Lucifer Rising Recollection #2
So begins the second installment. Our conflicted quasi-hero talks about kinship, the Anger Curse, and the logistics of reworking music based on instinct rather than meddling with sephirots.
What I immediately felt when I heard it was a sort of kinship I haven’t felt before with a piece of music. As soon as the first synthetic melodies slammed themselves on top of the tambura I was re-orchestrating it in my head as how I would do it. I’ve never, EVER had such a sympathetic resonance with a piece of music that quickly before. I don’t think I even heard the ending before I went into the studio and started to construct the drone that I would eventually employ.
While frenetically re-orchestrating the synthesizers (when I mean frenetic, we’re talking like the hyperactivity of a speedball in a stripper who sees a man with a wallet full of singles) I found the actual movie Lucifer Rising. It is a silent art house film that relies on a perpetual soundtrack to enhance the colours of its characters and scenery. Some characters that are represented are Isis, Osiris, Lilith, and of course Lucifer. Like Page’s music, it’s ever reoccuring theme for me is `invocation.’ Others more well versed in the symbology and imagery Anger used would probably have a more concise answer; an answer that probably wouldn’t have enticed me to undertake this project. Hence why I love personal interpretation over anything else.
According to some film buffs, `Lucifer Rising’ is ahead of its time in the way it was edited. Some of the edits are akin to the MTV A.D.D lightning-fast edits we’d grow accustom to in the coming decades. In some places it does show its age. Then again, so does everything after a while.
The version of the film (28 mins) I have I believe was completed in 1981. There are other versions of course. The one Jimmy worked on was about 25 mins long and was apparently screened at some point in the 70’s. Apparently Jimmy’s work was acceptable at one point to be shown publicly. Then they had that big old falling out that deteriorated into that classic `He said/She said/Well I’m going to curse you. Take that rich rock star’ scenario.
The Anger Curse
Page is a recipient of said curse. Conveniently I misplaced the article (google Kenneth Anger Curse, I’m sure it will pop up) where Anger describes the curse, but I’ll paraphrase: Apparently Jimmy and his partner at the time (mid 70’s) were living the good life, very isolated from other people. Anger took Jimmy’s demeanor to be somewhat rude and pompous. So Anger cursed Jimmy with something that is akin to the Midas touch. The goal was to make Jimmy even feel more isolated than before yet continue to accrue wealth.
History tells us that curses aren’t as effective as heroin, which Jimmy got himself into after 1975. Heroin contributed to the deterioration of his playing but gave us the awesome Evil-fest known as the Led Zeppelin 1977 tour. Or for you Lord of the Rings fans, if Jimmy was Gandalf the Grey this is where Jimmy transforms into the wicked Saruman the White. (White suit and occasional SS uniform)
[/fantasy nerd]
Recommended Bootlegs for new intiates:
Listen to This Eddie - June 21st 1977 - For energy and power. This is one of the famous Mike Millard recordings. Great audience tape and my introduction to Zeppelin’s height of power and decadence. RIP Mike.
Sgt Page Badgeholders Club Band - June 23, 1977 - Easily Page’s best playing of the tour and an appearance by a very medicated Keith Moon jams with the band.
The Destroyer - April 27, 1977. (For sound quality and Plant really enjoys himself at this show)
Presence Server: The Authority on Zeppelin Bootlegs
Back to the story. Jimmy sums up his relationship with Kenneth as something to the effect of giving Anger access to some expensive editing machines to speed up the editing process, the soundtrack was completed, and then Anger went crazy and started leaving notes all around (the curse.)
Contrasts
Bobby’s soundtrack has peaks, valleys, moments of rest and playfulness which gives the film a lot of colour; even psychedelic. It makes sense since Bobby was a member of the psychedelic band Love back in 1967. (Forgot to mention that and they were most excellent.)Page’s music is unrelenting, repetitive and ever slowly evolving. The characters seem to get “grounded” a bit more by this music.
There was some guesswork as to how Jimmy’s 23 minutes will match up to the 28 minute film. In cases like this, I use instinct over intellect. I cut up the music to sync with parts of the movie I felt it should be with and filled in the other blanks myself. I had not the time to sift through the Crowley’s `Book of the Law’ and create a musical metaphor to accent some of the double meanings. (There were some lines that were co-opted from other sources to create maximum transcendance but they weren’t the result of hours and hours of pondering)
Sometimes meddling with the past requires a bit of style and ferocity. And it’s also in the spirit of disinformation which seems to be the omnipresent theme with this project.
Tune in tomorrow as I stop dickering around and get to the actual recording, take listeners calls and recommend some great home tandoori chicken recipes.
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