Heathen Apostles in Gothic Western Gallery Show
The Gothic Western gallery show “Dead End Trail” is opening June 3rd 6-10 PM at Copro Nason Gallery in Santa Monica, California. It will contain new paintings by Sean Cheetham, Kate Zambrano, Sonya Palencia and Jeff Nentrup. The Gothic Western gallery will feature two extraordinary oil paintings of Mather Louth and Chopper Franklin of the Gothic Western band the Heathen Apostles that was painted by Sean Cheetham. The title of the Mather painting is “There in the Ground, My Buried Heart”, and the title of the Chopper painting is “All of our Vows, in Death Did Part”, both lines from the Heathen Apostle’s song “Deadly Nightshade”.
Mather Louth and Chopper Franklin
Sean Cheetham’s paintings have been included in numerous significant exhibitions internationally including the National Portrait Gallery in London. He has a devoted following of collectors and art students that are inspired by his work and distinctive technique. Cheetham’s selection of subjects typically in familiar urban scenes contributes a truthful and often raw spirit that makes his work distinctive and a contemporary testimony of our time.
Kate Zambrano is a self-taught artist living in California. She was born in Texas, but decided to leave at age seventeen to begin a semi-nomadic lifestyle. She enrolled in college to study psychology, but after a while, she realized that she was more into the subject than pursuing an actual career in the field.
Sonya Palencia, is a painter, illustrator, sculptor and woodcarver, whose work celebrates nature and the mystical with the romantic aesthetics of the old world. As a child, Sonya began creating art and studying the nearby wilderness, historical landmarks, and the extraordinary past of her native California.
As a Southern California native, Jeffrey Nentrup developed a love for art and nature at a young age. After years of painting digitally in the high-octane commercial art ranks and working on marquee projects for A-list clients (Dreamworks, Warner Bros., Universal, Sony, Disney, Paramount, NASA) and a top cover artist who’s artwork has been featured on dozens of novels worldwide, Jeff has returned to the immediacy of his first love, oil painting.
“The Reckoning” Western Goth Music Video Anniversary
10 years ago today the Heathen Apostles put out their first music video, The Reckoning. The band filmed the Western Goth music video before they played their first show, when the Heathen Apostles were just the OG trio of Mather Louth, Chopper Franklin and Thomas Lorioux. It’s the first thing they put out so this is pretty much the 10th anniversary of the band, they’ve really been hard at it non-stop. Violinist Luis Mascaro joined just after this, they’ve put out 6 albums, several EPs and singles, toured Europe several times and are heading to the UK in July. While Corporate Music has been conglomerating (and cannibalizing) itself, they’ve managed to fly under the radar, doin’ their thing (which the band admits ain’t for everybody). Thanks to all past band members, and all that have supported us; whether it’s one download, or buying every release and piece of merch the Heathen Apostles have had for sale. Click HERE to watch The Reckoning video.
Click HERE to purchase the CD, to purchase it on iTunes click HERE, for Amazon click HERE.
Directed by the Heathen Apostles
Featuring Edward Colver as the Demonic Preacher.
Production assistance by Monica Blair and Thai Knight. Special thanks to Karin Swinney.
The Reckoning written by Louth/Franklin
Produced & mixed by Chopper Franklin at the Devil’s Doghouse, Echo Park, Ca.
© 2013 Ratchet Blade Records
“The Goodbye Family” Makes Best Animated Series List
The Goodbye Family has made the Vulture Magazine Top Ten list of the best animated series of 2022. The Gothic Western series was created by Lorin Morgan-Richards and features a theme song, as well as other music, from the Heathen Apostles. Heathen member Chopper Franklin also does the score and SFX, and he and vocalist Mather Louth are part of the show’s cast.
