The Official Website of the Wizard of Weird
Saydy: Hi Mike.
Mike: Good morning.
Saydy; How many people have interviewed you before?
Mike: Dozens, but do you mean how many people have interviewed me for
this website?
Saydy: Er, yes...I think so.
Mike: I think you’re the third.
Saydy: Tell me about this new column you’re writing.
Mike: Its for a new magazine called UFO Matrix. Its being edited by Philip Mantle and Malcolm Robinson.
My column is called Backlight: Mike Hallowell’s UFO Cold Case Files. I’m going to take a monthly look at
old UFO cases and try and shed new light on them.
Saydy: It sounds a bit “cloak and dagger”. Is it?
Mike: No, not really. Its interesting, though. I’m going to be focusing on some of the lesser-known cases which
didn’t always make the headlines.
Saydy: UFOs aren’t your usual thing, though, are they?
Mike: Funnily enough, UFOs were the first thing that got me hooked on the paranormal. I’ve written about them
regularly over the years, but other phenomena, like cryptozoology and poltergeistry, have come to the fore a lot of the
time. To be honest, its nice to get fully back into the UFO field.
Saydy: Who else is writing for UFO Matrix?
Mike: Philip Mantle and Malcolm Robinson, of course, but there are other big hitters in the field, like, Nick Pope the
ex-MoD officer and Peter Robbins, who wrote Left at East Gate, with Larry Warren.
Mike: Good morning.
Saydy; How many people have interviewed you before?
Mike: Dozens, but do you mean how many people have interviewed me for
this website?
Saydy: Er, yes...I think so.
Mike: I think you’re the third.
Saydy: Tell me about this new column you’re writing.
Mike: Its for a new magazine called UFO Matrix. Its being edited by Philip Mantle and Malcolm Robinson.
My column is called Backlight: Mike Hallowell’s UFO Cold Case Files. I’m going to take a monthly look at
old UFO cases and try and shed new light on them.
Saydy: It sounds a bit “cloak and dagger”. Is it?
Mike: No, not really. Its interesting, though. I’m going to be focusing on some of the lesser-known cases which
didn’t always make the headlines.
Saydy: UFOs aren’t your usual thing, though, are they?
Mike: Funnily enough, UFOs were the first thing that got me hooked on the paranormal. I’ve written about them
regularly over the years, but other phenomena, like cryptozoology and poltergeistry, have come to the fore a lot of the
time. To be honest, its nice to get fully back into the UFO field.
Saydy: Who else is writing for UFO Matrix?
Mike: Philip Mantle and Malcolm Robinson, of course, but there are other big hitters in the field, like, Nick Pope the
ex-MoD officer and Peter Robbins, who wrote Left at East Gate, with Larry Warren.
Punk Crazy Saydy interviews Mike about life,
the universe and everything...
The Interview
“Funnily enough, UFOs were the first thing that got me hooked on
the whole paranormal thing. I’ve written about them regularly over
the years, but other phenomena, like cryptozoology and poltergeistry,
have come to the fore a lot of the time”.
Saydy: What other interesting investigations have you been doing lately?
Mike: Quite a few. I’m currently investigating the strange deaths of two farmhands back in 1857. They were found
unconscious in a field in West Boldon and taken to a local pub, where they died. Their bodies turned completely
black. There were suggestions that they’d been poisoned, but the evidence was scant.
Saydy: Is there a paranormal aspect to the story?
Mike: Yes. The incident occurred right in the heart of “Brag territory”. Parts of the Boldons are said to be
inhabited by a Brag, or Bogey Man, and I suspect that the creature may have been involved in their deaths
in some way.
Saydy: Do you really believe in all that stuff?
Mike: Yeah, I do. It probably sounds nuts to a lot of people, but the longer I spend in this game the more convinced
I am that the weirder stories - those that are really weird - probably have some truth in them.
Saydy: Have you ever seen this creature, the Brag?
Mike: No, but I’ve heard it.
Mike: Quite a few. I’m currently investigating the strange deaths of two farmhands back in 1857. They were found
unconscious in a field in West Boldon and taken to a local pub, where they died. Their bodies turned completely
black. There were suggestions that they’d been poisoned, but the evidence was scant.
Saydy: Is there a paranormal aspect to the story?
Mike: Yes. The incident occurred right in the heart of “Brag territory”. Parts of the Boldons are said to be
inhabited by a Brag, or Bogey Man, and I suspect that the creature may have been involved in their deaths
in some way.
Saydy: Do you really believe in all that stuff?
Mike: Yeah, I do. It probably sounds nuts to a lot of people, but the longer I spend in this game the more convinced
I am that the weirder stories - those that are really weird - probably have some truth in them.
Saydy: Have you ever seen this creature, the Brag?
Mike: No, but I’ve heard it.
Saydy: You’ve heard it? When?
Mike: A couple of times. It makes a weird sound, something like a cross between a frog’s croak and a birdcall.
Its hard to describe. You have to actually hear it. On both occasions it was loud, but the second time was the
worst - or best, if you like. It seemed to go on forever. I’ve never heard an animal sound like it. It isn’t an
experience I’d recommend for the faint-hearted.
Saydy: That sounds spooky.
Mike: It was, believe me.
Saydy: Did anyone else hear it?
Mike: Three other investigators, all of whom found the experience chilling.
