I discovered Andrew WK's music through his work with David Tibet/Current 93 (AWK played bass, I believe, on Aleph on Hallucinatory Mountain). In terms of any Thelemic influence or content in his work, AWK appeared contemplating Liber AL in the music video for Vagabond. This week he drops a new single, the lyrics of which seem to comprehend (or convey) Crowley's philosophy with a little more finesse than some.
The video makes references to various AWK tropes while playing with some fun, strange and cryptic symbolism around the theme of duality/non-duality.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oI8y36733ag
Aleph on Hallucinatory Mountain
That would be Aleph AT Hallucinatory Mountain. Title corrected. It remains a great album. As do the two book-ending it.
I discovered this guy synchronistically just a few days ago through hype for Babalon. He has been a very fascinating, impressive and funny rabbithole to dive into. His art is super-meta beyond describability. Comparing him to Any Kaufman even doesn't quite get at what he is with his art.
Anyway, he has had Thelemic themes throughout his work which is awesome, although only in this new single is it very overt. He holds the awesome Magick Childe edition of Liber Legis in the video for "I'm a Vegabond".
He also featured in this conference: https://thelemanow.com/thelema-now-blood-music-sex-magick-65-minutes-
A notebook of his leaked a while ago and apparently he may or may not have planned his whole career before even releasing the first album ("I Get Wet"): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10K2vShW0x8
Anyway his art is incredible, even though the music of most of his earlier albums doesn't interest me (hair metal, arena rock etc make me run away in any other context).
I like how he's started veering towards Progressive Metal with the single Babalon, it greatly impresses me.
I remember this guy from back in the day when this was a big hit on the radio/TV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQ9xveRsWxo
Circa 2001. Then he was kind of a flash in the pan, popularity wise and pretty much fell off the charts by 2010.
Surprised he is still doing stuff. I will have to check out that Babalon video.
One thing he did which always sticks in my head for the sheer oddity is , you gotta eat , to liiiiive. But I can't find it. This one is a good view into his weirdness but smartness https://youtu.be/MPFxMbLowJ8
I remember this guy from back in the day
Surprised he is still doing stuff
AWK has been astonishingly prolific and diverse over the years. I'm glad you shared the Pizza Party vid. That's only a sample of the AWK Gospel (which he calls “Party”-and which is very much in tune with DWTWSBTWOTL). In terms of “public outreach," Andrew might be doing a better job “giving the Law” than Aleister ever did. He was named person of the year by the American Association of Suicidology for his contributions to suicide prevention. His method? Connecting people with their own Party Path (or True Will).
I will give high recommendation to the double album Close Call With Brick Walls/Mother of Mankind to anyone interested in exploring the AWK landscape. This album gives good expression to Andrew's diversity, creativity and skill. But there is so much more beyond this: there are the Necronomicon demos, the 55 Cadillac piano improvs, the Gundam album, all the endless stunts and promos (like getting into the Guinness Book of World Records for drumming for 24 hours straight). From Cartoon Network to Current 93, the man gets around.
This is a good interview where he gives some pointers as to what he is into;
https://www.lashtal.com/wiki/Aleister_Crowley_Timeline
through his work with David Tibet/Current 93
Was he part of the entourage of "weak and pathetic girlfriendless Nazis" as described by Ignant 666?
https://www.lashtal.com/wiki/Aleister_Crowley_Timeline
No, Andrew WK hung with those guys much after the era my UK pal was describing; you are paraphrasing (but not quoting) me quoting another person FYI.
No, Andrew WK hung with those guys much after the era my UK pal was describing; you are paraphrasing (but not quoting) me quoting another person FYI.
Oh I see, they maybe grew out of that phase I wonder.
In terms of “public outreach," Andrew might be doing a better job “giving the Law” than Aleister ever did. He was named person of the year by the American Association of Suicidology for his contributions to suicide prevention. His method? Connecting people with their own Party Path (or True Will).
