Anton LaVey and the Church of Satan: Infernal Wisdom from the Devil's Den

Description

An intimate exploration of the life, philosophy, and lasting occult influence of Anton LaVey, the founder of the Church of Satan * Includes never-before-published material from LaVey, including transcripts from his never-released "Hail Satan!" video * Shares in-depth interviews with intimate friends and collaborators, including LaVey's partner Blanche Barton, his son Xerxes LaVey, and current heads of the Church of Satan Peter Gilmore and Peggy Nadramia * Provides inside accounts of the Church of Satan and activities at the Black House, personal stories and anecdotes from the very colorful life of the Black Pope, and firsthand explanations of key principles of LaVey's philosophy With his creation of the infamous Church of Satan in 1966 and his bestselling book The Satanic Bible in 1969, Anton Szandor LaVey (1930-1997) became a controversial celebrity who basked in the attention and even made a successful career out of it. But who was Anton LaVey behind the public persona that so easily provoked Christians and others intolerant of his views? One of privileged few who spent time with the "Black Pope" in the last decade of his life, Carl Abrahamsson met Anton LaVey in 1989, sparking an "infernally" empowering friendship. In this book Abrahamsson explores what LaVey was really about, where he came from, and how he shaped the esoteric landscape of the 1960s. The author shares in-depth interviews with the notorious Satanist's intimate friends and collaborators, including LaVey's partner Blanche Barton; his son, Xerxes LaVey; current heads of the Church of Satan, Peter Gilmore and Peggy Nadramia; occult filmmaker Kenneth Anger; LaVey's personal secretary Margie Bauer; film collector Jack Stevenson; and film historian Jim Morton. Abrahamsson also shares never-before-published material from LaVey himself, including discussions between LaVey and Genesis P-Orridge and transcribed excerpts from LaVey's never-released "Hail Satan!" video. Providing inside accounts of the Church of Satan and activities at the Black House, this intimate exploration of Anton LaVey reveals his ongoing role in the history of culture and magic.

Carl Abrahamsson is a writer, publisher, magico-anthropologist, photographer, and filmmaker, most recently producing the documentary Anton LaVey: Into the Devil's Den. The author of Occulture and Reasonances as well as the editor and publisher of the annual anthology of occulture, The Fenris Wolf, he lives in Stockholm, Sweden.

"In Anton LaVey and the Church of Satan, the 'Black Pope' of modern Satanism finds his most able interpreter and biographer. Carl Abrahamsson, the doyen of occulture, has studied LaVey's life and influence for years, focusing his peculiar instinct for the esoteric and transgressive on a character who brought the two into a piquant and appealing blend. Part showman, part huckster, part prophet, and all devil, LaVey's shaved head, Fu Manchu moustache, kitschy horns, and buxom coven brought a comic touch to a heresy that is more often taken all too seriously. Abrahamsson captures the smoky, saucy flavor of LaVey's devilish humor with gusto. Tempted? You should be." * Gary Lachman, author of Turn Off Your Mind and The Return of Holy Russia * "A rich, engaging, and insightful exploration of one of the most influential and misunderstood thinkers of late twentieth-century occultism. . . . an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the history of Satanism and late-modern occulture." * Manon Hedenborg White, author of The Eloquent Blood * "Unique insights into the myth and man that was Anton LaVey--a mustread for anyone interested in the history and future of Satanism." * Per Faxneld, Ph.D., senior lecturer at Soedertoern University and author of Satanic Feminism * "Anton LaVey and the Church of Satan is an act of magic, for it takes you to the Black House at 6114 California Street where you are invited to a party in the honor of Doktor LaVey. Carl Abrahamsson is the ideal host of the party--not only has he invited all the right people, but he will introduce them to you as he takes you by the arm and leads you through the house, making sure that you are having fun while generously sharing his profound knowledge about the Doktor. If you're lucky, Doktor LaVey will show you a movie or play on one of his many synthesizers. Enjoy the party!" * Henrik Bogdan, professor of religious studies at the University of Gothenburg * "At a moment when there is increased academic interest in the history of Satanism and the gamut of Satanic religion has fanned out from the radical left to the alt-right, there is great value in revisiting Anton LaVey. With fresh analysis and precious interviews with friends and family, Carl Abrahamsson sheds new light on this controversial and enigmatic figure. The more we learn about LaVey, the more he appears as a node, linking diverse streams of culture from magic to art to politics." * Joseph P. Laycock, associate professor of religious studies at Texas State University and author of * "Abrahamson's work is a personal, sympathetic, yet nuanced portrait of one of the most enigmatic and fascinating figures of the twentieth century. Anton LaVey was a mercurial figure who contained within him paradoxes that continue to defy any simplistic interpretation of him. The diversity of his influence is clearly felt in this work. With several unique interviews and recollections of LaVey, this book will be essential reading for all future studies on Satanism." * Fredrik Gregorius, associate professor of the history of religion at Linkoeping University * "Through a vivid examination of LaVey's insistence on paving his own road through the pop-cultural landscape of the mid-twentieth century United States, Abrahamsson illuminates a thought-provoking, occultural individual and his circle, ready to shake up any beliefs set in stone to make you think for yourself. Read, and shake!" * Kasper Opstrup, author of The Way Out * "As a whole, Abrahamsson's personal and scholarly reflections and the unique assembly of interviews form an archive useful for the newly curious, the jaded occultist, the brazen scholar, and the mostly antagonistic. An impressive work." * Jesper Aagaard Petersen, vice dean of research at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology *