cassettes or advertisement. Handwritten correspondence discussing tapes and including copied magazine pages and comics.
11. Correspondence from Michael Lumb to Fantome Press/ C.M. James dated January 23, 2001 includes letters, 3 flip books by Michael Lumb titled The Turn of the Century and 275 Second Class Stamps and A Murder of Crows, The Unknown Harrower by Michael Lumb, Tradesmens’ Entrance, Rat Catching in East Anglia, One Square Mile, Bells Cross Road for the Henley Project, Slady Traces by Michael Lumb, and Homage Lesson 1 by Michael Lumb on Nov. 9, 2000, and handwritten note on exterior of envelope.
12. Correspondence from Chuck Furoy to C.M. James regarding exchange of zines, videos, and cassettes. Four postcards and a letter from FaGa GaGa to C.M. James. Correspondence from Jaspar Newes to C.M. James.

Box 3

13. Letters, postcards, fliers, and other correspondence to C.M. James or Underground Culture Vulture regarding events, or organizations. Empty envelopes that contained correspondence to C.M. James or Underground Culture Vulture.
14. Magazines to Underground Culture Vulture including: Brain Cell #355 in envelope addressed to C.M. James; Shemp: The Low Life Culture Magazine #8 in envelope; item list for Realization Recordings 1994; Gates of Heck book list 1995. McFarland ’94: Performing Arts item list; Mind Skelp-cher in brown envelope; Batteries Not Included Vol. 11 #5 in envelope from Falour.
15. Magazines or catalogs to C.M. James or Underground Culture Vulture including: Rounder Roundup #2 item catalog; Cat tales No. 25; 2 issues of K Number 23 and Number 24; ARG 1994: Action Resource Guide #4; Demented Works Vol. 1 Issue 11 & 12; The ERP Journal Vol. 1 No.1; Weekly World Cruz No. 1 December ’94.
16. Two copies of Carnival of Lost Souls by Earl Dogchina. Chapbook by Blaster Al Ackerman titled Son of Ack’s Hacks. Flipbook Child Abuse by Paul Weinman. Items relating to Pravada Records: the 1995 Catalog; coupons; fliers; records list; and “July 1995 Catalog of Music”.
17. Note to John M. Bennett regarding material donated by Mike James. Happy New Year note. Voo Doo Safari Vol. 1 No. 5 “Poems, Songs, and Doggerel” by “Jess” C. James. Poetry of the Damned Voo Doo Safari by “Jess” C. James. “Why I Love the Odd, Midwest Sunset” by Joel Lipman printed by C.M. James in 1989. Fliers about modernism.
18. Note to John M. Bennett from C.M. James regarding materials he felt should be included in collection for future generations: They Won’t Stay Dead No. 25 and No. 27; stapled packet of sci-fi figures costumes and accessories along with price along with order form; The Wild Rag Issue # 30; Shag Stamp No. 5; correspondence from Wild Rags to Underground Culture Vulture; newspaper clippings; paper regarding America’s Most Unusual Video Festival. Correspondence to C.M. James regarding tapes on Lon Chaney; two copies of Beautiful Gardens Issue No. 1; copy of article about Lon Chaney; copy of cover of Discoveries magazine Issue 78 November 1994; Ravada Records list of new releases.
19. Publication of the works in the “Fake Ray Johnson Weekend” on September 15-17 2000 in Columbus, Ohio at the Wexner Center. CD-R 200 Underground Culture Vulture MP3 on it.
20. Master’s Research Paper by Stephen A, Svec for the Kent State University School of Library and Information Science titled Fantome Press: A History and Bibliography with reference to John M. Bennett on pg. 26.
21. 2 CD-ROMS. I Hate the Beatles Vol. 1, a chapbook titled The Tragic Downfall of Edgar Jones (R.I.P.?), The Guy With the Long Red Roscoe by Dick Spot printed by Fantome Press in 1981. Paper reading, “A feeling of passionate mercy the rest doesn’t matter a damn!,” by Kenneth Patchen.
22. All in separate white envelopes three copies of “Sexual Commerce” by John M. Bennett printed by Fantome Press at the Trumbull Art Gallery by C.M. James. All in white envelopes 6 copies of 2 Broadsides by Joel Lipman includes “Linoleum” and “Why I Love the Odd, Midwest Sunset” printed at the Trumbull Art Gallery by Fantome Press in 1989.
23. All in separate white envelopes three copies of the program for C.M. James Artist, Printer, Publisher: A Twenty-Year Retrospective held at the Trumbull Art Gallery from Jan. 11 – Feb. 9.

Box 4

24. Four copies of the finely printed book Still the Sirens by Dennis Brutus printed by Fantome Press in 1989.
25. Seven copies of the miniature Fantome Press Fantome Journal Vol. II No. I inside envelope.
26. Five MP3 tapes with Mysterious Mike and the Mad Tarantulas recordings including: two copies of only Words & noise vol. 1. A flier for the Mysterious Mike and the Mad Tarantulas CD-ROM.
27. Cassette tape titled Disgruntled Employee a spoken word compilation and a flyer describing it. A flyer asking for submissions to Disgruntled Employees Spoken Word Compilation Vol.2. Lost and Found Times by John. M Bennett on cassette tape recorded in 1990 and as a chapbook. Postcards of Computer Typesetting by Dean Bandes for Luna Bisonte Prods.
28. In smaller envelope: cassette cover for Pen Pals produced by Donald Campau; miniature booklet on the Tape-Beatles music group; miniature chapbook by John M. Bennett and Johnny Brewton titled Somation published in 1992 by Luna Bisonte Prods.; miniature journal Tubeway Army #011; and cassette cover for Picture Noise from the Global Swamp. Outside of envelope: two copies of A Fanzine in Gum Card Format Vol. 1 No. 1 printed by Fantome Press; a matchbook printed by Fantome Press; and The Hall of Records: Dico-Veri-Tales.
29. A videocassette titled Terrapin Frame Videos with annoying jumps I hate tape by buZ blurr. Third International Directory of Private Presses: Letterpress published in 1982. Second International Directory of Private Presses published in 1980.

Box 5 oversized

30. On parchment 2 copies of “Words from a Sioux Ghost Dance Song” by David A. McClintock published by Fantome Press in 1991. 4 copies of a photograph taken in Fantome Press. 3 smaller artwork prints. One larger artwork print of an eye. Envelope addressed to John M. Bennett from C.M. James.
31. Note to John M. Bennett from Mike (C.M.) James concerning materials. Five different black and white ink prints by C.M. James on multiple types and sizes of paper. One print in color signed by C.M. James and dated ’79.