Zero Equals Two is a blog on magical news and culture sponsored by U.S. Grand Lodge, O.T.O. A diverse collective of contributors comb the worlds of magick, art, science, history, philosophy, and more every day for articles and events of interest to Thelemites and other modern free-thinkers and explorers, collecting them on this blog for your enjoyment.
Recent posts
- SF Psychedelic Sangha
2019/12/06This month’s SF Psychedelic Sangha meetup, which takes place as usual at the SF Dharma Collective at 2701 Folsom Street, will go down on Saturday, December 28, at 7pm. There will be talk, a shared meditation and discussion. This month’s talking: the connection between confusion and “don’t know” mind. $30 suggested donation, but no one turned away for lack of funds.
- Beck Update
2019/12/06The musical performer Beck Hansen has been one of the hipper figures associated with the Church of Scientology these past 2o years but now is disavowing the Church, going as far to deny that he was ever a member per se, despite numerous past statements to the media to the contrary.
An excerpt from the trade magazine The Hollywood Reporter states:
“I think there’s a misconception that I am a Scientologist. I’m not a Scientologist. I don’t have any connection or affiliation with it,” Beck told the Herald. He went on to theorize that because his father — Canadian composer David Campbell — has long been a Scientologist, he was assumed to be one, as well.
“But I’ve pretty much just focused on my music and my work for most of my life, and tended to do my own thing,” he continued. “I think it’s just something people ran with.”
Read the entire article:
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/beck-says-he-is-not-a-scientologist-1257357.
- Some Behind the Curve Tool-ing
2019/12/05For a lot of y’all, the most notable event of 2019 will have been the release of a new Tool album after a 13 year wait. I assume all hardore Toolians purchased or pre-purchased this asap. For the rest of us who appreciate the fact that the group’s work is rife with occult references and their visuals peppered with Thelemic iconography, here’s Esquire’s appreciation of the new album:
https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/music/a28860341/tool-new-album-fear-inoculum-review/.
and here’s 10 minutes + of music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=q7DfQMPmJRI&feature=emb_logo.
- Scientology Network Airing Program Devoted to Pianist Chick Corea
2019/12/05So the Church of Scientology maintains its own online TV network! Who knew? I was reading a music trade mag and found a full page add for today’s debut of their new “Signature Performances” series, this episode being devoted to iconic Jazz pianist Chick Corea.
Other series include: L. Ron Hubbard In His Own Words; L. Ron Hubbard Library Presents; Inside Scientology; Destination Scientology; Meet A Scientologist; and Voices For Humanity.
Ready to binge-watch?
- The Ancient Italian Cure for Nymphomania
2019/12/04Tarantismo: Odyssey of an Italian Ritual is a book + 2xLP set examining the Tarantism ritual – a cure for women bit by spiders – said bite inciting madness and sexual abandon (there seems to be no such cure offered to men; whyzzat?) The publisher’s description says:
“We’re excited to present FLEE’s latest project: Tarantismo: Odyssey of an Italian Ritual. Dedicated to the Tarantism dance ritual (an ancient popular belief in which women allegedly become crazy and/or nymphomaniac after a tarantula bite, being only cured by frenetic dancing and music), the book is available now. The projects features a hardcover linen book (printed in both English and Italian) as well as a 2xLP vinyl which will be sold separately or together in custom-made packaging.
“Tarantismo: Odyssey of an Italian Ritual is comprised of a double LP vinyl compilation and a hardcover book. The double LP captures original field recordings of musicians-exorcists registered by Diego Carpitella, Ernesto de Martino and Alan Lomax in the late 1950’s in Puglia, as well as six unique remixes by contemporary vanguard electronic musicians and producers including Bjorn Torske & Trym, Bottin and Don’t DJ. The hardcover publication includes nine essays focusing on various dimensions of the ritual and provides a voice for artists, photographers, sociologists, anthropologists, and catholic priests, as well as witnesses, experts and actors of the history of this music exorcism. It contains original photographs from Chiara Samugheo, former official photographer, Pier Paolo Pasolini and Mattia Zappellaro, to name a few. Original contributions from seven experts such as director Edoardo Winspeare, researcher Claudia Attimonelli and conceptual artist Pamela Diamante are also featured in the publication. The project ultimately aims to document and explain the social context of the music and ritual of Tarantismo.”
Order your copy: https://www.peopleofprint.com/product/flee-tarantismo-odissey-of-an-italian-ritual/.
Meanwhile, it appears that the source of the original audio materials would be field recordings made by a team that included iconic folklorist Alan Lomax that appear these days on one of the Italian Treasury series of releases: http://www.culturalequity.org/rounder-records/italian
Here’s a taste:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zyo0kxw7Y1I.
