ALEISTER CROWLEY & CONSPIRACIES

ALEISTER CROWLEY & CONSPIRACIES

Aleister Crowley 1912

In BLOOD ON THE CARDS*, the fourth in my DI Sonny Russell crime novel series, one of the characters recalls meeting Aleister Crowley.

 Russell opened the book again. On the frontispiece he read, “Illustrated by Lady Frieda Harris”. ‘Golly’ was that her? A real lady.’

‘She certainly was. We got chatting and she confided in me. She’d been friends with Crowley for years, apparently. As far as I could make out she was some sort of disciple and had followed his teachings on something called, I think, Thelema. Some mumbo jumbo, anyway. He had come to live in Hastings - she’d heard he was ill and had travelled down from London to check on him. Apparently he was dirty and neglected so she arranged for a nurse to look after him. Anyway, she asked if I was interested in old books. I wasn’t going to turn down a chance to meet him so I said yes. He was in lodgings at Netherwood House on The Ridge in Hastings and I visited him there.’

‘What was he like?’

‘He was an old man by then. Early seventies, I think. He wasn’t well, coughed a lot and looked pale and drawn. I understood he was addicted to heroin. But there was something in his eyes. I don’t know, a darkness or something. His room was number 13…’

‘Of course.’

Pike nodded. ‘Despite being near the end he still had a huge presence.’

‘What did you talk about?’

‘Nothing of consequence, as I recall. Chess – he was member of the local club; hadn’t ever been beaten, apparently. The weather – he found the climate in the South good for his bronchitis. Lady Frieda showed me some books that he wanted to sell. They were old but there was nothing particularly special so I offered a few shillings, which she seemed happy to accept.’

‘Is that how you came by this?’ Russell tapped the book.

‘Oh no.’ Pike leaned forward, his eyes sparkling. ‘He gave it to me.’

‘How come?’

‘Before I left, I went over to say goodbye – he was sitting in a large wing chair. He grabbed hold of my hand – almost pulled me on top of him. I was amazed at his strength – he looked so feeble. He stared into my eyes. I can’t tell you how it felt. Creepy I suppose. Strangely compelling. Then he relaxed his grip and said: “You must have this,” and gave me the book. I heard that he died not long after.’

‘Is he buried somewhere nearby?’

‘No, no. The people of Hastings thought he was evil so he was cremated in Brighton.’

I became interested in him and his influence and did quite a bit of research about him - what I believe they call in university, reading around the subject. Although he died in 1947, he fascinated many who followed including Jimmy Page of the band Led Zeppelin.

Jimmy Page with twin-necked Gibson

In 1969 he became intrigued by Crowley and his cult Thelema. So much so that it is rumoured that two of the occultist's sayings, Do As Thou Wilt and So Mote It Be are carved into the outro tracks on the vinyl recording of Led Zeppelin III. He became even more involved as evinced in the next album, Led Zeppelin IV, where the band members are represented by magic symbols in the inner cover.

Led Zeppelin IV

Page collaborated with a filmmaker, Kenneth Anger, who practiced 'Magick' as set out by Crowley. Later the two fell out and Anger was said to have put a curse on the band. Not long after singer, Robert Plant and his family were nearly killed when their car went over a cliff in Greece, causing them to cancel the rest of the band's tour they were on. In 1977 Plant's son died. Page didn't attend the funeral which almost caused the break-up of the band. 

The Beatles - Abbey Road

I watched an interview with Jimmy Page. Hesaid Zep weren't the only band to be affected with conspiracies. On November 9th 1966 a rumour spread that Paul McCartney was dead and had been replaced by someone who had won a lookalike competition, know as Billy Shears. (Billy Shears is also mentioned in the opening to 'A Little Help from My Friends' on the Sergeant Pepper album.) Absolute rubbish, of course, but the rumour spread and stayed for a long time. It gained more traction when the wonderful abbey Road Album came out and featured the Beatles crossing the road outside the recording studio and Paul is pictured barefoot. Even before that on the track, Glass Onion on the White Album John Lennon sings, ‘here’s another clue for you all, The Walrus is Paul’.

BLOOD ON THE CARDS is currently with the printer and will we available soon.