Season of the Witch: How the Occult Saved Rock and Roll

This epic cultural and historical odyssey unearths the full influence of occult traditions on rock and roll - from the Beatles to Black Sabbath - and shows how the marriage between mysticism and music changed our world.

This epic cultural and historical odyssey unearths the full influence of occult traditions on rock and roll – from the Beatles to Black Sabbath – and shows how the marriage between mysticism and music changed our world.

From the hoodoo-inspired sounds of Elvis Presleytothe Eastern odysseys of George Harrison, fromthe dark dalliances of Led Zeppelin tothe Masonic imagery of today’s hip-hop scene, the occult has long breathed lifeinto rock and hip-hop-and, indeed,esoteric and supernatural traditions are a key ingredient behindthe emergence anddevelopmentof rock and roll.

With vivid storytelling and laser-sharp analysis, writer and critic Peter Bebergal illuminatesthis web of influences to produce the definitive work on how the occult shaped – and saved – popular music.

As Bebergal explains, occult and mystical ideals gave rock and roll its heart and purpose, making rock into more than just backbeat music, but into a cultural revolution of political, spiritual, sexual, and social liberation.