Willing to squash and stretch the television and streaming mediums to their limits, the best animated television of 2022 relishes in anticipation and payoff. Returning series such as Harley Quinn and The Owl House cater to their respective loyal fan bases by emphasizing strong character writing and earned emotional heft — even when it’s nestled in humor. A handful of new shows, including The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder and The Boys Presents: Diabolical, leverage the goodwill that came from titles that preceded them to craft stories and art that look radically different from what came before but still feel natural in context. A few debuts break new animated ground entirely, delivering to us the digital worlds of Pantheon and the fantasy realms of The Legend of Vox Machina for our eyeballs to feast on. Now that we’ve presented the year’s top animated films and (specifically, separately) its top anime series, here are the animated TV shows we couldn’t stop watching this year.
10. The Goodbye Family
The Goodbye Family is pretty different from every other show on this list. It’s a webtoon that looks as if it was made with MS Paint and centers a family of undertakers trying to eke out a living in a pen-scratched, gothic take on the Old West that’s fleshed out by rootsy Americana music and offbeat humor. Aside from the voices and music, it’s almost entirely made by creator Lorin Morgan-Richards, who based it off his “Weird West” comic of the same name. The Goodbye Family is extremely lo-fi but also unnervingly fun thanks to how it leans into the characters’ peculiarities and morbid humor. In one scene from the episode “The Seedy Snare,” matriarch Pyridine rattles off the Goodbyes’ list of payment options — “We take Gravepal, Renmo, and Coffin Bell wires, although crypt currency … I’m not sure about that one” — as another member of the family cheerily mops blood off the floor. The Goodbye Family is not for everyone, but it just might be for you, if you let it.
Gothic Artist Stephanie Inagaki Doing Bloodgrass Cover Art
The Heathen Apostles are again collaborating with gothic artist Stephanie Inagaki, she will do the cover art on the band’s upcoming album Bloodgrass Vol. 3 & 4 (out Friday the 13th of May on Ratchet Blade Records). Stephanie previously did the cover art for the first album in the series, Bloodgrass Vol. 1 & 2, as well as appear in a music video from that release Death Came a Ridin’ (directed by Ashley Von Helsing).
Ver Mar, Stephanie Inagaki, Jonathan Cripple
Stephanie also makes fine art images and wearable art objects: portals to a realm of macabre fineries, Old World glamour, breathtaking mastery, rich symbolism, and deep wisdom. Meticulously crafted from sensuous and elemental mediums, each piece is made with love and tells a story of power and grace in the face of crisis, loss, and transformation. She is also the proprietress of Miyu Decay, meticulously and lovingly hand carves each design out of wax before going through the lost wax casting process.
Stephanie Inagaki‘s imagery is startling in its complex dualities. It manages to simultaneously contrast eroticism and violence, beauty and decay, life and death, all the while maintaining a harmonious and even sensuous balance of these themes. She brilliantly explores themes which are deeply personal to her by employing motifs that carry along the rich cultural traditions of her heritage and imbues them with her own meaning. Equally surrealistic and expressive, she mines her emotions and uses her body in order to create, in her own words, a “landscape where double self examinations occur through portraiture and self ruminations of the negative and positive…“
Deeply influenced by her continual studies in Middle Eastern dancing, Miyu Decay combines aesthetic elements from the Middle East, Africa, India, Europe, along with traditional Japanese designs.
More Heathen Apostles in Western Goth Series
The Heathen Apostles have contributed the theme song to The Goodbye Family, the first animated Western Goth series, and guitarist Chopper Franklin has contributed to the score. Now, in the two episodes posted below (“The Skeleton Key” episodes 4 & 5), they have also contributed a new song, Get Outta Dodge (in episode 4) and voice over characters (episode 5). Mather Louth plays the character Emma Blu, and Franklin the bartender Hibiscus. Here is the info on the episodes from the production notes:
While Orphie’s parents are hawking their funeral wares, Orphie, a self appointed sheriff, notices an inmate that has broken out of jail. Ouiji, her cat and deputy, was supposed to be watching the prisoner, but instead follows her owner for treats. Meanwhile, an odd fellow named Souq, who only seems to say “Howdy,” is lurking nearby.
Lorin Morgan-Richards new Gothic Western/Weird West TV show The Goodbye Family: The Animated Series with undertakers Pyridine Goodbye, matriarch and mortician, Otis, father and hearse driver, their daughter Orphie, both a gravedigger and Sheriff, along with their pets: Ouiji the cat, Dorian the tarantula, Lassy the Lasso snake, and horse Midnight.
