An Unnecessary Evil?

Recently, one reader eloquently offered a third explanation (I think we are way beyond the number 3, but I get the point) for the motives behind The Rotten Apple Series by drawing parallels between ART and Magick. Iamaphoney has offered several videos that seem to suggest that Paul McCartney was involved in the occult. But I think it is fair to say that Iamaphoney's videos don't appear to be from a perspective of one who is outraged that Paul McCartney or his "just a good replica" would be a practitioner of "Magic with a K." In fact, Iamaphoney seems to embrace Thelema and Aleister Crowley himself to a certain degree. I have been repeatedly given warnings with peace and love about the time and energy I have spent promoting and analyzing Iamaphoney and his Rotten Apple videos. Is it possible that Iamaphoney is not really going after Paul McCartney, but is instead using Paul McCartney to go after us? Is Iamaphoney using me and you to spread a belief in Thelema? I find that to be a humorous thought because we are not that big of a group, and I have personally not seen a shred of evidence that suggests that any two people who visit this site can agree on anything (and that includes subscribing to the same anti-religion). Of course, I was the guy who was criticized recently for suggesting that we all go out for pizza. That was actually a face saving measure that I employed after Iamafunny let that cat out of the bag. [Is that the "face saving" thing that you were talking about Rian? I'm still a fan of yours]

But this is not the first time that someone has suggested that watching Rotten Apple videos can be bad for you. There have been stories about sigil magic, mind control, and some reasonable concerns, unfortunately often leading to illogical leaps and unfounded conclusions by others. I admit, that in order for Iamaphoney to be a guilty pleasure for me, there must be some guilt. But, I don't think that all of the Rotten Apple videos together are nearly as bad for my soul as the movie "Satan's Bed" starring Yoko Ono, which I watched recently for "research purposes." And I don't think that Iamaphoney has done nearly as much harm to Paul McCartney's reputation as people like Heather Mills and even Yoko Ono.

If Rotten Apple videos are causing you to have anxiety-producing dreams or unwanted thoughts, please don't watch them. The reactions to the Trilogy of long form Iamaphoney videos lead me to believe that people are not sitting in front of Rotten Apple videos all day long. I started this blog because I was intrigued by the sudden transformation of amateur videos into something so polished that some even believed McCartney himself was involved. Thelema Schmelema, I got pulled in by the prospect of finding out more about the four ARTists that I have adored collectively and individually since I first heard "I Want To Hold Your Hand."

But the argument that was presented suggesting that "ART = Magick" is certainly worth exploring. I agree that "The Rotten Apple" and "The Right Album" and other curious capitalizations within words beginning with T, R, or A suggest that the Iamaphoney is intentionally referring to the backwards spelling of the word "ART." ART does seem to be the way that souls communicate. And ART certainly does influence people's thoughts, emotions and actions. This is an example of a video that was created for the purpose of influencing people. Is this Magick?



There is no question in my mind that ART has power and can manipulate. But that doesn't make it evil. But could ART be used for evil? I knew as soon as I started using money that ART was trying to influence me to spend it. I knew as soon as I started making my own ART that I would have to make unwanted compromises if I wanted to share my ART with others. Is that the kind of evil we are talking about? Believe me, playing in a cover band or writing songs to order is a little bit like selling your soul to the devil.

Is it really possible that Paul is into Magick? Most reasonable people would say of course not, but what do reasonable people know? I had the pleasure of meeting a reasonable person recently named Ken Mansfield.



Ken was the guy wearing the white raincoat on the Apple rooftop during the Beatles final live performance as a group. He ran the American branch of Apple Records, worked with the Beatles from 1965 onwards, led a promotional tour for Apple artist Jackie Lomax, became a major record producer for several artists including Outlaws Waylon, Willie and Jessi, assembled Ringo's band for the "Time Takes Time" album (without credit), hit rock bottom, re-emerged as a Christian and wrote three terrific books that he autographed for me.



Ken is often invited by churches to share his testimony of how despite having all of the advantages one would expect living the Rock and Roll Lifestyle, he felt empty inside until he hit rock bottom and committed himself to a life as a Christian.



