Season of the Witch: How the Occult Saved Rock and Roll

By Peter Bebergal

This epic cultural and historic odyssey finds the whole effect of occult traditions on rock and roll -- from the Beatles to Black Sabbath -- and exhibits how the wedding among mysticism and track replaced our world.

From the hoodoo-inspired sounds of Elvis Presley to the jap odysseys of George Harrison, from the darkish dalliances of Led Zeppelin to the Masonic imagery of today’s hip-hop scene, the occult has lengthy breathed life into rock and hip-hop—and, indeed, esoteric and supernatural traditions are a key element behind the emergence and development of rock and roll. 

With brilliant storytelling and laser-sharp research, author and critic Peter Bebergal illuminates this internet of impacts to provide the definitive paintings on how the occult formed -- and kept -- well known music.

As Bebergal explains, occult and mystical beliefs gave rock and roll its center and function, making rock into greater than simply backbeat tune, yet right into a cultural revolution of political, religious, sexual, and social liberation.

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Uk/boyle/texts/atlas_notes1. html (accessed may perhaps eight, 2014). some of the Beatles’ press convention costs have been stumbled on at www. beatlesinterviews. org and thebeatlesbible. com. The Paula Scher quote is located in Steven Heller, “Divinyl Inspiration,” Step within layout 20, no. 6 (2004): 58–67. John Sutherland Bonnell is quoted in “Noted Cleric Criticizes Resurgence of Spiritism,” l. a. occasions, February 7, 1968. June Bolan quote is from http://www. pink-floyd. org/barrett/sydarticle. html (accessed July 1, 2014). Quote from Wouter J. Hanegraaff is from his worthy e-book Western Esotericism: A advisor for the at a loss for words (London: Bloomsbury educational, 2013). bankruptcy three: THE satan RIDES OUT resources for background of the Rolling Stones got here from numerous magazines and interviews, yet books supplied first-class fabric: outdated Gods virtually lifeless: The 40-Year Odyssey of the Rolling Stones via Stephen Davis (New York: Broadway Books, 2001) and Up and Down with the Rolling Stones by way of Tony Sanchez (London: John Blake Publishing, 2011). On Led Zeppelin, i'm indebted to Led Zeppelin IV: 331/3 by means of Erik Davis (London: Bloomsbury, 2005), mild and color: Conversations with Jimmy web page by means of Brad Tolinski (New York: Crown, 2012), Led Zeppelin 1968–1980 through Keith Shadwick (Milwaukee, WI: Backbeat Books, 2005), and Hammer of the Gods by means of Stephen Davis (New York: Ballantine Books, 1986). Aubrey Powell spoke to me over the telephone approximately his time with Hipgnosis and dealing on Led Zeppelin album covers. fabric on Aleister Crowley used to be effortless to return via, yet an interview with Rodney Orpheus proved such a lot illuminating besides fabric from Gary Lachman’s Aleister Crowley: Magick, Rock and Roll, and the Wickedest guy on the earth (New York: Tarcher, 2014). William Yarroll used to be quoted in “California Probes Rock song ‘Devil,’” Chicago Tribune, April 29, 1982. fabric on Anton LaVey and the Church of devil is from articles referenced within the textual content in addition to a mobilephone interview with Zeena Schreck and the item “Has the Church of devil long past to Hell? ” via Jack Boulware, Gnosis (Winter 1999). a few fabric on Ozzy Osbourne is from “Ozzy Osbourne, Off and Rocking,” Washington submit, April 17, 1986. Quote concerning the band center comes from “Paying the cost of surprising Success,” Washington put up, October 12, 1977. a few info at the PMRC is from the nationwide Public Radio article “Parental Advisory Labels—The standards and The History,” October 29, 2010. Phil Baker quote on Dennis Wheatley is from an editorial in Fortean instances came upon at http://www. forteantimes. com/features/articles/2623/the_devil_rides_out. html (accessed on July 1, 2014). bankruptcy four: THE TREE OF lifestyles A telephone interview with Arthur Brown was once the resource of a lot of the cloth on his track and ideas, in addition to the ebook The God of Hellfire via Polly Marshall (London: S. A. F. Publishing, 2006) and the object “Flame On” through Mike Barnes, MOJO, August 2013. Otto quote is from Dionysus: fantasy and Cult. i'm thankful to Nicholas Pegg for his notable publication, the entire David Bowie (London: Titan Books, 2011).

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