Music by Heathen Apostles
Want to see more of The Goodbye Family? Check out our playlist here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLn…
Visit ‘The Goodbye Family’ at the following:
Official Page ➤ https://www.lorinrichards.com
Facebook ➤ https://www.facebook.com/lorinmorganr…
Instagram ➤ https://www.instagram.com/lorin_morga…
Twitter ➤ https://twitter.com/LMorganRichards
Goodreads ➤ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show…
TikTok ➤ https://www.tiktok.com/@thegoodbyefam…
Pinterest ➤https://www.pinterest.com/ravenabovep…
Tapas ➤ https://tapas.io/series/The-Goodbye-F…
© Lorin Morgan-Richards 2021
Gothic Americana Stampede Continues In Europe
The Heathen Apostles’ Gothic Americana stampede is continuing through Europe, tomorrow marks the halfway point of the 18-shows-in-18-days tour. They have hot-off-the-press vinyl copies of their last full length album Dust To Dust (out now on Urgense Disk Records in Geneva), and they are supporting their latest release, the Bloodgrass Vol. 3 EP (out now on Ratchet Blade Records).
Most venues are having some capacity adjustments due to the COVID 19 pandemic, and some are relocating to outdoor venues, so contact your local venue and get tickets early.
HEATHEN APOSTLES 2021 EUROPEAN FINAL DATES
09/09/2021 Thursday – Willemeen, Arnhem, The Netherlands
10/09/2021 Friday – La Bonne Idée, Vresse-sur-Semois, Belgium
11/09/2021 Saturday – CC Muze, Zolder, Belgium
12/09/2021 Sunday – The Grand Canyon, Nazareth, Belgium
13/09/2021 Monday – Titanic, Herenthout, Belgium
14/09/2021 Tuesday – Far-West Bar, Liege, Belgium
15/09/2021 Wednesday – The Shakespeare Pub, Herdecke, Germany
16/09/2021 Thursday – Indra Club 64, Hamburg, Germany
17/09/2021 Friday – Wild At Heart, Berlin, Germany
Heathen Apostles Enter the EU Under the Wire
We are pleased to report that the Heathen Apostles made it into the European Union a day before the EU proposed a travel restriction on several countries, including the US. All shows on their European tour are currently still scheduled as planned, starting tonight at Schlachthof in Krefeld, Germany and continuing through September 19th. Mask requirements and proof-of-vaccination will vary by venue, so call ahead for information. The band will be playing selections from their new EP Bloodgrass Vol. 3 (click HERE to listen), as well as favorites from their seven year history.
HEATHEN APOSTLES 2021 EUROPEAN TOUR DATES
02/09/2021 Thursday – Kulturrampe, Krefeld, Germany
03/09/2021 Friday – Alter Open Air Stage, Mannheim, Germany
04/09/2021 Saturday – Ballonfabrik, Augsburg, Germany
05/09/2021 Sunday – Private Show, France
06/09/2021 Monday – l’Usine Switzerland Genève
07/09/2021 Tuesday – Spazio 211, Torino, Italy
08/09/2021 Wednesday – Brasserie de Framont, Grandfontaine, France
09/09/2021 Thursday – Willemeen, Arnhem, The Netherlands
10/09/2021 Friday – La Bonne Idée, Vresse-sur-Semois, Belgium
11/09/2021 Saturday – CC Muze, Zolder, Belgium
12/09/2021 Sunday – The Grand Canyon, Nazareth, Belgium
13/09/2021 Monday – Titanic, Herenthout, Belgium
14/09/2021 Tuesday – Far-West Bar, Liege, Belgium
15/09/2021 Wednesday – The Shakespeare Pub, Herdecke, Germany
16/09/2021 Thursday – Indra Club 64, Hamburg, Germany
17/09/2021 Friday – Wild At Heart, Berlin, Germany
Phantom of the Black Hills’ New Heavy Western Album
Our Ratchet Blade labelmates the Phantom of the Black Hills are releasing a new Heavy Western album, and the Heathen Apostles are all over it. Mather is singing on several of the songs, and Chopper produced and mixed it. Here’s the press blurb from RBR:
Ratchet Blade Records is proud to announce the July 2nd release of “That Witch”, the highly-anticipated seventh release from the notorious hellbilly/doom country band the Phantom of the Black Hills. A true Heavy Western album, “That Witch” is the follow up to Ghosts (2009), Born To Gun (2010), ENEMY! (2012) and Black Hearted Killer EP (2013), Moonshine Bright (2014) & Scalped (2017) and was produced and mixed by Chopper Franklin.