Ken's presentations about his faith journey are usually split into three parts. In Part 1, he shares his reminiscences of his time in the music business with a heavy emphasis on his work with the Beatles. Part 2 is Question and Answer with the host. Part 3 features questions from the audience. Interestingly, in the session that I attended, the very first question from the church host in Part 2 dealt with "Paul Is Dead." Ken responded with the typical "You can gather evidence to prove Hitler was a nun if you look hard enough." I have looked and I have not found any evidence to suggest that Hitler was a nun. If I find any, I will make YouTube videos about it and you can write a blog about me. Ken followed with the "American Explanation" of the "I Buried Paul" at the end of "Strawberry Fields Forever." Like Allen Klein said in 1969, Ken thought that John meant that his sound "buried" Paul's sound in the mix. This of course conflicts with explanations given by Derek Taylor, as well and Paul McCartney and John Lennon himself. A member of the audience mentioned the "Cranberry Sauce" explanation. Ken said he was aware of that, but that it didn't make any sense. Um hum.

The "Paul Is Dead" subject reappeared in Part 3 when a member of the audience commented that Ken described in his books that even though he was not a fan of the Beatles' music initially, his appreciation for it grew over time. When Ken acknowledged the accuracy of the comment, the audience member asked what Ken's take was on people, many of whom are Christians, who suggest that there is something sinister in the music of the Beatles. Ken paused reflectively and said, "There was a darkness in their music at a certain point because of various things that they were doing at the time, but it wasn't sinister. They were nice people."

But what about Mr. McCartney? Is it sacrilegious to ask the question, "Could he be a devotee of Aleister Crowley?" No one has explained away to my satisfaction the presence of Aleister Crowley in the background screen when Paul plays "Helter Skelter" on tour.



And why does that one segment that initially appeared on Paul's Official Channel for the new "Band On The Run" Remastered CD, and is included in the accompanying DVD seem like an Iamaphoney video?



And why does the "original" video for the song "Band On The Run" itself contain such strange imagery?



And that interview where Paul refers to "Magick with a K" is very strange to me.

And I must admit that I find the cover of Paul's "Liverpool Sound Collage" a little disturbing.



Isn't it also interesting that the George Harrison spoken phrase from the recording session for the song "Think For Yourself," that Paul chose to incorporate repeatedly in the Collage, happened to be "Do What You Want To Do," which sure seems to me to be synonymous with Crowley's famous phrase, "Do What Thou Wilt"???

In spite of the fragments of evidence to the contrary, I am still content to agree with Ken Mansfield comment that the Beatles were nice people, and not sinister at all. I am inclined to believe the same about Iamaphoney.



I am told that the next update for subscribers will be on December 7.

Emilio Lari Facebook Post

There was an unusual comment on Emilio Lari's Facebook page after a Beatles Link:



Google Translation from Italian to English: Emilio Lari was and is a great photographer. Intuitive and sophisticated gave us pictures that tell the long process of many of us. Soon everyone will see a big surprise. I have only one worry: he has used my image. Patience :-)

Be sure to subscribe to the Iamaphoney fan page on Facebook to get some great information that you can't find anywhere else.

Unbelievably, there is a YouTube channel with the name EmilioLari that posted a video in 2008. It is the scene for "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" from the movie "Help." There is a quick cut of an Apple logo around the middle. How many other Iamaphoney videos that we haven't seen are still hidden somewhere on YouTube?

I think most people will understand that there is an embargo on the previews that Iamaphoney sent me, which included unreleased video that will likely be part of his subscription service. I am not the only one who has received these previews. I would imagine that they went to several others who have helped him along the way. It would be foolish of me to bite the hand that is feeding me information that I have been seeking for years. I will do my best to be as complete and accurate as possible. Don't worry. No BIG revelation yet. Don't succumb to Superstone disease.

Emilio Lari

Thanks to commenters, who seem to know a lot more about this stuff than I do, we have identified the individual lovingly referred to as "Eurodude" in the Rotten Apple videos. He is the Italian movie stills photographer Emilio Lari. According to Wikipedia, Lari "bluffed" his way on to the set of "A Hard Days Night" by impersonating a photographer from a magazine. From there he developed a pretty impressive resume taking shots for several motion pictures including the Beatles' film "Help" and the 1968 Ringo Starr film "Candy."



