Something True

In the season finale of Something True, we crack the seal on Jack Parsons—a legendary rocket scientist, drummed out of the profession for his overbearing interest in the occult magick of Aleister Crowley. Parsons devoted his early retirement to a full-throated study of the arcane arts. His ambitions were nothing less than to coax an ancient, beautiful goddess from her primal dimension into the spare bedroom of his Pasadena bungalow. Everything proceeded to plan, until Parsons made a famous friend who would not only change his life, but the world... and all the worlds beyond.

Follow Something true on Twitter @atruepodcast. (Or just follow Duncan and Alex.)

Anamorphic Orchestra – Stop the Clocks

Pictures of the Floating World – Ash Gray*

David Szesztay – Cheese

Cory Gray – Medieval Tension 60s*

Pictures of the Floating World – Cold*

Paniks – Clavire

Pictures of the Floating World – A Thousand Stars*

*modified for the podcast.

Elias Mortimer, a construction lobbyist, needed to land his firm a fat government contract to build veterans' hospitals. Luckily for him, the chief of the Veterans' Bureau had three great loves: getting bribed, misappropriating government funds, and intense 24/7 partying. They thought there was no way anything could go wrong. But what happened nearly destroyed them both.

Follow Something true on Twitter @atruepodcast. (Or just follow Duncan and Alex.)

Jahzzar – Take Me Higher*

Latché Swing – Swing 39*

Alialujah Choir – Kings and Queens*

Latché Swing – Menilmontant*

Costa and Nero – Rast’e Tou Teke*

Podington Bear – Starling*

Nick Jaina – High Beams*

*modified for the podcast.

Who was this mysterious boy from the city of Gävle? Johan came to Stockholm in 1676, an orphan. His mother had been executed. Executed because Johan accused her of being a witch. And he was just getting started. Stockholm was in trouble. Trouble with a capital T. And that rhymed with G... which stood for Gävle Boy.

Follow Something true on Twitter @atruepodcast. (Or just follow Duncan and Alex.)

Jahzzar – No-End Ave*

Caligine – Mε Πιάνουνε Ζαλάδες

Josh Spacek – Six Weeks to Live

Advent Chamber Orchestra – How Beautiful are the Feet (Handel)*

Fabrizio Paterlini – Profondo Blu*

Weinland – People Like You*

*modified for the podcast.

John Swartwout was minding his own business—scheming against the United States government with his friend, vice president Aaron Burr—when a senator slandered him as a scoundrel. A scoundrel! What was Swartwout to do? Challenge the senator to a duel, of course.

Follow Something true on Twitter @atruepodcast. (Or just follow Duncan and Alex.)

Fabrizio Paterlini – Veloma

Jahzzar – Fastest Man on Earth*

Josh Woodward – Oh Mallory*

Yair Yona – Pharoah 2011

Chris Zabriskie – Prelude No. 23

*modified for the podcast.

The prince was murdered, and the princess given two demands: surrender the kingdom, and marry the enemy prince. She said yes—but what she did instead, nobody saw coming. If this were a video podcast, it'd be banned in all territories.

Follow Something true on Twitter @atruepodcast. (Or just follow Duncan and Alex.)

Kosta T – Red in Black

Jon Luc Hefferman – Ascent*

Free Piece of Tape – Burning School*

Paniks – Homage*

Kosta T – The Spirit of Russian Love (violin)

Paniks – Jelena*

*modified for the podcast.

In 1852, one of the wealthiest landowners in California drowned crossing a river. The ensuing scramble for his fortune spilled blood and broke hearts. Note: The area in which this story takes place is now Gilroy, California, home of the annual Gilroy Garlic Festival. Adult general admission is $20, parking $10 per day. Wear comfortable shoes.

Follow Something true on Twitter @atruepodcast. (Or just follow Duncan and Alex.)

Tate Peterson – Theme in G

Cory Gray – Low Rollers

Josh Woodward – I’m not Dreaming

Krackatoa – Long White Cloud

Blue Dot Sessions – Stillness

Josh Woodward – Invisible Light*

*modified for the podcast.

What is history's greatest prank? There's the intimate—perching a bucket of water over the door. And the grandly ambitious—say, humiliating an entire navy. These are some good pranks indeed. But history's greatest prank was something much stranger... and much darker.

Follow Something true on Twitter @atruepodcast. (Or just follow Duncan and Alex.)

Jahzzar – Roads that Burned our Boots

Jahzzar – Railroad’s Whiskey Co

Josh Woodward – Water in the Creek

Alialujah Choir – After All

Abunai! – Dreaming of Light

Josh Woodward – Crazy Glue

(All tracks have been modified for the podcast)

Our debut episode brings you the story of a good boy. A very good boy. Laddie Boy, the First Dog of the United States. A wonderful, charming terrier whom Americans loved even more than they hated his owner: Warren G. Harding, one of the worst presidents the country has ever known.

Follow Something true on Twitter @atruepodcast. (Or just follow Duncan and Alex.)

The U.S. Marine Corps Band – Stars and Stripes Forever*

Jason Shaw – Jenny’s Theme*

Latché Swing – Rythme Gitan*

U.S. Army Band – America the Beautiful*

Dave Depper – Heartstrings*

*modified for the podcast.

Incredible and bizarre stories from the footnotes of history. A dog in the United States Cabinet. A leading rocket scientist who quit his job to make a moonchild. Virginia Woolf donning blackface to prank a navy. Something True brings you these and more.

Podington Bear – Good Times (modified for the podcast)