The band is joined on the album by Mather Louth, lead vocalist for the Gothic Americana band the Heathen Apostles, of which Franklin is also a member.
Track Listing:
1. RISING SON
2. THAT WITCH
3. BUCK KNIFE
4. LADY JUDAS
5. MOON KILLER
6. HUNGER
7. ROAD TO BLEEDING
8. SIN & SANCTITY
9. WICKED STORM
10. ATTACK
Chopper Franklin To Score Gothic Western Animated Series
Chopper Franklin
The Heathen Apostles’ Chopper Franklin has been hired to compose music for the Gothic Western animated series The Goodbye Family. The Goodbye Family is the creation of Lorin Morgan-Richards, who has adapted the series from his comic collection of the same name that he began in 2017.
Chopper’s Heathen Apostles had recently collaborated with Richards on the series theme song (The Goodbye Family Theme Song [Sew It Up] check it out HERE) and Richards wanted to continue the feel of that music for the rest of the episodes. Here is Richards explaining The Goodbye Family:
Lorin Morgan-Richards
It follows the lives of Weird West undertakers Otis, Pyridine, and their daughter Orphie. Pyridine is a witch and matriarch mortician, Otis is a brainless but bold hearse driver, and Orphie is appointed grave digger for her strength of twenty men. Through bumbling Otis discovers his neighbors are turning into zombies, a mystery that is directly affecting their burial business. In their backyard cemetery they travel to the underworld for answers and uncover a plot to surface the evil entities, that would otherwise burn in the Lake of Fire, have risen again through oil pumps that are being bottled as a tonic medicine for the ground above. The tonic is consumed and the host fully takes over the body when the body perishes. Can the Goodbyes hilarious gaffes and revelations plug up the works?
The animated Gothic Western series is slated for a Summer 2021 release.
Heathen Apostles Celebrate Women’s Day
International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. Significant activity is witnessed worldwide as groups come together to celebrate women’s achievements or rally for women’s equality.
From the Heathen Apostles Instagram: To all women: we see you. We celebrate you. We thank you for all that you are, all that you have been, and all that you will be. 💪🖤 (photo of our very own @matherlouth by @moomerfoto) #internationalwomensday #womensupportingwomen #whoruntheworld #womenartists #thefutureisfemale 
Heathen Apostles Rebroadcast on KXLU – Southern Gothic Radio
The Stray Pop when the Heathen Apostles performed live on February 20, 2015 is going to be rebroadcast this Fri (1/29/21) 11pm-3am PST on KXLU Los Angeles 88.9 FM and www.KXLU.com ! Tune in for Stella bringing you the Heathen Apostles and Southern Gothic radio for the evening!
Lead Vocalist Mather Louth First Nations Benefit
As alot of you know, our lead vocalist Mather Louth is also an awesome art model. As you can tell from our videos and photos she has a great arsenal of costumes. She has been doing online streaming sessions with suggested donations, on Friday June 5th 100% of payments for her session will go to the First Nations COVID 19 Emergency Fund. You can email her at matherlouth@gmail.com to receive your passcode if you are interested in participating. Here is her post about the event:
“My next live stream costume drawing session is ONE WEEK FROM TODAY, and it’s going to be a special one.
The First Nations communities have been utterly devastated by the effects of the pandemic, and it is with this in mind that I will be donating 100% of my session to the First Nations COVID 19 Emergency Response Fund as a humble means of trying to help. I’d greatly appreciate it if you can help share this flyer so that we can help even more!
