The first thing you need to know is that a true Satanist will tell you that any group that puts Satanic imagery on their album covers or in the music is bogus. Every single one.
The other thing you need to know is that a true Satanist will also tell you that all music is Satanic, every single note.
Consequently, an article on Satanic rock is a tricky proposition insofar as none of it is real; explicitly Satanic rock like Venom is really no more Satanic than The Carpenters. And the Carpenters are just as Satanic as Venom.
However, there is a history to the appearance of Satanic imagery and references in rock music. So consider this an attempt to organize that history a little.
Part I: The Blues
The Blues has always been the Devil's music. Music that glorified drinking, womanizing, gambling, dope, violence, and depravity, blues was an easy target for ministers and pastors of the South, who countered with sermons forbidding the congregation to listen to it. Many god-fearing churchgoers heeded this message, establishing Gospel as the safer alternative. Even some bluesmen were convinced; legendary blues picker Gary Davis usually refused to play blues after he was ordained as a reverend in 1937. Ultimately, he relented just before his death and recorded a historic session of blues (secular and gospel) in 1971. He died soon after.
One of the most pervasive legends surrounding the blues is that of legendary delta guitarist Robert Johnson, often considered the first bluesman in the chain that ultimately pointed towards the development of rock 'n' roll. Johnson was an acoustic player of the 1930's who died under mysterious circumstances in 1938.
The legend went that Johnson, not blessed with guitar talent when he first began playing professionally, yearned for overnight success that would put him in league with the other guitarists on the circuit. One night, he heard a voice that told him to visit the crossroads by Dockery's plantation at midnight. There, he was met by a large black man who apparently was the devil in disguise. The big man took the guitar from Johnson, tuned it, and returned it to him.
Johnson's improvement on his instrument was swift and amazing (although historically, it took him about a year to become great). He earned the instant recognition of big name guitarists like Son House, who championed his cause. However, Johnson was tormented in his dreams by visions of the devil, and hellhounds on his trail. In his waking hours, Johnson played the role of bluesman hero, chasing women, drinking, behaving arrogantly. In 1938, during a show, he was poisoned (possibly by a jealous husband of a woman he had been putting moves on). The poison had him foaming at the mouth and talking babble, he died within days. His last words were "I pray that my redeemer will come and take me from my grave."
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Al Barger
UAO, this is an outstanding historical overview. Good work.
I note that this quote is definitely more an argument of Satanism in the pop group than of cleanliness in the Satanic group. "And the Carpenters are just as Satanic as Venom."
However, I think that perhaps you missed the most Truly Satanic singer in the land.
2 - Michael J. West
Quite excellent, indeed. I learned some stuff!
What do you think about the darker stuff like Roky Erickson's The Evil One or Skinny Puppy's The Process, which also flirt with satanic imagery but don't have the glammy overtones?
I was also reminded of Funkadelic's America Eats Its Young, with the liner notes by Process Church of the Final Judgement...but then again, liner notes don't really count, do they?
3 - Guppusmaximus
Uao,
Very Good!!! Cheers.... Ofcourse, here's my feedback: Even though Venom may have put Satanistic themed music on the map for us "severely disaffected " youth, it was Slayer who apitimized the exploitation of Satan in Metal for mere profit. King Diamond was another figure who brought the satanistic theme into a Drama set. Kind of like Queen meets Lucifer...but overall, The band Deicide was the only Metal band in the early 90's who had actual Satanists that broke through into the mainstream...
4 - Vern Halen
Great article - only one correction: I believe the saying is, "Never trust anyone UNDER thirty." Yeah, I'm pretty sure about that one.........
5 - uao
doh! Thanks Vern Halen. Me and my typing.
And thanks everyone else; this was a very tricky topic to address and research. There's a lot of rubbish from Christians and Satanists on the internet, but I couldn't find any kind of sober article on just, historically, what the connection between Satanism and rock was. So, this is a step in that direction.
The really scary stuff are the Norwegian scenes, which is already the subject of a couple of books.
Slayer was more prominant overall in rock in the 80's; I gave Venom a little more attention as they debuted a little earlier. Didn't mean to slight Slayer, though.
6 - Al Barger
Yes UAO, this was a good step in the direction of starting to untangle and define the Satanic influence.
But you're missing the real stuff, Satan wise. You start with the argument that those who openly profess Satanism in their music really aren't Satanic.
Consider then an alternate view. Perhaps their is no ONE being who is Satan. I could well imagine that "Satan" is really a committee.
Obviously, the chairman of that committee is Kenny Rogers. Is he or is he not the face of true evil? Of course, he has junior members of prominent standing on the committe with him, such as Garth Brooks, the anti-Hank.
Why don't you look into them? Wonder what kind of backwards masked messages you'd get out of "Coward of the County." What's this? "Shop at Wal-Mart. Vote Republican. Go see a Tom Cruise movie. Become a Scientologist."
7 - Guppusmaximus
UAO,
Don't get me wrong...Excellent Article!! I was just saying that Slayer was the Britney Spears of Satanic Pop...lol:) As for Kenny Rogers, He is just Pure Evil.... Very Scary.
8 - uao
Michael West--
A fuller history would have to include more on industrial rock, Skinny Puppy, etc.; they've always been on the Satanic fringe. Genesis POrrige of Psychick TV used plenty of Satanic devices and moved in some satanic circles. As noted in the article, Trent Reznor had a Manson fixation.
Funkadelic did indeed include liner notes by the Process Church; that could go in there, too. It's part of the packaging.
I haven't heard the Roky Erikson album you menison; I mostly just know 13th Fl. Elevators. But I'll look into it; been meaning to get to him for awhile.