It is possible that the "revelation" of this individual's identity was a calculated plan by Iamaphoney. I say that because one of the things I received in my preview package was raw footage of interviews with the individual who I now realize was Emilio Lari. Guess what. None of the interview footage appears to have been taken out of context. He may be lying. He may be acting. But, he is not a victim of Iamaphoney out of context editing.

Lari is usually seen with a shot of Paul from the movie "Help" nearby. In one of the segments he commented on the difference in height between the original Paul and the replacement.



Even if this man is not acting, that doesn't mean that the original Paul McCartney was killed in a car accident and was replaced by the devil. But this character has certainly made things more interesting. I suggest we fasten our seat belts.

What if...

I used the term "Historical Fiction" or something like that a while back when describing my take on Iamaphoney and the Rotten Apple Series. There is something different about the Beatles artistic output that in my view puts them way above all of the others. Stanley Milgram, the psychologist suggested that the reason the "Paul Is Dead" rumor became so prominent was because the Beatles output had the rare combination of ambiguity and social importance. Others like the Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd came close, but none had fueled imaginations of obsessed fans as much as the Beatles.

I think of the Beatles as the Rock and Roll equivalent of Stanley Kubrick. There is so much beauty in the work, the fans become part of the game by being the interpreters. I believe that in both cases, Kubrick and the Beatles (collectively and individually) played along by intentionally providing "clues" to make their art a two-way interactive process. That's why Beatle albums and Kubrick films get better and better with time. In Iamaphoney terminology, I believe it is a shaggily harmless game that will continue long after the principles and their first generation fans are gone. The art is that good.

This is the situation in which Iamaphoney (and several others) emerged. And like the artists themselves, these interpreters continue to play the game and take the art in new directions. I believe the artists themselves find the game amusing as the interpreters develop all kinds of theories based on the trinkets and puzzles found in the art. I just don't think you can play this game with any other artists of this generation as well as you can with the Beatles and Kubrick. Hell, you can even connect the two of them if you want.

So the Iamaphoney scenario is one of the better ones to emerge out of this. The thing that makes him so compelling is that he is an artist himself, or at least he had the ability to form a company of artists, of which many of us may be a part of one day. And the thing that is great about it is the fact that, although highly unlikely, there is at least a ghost of a chance that some of this could be true. I'm not talking about Paul being the devil, which I believe is an "interpretation" of Iamaphoney's art anyway.

But what if Iamaphoney was a guy who became obsessed with finding out the truth about the "Paul Is Dead" rumor? And what if he was able to raise enough money and resources to travel the globe? And what if he actually did find the missing diary of Mal Evans? And what if he found a person who did actually know the truth? Like this guy...



What if...

The Rotten Apple Movie is Here!

In a way we have all been invited to be a part of the Iamaphoney experience. Think of it like the John Lennon "You are the Plastic Ono Band" campaign. Yes, we may have to buy a ticket, but we have also been handed a tambourine at the door. We are all Iamaphoney now. The great thing is that I still have all of my memories. I basically feel much like the same person I was yesterday. The only thing that is really different is that this blog is no longer free. It now costs $5.00. I don't need the money now. In fact, you all have a little over two years to raise it. Just bring it with you to Vegas when we meet. Obviously, the more of you who contribute, the less you will have to pay toward the five dollars. I would like all of it, or at least some of it in U.S. currency. That way we can immediately put it towards the pizza.

The Rotten Apple 2007 Movie consists of some of the best moments from the first 35 videos from the Rotten Apple series presented in the slickest documentary format yet. Although some of the captions might make you cringe a little, it is neatly edited and serves as a nice review of the early days of Iamaphoney. We all agree that the videos became more "trippy" at one point, but seeing these early clips edited together shows a surprising continuity from the developmental days of the series to where we are now.

