A Sweeping Curve of Sound

The Independent has a feature up on the tradition of Morris Dancing, specifically how two troupes are bringing a decidedly modern aesthetic to these venerable folk traditions.

The Hunters Moon Morris

“Morris dancing is a joke, isn’t it, with a hey nonny no? Beardy men with beer bellies prancing about in white stockings, waving hankies? Very twee. But try telling that to the men and women of Hunters Moon, here by the Sussex coast looking like the devilish spawn of Hell’s Angels and medieval mummers. They are part of a secret revolution in morris dancing, transforming the most easily lampooned of English eccentricities. Fresh rivalries are emerging, as younger men and women reinvent “the morris” in startling ways - including, as we discover during a mad dash around southern England on May Day, the world’s first Gothic morris troupe - or “side”.”


The Wolf’s Head and Vixen Morris.

The article profiles the decidedly Pagan-oriented Hunters Moon Morris, and the gothic Wolf’s Head and Vixen Morris. Journalist Cole Moreton describes Wolf’s Head and Vixen as looking like a “boozy, woozy gathering of the Sisters of Mercy fan club”, but they, like the Hunter’s Moon troupe, are trying to reclaim Morris dancing from a static and sometimes oppressive vision of English history and culture.

“One reason for the recent growth of Border morris is that it is easier to learn (while more spectacular) than other forms. Another is an increase in the number of British neo-pagans, many of whom are drawn to it. “We quite consciously work with ideas of shamanism,” says [Wolfshead founder Philip] Kane. “It’s a form of ritual theatre, a magical space embracing both dancers and audience.” There are radical politics at work too: he sees the dance, and “neo-pagan carnivals” such as the Rochester Sweeps, as a way of resisting the “complacent nostalgia” of Englishness “founded on the detritus of imperialism, Christianity, racism and xenophobia”. His England has more primitive, inclusive roots, and for him the morris is a way of expressing that.”

Of course there are still several traditional Morris “sides” (albeit aging rapidly) performing in England. Unlike the Pagan and goth troupes, they see what they are doing as safely within the bounds of their Christian faith, and downplay any esoteric aspects connected to Morris dancing by folklorists in the past.

“So, what do they think they’re up to? Norman Hopson, the 56-year-old squire, is a technical manager for BT but has the no-nonsense manner of a bluff countryman. “Some say the handkerchiefs are there to frighten away spirits, and the same for the bells,” he says. “We say they are there to accentuate the movements.” Nor is there anything mystical about his experience of dancing: “I see myself as a street entertainer.” … Hopson doesn’t see it as a symbol of fertility, or anything else, thank you. “The Long Man is a local landmark,” he says. “It’s just a carving on a hill. I don’t think it has any further significance.” The side’s bagman, Alan Vaughan, puts it more strongly: “We would go against that pagan idea,” he says. ‘Traditionally, morris dancing has been connected with the church. I personally have danced in Durham Cathedral.’”

Of course the pagan and esoteric undertones to modern Morris dancing (true or not) are irrevocably wrapped into it thanks to folklorists like Cecil Sharp, who felt that folk-traditions were cultural fossils of England’s primitive past (what Ronald Hutton calls the “geological model” of human culture). This notion of pagan survivals helped pave the way for the emergence of modern Pagan religion, and still casts a long shadow in the public mind when considering Morris dances and other folk traditions.

“The folk singers of today … are the last of a long line that stretches back into the mists of far-off days.” - Cecil Sharp, English Folk Song: Some Conclusions, 1907

Nor is England the only place where Pagans and other subcultural groups are staking their own claims to the Morris legacy. Pagans in America, most notably in California, have started up their own Morris traditions. Before long, the Victorian folklorists may turn out to be prophets, as more and more Morris troupes embrace a Pagan aesthetic.

PS - Speaking of traditions, today is Mother’s Day. Check out my post concerning the holiday from last year, I think it says all I want to say about the subject.

Life has been good for director Guillermo del Toro lately. His 2006 film “Pan’s Labyrinth” was widely acclaimed by critics (winning three Academy Awards), and he was recently tapped to direct the two Hobbit films (under the watchful eye of Peter Jackson). In between these two momentous events comes the July release of “Hellboy II: The Golden Army”, which continues to mine the rich themes of myth, faith, choice, and the imagination.

