This is the season! Halloween / Samhain (whatever you like) is coming back.

Last year, I talked about horror movies within the rock and metal community. You can read the post here !

This year, I’ll talk about paranormal/supernatural matters in rock and metal (ghosts, fairies, witches, and so on).

Although the two are linked (because we find those subjects in horror movies), we can also separate them (which is good for me who does not like this kind of movies, even if some stories still scare me a little 😂). 

So let’s dive in!

Paranormal, supernatural in rock and metal music

When you listen to any kind of rock and metal, you can hear stories of ghosts, mermaids, fairies, etc. But where does that come from?

If we go back in time, we can see that in the different mythologies, paranormal elements are present: 

• Gods and goddesses have powers of their own, 
• Sirens bewitch sailors and then drown them, 
• Fairies play tricks on humans,
• Gorgons petrifying those who watch them
• … .

I will write a more in-depth post on all that is mythology in rock and metal in the future 😊

Then tales and legends began to appear:

The tales that most know (those of the Brothers Grimm, Hans Andersen, Charles Perrault, etc.) but also other tales (ex: the stories of Lovecraft or the well-known Dante’s Inferno) and urban legends. There, a little more frightening things were invited: 

• a white lady wandering along the roads,
• the Slender Man,
• the people with black eyes,
• and other stories/legends of ghosts, witches, fairies or otherworldly monsters

Some stories may be based on facts that actually happened (or not). But all are transmitted by word of mouth at first, then on the internet. A place where, if you are interested, you will find everything you want about it.

Then these stories influenced movies, books, video games and, of course, music! 

Moreover, in many rock and metal genre, one can find as inspiration for the texts of their songs mythology and legends.

Also, artists who love horror film, as explained here, are usually fond of this kind of story, because, as said earlier, some of them are taken up in this kind of film.

Now, this is not a generality. When you are an artist, inspiration is always good to take. In any subject. And these tales, legends, and their variations, are a good source of inspiration.

Here I propose you a Halloween playlist dedicated to paranormal/supernatural subjects!

Urban Legends linked to rock and metal

Also, did you know that rock and metal had their own urban legends?

Here is a list of some of them.

• Some artists have sold their souls to the devil to get where they are.

• The “27 club”: several great personalities (including rock) died at the age of 27: Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Brian Jones, Kurt Cobain, …

• Some artists/bands would have encouraged listeners to do terrible things (suicide, murder, etc) by listening to their songs backwards.

• Buddy Holly’s death was predicted. First, Buddy Holly and his wife had premonitory “dreams”. His wife dreamed of fireballs crashing on earth, leaving smoking craters. As for the person concerned, he dreamed that he was on a plane with his wife and brother.
  
  Later (before the accident), a tarot reader contacted Buddy Holly’s manager to warn him that Holly would die on February 3.

• Paul McCartney would have died and been replaced by a double.
• The curse of Fleetwood Mac guitarists who ALL had more or less serious problems in their lives.
• The curse of the white lighter (linked to the club of 27 one) because the majority of the artists belonging to the latter used a lighter of white color.
• King Diamond’s song The Family Ghost is said to be haunted. Two words from the song appeared out of nowhere. Neither the singer nor the sound engineer know where it comes from.

That closes this Halloween/ Samhain special post.

Feel free to like and share if you enjoyed!

See you soon!

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Sources :

13 Rock + Metal Curses, Myths + Legends — Explained – Joe DiVita : https://loudwire.com/rock-metal-curses-myths-legends-explained/

The Most Infamous Rock and Roll Urban Legends – Mike Rothschild : https://www.ranker.com/list/rock-and-roll-urban-legends/mike-rothschild

Des malédictions vraiment effrayantes dans l’industrie de la musique : https://fuzz-music.com/fr/the-most-interesting-curses-of-the-music-industry/

Claire Abe

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