Theres
November 26th, 2006, 04:23 PM
during his lifetime Aleister Crowley made quite an impact on the world, as a socialite, as a mountaineer, as a political activist (usually for the wrong side), as a writer and poet, and of course, as a magician.
but oddly enough, when the so-called "wickedest man in the world" died (in 1947), his legend pretty much died with him. within a few years of his passing, the name Aleister Crowley meant nothing to anybody outside of the occult world.
so, what caused the rebirth of interest in this guy?
would you believe... John Lennon?
in 1967 the Beatles were working on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band. Paul had the idea for the album cover art, and asked the others to come up with famous people to grace the cover. he choose Tom Mix (cowboy actor), William S. Burroughs, Carl Jung, Karl Marx, Fred Astaire and H.G. Wells. George suggested alot of influential Indian gurus, as you might expect. Ringo had no input.
and John put forth Adolf Hitler (who was removed just before the photo shoot), the Marquis de Sade, Lenny Bruce, Friedrich Nietzsche, and a dimly remembered bald guy from the early 20th century named Aleister Crowley.
now keep in mind that this was at a time when the Beatles ruled the world, and anything they were 'into' influenced millions. so Crowley was dragged back into the light of day at a time that was much more conducive to his way of thinking than his own time was. people were starting to understand the coming of the new aeon, 'free love' was sweeping the western world, and alot of the old institutions were being looked at from a new perspective.
fertile ground indeed for someone as far ahead of their time as AC.
shortly after this there was an absolute explosion in the practice of the occult arts, and Crowley's own tarot deck was finally published for the first time.
not to suggest that these things wouldn't have happened anyway, but it seems that old John did give it a little more impetus, don't you think?
:)
but oddly enough, when the so-called "wickedest man in the world" died (in 1947), his legend pretty much died with him. within a few years of his passing, the name Aleister Crowley meant nothing to anybody outside of the occult world.
so, what caused the rebirth of interest in this guy?
would you believe... John Lennon?
in 1967 the Beatles were working on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band. Paul had the idea for the album cover art, and asked the others to come up with famous people to grace the cover. he choose Tom Mix (cowboy actor), William S. Burroughs, Carl Jung, Karl Marx, Fred Astaire and H.G. Wells. George suggested alot of influential Indian gurus, as you might expect. Ringo had no input.
and John put forth Adolf Hitler (who was removed just before the photo shoot), the Marquis de Sade, Lenny Bruce, Friedrich Nietzsche, and a dimly remembered bald guy from the early 20th century named Aleister Crowley.
now keep in mind that this was at a time when the Beatles ruled the world, and anything they were 'into' influenced millions. so Crowley was dragged back into the light of day at a time that was much more conducive to his way of thinking than his own time was. people were starting to understand the coming of the new aeon, 'free love' was sweeping the western world, and alot of the old institutions were being looked at from a new perspective.
fertile ground indeed for someone as far ahead of their time as AC.
shortly after this there was an absolute explosion in the practice of the occult arts, and Crowley's own tarot deck was finally published for the first time.
not to suggest that these things wouldn't have happened anyway, but it seems that old John did give it a little more impetus, don't you think?
:)