From the glimpses I have seen, there are some exciting things to come. In my little introductory package, I was able to see some items in a new context and got some of my questions answered. The BIG revelation, if there is one, has not been presented to me. But I am quite happy with what I have seen so far and will be reporting on it in the coming weeks. I would imagine that others who have contributed to the Iamaphoney legend have seen the same things I have seen or probably more, so I expect that they will share their impressions too.

For now we have the full length Rotten Apple 2007. As far as I can tell, no pop stars were harmed during the making of this film. Enjoy this quite entertaining piece.

Is it time?

Possibly.

I have been contacted by Iamaphoney for the first time in a very long time. My hope and expectation is that some of what we have been enjoying for free for years will soon be commercially available in high quality. Some of my readers (if I still have readers) may cry foul, but I expect that some great stuff that we have not seen before may come out of it. So, I for one, am excited.

Is Your Breath Baited?

UPDATE: Sorry. I'm getting rid of these links for now until I figure out what is going on with these rogue scripts. My apologies. Go to the Iamaphoney YouTube page to link to the Winged Beatle site.



The Winged Beatle ARE3RA

Billy Martin - Band On The Run

Fans of Iamaphoney music will probably enjoy this cover version of "Band On The Run" from the lANIACHIMOE Channel.



We are apparently waiting for something to happen in about 16 days.

The Winged Beetle 5/5

The final installment, that is to be continued, has appeared on YouTube.

TheWingedBeatle 5/5 contains no new revelations, but like the other 4 videos, helps to clarify some of the "clues" from the Rotten Apple Video Series that were often difficult to interpret.



During my first viewing of the video, I grew concerned that the voiceover person had been laid off, but sure enough he returned just a little over two minutes in. As I review these installments, I must admit that in terms of documentary format, PID has never been done better. There are even credits at the end and I am pleased as punch that I was thanked. I did risk a lot for young Iamaphoney and stood up against some scary text to protect his name. When this whole thing started, Mike NL was only 18 years old and now all these years later, he is something like 18 years old.

The credits list one Tom Moht (who probably plays the Thom Toms) and one Ken Knott (who cannot be identified) as receiving special thanks.

One peculiar thing jumped out at me as I watched this video for the first time. The narrator was saying, "Mal [Evans] was on the phone with his good friend from the Beatles days" and then his voice cuts out abruptly and picks up with a new sentence. He most certainly said the name of the individual in question, but it sounded like it had been edited out. The good friend from the Beatles days was most definitely Ken Mansfield who described the phone call in "The White Book." Mansfield is currently a Christian speaker and evangelist. This is his web site.

It's great to have a new Iamaphoney recording. It's not the most catchy thing in the world, but if you play it backwards you will hear that it is based on the very catchy "All You Need Is Love."

On that note, let me peruse this set of five videos again, and I hope to talk to you soon.

Despite the dumbing down of the documentary format, many questions remain - not the least of which is what the hell is a batty conk?

The Documentary Continues

Parts 2, 3, and 4 are have been posted on YouTube by Iamaphoney.

TheWingedBeatle 2/5




TheWingedBeatle 3/5




TheWingedBeatle 4/5


If you are like me and miss the trippy, ambiguous and downright creepy work of Iamaphoney, just take a look at this new video that Paul McCartney released to his fans officially:

Paul McCartney - A Trip To Lagos


This man they call McCartney never ceases to amaze me.

New Video - TheWingedBeatle 1/5

A change of direction? I'm not sure there is anything all that new here, but this is the most straightforward retelling since the Documentary Version of Rotten Apple 65 that slipped out briefly. There seems to be much more detail and coherence in this new format. It will be interesting to see how this all unfolds.



The Winged Beatle 1/5

Return of GFA

Grandfather Aleister, in his new YouTube identity as 999nowhereman uploaded a new video.



Paul is Dead - 89 - Helter Skelter - Part 1 is a disturbing and accusatory piece that attempts to link the Beatles to the Manson murders, of all things. Although there is not much factual substance in the video (how could there be?) it still is quite effective in provoking an uneasy feeling in the viewer. It makes you want to brace yourself for a disturbing event on August 8 or 9.