I’ve chosen my Elf Archer as the theme for the evening, and she is a super fun and dynamic character to draw! Hope to see you there, and sign up for the countdown in my stories to make sure you don’t miss out!”
Heathen Apostles – Gothic Western Bandanas
From the Heathen Apostles Facebook page: We hope everyone is doing well, we can’t wait to get back on the road and see you all! We’ve had a bit of a run on our Vince Ray gothic western bandanas; bandanas seem to be the easiest way of protecting ourselves and others, especially worn over a standard mask. We’ve been trying to figure out how to get them over to Europe with cheaper shipping, for now we’re recommending them as an add-on item, and, as always, we refund the difference if you are charged more for shipping than it costs. We are throwing a a digital copy of our latest release “Born By Lightning”, and a Heathen Apostles sticker; click HERE to check them out.
Stay safe and we hope to see you all soon! We are finalizing the dates for our 2020 European tour, check back for updates. photos by Mather Louth
Mather Louth in Heavy Country Collaboration
The Phantom of the Black Hills are back in the studio to record a new album, and once again they will be collaborating with the Heathen Apostles’ lead singer Mather Louth. For those who don’t know, Phantom of the Black Hills play very heavy country music, and have been together since 2009.
POTBH and Mather previously worked together on Wild Witch of the West (you can check out the wild music video for the song HERE), the lead single from their last album, 2017’s Scalped. This time Mather will have a bigger role in the project, singing and writing on several songs on the new album. The album is roughly scheduled for a Spring 2020 release on Ratchet Blade Records, and it will once again be produced by Chopper Franklin.
WILD WITCH OF THE WEST
(lyrics by Phantom of the Black Hills and Mather Louth)
Drag me to hell, and howl it up all night
A haunted heart, got the feeling right
Trigger finger warm, her blood runnin’ cold
A sunken sun, time to bring the show
Your death is her fascination
Sent to hell to stay; well, hell, she’ll show the way
She’s serving up some damnation
Badder than the rest, the Wild Witch of the West
Spells in the wind, crows fill up the sky
She’s so gone, can’t be rectified
Drums beatin’ dark, corpses in the street
Her eyes wild, guns spittin’ heat
She’s bringin’ your devastation
Yeah, she’ll mark your grave, and send you on your way
Your grief is her incantation
Bringin’ all the best, the Wild Witch of the West
Hex taking aim,
It’s you I’ve come to claim
One last bone to pick
that bears your name
I’m crossing over the threshold
Sweeping off the ashes and the brimstone
You’d best not find yourself alone
Every story ends the same,
Another moth caught by the flame
New Gris Grimly “Deathrider” T-Shirt Design
In 2013 the Heathen Apostles collaborated with Victoria Vengeance and Gris Grimly on the music video for their song Dark Was The Night, and now they are proud to reveal their new T-shirt, The Deathrider, designed by Gris Grimly himself! Inspired by the Heathen Apostles song Death Came a-Ridin’, it incorporates many of their favorite things: snakes, the Grim Reaper, bronc riding, steer skulls…. and more snakes!
Available in both Men’s and Ladies styles, click HERE to see this amazing T-Shirt.
Heathen Apostles Southern Gothic Video Update
The Heathen Apostles have been busy on all fronts these days, they’ve been especially busy working on their new Southern Gothic video for Deadly Nightshade, here is a post from lead vocalist Mather Louth on Instagram about what’s been cookin’:
“We’ve been cooped up in the Devil’s Doghouse even more than usual lately, recording our new full length album (more on that soon 🤘🏻), collaborating on a new merch design, and prepping for our European summer tour. We also have been shooting our latest video for “Deadly Nightshade” with the mad genius @lordbinah – lots on our plates, but that means lots to come for y’all! In the meantime, here are a few great #bts shots of ‘Deadly Nightshade’ by @lfmora ”
Heathen Apostles Featured on New Gothic Americana Blog
The Heathen Apostles have been featured on GothicAmericana.com, which is a new Gothic Americana blog that is dedicated to the genre. GothicAmericana.com is a collective that will feature the best in Gothic Americana music, art, film, literature and much more. The music end will lean heavily on the darkest country, blues, bluegrass, jazz and Cajun bands, as well as soundtracks and musicals. Film and literature will sway towards modern releases, as well as historical works, and there will be artwork from the many different forms in the style. To visit the Heathen Apostles interview, click HERE.
