Deals with the Devil: A Brief Musical History

Marilyn Manson Warns Against Black Magic

Marilyn Manson was featured on "Celebrity Ghost Stories" a few days prior to Halloween in 2010. He tells an interesting story of an occult ritual which he participated in when he was in High School and lived in Canton, Ohio. He concludes his story with a warning to those who venture to do something similar.

David Bowie and the Occult

By John Sanidopoulos

When we speak of the occult we should not equate it with Satanism, as we often see in Hollywood, although Satanism can certainly be part of the occult. The occult is about esoteric and alternative teachings, whether they be through Christianity (Gnosticism, Manicheism), Judaism (Kabbalism), Buddhism (Zen, Tibetan), Hinduism (Yoga, Meditation), Tribal Religions (Shamanism) or even more modern movements like Spiritualism, Theosophy, the New Age Movement and the ritual magick of groups like the O.T.O. Most often it is about the elevation of one's being beyond what is ordinary through some sort of process and manipulation, or to communicate with something that is beyond who you are. This is why traditional Christians often view occult practices as sinister and evil, because it may involve communication with spirits in a way that drives one's success and ego, which is often associated with the demonic.

David Bowie's Encounter With the Devil

David, ex-wife Angie and son Zowie in the 1970's

The following story comes from Angela Bowie's (David Bowie's ex-wife) biography of him titled Backstage Passes: Life on the Wild Side with David Bowie. David Bowie himself, in interviews, also refers to this strange experience that he had.

During the mid-seventies, David Bowie entered a low period when he experimented with cocaine and the occult. It was the mid-seventies and he had moved to Los Angeles. Several years had passed since the horrific Manson Murders that Los Angeles was still recovering from. It was during this tumultuous period when David Bowie decided to perform an exorcism in his pool at his house in L.A. Perhaps fueled by a cocaine addled paranoia, Bowie believed that satanists and evil spirits were trying to capture him. He would try his best, using the occult, to stop them. The following is an excerpt from the book as told by Angela (Angie) Bowie: