Aleister Crowley: Magick, Rock and Roll, and the Wickedest Man in the World - Paperback

Aleister Crowley: The Occult Icon Who Shaped Rock and Roll

This definitive work on the occult's "great beast" traces the arc of his controversial life and influence on rock-and-roll giants, from the Rolling Stones to Led Zeppelin to Black Sabbath.

When Aleister Crowley died in 1947, he was not an obvious contender for the most enduring pop-culture figure of the next century. But twenty years later, Crowley's name and image were everywhere. The Beatles put him on the cover of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. The Rolling Stones were briefly serious devotees. Today, his visage hangs in goth clubs, occult temples, and college dorm rooms, and his methods of ceremonial magick animate the passions of myriad occultists and spiritual seekers.

A Biography That Transcends Traditional Storytelling

Aleister Crowley is more than just a biography of this compelling, controversial, and divisive figure--it's also a portrait of his unparalleled influence on modern pop culture. Gary Lachman examines how Crowley's occult philosophies and ceremonial magick practices infiltrated the counterculture movement and permanently altered the landscape of rock music.

From Occult Obscurity to Rock and Roll Icon

This book reveals the fascinating connections between Crowley's esoteric teachings and the music that defined generations. Discover how his image and ideas became intertwined with the greatest names in rock history, from the psychedelic experimentation of the 1960s to the dark mysticism of heavy metal.