“I think it’s the primal motor of human endeavor,” said del Toro about his fascination with exploring mythology and fantasy in his films. “All human endeavor: spiritual, physical, social. I think myth makes humans what we are, it is the essence of being human, the capacity to invent. No raccoon worships the god of the trash can and we do. There are plenty of people that worship in search of a spiritual meaning. Anyone that says, ‘Okay, we are this or that many chromosomes away from being an ape,’ they should consider imagination as one thing that is a huge chasm between us.”

The old, horned, king of the otherworld.

In this follow-up to the 2004 cult-hit, del Toro seems to be expanding on his fascination with the fairy-inhabited “otherworld” from “Pan’s Labyrinth”. This time with the threat of an all-out war between fairy-folk and humanity. Hellboy creator, and film co-writer, Mike Mignola, compares fae/human tensions in the movie to the history of American Indian struggles.

“The focus is more on the folklore and fairy tale aspect of Hellboy. It’s not Nazis, machines and mad scientists but the old gods and characters who have been kind of shoved out of our world. I kind of equate it to the whole American Indian situation. The Indians were shoved onto reservations. You had your old, wise Indians who said, “You know, this is the way it is. We can’t fight anymore. We just have to accept our fate.” You then have your Geronimo character saying, “Or we could just kill the White Man.” That’s kind of the situation we have in the film. We have our elf characters resigning to the way things are and then there’s one saying, “Or we could take the world back.” The main difference is - what if the Indians had a nuclear warhead? The elves have their equivalent of the weapon that is too terrible to use. What if this guy decided to use it?”

Building on that theme, a viral marketing web site called HETFET, Humans for the Ethical Treatment of Fairies, Elves, and Trolls, has emerged.

HETFET logo.

“We know that every minute of every day, all across the world, terrible crimes are taking place all around us. But the victims of these crimes can’t ask for help because humanity turns a deaf ear to the segment of society that we once called “mythical creatures.” Not anymore. At HETFET, it is our unwavering belief that these misunderstood beings deserve the same rights as those given to animals or people. No more, no less; just the right to coexist and be left alone.”

Needless to say, the Pagan overtones of the site, complete with a real petition to save old-growth forests, are palpable. With the otherworldly action, a film preview sporting massive pre-historic Venus figurines, and a trip through a “Troll market” (not to mention a horned god/king!), this Hellboy film is shaping up to be a real treat for the Pagan film-goer. I’m very much looking forward to seeing it in July.

Play Louder reviews a recent concert by veteran Pagan goth-rockers Inkubus Sukkubus, and asks some essential questions.

Inkubus Sukkubus

“Finding them to be an unlikely but consistent pop-goth songwriting machine and completely and utterly stuck in a time warp of their own invention, I found there to be something incredibly endearing about Inkubus Sukkubus. How many songs can you write about Pan, the injustices of the Catholic church, and seasonal pagan festivals? Well, the answer, fortunately, is sh**loads…”

Despite being stuck in an “endearing time warp”, the band manages to win over the reviewer, not to mention their legions of loyal fans.

“…one can’t help but feel a tremendous attachment to them, and respect for them. They’re the rebellious aunt and uncle I never had. They’ve invented their own reality, and reached a modest number of people in a lot of places in a way that no other band could. From the big beardy old men to the leather-clad, off-the-rails cyber goth girls (both equally intimidating), there’s nobody not willing to raise their devil horns in salute and chant ‘Isis, Astarte, Diana, Hecate, Demeter, Kali, Inanna…’ till they’re hoarse.”

If that rousing endorsement has peaked your interest, you can download a variety of Inkubus Sukkubus songs at their SoundClick page. Maybe you too can be won over by the world’s most famous Pagan band.

TradWitch, a web site servicing Traditionalist Witches/Wiccans,  has posted clips from a “lost” recording of groundbreaking Pagan singer/songwriter Gwydion Pendderwen.

