I think no one would be the least bit shocked to hear that Jimmy Page, Jim Morrison, and David Bowie dabbled in the occult. It's when mainstream family-friendly musicians (like Sammy Davis Jr. - see an earlier post) get in on the action that I become intrigued. My personal favorite is Daryl Hall who had this to say in '87:
“Around 1974, I graduated into the occult, and spent a sold six or seven years immersed in the Kabala and the Chaldean, Celtic, and Druidic traditions … I also became fascinated with Aleister Crowley, the nineteenth-century magician who shared these beliefs.” (Penthouse Magazine, March, 1987, pp. 60,62)
Perhaps even stranger, there are entire websites dedicated to exposing Chris De Burgh as a practitioner of the occult. Yeah,, that's right... he's the one that sang "The Lady in Red". Evidently he has a song called "Spanish Train" and some evocative album covers that have people hot and bothered. I don't personally practice the occult (I'm a superstitious wimp who won't go near a Ouija board), and have no beef with anyone that does... but this is hilarious!
Now, apparently it's cool to hit the ol' Kabbalah with Madonna and I personally could care less. But when 80's soft pop artists are reading Crowley, I'm all ears.
