Angels of Liberty Interview – Liber III

In the fourth and final installment of our visit with Angels of Liberty, we focus on the lyrical content, and the controversial subject matter therein in a far more specific manner. It really gives Voe an opportunity to enlighten us about some of his passions. To aid AoL in their seeming quest to spread this enlightenment, I have added a few links for reference, and for those curious minds who would like to delve further into these subjects. Having already read about many of these things myself, you will see why the band intrigues me so.

(Laurie) 7. You speak of things which go back literal millennia, such as the Brotherhood of the Snake. Being a writer of historical fiction, with regard to ancient aliens in Sumer and Egypt (and hopefully throughout all of history...as I fully intend to be the "Dan Brown" of Ancient Astronaut theories one day...hehe!), I can't help but wonder of the connection of Angels of Liberty, or any of its members to this or any of the other major "mystery schools". Am I being presumptuous once again?

Voe :
'So dark the con of man!' Rising organ music! lol

To the Mystery School question: Yes and no. I know the terminology because I have been involved with LHP magical school, but Knowledge, I found personally, had to come from within the self, so my path was inwards and away from schools. The trick is getting connected to what we are which is multi dimentional beings. I also like Robert Anton Wilsons take on The Illuminatii 'we are all secretly in it' . I loved 'Cosmic Trigger' and anything which overlaps with Timothy Leary and Terrence Mckenna. Mckenna really floats my boat, not just the intricately woven ideas about UFOs and mycelium but I could listen to his to his hip comical voice for hours.

Originally, the ancient mystery schools were feminine biased. I'm aware that it was a sisterhood of the snake as the root origin of the serpent cults and the female had the power. There;s a yearly religious procession somewhere i forget now but the males cut their genitals and bleed as they walk. That is an echo of this past. In fact if you go further back there is a whole issue with androgyny, as the base reptilian component in the creation of humans. It was an androgynous reptilian being that was split into two sexes to create the Adam man according to Stewart Swerdlow.

Before I totally wander off topic, at some point there was a takeover and everything became patriarchal with the priest/king system. The thing with the obelisks and the domes is interesting because of the Egyptian hieroglyph for Sirius. I love that because it hints to all sort of interesting things surrounding the founding fathers and the declaration of independence. I don't know if you are familiar with the story about the arrival of a mysterious stranger who helped the founding fathers agree? I know Anton LaVey thought the mysterious stranger who appeared in the gallery was the devil. I think it was a Sirian Reptilian. Different horses for courses, I guess!

I would recommend looking at....

The tau cross with a serpent hung on it, The Slaying of Apep, even Lovecrafts Cthulhu. Its always fish or sea monsters bringing destructive waves (negative emotions). Most initiatory stuff is about brain states, navigating/sailing consciousness. L Ron Hubbard obviously knew 'cos that's what Dianetics is mostly about: controlling the r-complex, nailing the fish to the tree. Hell he even loved sailing and being called captain, I'm sure that was an illuminist joke. There's a big nautical sailing theme embedded into the legal matrix too. It could be that the 'star sailors' came in solar boats bringing us language and law that for me would explain why its so embedded deeply in culture.

The Ubadian mother. Its known now in genetics we all have one common female ancestor back in ancient Africa. There is so much focus on Sumer because of the king list etc that African heritage has been stolen. What the Sumerian tablets talk about didn't happen there. The mystery religion did but the events took place in Africa on a high plateau overlooking a deep valley which at the time had a circuitry look from above due to the arrangement of vast patterns of stone buildings. Michael Tellinger has some good discoveries about that and matches what I've been able to remote view.

There's a big reptilian/snake theme in our past and in language itself. There's an interrelationship between knowledge, teachers and the snake/serpent which is coded into the very fabric of the language matrix. Even the word angel has a relationship to 'messenger' or 'to talk'. 'know the angels they were talkers, A universal code of symbols, a hidden truth, double meaning and they're a part of you and me' Kukulkan was about that. The serpentine connections in language to me is very exciting. Pierre Sabak's Murder of Reality is without doubt an amazing book on the subject.

(Laurie)  8. If the aforementioned are all just my own presumptions, based perhaps on my own readings and personal interpretations of things, are there then other particular writers, groups, or personal experiences that have influenced the content of your work?

Voe :
I was a book publisher for about 10 years that dealt in underground LHP and Occult material which really came out of my own personal interest and involvement in these subjects. As a result I had access to material that isn't in the public domain. Of public domain stuff : Michael Aquino's 'Black Magic in Theory and Practice' pointed me in the direction of the link between the inner and outer worlds. I loved John C Lilleys 'Programming the Human Biocomputer'. At the moment I'm really enjoying Solaris Blue Ravens 'Programmed by Deception', she does a really interesting interview shows and we did a theme tune for those. Shes also an author of many books herself. Shes had experiences in the MK tech milab area which I plan to base a track around in the future. I've just finished Stewart Swerdlow's  'Blue Blood True Blood' for the third time. If you are interested in the reptilian origins of language I would recommend Pierre Sabak's 'the Murder of Reality' as I mentioned.

