Last Writes Season Finale with… Heather Taddy (@ClassicTad)

The premise of LAST WRITES is simple. Our guests face their final rest, but before Death claims them they are granted a few parting earthly pleasures, the memories of which will travel with them into the great unknown. What makes these questions appealing and insightful for me is that these are not necessarily our guests favorite things, but those they most want to experience one last time before they shuffle off this mortal coil.

TODAY’S DEPARTING:

HEATHER TADDY

If you’re a purveyor of the Strange and Unusual, then you are more than aware of Heather Taddy. We have seen her investigate on numerous programs, such as Paranormal State, Alien Highway, Portals to Hell, and, most recently, her and best friend Katrina Weidman’s Travel the Dead on YouTube. In her own words, “When she isn’t sitting alone in a creepy basement talking to herself or looking to the skies for the unknown, Taddy is a musician, roller-skater, lover of vintage clothing, creating costumes, photography, and horror films.“

When I decided to launch this new season of Last Writes, Taddy was the first person I reached out to. Fitting that I chose her to close the season out. I have always appreciated her style of investigation and the way she tries to connect with the spirits she interacts with. It’s rare to find someone as honest and open as Taddy in this field.

Which leads us to pay our final respects here in the Occult Detective Mortuary. We have everything prepared to give her a proper sendoff into the great hereafter. Let us gather together as her Last Writes are offered up.

LAST MEAL:

Over the past few years I’ve become a huge fan of Thai food so I’d have to say Pad Thai. But wait! If it were my last meal ever why would I eat real food? I’d have a platter of the finest desserts around! I’m quite a dessert aficionado so a variety of treats would be ideal. A mountain of tiramisu, chocolate chip cookie dough- not that edible kind either. I’m talking the kind with the raw eggs that my mom always yelled at me for eating growing up. I’d request an enormous banana split with a tower of Reese’s PB cups on top and then some key lime cheesecake somewhere in the mix.

LAST BOOK:

I’d probably say a photo album book of all my memories so that I could have one last reminder at the wild life I’ve lived. Then I’d silently cry into my bowl of ice cream. I love reading about the music scene in Seattle during the 1980’s/early 90’s. If we had the power to reincarnate ourselves to a particular period of time I’d choose to be in that scene just to see all of those amazing bands before the scene blew up. I would have started a band, organized shows or worked at Sub Pop. I also would have been the only person not doing drugs haha. Everybody Loves our Town is an interesting read about how a lot of my favorite bands formed and how the city inspired the music.

LAST MOVIE:

I find a lot of joy in watching old, really cheesy horror movies, especially ones where you can see the boom mic in the shot and the acting is real bad. I’d say I’d watch a DVD compilation of experimental cinema of the 1920’s and 30’s. Having that imagery in my mind as the last would be a trip!

LAST SONG:

This is a very tough one for I am a huge fan of music. I have music playing all day everyday through speakers or in my headphones. I guess I’d have to figure out if I wanted my last song played to be a happy one or a sad one considering the circumstances. Let’s do sad first…. I’d definitely pick “Long Gone Day” by Mad Season with Mark Lanegan singing because I love the combination of his vocals with Layne Stayley’s. It’s very haunting. Happy song-I’d pick Deee-Lite’s “Groove is in the Heart” so I’ll be grooving my way to the other side with style and grace. I’d also hope that during my last moments on earth I’d be wearing roller skates.

FIRST PERSON YOU’D LIKE TO MEET ON THE OTHER SIDE:

Harry Price so that I could share the developments around “ghost hunting” and how it’s all progressed since he’s been around. Not sure if he’d be happy to hear all of this. Since he was such a formative figure in ghost research but it’d be neat to hear his reactions. It’d be nice to reconnect with Lorraine Warren again. She was the best storyteller and I’d love to have the chance to hear about her adventures again. I’d love to meet anyone who was witness to the aftermath of the Roswell/Corona crash in 1947. Especially those who kept their secrets for decades. Imagine their reaction at how prominent UFO’s are in the news these days?! They would be in total disbelief.

“All fled—all done, so lift me on the pyre—The Feast is over, and the lamps expire.”

I can’t think of a better way to close out this season of Last Writes. My most heartfelt thanks to our “Final Girl”, Heather Taddy, for delivering a terrific endcap to these necromantic festivities. And thank yous to all who participated this season — Maevius Lynn, Paul Leone, Vayse’s Stephen J. Buckley and Peter C. Hine, Cara Hamilton, Katie Webb, Jessica Knapik, Marco Visconti, The Ghost Maidens’ Sybil and Rose, and Peter Bebergal. You were all bloody terrific.

Will Last Writes return for another season? Well, how could it not? The Occult Detective Mortuary is always open. Tell me, who would you like to see make a final appearance? We’re dying to know…