Yearly, there are thousands upon thousands of books pertaining to try and uncover the essence of rock n’ roll music. Most fail, usually settling for funny anecdotes rather than suggestions about where rock’s soul lies.
Out of all the books written about the subject, few are as well researched, as readable, or as funny as Peter Bebergal’s Season of the Witch: How the Occult saved Rock and Roll. In it, the author digs deeply into popular music’s back pages and makes a strong point for the occult leading young musicians away from the cookie-cutter direction that the industry expected them to head towards.
I had the pleasure of speaking to Mr. Bebergal on the subject. The author spoke about famous musicians’ interest in ancient symbolism, Aleister Crowley’s Magick, chemical experimentation, etc. We also discussed the impact the music had on popular culture, on the 80s Satanic panic, and on today’s tock music.
Could Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, or the Rolling Stones have really got going without their interest in the occult? Find out in the latest episode of the Alt77 podcast.
