The Secret History of Rock 'n' Roll

Christopher Knowles

Simon and Schuster, Oct 1, 2010 - Music - 280 pages

Sex. Drugs. Loud music. Wild costumes. Dazzling light shows. These words can all describe a great rock concert or a hot dance club, but they were also part and parcel of the ancient cultural phenomenon known as the “Mystery religions.” In this book, author Christopher Knowles shows how the Mystery religions got a secular reincarnation when a new musical form called rock 'n' roll burst onto the scene. The Secret History of Rock 'n' Roll traces the history of the Mysteries — their rise, their fall, and their survival through long centuries of repression. Knowles shows how the Mysteries prefigured subcultures as diverse as Santeria, Freemasonry, Mardi Gras and even the Holiness churches of the American frontier, and explains exactly how ancient rituals and music found their way to the New World. In the process, The Secret History of Rock 'n' Roll traces the development of rock's most popular genres such as punk and heavy metal, and reveals how many of rock's most iconic artists play the same archetypal roles as the ancient gods. You'll see how many of the rituals and customs and even musical styles of our postmodern society have stunning ancient parallels. You'll meet history's first pop

About the author

CHRISTOPHER KNOWLES is an author and creator of comics. He is known for Halo: An Angel’s Story, a mini-series published by Sirius Entertainment. He was the editor of the Top Shelf Productions magazine "Comic Book Artist" from 2000-2004 and has written articles for publications like "The Jack Kirby Collector" and sites like Comic Book Resources. Knowles also wrote a highly acclaimed and award-winning book called Our Gods Wear Spandex: The Secret History of Comic Book Heroes and the critically-acclaimed Clash City Showdown: The Music, Meaning and Legacy of the Clash. He also co-authored a book about "The X-Files" TV series called The Complete X-Files: Behind the Series, the Myths, and the Movies, published by Insight Editions. He was an associate editor and columnist for the five-time Eisner Award-winning Comic Book Artist magazine, as well as a writer and reviewer for the UK magazine, Classic Rock. Knowles wrote the definitive history of the cult classic film Lucifer Rising for Classic Rock, which featured exclusive interviews with Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page, director Kenneth Anger and Manson Family member Bobby Beausoleil. The Lucifer Rising cover story earned Classic Rock its bestselling issue to date. He keeps several blogs that discuss occult topics, including The Secret Sun, The Solar Satellite, and The Solar Seminar. He resides in Red Hook, New Jersey.

Bibliographic information

• Title: The Secret History of Rock 'n' Roll
• Author: Christopher Knowles
• Publisher: Simon and Schuster, 2010
• ISBN: 1573445649, 9781573445641
• Length: 280 pages
• Subjects: Body, Mind & Spirit / Occultism; Music / Genres & Styles / Rock; Music / Reference