Saydy: Have you any books coming out soon?
Mike: I’ve been contracted to do another two, and Darren and I are waiting for word from our publishers about
others. My two personal projects are collections of true ghost stories from Wearside and Darlington. I’m
hoping they’ll be released this year.
Saydy: Are you working on any others?
Mike: Yes, quite a few. One is about electronic communication with the dead, which is a subject I find
particularly fascinating.
Saydy: Have you tried it - communicating with the dead electronically?
Mike: Yes, with some very interesting results. I’m not sure its definitely the dead I’m talking to, but I certainly
seem to be communicating with someone. Sometimes the voices you hear identify themselves as dead people,
but on other occasions you can’t be certain.
Saydy: So how does that work, then? How do you make contact? What do you use?
Mike: Basically you use a modified digital radio that constantly scans the airwaves and picks up snatches of
voices. Sometimes you get loads of static and nonsensical noises, but often you can ask a question and then
you’ll hear a voice which gives a direct and meaningful answer to the question you’ve just asked.
Saydy: That’s fascinating.
Mike: A couple of times. It makes a weird sound, something like a cross between a frog’s croak and a birdcall.
Its hard to describe. You have to actually hear it. On both occasions it was loud, but the second time was the
worst - or best, if you like. It seemed to go on forever. I’ve never heard an animal sound like it. It isn’t an
experience I’d recommend for the faint-hearted.
Saydy: That sounds spooky.
Mike: It was, believe me.
Saydy: Did anyone else hear it?
Mike: Three other investigators, all of whom found the experience chilling.
Saydy: Have you any books coming out soon?
Mike: I’ve been contracted to do another two, and Darren and I are waiting for word from our publishers about
others. My two personal projects are collections of true ghost stories from Wearside and Darlington. I’m
hoping they’ll be released this year.
Saydy: Are you working on any others?
Mike: Yes, quite a few. One is about electronic communication with the dead, which is a subject I find
particularly fascinating.
Saydy: Have you tried it - communicating with the dead electronically?
Mike: Yes, with some very interesting results. I’m not sure its definitely the dead I’m talking to, but I certainly
seem to be communicating with someone. Sometimes the voices you hear identify themselves as dead people,
but on other occasions you can’t be certain.
Saydy: So how does that work, then? How do you make contact? What do you use?
Mike: Basically you use a modified digital radio that constantly scans the airwaves and picks up snatches of
voices. Sometimes you get loads of static and nonsensical noises, but often you can ask a question and then
you’ll hear a voice which gives a direct and meaningful answer to the question you’ve just asked.
Saydy: That’s fascinating.
“ I’m not sure its definitely the dead I’m talking to, but I certainly
seem to be communicating with someone. Sometimes the voices
you hear identify themselves as dead people,but on other occasions
you can’t be certain.”.
Saydy: Does that sort of stuff not scare you?
Mike: No; it used to, but not now.
Saydy: But you must feel creepy when you hear what might
be the voices of dead people, surely?
Mike: Actually, I don’t. Sometimes I get excited when I hear
a meaningful response, but its not a creepy feeling.
Saydy: What do you think the next big thing in the field
of paranormal research will be?
Mike: No; it used to, but not now.
Saydy: But you must feel creepy when you hear what might
be the voices of dead people, surely?
Mike: Actually, I don’t. Sometimes I get excited when I hear
a meaningful response, but its not a creepy feeling.
Saydy: What do you think the next big thing in the field
of paranormal research will be?
Mike: Firstly, I think we’re going to see a renaissance of interest in the UFO phenomenon, but I also think that
the concept of time travel will attract a lot of interest. There are reports coming out of the USA that the Government
has been aware that time travel is a reality for some time, and has actually been carrying out experiments in time
travel since the 1970s.
Saydy: Do you believe time travel is possible?
Mike: That’s a difficult question to answer. I want to believe that its possible, but that’s not quite the same thing.
I certainly believe that people can go back in time - and maybe even forwards - by using hypnotic regression,
but my feeling is that they are actually dropping temporarily into the body of someone who has lived in a past era.
I don’t believe they are physically travelling through time. Time travel in the physical sense is a completely
different ball game. It might be possible, and it may have already been done. I think that if it is possible the
technique may be an incredibly simple one; one day we’ll simply stumble upon the secret and utilise it.
Saydy: Just like that?
Mike: It really could be, “just like that”.
Saydy: Thanks, Mike
Mike: My pleasure.
the concept of time travel will attract a lot of interest. There are reports coming out of the USA that the Government
has been aware that time travel is a reality for some time, and has actually been carrying out experiments in time
travel since the 1970s.
Saydy: Do you believe time travel is possible?
Mike: That’s a difficult question to answer. I want to believe that its possible, but that’s not quite the same thing.
I certainly believe that people can go back in time - and maybe even forwards - by using hypnotic regression,
but my feeling is that they are actually dropping temporarily into the body of someone who has lived in a past era.
I don’t believe they are physically travelling through time. Time travel in the physical sense is a completely
different ball game. It might be possible, and it may have already been done. I think that if it is possible the
technique may be an incredibly simple one; one day we’ll simply stumble upon the secret and utilise it.
Saydy: Just like that?
Mike: It really could be, “just like that”.
Saydy: Thanks, Mike
Mike: My pleasure.