Friday 31st of May 2013
Doors Open 7.00 for a 7.30 start
The Ebenezers are delighted to welcome Mark Pilkington of Strange Attractor, who brings with him the shocking truth of unspeakable cults, erotic rites, and their deep and surprising connections to British popular music from 1888 to 1978...
Magic and music are as old as humanity, but organised witchcraft - a British cultural export whose influence has been felt all over the world - is younger than jazz.
In this talk, illustrated with images, music and rare recordings, Mark Pilkington, author of Mirage Men and publisher of Strange Attractor Press, explores British occultism’s origins in the bohemian groves of late 19th century London, and charts its impact on popular music and some of its players, from the rock ‘n’ roll years through to the paradigm shift of punk. The emerging stories glow with transcendence, ripple with mystery, honk with absurdity and are all too often shadowed by tragedy.
Names that Mark will conjure with include usual suspects and shock manifestations: Aleister Crowley, Graham Bond, Gerald Gardner, Comus, Alex & Maxine Sanders, Throbbing Gristle, Black Sabbath, Robbie Williams, Eliphas Levi, WB Yeats, Black Widow, Austin Osman Spare...
Mark has not come among us to cast spells and conjure demons; rather he examines the lives and desires of people who were fascinated by such things.
This is a feature-length lecture, one and a half hours, enabling Mark to incorporate more rare & fabulous film and music. There will be an interval for supper & wine.