Peter Bebergal writes widely on music and books, with a special emphasis on the speculative and slightly fringe. His work delves into the intersection of the occult and culture, often exploring its connections to rock and roll. Bebergal's writing probes themes of searching for meaning and examining unconventional spiritual paths. His contributions are valued for their insightful exploration of less traditional facets of human interest.
Focusing on a young man's journey through drug addiction, the narrative intertwines personal experiences with the broader history of psychedelics and their impact on popular culture. It explores the intricate connections between addiction, cultural influences, and spiritual experiences, providing a unique perspective on these themes. Through this lens, the story challenges conventional views and presents a radical vision of the interplay between drugs and society.
Now in paperback. A journey through the attempts artists, scientists, and tinkerers have made to imagine and communicate with the otherworldly using various technologies, from cameras to radiowaves. Strange Frequencies takes readers on an extraordinary narrative and historical journey to discover how people have used technology in an effort to search for our own immortality. Bebergal builds his own ghostly gadgets to reach the other side, too, and follows the path of famous inventors, engineers, seekers, and seers who attempted to answer life's ultimate mysteries. He finds that not only are technological innovations potent metaphors keeping our spiritual explorations alive, but literal tools through which to experiment the boundaries of the physical world and our own psyches. Peter takes the reader alongside as he explores: the legend of the golem and the strange history of automata; a photographer who is trying to capture the physical manifestation of spirits; a homemaker who has recorded voicemails from the dead; a stage magician who combines magic and technology to alter his audience's consciousness; and more.
"From the hoodoo-inspired sounds of Elvis Presley to the Eastern odysseys of George Harrison, from the dark dalliances of Led Zeppelin to the Masonic imagery of today's hip-hop scene, the occult has long breathed life into rock and hip-hop--and, indeed, esoteric and supernatural traditions are a key ingredient behind the emergence and development of rock and roll ... [and in this book] writer and critic Peter Bebergal illuminates this web of influences"--Amazon.com.
V drážkách desek číhalo cosi transcendentního a hrůzného, stejně jako ve fantastických životech postav, které je obývaly. Umělecká díla Rogera Deana na albech skupiny Yes ztvárňovala krajiny, kdysi zabydlené dávnými národy, jejichž moudrost se ztratila a potopila jako Atlantida. Na opačné straně spektra byla neproniknutelná a děsivá závěrečná píseň Bílé desky od Beatles „Revolution #9“, mluvená koláž skrytých okultních poselství, plná zpětných vazeb a takřka hmatatelného násilí. Tyto často vzájemně si odporující charaktery nahrávek však měly společné jedno nebezpečí: odkazovaly ke skutečnosti za hranicemi běžného vnímání, k metafyzickému vesmíru obydlenému démony a anděly, mimozemšťany a dávnými čaroději, kam bylo možné vstoupit pomocí potenciálně nebezpečných metod, jako byla magie, drogy a možná i sex.