Edward Ka-Spel has built an international following with his dark, psychedelic-folk melodies and astute lyrics, first as the enigmatic and prolific founder/lead singer of London-cum-Netherlands-based band the Legendary Pink Dots and then as a solo recording artist and performer. Ka-Spel is widely regarded as a genius bordering on madness, which explains the frequent comparisons to Syd Barrett, the first singer of Pink Floyd. Since the Legendary Pink Dots’ beginning in 1980, Ka-Spel has created an extensive personal mythology, like Current 93 or Psychic TV, and has created several ongoing narratives of love, chaos, destruction, and other darkly tinged topics in what might be a works-in-progress goth opera. Accordingly, he has taken on many pseudonyms such as the Prophet Qa’Sepel and D’Archangel, making his incredibly varied recording history even more difficult to map.

With dozens of albums to the Dots’ credit, Ka-Spel could already be considered a songwriting powerhouse, but he has also recorded numerous solo albums, collaborated with cEVIN kEY of Skinny Puppy in a project called the Tear Garden, and made many guest appearances. Ka-Spel remembers the young kEY sending him fan letters and mix tapes of his music as a youngster, and through this mutual respect they have collaborated and toured together.