“Artifacts” (M&E 231, all Oct. 1993). Without wishing to start any fights, which of the flux of musicians and singers do you personally most admire, and who, if anyone on Earth from any point in time, would you most have loved to have as a guest on a Braille album?

OK:  For working with musicians, Doug Smith was a joy to work with.  When a sound was needed, he could get one.  – To pick a song; Knights In Black Steel by Greg Morris.  In Rules of the Game, I wrote a revision of it.  Ian Read of Fire and Ice for one. – Agnes Obel for two.  – Robert Graves, Henry Treece, James Dickey, W.S. Merwin.  – Laurie Anderson’s O Superman is a masterpiece.

MM: Your last releases on M&E came at the dawn of the new millennium in January 2001; you contributed the track “Bottle Green Waters”, a stylish take on blues, to the United World Underground CD (which you also helped finance, ta muchly), and your final album for us was a cassette version of “Castle Of The Northern Crown.” It never left the top 5 of our charts all year and went on to be the best selling album of our last four years of trading (2001-2004). Blacklight Braille were also our best selling band overall in 2001. As things went a little quiet at M&E after 2001, you possibly didn’t know all of this, so how do you feel about it now you do?

OK:  I am delighted to share my music and delighted people enjoy it – I have remixed some cd’s and should get them out – I can do more now than when I was younger – Now I am retired, I have a bit more to work with.  That makes it fun.

MM: And so to today; are Blacklight Braille still a working project, what else are you up to, and what do you feel the future may still hold for Owen Knight?

OK:  Blacklight Braille is no longer recording.  Without Doug Smith there would not be Blacklight Braille – We have a scrap of unreleased recordings which could still get played – As we spent so much time recording and mixing and remixing – There were at least a couple versions of Castle of the Northern Crown. What do I do now?  I sometimes perform with my friends – In July, Richard Von Nida, Patrick McMahon and I did a show in Loveland, OH. December 13, I am scheduled to play in Kentucky – Richard Von Nida will be there and also, Michael Barrett. But I let young people put on the shows.  I still create;

•  I am working on the history of King Arthur.  The first book is published.  Amazon has it. – The early years.  To me they are interesting and fun, and I know not why others pay them so little attention – except that Sir Thomas says so little about them. – On my progress, I am about half way through the history.

• I mapped out a Tarot for the Age of Aquarius – It should be out shortly.

• I plan to record some recitations.  Some have been on BLB Recordings, some on Bitter Blood S.T. – And I would like them to be visual – so people can see me doing them.  This will take some work –  And I have written books which I hope will be of interest -

Rules of the Game

- a good bit about our bands.

Waterford and Nearby Towns

- is mostly short stories.

Holding court - Owen on stage at the Bitter Blood Street Theatre reunion...

MM: A final thought; as I mentioned earlier, you once taught a bit of theology, which you rather aptly defined as “being to work out the big picture of life.” How do you feel that picture has progressed and what do you expect to happen come its completion? 

OK:  – Mankind has a long way to go before much can be known about that.  At this time, each person should have his individual solution to that maze.  Matter, as a total system, has produced awareness.  Now, where the matter takes the awareness when we no longer have animal life is a question and, looking at what we can see of nature, a worry.  The best I can do is say, “Legion, my Friend – Aye, to the very end.” 

MM: Many thanks for talking to us, and wherever your answer to my previous question may lead, I hope you’ll go with a smile and the satisfying knowledge that you gave a lot of people a lot of pleasure.

Thomas Howerton Owen Knight today - The Adventure Continues...

EPITAPH

(from “Rules Of The Game” by Owen Knight)

You Mighty Powers by whom

We have been blessed,

Awaken quickly your

Loyal servant, Owen.

He did not wish from his work

To be goin’:

He is not tired, He did not ask

For rest.

Like, it’s so over –

– What ever –

My thanks to Anne Pinnau for making this interview possible, she kindly handles all of Owen’s digital correspondence as he neither owns nor knows how to use a computer, and there will be times I think of that situation with some envy in my heart. And to the rumour-mongers amongst you, I’m sure Anne and he are just good friends. To quote Owen from his book; "With my lack of selling points, a woman willing to marry me would have to be nuts, and I wouldn’t want to marry a crazy woman."

At the time of publishing (December 2014), there is a website in development for Owen. Meanwhile, direct contact (via Anne) can be made through e-mail or Owen's Facebook account, say hi from us!        

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