I see he's been part of the Jackass crew; Wee-Man, Steve-O, Knoxville etc.
https://www.lashtal.com/wiki/Aleister_Crowley_Timeline
It'll be interesting to see if kidneyhawk (and others) try to rationalize away the W.K. Jackass connection or maybe he thinks that the Jackass crew are Thelemic Saints.
https://www.lashtal.com/wiki/Aleister_Crowley_Timeline
It'll be interesting to see if kidneyhawk (and others) try to rationalize away the W.K. Jackass connection or maybe he thinks that the Jackass crew are Thelemic Saints.
What is there here to "rationalize away?"
Had the same thought.
It'll be interesting to see if kidneyhawk (and others) try to rationalize away the W.K. Jackass connection or maybe he thinks that the Jackass crew are Thelemic Saints.
What is there here to "rationalize away?"
Nothing, in my opinion. Looks like you agree.
https://www.lashtal.com/wiki/Aleister_Crowley_Timeline
Looks like you agree
With what, Dom?
Looks like you agree
With what, Dom?
I don't necessarily think that the Jackass crew are a bunch of idiots and it looks like you agree with me on that.
https://www.lashtal.com/wiki/Aleister_Crowley_Timeline
I don't necessarily think that the Jackass crew are a bunch of idiots
But why on earth do you think kidneyhawk (or anyone) would suppose
that the Jackass crew are Thelemic Saints [?]
Why should they be?
Intriguedly yours,
Norma N Joy Conquest
Why should they be?
Alternatively, why shouldn't they be?
Why should we assume what conclusions others might reach about the Will-doing and nirvanas of Steve O, Johnny Knoxville, and Wee Man? Not to slight any other Jackasses, but those are the ones i can remember the names of; i mean all of them.
This is an idiotic topic, david.
Got to listen to that Babalon song finally. It was really good.
Spotted the Rosicrucian cross there.
Wondering about the significance of the skinny mannequin of Andrew.
.
This is an idiotic topic, david.
...Ok and scuba-diving in a sewage farm, electrocuting each other's testicles and wearing a poisonous jellyfish on one's face is totally non-idiotic.
https://www.lashtal.com/wiki/Aleister_Crowley_Timeline
Wondering about the significance of the skinny mannequin of Andrew
I'm not sure if the mannequin has appeared in other performances but the first time I saw the "Andrew Mask" was in the video for I'm A Vagabond which fraterihsan alludes to above.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAZ_ndQeHPE
This is an idiotic topic, david.
I don't think the merits of Jackass-or lack of merit in Jackass (I've only seen snippets-have never sat down to watch the movies) really bears upon the merit of Andrew WK's sweeping career which has been been passionate, zany, creative, curious and uplifting...with some interesting little allusions here and there toward Thelema. Hence, my sharing of the Babalon song and vid on this forum.
Why should they be?
Alternatively, why shouldn't they be?
Why should we assume what conclusions others might reach about the Will-doing and nirvanas of Steve O, Johnny Knoxville, and Wee Man? Not to slight any other Jackasses, but those are the ones i can remember the names of; i mean all of them.
Indeed no reason why they shouldn't be, at all - just very very improbable that they would be. I mean, for all I know the whole Jackass crew could be Masters of the Temple (not just the three of them so popular they were actually named a few posts above as well), it's just not the first thing one would associate with them or imagine they might possibly be.
Which was why I wondered why anyone (i.e. dom) would assume that they were (or more correctly, would assume someone else [i.e. kidneyhawk] might assume they were)... and to which there is still no answer - not that I'm going to be suffering any sleepless nights over.
N Joy!
Indeed no reason why they shouldn't be, at all - just very very improbable that they would be. I mean, for all I know the whole Jackass crew could be Masters of the Temple (not just the three of them so popular they were actually named a few posts above as well), it's just not the first thing one would associate with them or imagine they might possibly be.
