The Secret History of Rock 'n' Roll

Sep 28, 2010

Sex. Drugs. Loud music. Wild costumes. Dazzling light shows. These words can all describe a great rock concert or a hot dance club, but they were also part and parcel of the ancient cultural phenomenon known as the “Mystery religions.” Christopher Knowles shows how the long-dead mystery religions got a secular reincarnation when a new musical form called rock 'n' roll burst onto the scene. Knowles shows how the mysteries prefigured subcultures as diverse as Santeria, Freemasonry and Mardi Gras, and explains exactly how ancient rituals and music found their way to the new world. In the process, The Secret History of Rock 'n' Roll traces the development of rock's most popular genres such as punk and metal, and reveals how many of rock's most iconic artists fill the same archetypal roles as the ancient gods. You'll see how many of the rituals, customs and musical styles of our postmodern society have stunning ancient parallels. Get ready for a wild ride that will take you from the Stone Age to the Space Age. Chris Knowles returns to the program to talk about his new book "The Secret History of Rock 'n' Roll -The Mysterious Roots of Modern Music". Topics Discussed: cult, ancient mystery cults, Misfits, dress, codes, music scene, Stone Age, imitation cults, Dionysus, music as a threat, revolution, musicians leaders, music scene controlled, Civil Rights Movement, Jimi Hendrix, counter culture, ancient gods, Muse, creativity and inspiration, Christianity, Rome, Isis cult, Mithraic mysteries, Celtic folk music and more. In our next hour we talk about the use of drugs in connection to both rock n' roll and the mystery cults. Chris talks about "the Mithras liturgy", Kenneth Anger's "Lucifer Rising", the hippie movement, LSD and tapping into negative energies and dark forces. We discuss Rosemary's Baby, Polanski, John Lennon, Charles Manson and Marilyn Manson. Who are the producers and managers behind the artists? Chris tells us what he think about Lady Gaga, Jay-Z, Rihanna and others that are openly now displaying esoteric and occult symbolism in their videos, performances and on their merchandise. Is it all money driven and sensationalism? We talk about the conspiratorial aspect in music and the future of music. Topics Discussed: drugs, entheogenics, ear of corn, the Mithras liturgy, flying discs of the gods, arenas, stadium, Altamont, Kenneth Anger's "Lucifer Rising", LSD, Mk Ultra, hippie movement, recreational drugs, unleashing demonic forces into the world, Plutonian forces, Rosemary's Baby, ritualistic purposes, Marilyn Manson, Madonna, Satanism and money.