“The Late Gwydion Pendderwen performed a rare live concert at the 1980 Pan Pagan Festival held in Hammond Indiana. I recorded that event with Gwydions permission and believe that my tape of it is one of the few which was made. I am in process of digitizing it and trying to clean it up as best i can. “

You can find clips of “I’ll Be Reborn” and “Trees of Annywn” at the site. If you have never heard of Gwydion, be sure to check out my review of Gwydion’s re-released albums.

Alison Goldfrapp’s new album “Seventh Tree” (out February 25th) leaves aside the electro-glam trappings for a foray into “weird” folk and psychedelic sounds. Goldfrapp recently told an interviewer that the new album was inspired by “paganism”.

“Describing the material as psychedelic, she explained: ‘We’ve been inspired by this idea of paganism and the surreal themes in traditional English children’s books.’”

You can see this new Pagan-inspired esthetic in the video for the first single from “Seventh Tree”: “A&E”, which features dancing figures made of leaves and greenery, with Alison Goldfrapp as a goddess-like figure of worship in flowing white.

I’m very much looking forward to hearing (and seeing) more of this. You can expect tracks from “Seventh Tree” to pop up on “A Darker Shade of Pagan” in the near-future.

In other Pagan-inspired news, today is the start of Pantheacon, the largest indoor Pagan-oriented convention on the west coast (just in time to celebrate Lupercalia). If you are attending, be sure to stop by Anne Hill’s Serpentine Music booth where you’ll find some great A Darker Shade of Pagan-approved merchandise and swag. Including copies of Monica Richard’s masterful “InfraWarrior” CD, and a chance to pre-order a physical copy of the amazing “John Barleycorn Reborn” compilation. Plus, if you give the “secret blog-reader handshake” Anne may show you my list of music recommendations!

[This is a rough-draft excerpt from my forthcoming book concerning the history of modern Pagan and occult music. All work is copyright 2007 - 2008 Jason Pitzl-Waters, and is posted under a Creative Commons License.]

“In the beginning we were berated for being gothic two years too late, today we are applauded for being at the vanguard of World Music. Whoever you believe we have always endeavoured to remain true to our convictions, in the belief that our music would eventually find its audience on its own merits and not by way of slavishly pandering to the whims of an industry that continually lacks imagination and is subservient to formula and greed.” - Brendan Perry, Marrakesh, 1996

Perhaps one of the most important bands to discuss within this context is the band Dead Can Dance. The band, formed in 1981 by Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard, would evolve from a solidly goth/darkwave beginning to incorporate world music, ancient musics from the medieval and Renaissance periods, and stunning vocal work from both members. During their existence the band has influenced several bands, spawned tribute records, and has become a touchstone for music lovers from a variety of scenes, backgrounds, and faiths. While neither member has expressed any allegiance to modern Paganism (Lisa Gerrard from most accounts follows a sort of mystical Christianity, and Brendan Perry has never clearly stated a preference though he seems quite sympathetic to indigenous religion and classical philosophy), the band has been widely adopted as a “pagan band” and several bands influenced by DCD are forthright in their sympathies for pre/post-Christian religion.

This adoption as a “Pagan band” isn’t too hard to imagine. Several songs in the bands history invoke ancient paganism (”Persephone (The Gathering of Flowers)”, “Summoning of the Muse”, “Song of the Sibyl”), the band has incorporated lyrics and themes from indigenous religions, and Lisa Gerrard’s unique form of singing (a type of language-less glossolalia) invites an emotional interpretation by the listener. This connection has grown only stronger as Pagan bands who cite DCD as an influence have emerged over the past fifteen years. These openly Pagan bands, along with a host of artists directly influenced by Dead Can Dance, formed a sort of spiritual music within the goth/darkwave subculture (which would in turn spill into the modern Pagan subculture).

“When someone says there is soul in the work, it means that through the music they have allowed themselves to unlock doors within their own unconscious, that through their confidence they have allowed themselves to surrender, so that they can look inside.” - Lisa Gerrard, Inside the Music

Most of the bands influenced by DCD would incorporate strong female vocals (who often incorporated elements of Gerrard’s unique singing style), world music or folk elements, and electronic or guitar-based effects to provide a modern edge to the music. Creating a sort of template (with different bands placing different emphasis’s on the core elements) for bands wishing to join into this new stylistic thread (which some people call “ethno-gothic”) within a nebulously larger “dark” subculture. Dead Can Dance and the bands that would emerge in their wake would garners an audience much wider than its humble goth roots. Fans could be found in world music circles, New Age enclaves, the chill-out rooms of dance clubs blasting electronic music, and in Hollywood where Gerrard’s siren-like singing has become a popular addition to blockbuster films.

