Sunday, October 21, 2007

Logo #84: 45 Grave

Designed by poet and esoteric mystic Stanislas de Guaita for his 1897 book La Clef de la Magie Noire, the Baphomet Sigil was appropriated by 45 Grave drummer Don Bolles in 1980. Bolles: "That was designed by St. Bartholomew, in 1377. Not actually, but it's been around for a while; more recently, it was popularized in the late '60s by Anton LaVey's Church of Satan, and was on the cover of the official "Satanic Mass" LP that featured LaVey and came out in 1968. The background of that cover was red, the pentagram / goat head black and white. In 1980, I appropriated it for the 45 Grave 7" "Black Cross" / "Wax". While we were waiting for that to come back from the printer Venom put it on the cover of one of their albums. Then ours came out. Then Plasmatics and Mötley Crüe used pentagrams on their next LPs. Then all Hell broke loose with the thing..." Here they are on "New Wave Theater" (hosted by the late Peter Ivers, September 20, 1946 - March 3, 1983), performing "Black Cross."

Anton Szandor LaVey (April 11, 1930 – October 29, 1997), while endlessly stylish in life, left an estate drowning in disarray. Records show that the settlement dividing his personal property went as follows: to High Priestess Blanche Barton, a Rasputin chair, bed of nails and vintage gramophone; to daughter Zeena Schreck, a vampire boy painting, devil-horn cap and one-third of LaVey's cremated remains; and to daughter Karla LaVey, a skull from ritual chamber, "Satin Doll" pinball machine, a coffin and an examination table. Amongst others, no doubt. There was also a garage sale open to the general public not long after his passing.

Presumably, some lucky devil got the best stuff early.

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