Speaking of disturbing, the Al Aronowitz article referenced in the new Grandfather Aleister video can be found here. It is well worth reading.

Other phoney phonies have been trying to stay in the action as well.

GnikNusEht continues to pump them out.

brainvisionfilms also has a new one.

Even YouKnowMyName231 released a few shorts recently. There didn't seem to be anything substantially new in them. More than likely they were just a way to say hello and stay in the game (similar to what I have been doing).

And it is still important to keep up with yenohpehttonmai and iamafunny who may one day crack this case, or at least crack open a suitcase (as long as he can get a government grant).

The Walt Disney thing in the new GFA video makes you wonder. And did you notice on Paul's PBS special from his performance at the White House that they had a painting in the background with one of those Freemason types making secret hand signals the whole time?

Say It Ain't So, Denny

One of the more interesting aspects of ARE3RA - TheRottenApple 2010, for me anyway, is a brief sound clip that appears around the 3:13 mark. We hear a somewhat processed voice that certainly sounds like Denny Laine talking about Paul McCartney's interest in Aleister Crowley. Okay, I can hear you yawning.



This silly accusation goes back as far as Rotten Apple 28 when Iamaphoney indicated that Laine claimed that both Paul and Linda were disciples of Crowley. In subsequent videos, Iamaphoney showed the cover of the book "Blackbird" by Geoffrey Giuliano (to which Laine was a contributor) implying that it contained the allegation. Despite the fact that "Blackbird" is considered by many to be a smear job, it did not contain any suggestion that Paul and Linda were Crowley disciples. Incidentally, a couple recent comments on a post I did a while back on Sir Geoffrey Guiliano suggest that he is not exactly the most beloved character in Beatles Lore.

So when the heck did Denny Laine accuse Paul McCartney of being a disciple of Aleister Crowley? Well, the evidence suggests that back in 2007, Iamaphoney attended a Beatles Convention and filmed interviews with the likes of Beatles Author Bruce Spizer, Beatle Films Actor Victor Spinetti, and Former Wing Denny Laine. You can see this trip in the video a Lie Adds Up - son king 0911 281 F. We have seen glimpses of clips from these interviews ever since then, but in frustratingly limited context.

So, perhaps, if we are able to IMAGINE, we can see something like this happening...



It was weird hearing Denny's voice saying those words, but there was something unnatural about the intonation, in addition to the FX on his voice. A former MPL employee told me a long time ago that there is no way Paul and Linda McCartney would have seriously been students of Crowley. My problem is that every time I try to explain this stuff away, that damn Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album presents evidence to the contrary.

New Video: ARE3RA - TheRottenApple 2010

Entering the Next Level...

ARE3RA - TheRottenApple 2010

Is he on the level? I don't know what level he's on.

Publicity?

I'm still working on fixing the video snafu in the last post. But, in the meantime, find yourself a love that's gonna last and check out this video. Let's just say that the Iamaphoney publicity machine hasn't exactly been on fire. Maybe this is just another fan like me or maybe...

Is It TPF?

Link

Not very likely, but several requested that I put this out there.

Version 2 is here

Update: MikeyNL1038 has posted a version of the †heRigh†Album Special - He'll Be Dared Video Edit 2 N13G with English subtitles. And, no, I cannot identify the girl at the end.


____________________________________________________________

Oh yeah, he got it right this time.

†heRigh†Album Special - He'll Be Dared Video Edit 2 N13G



Thanks to yenohpehttonmai, you can still see the original version here.

More to say, but I have to run.

Watch out for the batty William the Conk. (No crypticism on my part. Just thinking about Dickens, Joyce and Carroll)

New Video: †heRigh†Album Special - He'll Be Dared

Just in time for Mother's Day, Iamaphoney gives us †heRigh†Album Special - He'll Be Dared.

He'll Be Dared???

Not that it doesn't make some fine anagrams (Bearded Hell, Bladder Heel, Labeled Herd, Ed Balled Her, Led Here Bald, Dad Beer Hell, to name a few), but really, I'm hearing "He'll be dead" when you play "Let It Be" backwards, because dammit, that's what I have been programmed to hear.