There are several openly Pagan and occult-oriented bands who have been influenced by Dead Can Dance and adhere to the ethno-gothic formula, in fact so many have appeared since the 1990s that some have (wrongfully) assumed that most Pagan music is automatically “goth” (and vice-versa). This misapprehension evolved partially from the fact that many younger Pagans, Witches, and occultists preferred the more youth-oriented environments associated with these bands. In fact a sort of “dark” Pagan underground has sprung up in the wider modern Paganism community that rejects what they see as an increasingly shallow and one-sided religious culture that often doesn’t acknowledge the more unpleasant aspects of nature or the world around them.

[This is a rough-draft excerpt from my forthcoming book concerning the history of modern Pagan and occult music. All work is copyright 2007 - 2008 Jason Pitzl-Waters, and is posted under a Creative Commons License.]

“To understand why we chose the name, think of the transformation of inanimacy to animacy..Think of the processes concerning life from death and death into live. So many people missed the inherent symbolism, and assumed that we must be “morbid gothic types,” a mistake we deplored and deplore…” - Brendan Perry of the band Dead Can Dance, 1984

While the late seventies and early eighties spawned an predominantly insular Pagan musical scene centered around festivals and conventions, that wasn’t the only expression of a modern Pagan or occult music to emerge. Starting in the late seventies several alternative and underground musical subcultures became havens for those who adhered to outsider views of religion and philosophy. Within these permissive (and often rebellious) scenes emerged artists who injected lyrical themes relating to their adherence to outsider faiths and practices into their musical expression. This sometimes resulted in the creation of stylistically unique musical threads within the sub-genre that would inspire future artists and musicians. The best example of this trend can perhaps be found in goth, a unique musical subculture that emerged during the post-punk era in Britain.

Goth presented a romantic, decadent, and inward-looking alternative to the outward anger and nihilism of the UK punk-rock explosion of the late seventies. Byronic excesses and moods largely replaced political posturing (with some notable exceptions), and black was the color of choice. While the goth subculture often outwardly presented Catholic Christian imagery there has never been an expectation of belief in any religious system, and tolerance has been the rule within the culture. Due to this tolerance, many modern Pagans and occult practitioners found themselves a comfortable sanctuary within the goth subculture from a mainstream that often didn’t welcome or understand them. Today, according to some recent polling, up to 33% of self-identified goths hold allegiance to some form of Pagan belief system, by far the largest theistic grouping of the bunch. The rest are a scattered assortment of people who practice “their own” religion, or are agnostic/atheist with a few scattered Christian/Catholics.

It isn’t surprising given these developments that music would be created that would appeal to modern Pagans and occult practitioners, but by the mid-nineties it became prevalent enough that some would identify a separate “pagan goth” sub-genre within the larger goth musical world. Today a wide variety of goth and darkwave (a related and overlapping musical genre) bands identify themselves in some manner with modern Paganism or the theories of occultists like Aleister Crowley. Goth has, for many, become a musical alternative for modern Pagans dissatisfied with the musical offerings found within actual Pagan or occult communities. A way for a younger generation of modern Pagans and occultists to find their own cultural identity in religious communities that are often still dominated by their parents (or grandparents) generation.

