The devil is the most charismatic and important figure in the blues tradition. He's not just the music's namesake (""the devil's music""), but a shadowy presence who haunts an imagined Mississippi crossroads where, it is claimed, Delta bluesman Robert Johnson traded away his soul in exchange for extraordinary prowess on the guitar. Yet, as scholar and musician Adam Gussow argues, there is much more to the story of the devil and the blues than these cliched understandings. In this groundbreaking study, Gussow takes the full measure of the devil's presence. Working from original transcriptions of more than 125 recordings released during the past ninety years, Gussow explores the varied uses to which black southern blues people have put this trouble-sowing, love-wrecking, but also empowering figure. The book culminates with a bold reinterpretation of Johnson's music and a provocative investigation of the way in which the citizens of Clarksdale, Mississippi, managed to rebrand a commercial hub as ""the crossroads"" in 1999, claiming Johnson and the devil as their own.

This book is about representations of the devil in English and European literature. Tracing the fascination in literature, philosophy, and theology with the irreducible presence of what may be called evil, or comedy, or the carnivalesque, this book surveys the parts played by the devil in the texts derived from the Faustus legend, looks at Marlowe and Shakespeare, Rabelais, Milton, Blake, Hoffmann, Baudelaire, Goethe, Dostoevsky, Bulgakov, and Mann, historically, speculatively, and from the standpoint of critical theory. It asks: Is there a single meaning to be assigned to the idea of the diabolical? What value lies in thinking diabolically? Is it still the definition of a good poet to be of the devil's party, as Blake argued?

Angelic and Demonic Luciferian Magick.... The Luciferian Witchcraft Tradition holds a cycle of initiatory ceremonies in which the Aspirant applies in philosophy and equally challenging workings which open pathways to knowledge and insight. This book explores the history, lore and academic studies of the names of the Fallen Angels or Watchers from the Book of Enoch, including a deep study of the symbolism associated with this shadowy cult of angels. The Luciferian Ceremonies of invoking and utilizing this knowledge towards your personal Apotheosis and a balanced approach to Magick are found herein. The darksome rites of the Witches Sabbat and the Path of Cain as Baphomet are presented with keys to the Dream Journey towards the Gathering of Spirits. This is a grimoire which explores the deep Left-Hand Path symbolism and meaning for the practical Luciferian. Methods and invocations of the Watchers and the Nephilim. The knowledge and symbolism of the Horned God, Baphomet, the Adversary, Cain, Lilith and more.