Malcolm Drie

THE CONTROVERSY RAGES ON: Two of Hot Mont's most devoted writers square off over a hotly contested issue!

Bill Del Rumple

Explanation of the mysterious disappearance of almost all of Hot Mont Recordings… An expose by Malcolm Drie As technicians worked through the rubble of the mysterious sound studio, many bits and pieces of old recordings were found. Chemical analysis of the various shards of vinyl and bits of recording tape showed some very strange results. It was stated in an earlier article that many, and I would say almost all, of Hot Mont recordings have vanished with little being remembered as to what may have happened to whole collections. Modern science once again dispels a mystery. From the remains found at the studio, chemical composition testing showed some very strange ingredients in the recording media used at that ill-fated recording studio. The vinyl and recording tape contained an unknown substance. There was no idea as to the purpose of the unknown ingredient. Through rigorous testing, the technicians came to a very strange conclusion. Hot Mont had figured out a way to time destruct all of his recordings, by placing a neutralized form of some very potent acid into the base mixtures that he used to produce his recording media. Remember the pea-green vinyls and the oddly colored tape in his eight tracks and cassettes. This special ingredient was what created the oddly color media. Several technicians have tried to figure out how to activate this self-destruct mechanism built into Hot Mont's recordings. The technicians tried several different light bands to activate the ingredients, nothing happened. They tried different sounds to try and activate it. The technicians are positive as to the purpose of the strange additive but have not as of yet figured out what may have been used to activate the destruct mechanism.   Even though we don't know exactly how, we now know the reason for the disappearance of Hot Mont's music.  But what I would like to know is … Why?   Only the Hot one knows for sure and at this point in time …he's not talking. I think we can conclude from this, for some unknown reason, Hot Mont was attempting to wipe his existence from the face of the earth, sharing his insight for a specified period of time and then… An expose by Malcolm Drie with permission from Rolling Rock Magazine

REBUTTAL OF THE HOT MONT RECORDINGS SELF- DESTRUCT THEORY: by Bill Del Rumple Malcolm Drie must have been visiting another galaxy when he wrote his expose on "exploding vinyl"! Although some evidence does point to the validity of "self-destructing" product, the reasons espoused just do not add up for me! 1: Hot Mont did not personally  "make" his own vinyl & cassettes; they were manufactured by SniffBrown Records, his label throughout most of his short career. This is public knowledge. Of note, however, is the fact that there seem to be no examples of product remaining from any of  the various  other artists from the SniffBrown catalog to be found! So, even if there was a "self-destruct" ingredient" impregnating the records, it probably would not have been a "Hot Mont" concept, quite simply because the other artists would have objected to their work being artificially deteriorated on purpose. 2:  There are several completely different components involved in a cassette or vinyl release. The cardboard covers of the LPs, for example, would not have been affected at all by the chemicals that have been proven to break down vinyl. Ditto for the paper booklets of cassettes. So where are the covers? Where are the posters , the cassette boxes, etc? After exhaustive research, I now believe that  the complete disappearance of the Hot Mont catalog is a much bigger story than Drie's explanation eludes. (even though Hot Mont records and cassettes admittedly did have a strange pea-green "cast" to them) . 3:  Knowing the propensity of the American general  populous to fear what they don't understand, I feel that the disappearance of almost all Hot Mont products more likely then not has it's  true explanation rooted in good old dogma-driven prejudice. Yes, I now put forth the "optional" explanation: Some sort of extremist group may have rounded up not only Mont's works, but the works of other "conservative" artists of the time period. It's a much scarier explanation, but one that I can back up with hard evidence. Deadline and space constraints will have to leave this evidence to my follow-up article in next month's "Legends" issue. (below) Bill Printed with permission of Legends of the Heartland magazine, issue #89  June 2001

RECORDINGS DON'T JUST "VANISH": PART 2 -Bill Del Rumple/ Legends Magazine July 2001 issue "I feel that the disappearance of almost all Hot Mont products more likely then not has it's true explanation rooted in good old dogma-driven prejudice. Yes, I now put forth the "optional" explanation: Some sort of extremist group may have rounded up not only Mont's works, but the works of other "conservative" artists of the time period……"

In the last installment of my monthly diatribe, I put forth a pretty heavy statement regarding ancient rocker Hot Mont's supposed "disappearing recorded products". Now it's time for me to ante up an explanation for the above paragraph! Retreat was not Mont's way. He deplored weakness in principles & would fight or argue with anyone who would give him cause. With beliefs that firm & unswerving, why would he want his musical & social message to "just go away" after a few years?..Hence, the absurdity of the "self-destructing " vinyl theories. There actually may have been an activist group in 1977 that called itself "The Rebels Without Applause Contingent" or "R.W.A.C.". They were an extreme left wing group who felt extremely threatened by the writings of H.P. Mont & by the fact that he was also a "celebrity". This organization was just as self -righteous as any "book burning wackos" of our earlier American history. Here's a quote from "H.P Mont's "One World Disorder" that may have directly confronted this group. It appears Mont knew his enemy well..too well. "….. if you think about it, a modern "extreme liberal organization" would fit the bill of "desiring controls on the dissemination of information to the consumer" With the pack mentality of modern American society, they would be able to enact this much more fully than the old-time "intolerance" of early American History ever did. It's a basic tenet of socialism or communism for followers to surrender personal freedoms for security….". This R.W.A.C. organization would obviously have preferred that you accept & believe everything that they tell you without you being permitted to cross-reference. Apparently, H.P. Mont's books became a primary target for this group along with several other "conservative" and "controversial" writers of the day. In the summer of 1978, a completely illegal "sting" of Sniff Brown's record label/ publishing caused most of the warehoused Hot Mont albums to be destroyed along with all copies of the books "War is Good" & "One World Disorder". So, that meant the supply of new stuff was stopped. ( By the way, this same bunch was possibly responsible for stopping the presses on Mont's third book "To the Moon, Aliens" before it ever hit the stands!) But what about the thousands of fans who had already purchased the albums & books? Where did all of these privately owned albums & books end up? Incredible as it sounds, R.W.A.C. apparently was able to rally a large contingent of support for their "cause" in several of Mont's key markets of popularity. An actual book burning was held in West Virginia, and "trade ins" were organized in several states where anyone could bring a copy of Hot Mont product (and several other writers/artists) & trade it for a new chart-topping album or best-selling book. Forthcoming documentation from several police departments will bear out the fact that these "rallies" did actually occur, & that they did destroy thousands of pieces of vinyl & books during this operation! Remember the "Elvis" misinformation that was spread about during that same time period (right after his death in 1977). A society that creates a "super-hero-with-mystical-powers" out of an over- the- hill entertainer (regardless of how good Elvis was in his prime) is at the same level of de-evolution as we are today. This most certainly is in line with the mindless "follower" mentality that caused the destruction of so many important Mont writings during that very next year. Amazing that this could occur in the Heartland of America? Didn't we learn anything about intolerance? Or about "verifying our sources"? Does anyone care? Enough for this month! See ya! If you'd like to verify my sources on this story contact me here for info: billdel@earthennet.com P.S: more interesting quotes: "Many people in America 2001 don't think any deeper than the typical Jerry Springer guest. They get their news from provincial & biased sources that don't even bother to mention major news stories from the rest of the world, & generally have a strong idealogical slant to what ever thay do happen to report. But, these people are very much like the people of 1977. There has certainly been no progress, and, in reality, "continuing education" among adults is appallingly lacking now, & was almost as bad then". -author / columnist Matthew Hamelstone "You're nothing but a bunch of pack animals" -recording artist Terra Phane