While the goth subculture of today is remarkably friendly to Pagan and occult ideas, it was a slow process from its birth in the late seventies. Rebellion against religiously-based oppression and playful displays of blasphemy were far more common, a romantic (and somewhat nihilistic) decadence permeated much of the early scene. But even then certain themes and subject matters would start to pop up within goth (and in some of the darker post-punk bands). The band Bauhaus, famous for the goth anthem “Bela Lugosi’s Dead”, would plunge into mythical themes with songs like “Hollow Hills” (a song dealing with faerie mounds in Ireland, later covered by the Pagan-friendly band Faith and the Muse) and “A God in An Alcove” (a meditation on the forgotten bust of a pagan god), meanwhile the post-punk outfit Killing Joke (which enjoyed a large goth following) became quite interested in the works of the notorious occultist Aleister Crowley which culminated in several members moving to Iceland in order to avoid the Apocalypse (the Apocalypse never occurred, but some of them did collaborate with the influential Icelandic new-wave band Theyr, who were deeply interested in occult and pre-Christian themes). But while these early manifestations were rare (and in the case of Bauhaus, hardly a sign of any serious allegiance to pre-Christian belief) it did point to a fertile ground for later expansion and growth, that by the mid-eighties would start to develop into a noticeable disposition towards occult practices and modern Paganism.

To be continued…

I just came across an article in Zeek (a Jewish journal of thought and culture) from 2006 that discusses the recent revival of psychedelic music and the spiritual dimensions underlying “psychedelia”.

“For today’s psych-folk musicians, spirituality exists in the tension between the great heights of ego-dissolution and the sunken buried claustrophobia of the self — not in the escape from one to the other. Pysch folk, particularly with drone, can have the qualities of an incantation, of a spell, the words learned first as a prayer, but manipulated into something magical. And yet, there is something oddly pragmatic about it. Like any good folk music, it is the music of community, of simple songs that become part of an oral/musical tradition, music that can be passed on. The subversive side of psychedelia — the effect pedals, reverb, looping — means that the community that will sustain it is also one that is of the 21st century. This combination of technology and the echoes of British folk partly gives psych folk a pagan quality. But this peculiar brand of musical mysticism more readily evokes a kind of pantheism: Holiness is hidden in the world; the right tool, maybe the drone of a computerized loop, can be the incantation to set it free. “

Similar sentiments can be found in the “Wyrd Folk” movement, ritualistic and Heathen strains within Neofolk, and from individuals within the psych-folk movement.

“It should be noted that the underlying impetus of The Project Series is to reconnect the world to itself. Valerie is a film partially born from of a complex folk tradition, centuries of provincial culture. As global borders expand and cultural homoginisation ascends, it is important that artists spread the heritage and uniqueness of pre-21st century cultural identity, so that such identities can be discovered, valued, and hopefully preserved by a modern global culture that tends to forget the learned wisdom of its past. “

Part of my attraction to the psych-folk revival stems from this emphasis on pagan, folkloric, and immanent themes that can be found (either explicitly or in the subtext). It’s one of the reasons I include these artists (another is that I like them) within my A Darker Shade of Pagan podcast, and why I’m going to be covering them in my book (currently in process) on the history of modern Pagan and occult music.

Today* is the Winter Solstice, the longest night and shortest day of the year.

Sun Halo at Winter Solstice

This time of year is held sacred by many modern Pagan and Heathen traditions, and has a rich history in ancient pagan religion.

The solstice time was marked as special by pre-historic peoples in both Ireland and England. While there is scant evidence of specific celebrations, it is generally thought that the pagan Celts did mark the solstice time.

Germanic pagans and modern Heathens celebrate Yule at this time. During this holiday the god Freyr was honored. Several traditions we associate with Christmas (eating a ham, hanging holly, mistletoe) come from Yule.

The ancient pagan Romans celebrated Saturnalia which typically ran from December 17th through the 23rd. The festival honored the god Saturn and featured lavish parties and role-reversals. From Saturnalia we can see the traditions of exchanging gifts and decorating evergreen trees indoors that would be adopted as Christmas traditions. Following Saturnalia were the birth celebrations in honor of Sol Invictus (the unconquered sun) and Mithras both held on December 25th.

Many modern Pagans, including Wiccans, Witches, several Druidic traditions, and their many off-shoots hold this time as one of the eight Sabbats/holy days. Usually called Winter Solstice or Yule. It is a time when many of these traditions celebrate the re-birth of the god by the mother goddess.

No matter what your religion or tradition, may this year’s winter celebrations and observances bring you peace and joy!

For some holiday-appropriate tunes, check out my ADSOP podcast tomorrow! 

* The Winter Solstice happens on December 22nd at 06:08 UTC. Which means that it happened at approximately 12:08 AM CST for me. You can calculate the time for your own neck of the woods, here.