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An Introductory Note on "Magick" and TOPY
By Robert T. Tuohey
Early this mornin', knocked upon my door
Early this mornin', you knocked upon my door
I said, "Hello, Satan. I believe it's time to go."
(Robert Johnson, "Me and the Devil Blues")
Apropos my initial contribution to Scribal Tales (the
short story, "The Great Beast's Watch"), our editor,
Dan "O", asked if I'd like to append a few words
on "magick" and TOPY. The following brief comments,
I hope, will serve that purpose.
Following the English occultist Aleister Crowley (1875
-1947), the term "magick" is used to denote the
knowing manipulation of unseen (i.e., occult) correspondences
between objects thereby causing a desired change in same;
whereas "magic" is relegated to the stage-magician's
sleight-of-hand (e.g., rabbits out of hats, levitating ladies,
and so on).
This distinction, and thereby usage, is universal in modern
occultism (a thriving, and multi-formed, counter-culture movement).
Turning our attention now to TOPY (one such manifestation),
we encounter the Temple Of Psychick Youth. In the early 1990's,
TOPY was a punk-rock band founded by the English counter-culturist
Neil Andrew Megson (aka Genesis P-Orridge). The group enjoyed
a few years of success, but, by the mid-1990's, a series of
scandals led to a police investigation. Ultimately, the group
was found guilty of having engaged in "dangerous cult
activities", and, under British law, was banned. Megson
fled to the U.S., where he is still said to reside.
As might be expected, however, TOPY was not so easily
disposed of. Via the internet, hardcore TOPY adherents have
re-organized and, via a shadowy network (the organization
is still outlawed in the United Kingdom), maintain an impressive
web-site: http://www.topy.net/
For those wishing further information on the controversial
subject of modern occultism, the following links may be recommended.
General Information
Thoth Web http://www.the-book-of-thoth.com/index.php
Chaos Matrix http://www.chaosmatrix.org/index.php
An introductory essay on modern magick http://www.chaosmatrix.org/library/chaos/texts/intchaos.html
A very interesting, though biased, paper dealing with
rock music and occultism: "The Gothic Milieu:
Black Metal, Satanism, and Vampires"
http://www.cesnur.org/testi/gothic.htm
On TOPY
The Chaos Matrix section on TOPY http://www.chaosmatrix.org/library/topy.php
Most particularly their "manifesto" http://www.chaosmatrix.org/library/chaos/topy/tt000.txt
Brief info on the group http://www.anoca.org/topy/magical/thee_temple_ov_psychick_youth.html
Brief info on Megson http://www.anoca.org/work/psychic/genesis_p_orridge.html
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