The video itself uses quite a lot of footage from the "Free As A Bird" video, as well as exterior crowd footage from "Let It Be" [Still reading the record mirror, are we?] and some unidentified crowd footage. There are also clips of some 1960's types that we have seen previously.





And in a lovely animation, the much loved fake mustache is flying like a nightingale. [Sorry Ken, just a plug for the film. Try and keep it in]



And then, there is this:



There is some brief, but interesting footage (actually inchage) of Paul, circa early 1968. This was hinted at in Rotten Apple 80, but in this video, Paul does appear to be standing in front of a white Volkswagen.



The last two videos have both made reference to the famous "Superstone" concept, which is still a sore subject for me. If we must dredge that up, at least we can compare soundtracks to show what a clean version we now have with this new video. I believe the lyrics (if you can call them that) have changed a bit too. Maybe we are heading in the direction of †heRigh†Album after all.

More Like More Wizards

You Tuba Player LikeMoreWizards says: The Teachings is already there in TheRottenApple,series. We will all have to go backwards in order to experience the truth,

I'm not sure why the message ends in a comma, it could me that more of the message is to come or it could mean that more typographical errors is can do be expected.

Either way, a new video shows lots of footage of the Phoney Figure, and I don't think we have seen all of this.

I don't know if the peculiar soundtrack reveals anything, but I have considered the idea that there is much we have not found or interpreted correctly in the Rotten Apple Series. Perhaps it is a good time to start looking backward.

In the meantime, check out 1 3 WAWILMW by LikeMoreWizards

paul is dead - the rotten apple 80 plus

It looks like "Peace of Mind" will be rightfully reinstated as Rotten Apple 79, albeit with some significant changes.



Rotten Apple 80 here! Looks like somebody has been reading the record mirror.



Initial Observations:

Glad to see Iamaphoney come through. The revelation still appears to be a way's off. Obviously, the old "put different dialog in the video footage" trick is being employed again. The guy with the accent is as lovable as ever. Nothing hammers you on the head, but there are some new things in this one worth investigating.

I would be interested in hearing your impressions. Please feel free to comment as we analyze this latest effort.

More to come...

UPDATE 1:

Those mysterious dots scrolling down the screen in recent Rotten Apple videos are reminiscent of the dots on the Abbey Road wall that have been historically connected together to form the number three. That was the interpretation as far back as the F. Lee Bailey television mock trial at the height of the original rumor. Recently a picture was published on the fabulous Wog Blog that reportedly shows more dots that were on the wall. Elements of the album cover have been superimposed on the wall.



UPDATE 2:

Is this a face in a tree or the power of suggestion?

I Miss I

Dear Mr. Iamaphoney, Do you know I miss you? We all miss you, don't ya boys? Do ya miss him, miss him, miss him? All the Beatles miss you.

We (or at least I) have not heard from Iamaphoney since the release of the severely underrated "Peace of Mind," but I am hopeful that things will change soon. I have never been that fond of the Iamaphoney posted "schedule," and quite frankly, due to some kind of extremely specific learning disability from which I apparently suffer, I have always had trouble decoding it anyway. But I sincerely hope that "01020410" as indicated on his YouTube channel means that we will see a new Rotten Apple effort in the next couple of days. I have been told that Iamaphoney has shared in various correspondences with viewers that he, in fact, does not control the release or revelation schedule, and in my studies in the rabbit hole, I am finding more evidence to support that assertion than I expected. I am also beginning to think that eventually there will be an answer (ebtitel) to all of this.

With that in mind, and in the absence of medication, I am offering a video of my own. If we do hear from Iamaphoney this weekend, I'm sure it will blow mine away, but my hope is that my effort will rest comfortably in the shade of the one, the only, the original Iamaphoney. We sure do miss you. All the Beatles miss you.

For my video I chose to do a cover version of one of my favorite songs on one of my favorite albums "Time Takes Time." The song is called, "Don't Know A Thing About Love." Stanley, I hope it's okay.



I do try to answer questions and honor requests, but it can sometimes take me a while. So if any of you have a request or question that has not been addressed in an article or on one of my videos, I haven't forgotten you. And, please keep sending me those clues.

