The Sorcerers Apprentice, Leeds

It seems that Frater Marabas/Chris Bray has had some subtle but important effects on my life, despite my initial doubts about his authenticity. I had been fascinated by the burnt studded doors of the Sorcerers Apprentice shop since my arrival in Leeds some ten years ago. I chanced upon it on a midnight walk and didn't notice the faint lettering on the now defunct signage.

Four years or so on, my best friend at the time who I had just met, lived on Burley Lodge Road in Leeds just a few hundred yards away Marabas's residence. Googling the street name one day revealed to us that the sinister exterior was far more interesting than we imagined.

We pondered his existence, whether he lived there with tattered cardboard blacking out the windows, light occasionally gleaming from cracks in the upstairs window, and a padlock on the heavy doors. We debated the ethics of selling rocks collected on Ilkley moor. We eventually ordered some small items from him by mail order, and marveled at the doors whenever we passed by.

Some research revealed his previous shop had existed at Hyde Park corner, but had been firebombed by Christian extremists during the Satanic ritual abuse craze of the 80's. Chris Bray spoke openly about his beliefs and opposition to the unfounded prejudice directed towards magical beliefs at the time, which I felt was a brave and unselfish thing to do regardless of whatever stance you took on his rock-peddling. Further research revealed that he published the Lamp of Thoth magazine in the 80's, a delightfully anachronistic revival of a magazine published by the Society of Dew and Light, who operated in Keighley at the turn of the last century. One of the members of this group was Daniel Murgatroyd, whose grimoire and magical equipment were recently up for sale.

Two years ago I was introduced to the love of my life when a mutual friend was sick of listening to me talk nonsense about magic and thought it would be better directed at him. The first thing we spoke about was Chris Bray and the Leeds chaos magic scene.

Much has happened in between then and now, but we often speak of the shop and its owner. I wish it wasn't mail order only so we could visit and pay homage to the true magic of Frater Marabas, whose thread has been weaving a beautiful pattern through our now interconnected lives.

Avebury Omphalos

I'm walking a labyrinth that returns to Avebury. People die from waking view but live here in dreams. It feels like somewhere that you have to go back, I'd love to live here one day.

The Institute of Stone Age Sex gig and Bang the Bore Zone of Alienation recording

Saturday we played as the Institute of Stone Age Sex, hopefully we can play again soon!

Julian Cope was awesome too.

In other news, I have been assisting with the preparations for the Zone of Alienation event being produced by Bang the Bore. We drove to the derelict Thorpe Marsh power station to record the sounds of the empty cooling tower - which has amazing acoustic effects. Those who can make it to the event this Saturday the 6th of August in Southampton should!

The Institute of Stone Age Sex

Here is the leaflet for our gig in Harrogate on Saturday, at 4.45pm in the circle bar of the Harrogate Theatre prior to the Julian Cope gig.

Liverpool William Mackenzie Pyramid Tomb

With the sinister myth of Mackenzie's debt to the devil, the pyramid in St. Andrew's churchyard is a stark contrast with the uptight Georgian streets around it. The church is a desolate shell of a building, currently surrounded in fences and 'danger' signs.

Supposedly the man is sat clutching a hand of cards sat up above ground in the pyramid to cheat the devil of his soul should his body be committed to the ground, although this seems to be a discredit to the character of the man in order to suitably embellish a book about local ghost stories, the pyramid was built over his grave some 16 years past his burial and similar myths float around other pyramid tombs, such as that of Mad Jack Fuller. We can presume its construction was inspired by some grand tour undertaken by his younger brother after William left him his railway building fortune.

A soundwork was recently installed in the graveyard, continuing the myth.

Beware Chalk Pit

A pyramid for a Racehorse, who supposedly saved his master's life -

Underneath lies buried a horse, the property of Paulet St. John Esq., that in the month of September 1733 leaped into a chalk pit twenty-five feet deep afoxhuntiing with his master on his back and in October 1734 he won the Hunters Plate on Worthy Downs and was rode by his owner and was entered in the name of "Beware Chalk Pit".

The use of a burial mound is striking, although I was slightly disappointed to discover the pyramid shape of the monument was a later addition after the original square monument fell victim to the elements.
The area is a secluded park, where a series of unsolved sex attacks took place, although on a new year's day a walk there felt like some kind of pastoral ritual, slow perambulations strictly to the path, in somber single file.

Stanton Moor

Frosty mornings in Birchover.

Nine Ladies Stone Circle

Doll Tor

God's Eye

Elaborate rock carvings at Rowter Rocks.

The Mock Beggar's Hall, standing astride the ancient Limestone way.

The view from Robin Hood's Stride, across the beautiful Wye Valley.

Nine Stones Close, now just four.