Which was why I wondered why anyone (i.e. dom) would assume that they were (or more correctly, would assume someone else [i.e. kidneyhawk] might assume they were)... and to which there is still no answer - not that I'm going to be suffering any sleepless nights over.
N Joy!
The universe is busy with nothing else so on. It's like a Wester Aghori path..sort of to an extent. In fact they even worked with that tribe.
https://www.lashtal.com/wiki/Aleister_Crowley_Timeline
Thanks for sharing this. I've been sleeping on AWK apparently. Love the video and the song is fantastic and catchy.
More interesting bits: His journal from 1998 was leaked online late last year...
https://www.reddit.com/r/AndrewWK/comments/j768jh/andrew_wks_1998_journal/
It seems as if he's either planned his entire career as a "mega-ritual", or done so retro-actively, or maybe both. The journal mentions post-dating artifacts and leaking them to the public to make fans think his career was planned, lol. Reading it has put me in a semi-state of neither/nor several times, if not a pleasant, fleeting moment of cognitive dissonance.
He also mentions "taking an Oath". Guessing from the lyrics and imagery from "Babalon" I think we can wager a fair guess on what that Oath might be.
Can't wait to hear more from Frater AWK!
PS, an auk denotes "supernatural powers" in heraldic symbolism.
Hey Kyle
Thanks for posting that other video.
I just had a supremely spicy Korean ramen and my mind is kind of blown.
I'm a pepper junkie. I'm the kind that puts sriracha into pho.
Anyway I noticed he is reading the Book of the Lore Law in that video you shared and I appreciate it.
Lots of folks giving the ol' 93 treatment in the comments.
I am pretty much at an empasse when it comes to anything these days but I suppose I can appreciate Thelema versus, say idiocy in the form of Costco and mass consumerism.
And hey, 93's.
That would be amazing.
I live my life.
I don't plan it like that.
So- strange premise.
This is too much posting. but he kind of reminds me of a modern Bowie. I love Bowie very much.
Bowie changed his skin a lot and I think we may be able to find some like-isms.
I'm a pepper junkie. I'm the kind that puts sriracha into pho.
I'd like to think of myself as one, also-but when I watch some of the heavy-weights on youtube, I'm an amateur. Still, I'm overwintering my 3 successful habanero plants into the coming spring and looking forward to the return of those brilliant red and orange peppers. I think the hottest hot sauce I've had has been The Last Dab which is a bit over the top.
And I'm sure the Party of Pepper Eating would be approved by AWK. Crowley, too, I imagine (with his tale of sending fellow mountain climbers into the snow from the overwhelming heat of his curry). 🙂
This is too much posting. but he kind of reminds me of a modern Bowie. I love Bowie very much.
Bowie changed his skin a lot and I think we may be able to find some like-isms.
I'm sorry but you cannot compare this guy to someone of Bowie's stature. He's a good kid , he helps suicide cases, ok fine but his music is not prog rock or even notable, it's basically 3rd-rate 90s skater-punk. He has achieved his celebrity status not by talent but via manic schmoozing which became acceptable during the Grunge revolution (also done by talentless guys like Marylin Manson around the time that rock journalists put their heads in the sand for some reason). I was going to hold back on the truth but that just did it, a guy holds Liber Legis in a video and suddenly he's the shit.....
W
T
F
?
Here, here is some real "Thelemic music" just for starters;
https://www.lashtal.com/wiki/Aleister_Crowley_Timeline
Thanks for the plug kidneyhawk. I agree that Andrew has done great work. Superb.
Thanks for the plug kidneyhawk. I agree that Andrew has done great work. Superb.