As I said, things are rather slow in the Iamaphoney news department. Are there any Nutters fans out there? Hmmm. How about Nutters? Well anyway, if you are curious about this unusual item from 24 seconds into the video A BIRD IN THE BUSH - 1 by aGameOfFlVES...



...you can find it here if you scroll down to the bottom of the page.

The documentary version of Rotten Apple 65 can now be found again here.

I love this guy named sneidng who makes ukulele versions of Iamaphoney classics. If you play the ukulele, you're okay by me.



And yet another videomaker has joined the ranks of the Iamaphoney imitator society. Say hello to WeirdCandycain. A support group meeting is scheduled for next Thursday, but it will be canceled in the event of a new Rotten Apple video.

Come on, Iamaphoney. We all miss you.

The Phoney Figure

First of all, I am glad that I am not a real journalist because we are dealing with some very flimsy stuff today.

The name, "The Phoney Figure" or "TPF" seems to have caught on as a way to refer to the Iamaphoney actor character who first appeared around the time of Rotten Apple 39 K. I think it might have been Mikeynl1038 who coined the term originally. Mike credits himself for making me famous, but from my perspective, the opposite is true.



TPF has gone through some appearance changes since then. This guy, featured in a video from July of 2007 was shown briefly more recently in Rotten Apple 78.



The image below is from Rotten Apple 75 L.



Then we had the video called "Footage TPF 1" that threatened to expose everything. Have you ever noticed how everyone who threatens to blow the lid off the whole thing never does? I'm beginning to wonder if this thing has a lid.



Some have even claimed that the individual playing the part of Iamaphoney has changed from the original in a similar scenario to an American Television show of the 1960s that dealt with the occult.



Lately there has been some speculation on the identity of TPF based on some of the softest evidence yet. We haven't exactly been a fount of critical thinking up to this point, but now it's going to get much worse.

Apparently, for a brief period of time Iamaphoney changed the background on his channel to a picture that showed TPF with a guitar in his hand. Therefore, speculation was that if he is pictured with a guitar, he must be a musician. If he is a musician, he must be on the recordings in the Rotten Apple videos. If he is on the recordings on the Rotten Apple videos, he must sing on them too.

While we are at the Olympic Conclusion Jump trials, we might as well keep going...

On December 8, 2009 (yes strange things happen on infamous Beatle anniversaries) someone left a comment on my blog post "Curious Thing" supposedly revealing the identity of TPF. Someone using the moniker "thetruthmustout" claimed to be a former classmate and said that TPF was an actor named Richie King.

The Internet Movie Database actually has a listing for Richie King, who is alternatively known as Rich King. There is not much information on Rich King, but it does list two films in which he appeared. In 1978, he was in "Stunt Rock" and in 1984, he was in "Rocktober Blood." Despite the murky waters of this research, I did find it interesting that he portrayed a bass guitar player in both movies.

The IMDB had no pictures, but I did find this Rich King on Google.



Undaunted, I searched YouTube and actually found a clip from "Stunt Rock" with the band Sorcery. The bass player, Rich King looks like this.



Going back to the comment from "thetruthmustout," Richie King, the Phoney Figure can be found in the movie "Less Than Zero" playing an uncredited extra in the pool scene. I first should warn that "Less Than Zero" is one of those "brat" movies where almost everyone looks like TPF. But from the description in the blog comment, I believe the alleged former schoolmate is the young man with thick blond hair who walks in the background during the pool scene. You see him emerge in the picture below to the left of the principle actors.



In this second capture, he is right between the principle actors in the scene.



In this third shot, he is to the right of the actors.



In this last capture he is about to exit to the right side of the screen.



The most recent twist in the liquid tale of TPF emerged two weeks ago when a new YouTube channel called FORN00NE uploaded nine tracks credited to an artist known as "The Afterlife." Based on various anonymous comments, the lead singer of the melodic synth pop band is a previous incarnation of the The Phoney Figure. The videos contain a few low quality pictures of what is implied to be a young TPF.







I must admit, he does look like he could have been any one of about 26 extras in the movie "Less Than Zero."