Al Ridenour’s passion for the horror genre is genuine, as is his eagerness to explore and seriously analyze its relationship
with the folkloric realm. Throughout his life, Ridenour has eagerly embraced
the weird and macabre, exploring his obsessions through various creative
modes and undertakings.
Since the 1990s, Ridenour has worked as a journalist,
author, artist, animator, arts impresario, and small-time cultural agitator (the
last with the Cacophony Society under the nom de guerre, “Rev. Al”). Most
recently, with the enthusiastic reception of his 2016 book The Krampus and the Old, Dark, Christmas he has made a name for himself as the
preeminent English-language expert on the folklore of the Krampus.
Now in its second printing, Ridenour’s Dangerous Minds’ Christopher Bickel described the Krampus as "the definitive work on Krampus" and a “must read,” while LA Times book critic Elizabeth Hand found the book “gleefully erudite,” remarking that
it "deserves to be a classic."
Ridenour’s research on the Krampus began in 2012,
followed the next year by travels to Europe to observe traditional activities
firsthand. Shortly after that, along with long-time friend Al Guerrero, he
founded Los Angeles's annual and ongoing Krampusfest and Krampuslauf, engaging both local and
European performers for these annual events.
He has translated, produced and directed adaptations of
traditional European Krampus plays, lectured on the Krampus at the
International Goethe-Institut, The San Diego Art Institute, and the New
Americans Museum. He also crafts and sells Krampus masks and teaches
workshops for those interested in making their own. In 2018, he was recruited
by Geek Nation Tours as onboard consultant for tours of Austria and Germany
focusing on Krampus events and traditions.
Sean Tejaratchi is a graphic designer and writer living in Los Angeles, California. He's designed books, created props for for documentary and film, written for television and radio, and is the creator of the zine Crap Hound.