“Paradise Lost” Wildfire Relief Song in Malibu Times
The Malibu Times has printed a piece helping to spread awareness about the release of the Heathen Apostles upcoming charity single “Paradise Lost” – all proceeds will go directly to the victims of last year’s California wildfires. The single will be released on Friday March 1st by Regime Media Group, check back for purchase and donate links. You can see the blurb in the Times by clicking HERE.
Heathen Apostles Added to Murderfolk Playlist
The Heathen Apostles have had three songs added to the Murderfolk playlist, it includes Amigo the Devil, Murder By Death and Shawn James (who the Heathens will opening for at the Anaheim HOB on March 24th, click HERE for tickets). Check it out, if this doesn’t give you an itchy trigger finger nothing will!
Folk N Rock Names Heathen Apostles’ “The Fall” EP Best of 2018
Folk N Rock has named the Heathen Apostles’ “The Fall” EP as the Best EP of 2018. Folk N Rock’s coverage includes Folk, Hard Rock, Roots, Punk, Metal, and more, with a special focus on artist that infuses various styles. Some of those include Celtic Punk, Folk Metal, Folk Rock, Symphonic, Medieval, and an endless list of other combinations. Here is the announcement on folknrock.com:
Best EP: Heathen Apostles – The Fall
We’ve heard a lot of EP’s in 2018, but the one that really made us do a double take, followed up with an endless amount of takes, was the EP from Gothic Americana band Heathen Apostles, in the release “The Fall.” The dark and haunting tones sets a mood that suits the lyrics and while s display an inner sense of melancholia, it is far from being sad and depressive music. It’s a release that you need to check out, and if you’re not already familiar with their band, you’ll also want to be taking a look at their entire discography.
You can preview and purchase The Fall EP HERE, and you can see this and the rest of the Best of 2018 on Folk N Rock by clicking HERE.
Heathen Apostles 2019 European Tour
The European tour went so well that the offers are starting to come in for the Heathen Apostles 2019 European Tour this coming Summer, contact Kurt De Bont at Rootstown Bookings for more info, or send him a lead to a venue in your town! Click HERE to contact him.
Heathen Apostles’ Paint the Stars Video Coming May 21st
The release date for the Heathen Apostles’ new music video Paint the Stars has been announced. The Jorge Jaramillo directed video will debut on Monday May 21st, it is the first video from the upcoming Bloodgrass Vol. II EP, out Friday May 25th on Ratchet Blade Records. Check back for video links and more info, and stay tuned for upcoming music videos from this release, and the upcoming Bloodgrass Vol. I & II, out this Summer on LP and CD.
Heathen Apostles Paint the Stars Music Video is a Wrap
The Heathen Apostles Paint the Stars music video has wrapped, it is the first video from the upcoming Bloodgrass Vol. II EP, out May 25th on Ratchet Blade Records. The video was directed by Colombian Filmmaker Jorge Jaramillo, and will debut shortly before the release of the BGVII EP. Check back for more info and links, in the meantime enjoy these great BTS shots taken on the set by Ana Sanchez.
Bloodgrass Vol. II Cover Art and Release Date
The Heathen Apostles are proud to release the cover art to the upcoming Bloodgrass Vol. II EP, the follow up to 2017’s Bloodgrass Vol. I. It will be released on May 25th on Ratchet Blade Records, and again the artwork will feature drawings by the multi-talented Stephanie Inagaki. Stephanie did the Appariton II drawing of Mather that graced the Vol. I cover, you can see more of her awesome work at her Miyu Decay website HERE. Also check back for more info and BTS photos of the upcoming Paint the Stars music video shoot.