I shared the BABALON song and vid as a Paul Toner style “Crowley sighting.” In my opinion, AWK has recorded a LOT of stronger songs-just not necessarily of immediate or direct relevance to the AC Society. This, of course, brings up that question about Thelema without Crowley. Does one NEED AC to be “Thelemic?” Most of the roll-call at present, I would wager, would say Nay. Crowley, however, once remarked “I AM Thelema.” We might, then, ask the question: is there a difference between Joseph Campbell's “Follow Your Bliss” and AC's “DWTW?” Did Crowley just declare “To Thine Own Self Be True” and wrap it up in a load of extraneous junk (from Gematria bent to bolster his chosen symbolism to Sex Magic Formulae which, as we've discussed, doesn't quite perform according to the advertising)?
In terms of a positive message, driven home with virtuoso piano, AWK is just great. The larger picture of his activity reminds me, in some ways, of the KLF. When I first heard The White Room, I thought it was insipid dance music. Then I realized they were talking about RAW and Illuminatus and I sensed something else was going on here. And then I started LIKING it. But it was clear that KLF was about much more than producing club-ready dance-tracks. I'm still working my way through the 2023 novel.
Similarly, AWK breaks any mold we'd put him in. The singer behind “Party Til You Puke” also released an album of piano improvs which sounds like Chopin goes Jazz. When he isn't doing dueling pianos with Chilly Gonzales, he's hosting Destroy-Build-Destroy on Cartoon Network.
And moonlighting with Current 93.
I love The Wolf and I Get Wet. And I would never have heard them if it wasn't for Lashtal.com. I first heard of David Tibet on this site. When I sought him out and heard Current 93's “Silence as Christine” (first C93 that ever reached my ears), I was hooked. Through Tibet's MySpace, I saw AWK and wondered why this “Arena-Rock/Party Guy” was linked to the Poetic and Cryptic C93. I'd soon be hooked again.
Here, here is some real "Thelemic music" just for starters
The Path of True Will is not a contest nor will the Scales of Ma'at ever be set between AWK and Iggy Pop. Those Scales weigh our Heart against Itself.
But you had to go and mention Lou Reed. I tip my hat to the memory of this brilliant man. Set The Twilight Reeling is one of my favorite albums. From "Egg Cream" to the title track, it is raw poetry, rock & roll and an open heart.
Lou Reed "Partied Hard."
Does one NEED AC to be “Thelemic?” Most of the roll-call at present, I would wager, would say Nay. Crowley, however, once remarked “I AM Thelema.” We might, then, ask the question: is there a difference between Joseph Campbell's “Follow Your Bliss” and AC's “DWTW?” Did Crowley just declare “To Thine Own Self Be True”
How do you feel about the 'Dogs of reason' line?
https://www.lashtal.com/wiki/Aleister_Crowley_Timeline
” Did Crowley just declare “To Thine Own Self Be True” and wrap it up in a load of extraneous junk (from Gematria bent to bolster his chosen symbolism to Sex Magic Formulae which, as we've discussed, doesn't quite perform according to the advertising)?
Sex magic does work, it's alchemy at least, you do it, if it be thy will and then you don't ask any questions. Ignant 666 may've started a cynical 'dog of reason' thread about Crowley as pervert unconsciously kidding himself through sex magic but I'm sorry Crolwey was sincere about ;
1:37. Also the mantras and spells; the obeah and the wanga; the work of the wand and the work of the sword; these he shall learn and teach.
and from Chapter 2;
27. There is great danger in me; for who doth not understand these runes shall make a great miss. He shall fall down into the pit called Because, and there he shall perish with the dogs of Reason.
28. Now a curse upon Because and his kin!
29. May Because be accursed for ever!
30. If Will stops and cries Why, invoking Because, then Will stops & does nought.
31. If Power asks why, then is Power weakness.
32. Also reason is a lie; for there is a factor infinite & unknown; & all their words are skew-wise.
33. Enough of Because! Be he damned for a dog!
Now me personally I may've grown out of sex-magic as I did skateboarding, smoking weed and reading Marvel Comics but I'm not going disparage some kid who is full on into such practices.
https://www.lashtal.com/wiki/Aleister_Crowley_Timeline