Robert Aickman reads "Larger Than Oneself"

Well, I think this may be a first for many people: hearing Robert Aickman reading a "fair usage" excerpt from his story 'Larger Than Oneself'.

http://www.ligotti.net/attachment.ph...1&d=1237767502

I apologise if it doesn't upload properly.

Aickman recorded six of his stories on a home tape recorder in his flat in the Barbican, London.

JK

[Nemonymous]

Fascinating to hear his voice. Thanks.
It is just as I imagined!


There is a Robert Aickman thread on TLO here:
Robert Aickman - THE NIGHTMARE NETWORK
des

[njhorror]

yes, very interesting.

[max_renn]

Wow, thank you for posting this. I'm a great admirer of Aickman's work and this has really made my day! What other stories does he read? How long is the tape? I'd give my right arm to hear more, any chance you could post more clips? Thanks again...

- Adam

Unfortunately there are copyright issues involved. I once asked whether I could explore producing a CD of the recordings and was told that RA's estate would not be amenable to the idea.

I should never have been given a copy of the recordings in the first place because RA's heirs did not know of the tapes existence at that time. Somebody phoned me up years ago to talk about books and during the conversation casually revealed they had master copies; I offered to swap some other audio recordings in exchange for a copy. It wasn't until a couple of years later that I discovered that the person who had made the copies for me worked for RA's literary agent, and that's how he had had access to them. It could be a coincidence of course but he stopped working for the agent shortly afterwards.

This is just one of the suitably murky Aickman mysteries. Another concerns the apparent theft and plagiarism of some unpublished stories by RA following his death. A reliable source working for RA's literary agency informed me that a reasonably well-known writer had "acquired" a sheaf of unpublished MSS and subsequently passed them off as his own. The source wouldn't tell me who the culprit was but said that they hadn't pursued litigation because of the cost and fear that the thief would argue he had RA's permission.

I've made enemies for speculating who might have been involved so would urge you to be wary of anything you might say, no matter how tantalising and interesting it might be to do so. The powers-that-be have closed ranks and will not take kindly to anyone asking tricky questions. Suffice to say it must have been someone who was in regular contact with him before his death and also someone who published stories shortly afterwards that could be described as Aickmanesque. Beyond that, make your own guess.

Anyway, there are six audio tapes as follows:

Larger Than Oneself, Your Tiny Hand Is Frozen, Choice Of Weapons, Niemanswasser, Houses Of The Russians and....erm...another one that I have misplaced and can't find. (In fact I've mislaid three of them.) All vary from the originals because RA ad-libbed or amended bits as he went along.

Sorry I can't be of more help, also that I'm unable to make you copies. One day when I'm rich and can afford the risk of litigation I'll transfer the whole lot onto MP3 and slap 'em onto a torrent site but until then I must observe the request of RA's estate that I respect copyright.

JK

[max_renn]

Thanks for the info. Very interesting. Would be nice to have them on CD one day. Would also be nice to see an inexpensive copy of The Late Breakfasters released along with some of his unpublished writings found over in the Aickman Collection at Bowling Green State University. A man can dream.

- Adam

[Nemonymous]

Quote Originally Posted by Julian Karswell

Unfortunately there are copyright issues involved.

Thanks, JK, for that interesting stuff, particularly the tantalising info re the possible circumstances of long lost Aickman stories.

And indeed a big thrill for me to hear Aickman's voice at all. So yes, a big thanks. But re your point above, I know that "one swallow does not a summer make" but, contrastively, in this instance, I don't understand how one swallow does not a summer make.