Al Barger:
Well, LaVey saw Satan as ambient energy in the universe which makes more sense to me than a deposed diety. So sure, that makes Kenny Rogers satanic.
And again, a Satanist will tell you that strumming a single chord is Satanic; it's done for no other purpose than pleasure, like all the best things in Satanic life.
Personally I always thought the Carpenters were Satanic, and still do even, even though they'd be appalled at the notion.
Guppusmaximus:
I'm going to look into some of the bands you mentioned in your first post; someday, I'd like to flesh this piece out more. Thanks!
9 - Vern Halen
My understanding about Roky Erikson was that he faked schizoprenia to avoid the draft, but then became an LSD casualty. He came to believe that vampire aliens were coming after him or something weird like that. So, if he's mentally wrecked, I don't know if that qualifies as true Satanism or not. He had a few good but lyrically odd tunes: Before in the Beginning, Two Headed Dog, etc., but most people will never hear them - he'll always be on to the fringes of rock 'n' roll.
10 - Andrew Ian Dodge
Good over-view of the Satanic metal movement. The one thing that has always made me laugh is those who don't get that venom were seriously taking the piss. They never took themselves too seriously; course that could be said for quite a few of the extreme/black metal bands in Norway and other parts of Scandinavia. After I know of a band that insisted on going on first at a major gig (Inferno London) even thought they headlined so they could go fishing!
BTW I have met a few satanists in my time; they tend to be collosal bores. Rather like their happy-clappy opponents actually....funny dat!
11 - godoggo
Since a good 50%+ of my tastes in rock music center around bands from the LA punk scene when I was in high school, the 2 Satanic bands that come to mind are the Flesheaters and Christian Death.
Regarding the former, I remember reading that some TV preacher waved their A Minute To Pray, A Second To Die album before the camera while (just a moment, thesaurus.com time) seething that "You can buy this trash at K-Mart!" which took me pleasantly by surprise. This was the X/Blasters lineup, whose rockabilly image in the album photo were kind of at odds with all the occult gobbledygook that surrounded it, or so it seemed to me.
Regarding Christian Death, I was a fan mainly because they had bitchen punk rock guitarist Rik Agnew from the Adolescents. In any case, at least one member (bassist I think) took the Satan stuff pretty seriously, as I recall reading him say after he'd repented. Which brings us to what makes me most uncomfortable about Satanism: my suspicion that inside the belly of every believer lies a Christian waiting to be born again.
12 - uao
I'm an Angeleno myself godoggo, and have always been interested in the history of LA-area music too.
In fact, for one year I worked at a cemetery in Hollywood where Roz Williams' cremated remains are on display in a columbarium with some poetry and pics and things. I used to have to dust the columbarium daily (I have a much better job elsewhere now), so I saw Roz (and fan-pilgrims who came to the cemetery) all the time.
I always thought of Christian Death as Goth more than Satanic, but now that you mention it, Only Theater Of Pain did have some fairly explicitly Satanic songs on it. So they could qualify too.
I've actually never heard the Flesheaters (not sure I've even heard of them although I know X and the Blasters well). I'll look into them too, thanks!
13 - godoggo
Of course, there was no such word as "Goth" then. Meanwhile, all these bouncy young Suicide Girls just look like punk rock chicks to me. I'm starting to understand where Billy Joel was coming from back in the day.
14 - tony
what are you kidding me?? a lot of those bands were not satan worshippers and especially the blues thats deff. not i just think its dumb you actually take time to do this stuff
15 - LEE
FUCK SATAN! HE SUCKS... BUT I LOVE HIM.. REMEMBER HIM ALWAYS...
16 - Sully
Chuck (Garvey) is Satan!
17 - StingK
It may well be that I'm just drunk but, I'd just like to say that this was a fascinating article. :)
Got any more?
18 - rotting angel
Satan is something or it isn't but peopple that follow him are really lost in a world of shit drugs and rock and roll .they follow it no matter if it suks .They need Jesus or the list a Psycologist .Follow nobady
19 - satan fuckin rules
dude yall forgot so many bands cradle of filth job for acowbor and lots more dam yalls arent even really satanic
20 - Jeff
Awesome article, blues is very symbolically satanic, and I mean that in the most artistically positive way possible. Satanic rock is not religious in my views, but rather just a way to be symbolically rebellious towards the white establishment. The white youth of the 60's dissented from what it is to be a "white" American. So ironically, Satanic Rock is about equality, and requires an open mind to discern the "evil" in it.
21 - Will Brennan
Great article. There was blues guitarist who Robert Johnson actually mentored with during that year he disappeared. But he was devil haunted, that's for sure. Some of the Norwegian bands are the real thing. I like Bob Dylan's line, "I accept chaos. I'm not sure whether chaos accepts me." The universe is a complicated thing.
22 - lazar
good work,lot of facts.I love rock so God help us all! Greeting from Serbia
23 - Gravy
Great article.
The Norway bands are no more or less "evil" than anything else, there are a few morons that exist anywhere. Most Norway satanic bands are about anti-christianity, not hurting people.
Venom, if you read their website, was all about the "show" as is Rob Zombie. It's like classic horror, only musically.
As, of course previously mentioned in the article and this blog, ALL music is about the show, and done for personal pleasure, and is, thus, satanic.
Think of that next time you sing "Silent Night" after Christmas Ham!
24 - Tyler
ok,ok this is a load of bull, Music has no effect on your religion. im a christian and i listen to rock/heavy metal. Led Zeppelin is my favorite band, it is just that the church is to hypocritical.
25 - Marilyn Manson
My life is gooood and my music is better than my every aspect of life.