Where is anton lavey today

Many unconventional strains of culture inspired my prurient youth, and they all merged into substantial parts of my being; most of which are in fact very much alive still. American pop culture was one seminal part of this imprint cluster. My parents had friends in the US, and they regularly sent comics, candy and clothes to me that all became parts of my identity. I was often in there, being willingly enchanted before I could even fully figure out what was being said on the pages in question.

Occultism was exciting and it still is! What healthy teenager can resist such an alluring title and tome? And I was thrilled to discover that he had actually founded The Church of Satan in - the very year I was born! Anton LaVey was one of these recurring favorites. The photos were titillating, to say the least: LaVey looked so sinister in his black cape and devil horns, and there were always nude ladies serving as altars; smiling seductively at the cameras.

All of these things definitely made an impact on my malleable teenage boy mind. I was pleasantly surprised when I was offered the use of the Walter Fischer images for the California Infernal project — some thirty years later! Were they coming back to haunt me, or what? Writing the intro for that book made me roam my memory as well as my diaries. One question surfaced over and over: If I had had these wonderful experiences at the Black House, then surely others had, too?

I travelled with my wife, Vanessa Sinclair, to New York, Miami, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco to conduct filmed interviews, and later on followed up with a set if standardized questions via e-mail for this book project, specifically. This mosaic of stories from long ago created a pattern that tilted and jolted my mind, and opened up for more than mere memories or details. It was a pattern mainly consisting of warm and positive emotions for this unique and creative individual who inspired us so much, and in so many different ways.

The most striking thing about Anton LaVey in this kind of rear view mirror, is that he has made a real impact on culture. The similarities with good science fiction are obvious: by writing about the future and thereby inspiring the young in their life choices, and - even more importantly, according to LaVey - their aesthetics, science fiction also helps define the future beyond the mere fictional aspects.

LaVey's intuitive assumptions became obsessions, and when he eventually divulged these, they became little spells that affected the big picture in various ways. From the late s and onwards, the musically skilled LaVey played keyboards in many different settings: at nightclubs, events, bars, circuses and sideshows.

The accumulated experiences of seeing how people behaved in various states of successful and quite often not so successful states of lustful inebriation became the cornerstones of his philosophy of life. This also included wisdoms from other animals than the human one - mainly large cats, like lions and tigers - as he learnt how to interact with them at the circus. Satan was without a doubt the most feared symbol around, and therefore the most attractive.

He was established in his Black House and held lectures and classes. Topics could range from vampires, werewolves, freaks, the Black Mass, death, ghosts, gothic culture and many other things. Media attention was massive. Beneath all the scandalous exposure was also a serious magician who wanted to break away from dusty, arcane, esoteric systems basically stemming from medieval times.

LaVey came up with new magical concepts based on psychological insights, gained as much from the carnival as from Sigmund Freud; as much from playing the organ at dive bars as from Friedrich Nietzsche. Active psychodrama, the use of sex, creating your own temple-space by indulging in whatever gives you most pleasure, creating artificial human companions instead of wasting time on dull acquaintances, and definitely integrating a dark sense of humor.

The evocative shadow world of German expressionist cinema and early Hollywood horror films - not forgetting the stark contrasts of film noir - deeply influenced the young LaVey.

Throughout his books, LaVey generously name-dropped his inspirations and influences, and it is indeed an interesting cultural archaeology to journey in the trails of his philosophical explorations. Cecil Nixon. But alas, the market for ten-hour documentaries is pretty marginal. Then the twain shall meet - hopefully! LaVey died at St. Mary's Hospital last Wednesday of pulmonary edema. He was Perhaps symbolic of his perverse penchant for tweaking non-believers and the media, his death certificate listed the date of his death as Halloween morning, two days later, said family spokesman Lee Houskeeper.

There was no explanation for the discrepancy. LaVey's daughter. She and Mr. LaVey's longtime companion, High Priestess Blanche Barton , were to discuss his illness, death and the future of the church at a press conference Friday. A life-size replica of the departed satanist furnished by the San Francisco Wax Museum was to attend. LaVey, a man with a sharp, if morbid, sense of humor, burst on the San Francisco media scene in the mids, taking The City's already colorful counterculture scene a step closer to the edge.

He founded the Church of Satan in , keeping a Nubian lion named Togare, as well as a stuffed werewolf, in the black Richmond District Victorian that served both as his devil-worshipping church and his home. He ordained himself, he said, because he couldn't find anybody else to do it. He got the call, he said. LaVey said.