I Put a Spell on You
Riding the Mystery Train to Bela Lugosi’s Funeral
Here’s to our sweet…listeners. In the late 1960s and 1970s, theatricality in rock music reigned supreme, musicians dabbled in demonism, and the squares freaked the [meow] out. Join us as we explore the origins of Goth Rock, how rock acts embraced occult aesthetics, and how subliminal and explicit messages steered fans to the dark arts. Put on your freaky make-up, play the devil’s chord, and kick back as the Meerkats put a spell on you.
Our theme song is by Tawny Frogmouth.
Further Reading
Here's to My Sweet Satan: How the Occult Haunted Music, Movies and Pop Culture, 1966-1980 by George Case on GoodReads
Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders by Vincent Bugliosi and Curt Gentry on GoodReads
Mystery Train on Criteron
Mystery Train discussion by Robert Ebert
Music of the macabre: revisiting goth's evolution on The Guardian