England`s Hidden Reverse – A Secret History of The Esoteric Underground 2e

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The new edition comes redesigned and expanded with two new chapters, one of which "traces the transgressive urge that animates industrial culture all the way from Palaeolithic cave art through rock n roll and punk rock and up to contemporary noise music", as well as previously unseen photographs, and will be published in late November by Strange Attractor Press, the publishing house that put out tQ editor John Doran's recent book, Jolly Lad. Sleazy und Balance, als Paar und Künstler (definitiv ein Begriff, den ich wo es nur geht, versuche zu vermeiden), atmeten die gleiche Luft aus wie ein Marquis De Sade, ein James Baldwin oder vermutlich auch ein Warhol.

B. dem erweiterten Zugang Balance's zu Schwulenpornos Mitte der 80er und welche Auswirkungen das wiederum auf die Musik von Coil hatte, macht Letztere nicht nur greifbarer, es macht sie auch menschlicher und persönlicher, sensibler. The author actually goes out of his way to excuse this behavior, comparing the use of fascist symbols in punk music, but claiming that by not expounding upon the reason for using these symbols they have more artistic merit than punk. Throbbing Gristle had created a kind of defiled psychedelia that all three bands stretched and redefined in their own ways, drawing on the esoteric Magickal lore of Aleister Crowley, Austin Osman Spare and a host of other fringe figures, and pursuing a common interest in altered states of consciousness.Alongside these names, it also folds Throbbing Gristle, Whitehouse, Shirley Collins, Charles Sims and AE Housman into the esoteric narrative, making for a book that has become highly influential and increasingly pertinent to a lot of music and literature produced in recent years, such as that by Grumbling Fur, English Heretic and Kemper Norton. An expanded edition of the classic exploration of the English esoteric musical underground—with the first biographies of Coil, Current 93, and Nurse With Wound.

The text is a fascinating look at the lives of London-based musicians from these and other bands and the interconnected nature of their social and artistic endeavours. David Keenan was born in Glasgow and grew up in Airdrie, in the west of Scotland, in the late-70s and early-1980s. These folks were doing some revolutionary outsider art and this work allows a unhindered look at the dark tapestry that brought them together and in the darkness bound them. i've always been attracted to these musicians and learned years ago about this book, which was sadly oop at the time.in 2003 when the book was first published, all those involved seemed like they were in a pretty good place. A shame really - the 'esoteric underground' that Keenan focuses on is a deeply rich seam of myth and invention, far beneath the darkest extremes of British 'alternative' culture and even the transgressive norms of the 'Industrial' music scene they sprang from; the stories of the bands are correspondingly challenging and engaging. It includes references to their (often shared) esoteric and literary inspirations – such as Crowley, Spare and Burroughs. listening to their music is surreal and often difficult, but like dub music the decade before, following them was like turning a transistor radio dial; there was always overlap, you'd start to notice features and voices and collaborations and could virtually map out a culture from the sound itself.

With Gen passing as well in 2020, the world of the 80s and 90s underground subculture described in England’s Hidden Reverse seems to be fading ever faster in time’s rearview mirror. I can't quite put my finger on why I feel this way - but I felt like the author was one of those people that was a bit stuck in an either/or mentality when it came to underground music versus that which is more pop - or just more well known. Over the years, as these artists relentlessly pursued their own unique artistic visions, these would remain the sole constant members of these bands, however they would collaborate extensively with each other and a revolving cast of experimental musicians and artists.He is also the author of England's Hidden Reverse (Strange Attractor Press), a history of the UK's post-punk/Industrial underground, as well as To Run Wild In It and Empty Aphrodite, (Rough Trade Books), two experimental novellas, and the co-designer, alongside Sophy Hollington, of his own tarot pack, the Autonomic Tarot (Rough Trade Books). It’s a touching and frequently funny read for mature adults interested in experimental post-industrial music of the 80’s and 90’s. The book details, most often in their own words, the obsessions – magical, musical, sexual and narcotic of Stapleton, Tibet, Sleazy, Balance and others. The cover may have some limited signs of wear but the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged. This new and expanded edition has been completely redesigned, with the addition of some new (and previously unseen) photographs and two new chapters, bringing the book up to speed with 2015.