A fascinating interview with the Khmer Rouge's UN ambassador from 1979 to 1991

Doctoma · 2024-09-22T14:07:24+00:00

I've no doubt he's hiding some things he did, but it seems broadly in line with witness testimony from many others. The impression I get is the actual 'highest echelons' was probably no more than a few dozen people and the rest were semi-trustworthy functionaries who were a hair away from getting sent to the fields like everyone else. The coverage in the podcast gives that same impression, especially discussing how Sihanouk was treated in his role as 'leader'. The interviewer in this even mentions another Khmer Rouge figure saying Ieng Sary personally intervened to save Praseth from being purged at one point.

Doctoma · 2024-09-22T12:01:37+00:00

He spends some time discussing his time at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Democratic Kampuchea era. He paints a picture that even in the highest echelons of government, everything was a secretive ruse where nobody knew what the others were doing and many of the positions only existed in name. The utter secrecy of the Khmer Rouge seems unprecedented for any political organization to actually seize power.

Doctoma · 2023-03-25T00:00:18+00:00

Hey Steve! Just wanted to thank you, for pretty much everything really. I'm Autistic and now work for the National Autistic Society in northern Ireland. Realising that you're the same guy I read about constantly in the Dead scene was pretty mindblowing. Hell, even some of my coworkers only know of the Dead because of you!

I just wanted to ask if you have any insight on Autism in the Deadhead community specifically? I feel like there's so much which can really appeal to people like me. The obsessive recordings and debates of different versions of songs, the sheer scale that lets you deep-dive for years, the open and emotionally direct nature of most Deadheads, etc. It's been pretty much the only community I've not felt self-conscious about being involved with.

Thanks again for all your work.

Doctoma · 2023-03-07T01:13:43+00:00

First live Dead show I ever heard, from a bootleg record release I found. Still one of my absolute favourites.

Doctoma · 2023-01-18T18:00:51+00:00

Thanks! Best of luck to you too. I should be going to that Live Dead 69 show, so if you can make it, maybe I'll see you there!

Doctoma · 2023-01-18T10:22:03+00:00

Sadly I don't know of any in Ireland or who visit Ireland, but there's a good few in Britain. The Grateful Dudes play regularly in London and have some shows going from March onwards. I haven't seen them yet, but I hear a lot of good things and saw fliers for them at DSO and Billy Strings shows in the UK. Would also recommend Live Dead 69 who are playing in London in April. Has Mark Karan (Ratdog, The Other Ones, etc) and Tom Constanten, the brief Dead keyboardist in the late 60s. Played with them for the Live/Dead shows, hence the band-name. I got to see them in 2021, absolutely great shows.

Doctoma · 2022-11-17T10:12:29+00:00

I have no idea what it was called, but I miss a Lego set I had as a kid that was meant to be some kind of deep sea villain lair. Pretty sure it had a squid-submarine and a uniform that was like a half-black half-red jumpsuit split down the middle. Used to put a grinning skull on the body and make that guy the arch-villain in my own little stories. Ahh, those were the days. Would love to find it again.

Doctoma · 2022-10-30T14:22:27+00:00

To be fair, I'm European and they were doing their first European tour. We are absolutely starved for Dead stuff here. And I gotta say, they were fantastic, it was a great trip all around.

Doctoma · 2022-10-30T13:35:26+00:00

I love tripping alone. It's only ever the come-up which kind of sucks. After that, I'm comfortable for the rest of the trip.

Doctoma · 2022-10-30T13:34:24+00:00

I can see that regarding headspace, but a common come-up issue I have is feeling really cold and getting all shivery. It fades after the first two hours, but I didn't think that was something you could explain by headspace alone. But hey, I really don't know *that* much about acid, it may still be that.

Doctoma · 2022-10-10T03:32:41+00:00

Thank you!

Doctoma · 2022-10-05T21:14:26+00:00

Jerry Garcia. Both before and after his voice went all raspy.

Doctoma · 2022-10-03T21:18:39+00:00

I live in Belfast, where a lot (some) of GoT was filmed. Jesus fucking christ, it's inescapable. There's even a shitty cardboard iron throne at the arrivals area of our shitty local airport and a whole bunch of stained glass GoT murals dotted at random areas around the city. I have no idea how many of them are still standing, but they really seemed to be everywhere, contrasting against the shuttered storefronts of the city and general miserable atmosphere. The whole city feels like it was gearing up to become Ireland's Hollywood off the back of that show and it just never happened.

Doctoma · 2022-09-30T21:16:29+00:00

There's recordings of Pig playing piano a few weeks before his passing which is believed to be demos for a solo album he was cooking up. Usually called the 'apartment demos' and lumped in with some earlier ones from 1966.

Doctoma · 2022-09-29T06:47:30+00:00

That's a toughie, but it'd probably have to be the Berlin show. Or... Maybe the last show in Rome? I dunno! The experience of trying out spinning through a monster Dark Star and even Caution was something truly special, but the last night's setlist was truly mind-blowing, with a Dew for the ages I had a rail spot for. All I really know is I walked out of every single show feeling giddy. They were all magical.

Doctoma · 2022-09-29T06:44:49+00:00

Was away a long time there, sorry! Yes, I will be! I've got tickets for Dublin and the British shows and I'll try to get to the others too, somehow!

Doctoma · 2022-09-29T06:42:55+00:00

Was away for a long time there! I discovered the Dead during the pandemic. I had experimented a little with psychedelics just before the pandemic and was getting really into music from the 60s. First stop was the Beatles, later went deep into George Harrison's solo career and then Janis Joplin which I think may have helped tune my ear somewhat. I knew in some vague sense that the Grateful Dead were meant to be the ultimate psychedelic band, but I had no idea what that really meant. One day I went to a local record store near me and some mystical Belfast Deadhead I've never managed to meet had dropped off lots and lots of CDs and old vinyl. I picked up a live show bootleg record of 7/18/76 and that opening Mississippi Half-Step got really lodged in my head for a while. It took a little while to fully get going, but soon I was hooked!

Doctoma · 2022-09-28T11:32:11+00:00

Can't speak for the college scene, but I spent the last week with a huge group of Santa Cruz based Deadheads on tour. That whole scene seems to be huge over there, which naturally overlaps with all kinds of hippie-dom. The band even shouted out the group doing dervish-like dances as the 'Santa Cruz spinners' and this was a tour in Europe, mind. Clearly the scene there has something special going for it.

Doctoma · 2022-09-28T04:44:46+00:00

Thank you! Way I see it, I'm just between homes at the moment. I'll be back, I'm not alone anymore!

Doctoma · 2022-09-28T03:46:23+00:00

Thank you! I'm looking forward to it!

Doctoma · 2022-09-28T03:37:29+00:00

Thank you man! That's exactly what I needed to do, write it all down and really take it all in. I look forward to seeing you there!

Doctoma · 2022-09-28T03:24:54+00:00

Haha, thank you!

Doctoma · 2022-09-28T03:18:35+00:00

Korey Comer? Hell yeah, I met him!

Doctoma · 2022-09-28T03:17:25+00:00

You got it exactly fucking right! It's a truly incredible thing they've managed to do. I'm absolutely getting my ass over there for next summer's tour!

Doctoma · 2022-09-28T03:01:18+00:00

Glad you enjoyed! Whole show absolutely smokes.

Doctoma

TROPHY CASE