(Laurie) 9. I sense a "greater purpose" in the "grand design" of things, so to speak, within the work of Angels of Liberty. Am I simply a misguided fan, or is that the intent?

Voe :
We have a plan. When we completed Pinnacle I was planning to release it and then end AoL. Now we are a year away so much has happened i can see not only do we have somewhere to go and something to write about but there seems to be a strange symbiotic relationship between our work and the high strangeness. I totally dig having a cult status 'cos it seems we haven't disappointed the people we wanted to entertain and we aren't so bland it has wide appeal. You know that thing in Castadenas books about the brujo finding a sweet spot to sit in? I feel were in it where we are right now. What I'd say is if you like what we've done so far you'll enjoy the ride.

Scarlet :
Neither of us is particularly 'rock n roll', neither of us is built for touring on the road. Both of us like people but at a safe distance where we can expect the best in them and avoid the worst of them up close. We also just want to make music. Apart from that we like our own private life too much, we don't even go out on the scene anymore. Apart from making music which is a wonderful channel of expression we like living our lives quietly without fuss or getting entangled in scene politics. Our main objective is to make records for people who enjoy them, who are free to enjoy them wherever they wish. We have no plans other than that for now.

Voe :
We'll have to see what the reptilians want us to say! :D So i guess the progression will be a revealing of what they want me to say. Maybe they wont want me to say anything, we could always do blood red vinyl of 30 mins quiet silence? :D I was considering opening a little booth at goth events where interested parties could pay me to feel the alien implant in my ear. But its not hygienic and I don't like traveling. :D

(Laurie) 10. Of course, at its heart, yours seems a message of true liberation, in all things. These are the foundational tenets, are they not?

Voe :
The whole concept with our name Angels of Liberty was a play on light and dark, freedom & tyranny. With Angels of Liberty people can see what they want to see, its a mirror. You can see it as light or dark or you can transcend both. Its a choice based on perception which is the central node in any story or any reality.

It's also mystical tradition to explore things that are opposite to you to break the mechanical trance. I explored things in 2013 that were alien to my basic nature as a libertarian and as a result so far a very dark themed album with a message of hope and ancient currents of spirituality is emerging. For me everything can be distilled down into basic dual components of material experience and these contrasts form the basic playground of our reality which we come here to create and play with as spirit/energy.

(Laurie)11. Perhaps I read far too much into things, but as I have stated, I am a firm believer in the principles of synchronicity, and I can't help feeling I have been lead here by just such principles myself.

Voe :
I don't think you should ever doubt your first or gut feeling on anything. :) Following synchronicity and listening you your inner voice is a must for living these days. :)

(Laurie) 13. Thank you Voe and Scarlet, so kindly for entertaining my sometimes odd queries! I hope that I haven't overwhelmed, or overstepped any boundaries in so doing. I am a very curious person, and Angels of Liberty fascinates me. I literally had to stop myself with the questions. I truly appreciate your time in even considering answering the more "unusual" inquiries.

Voe :
I'm flattered we invite curiosity. As they say 'Hybrid star birds who are feathered flock together!'. Thank you for going where most media fear to tread!  :)

Scarlet :
Thank you, the pleasure has been ours. We both wish you every success with both your journalism and your future Novels. :)

(Laurie) My best wishes go to Angels of Liberty; in the spreading of their music, the instilling of a true Goth Culture (with a capital "G"), and in the general enlightenment they bring to all who hear, and chose to listen to their message.

I think it only fitting to close this interview with what is probably my all time favorite Angels of Liberty song, "Kulkulkan"...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TBWjX3qwBY&feature=kp

Image Credit : Courtesy of Angels of Liberty.

Originally published on fullofknowledge.com, March 4th, 2014.

Angels of Liberty Interview - Liber II

We continue our journey into the minds of two of Goth Rock's most elite and elusive performers. While Voe gives us "the scoop" on the lyrical content, Scarlet seems more about the inner workings of the music itself. I respect that completely. It makes these revelations all the more interesting to me, in that we are seeing a rare glimpse into the many splendors of AoL, and discovering where various influences lie respectively.

(Laurie) 5. I mentioned in my former article that Angels of Liberty bring to mind Sisters of Mercy for me...in that I liken the sound to something that might have transpired had Pamela Morrison actually hung around and become a more vital creative force within the group, as she did later with The Damned. This is not meant to say Angels in not authentic, in fact, I style them even more genuine in the realms of all things "Gothic" than Sisters were (darker, at the very least, and far more controversial in content, which are aspects that attract me personally, even more). Still, do you yourself get my point? Is that a source of influence? Where you perhaps "channeling" the lost potentialities of what could have been such a divine artistic "coupling", of sorts in the combined works of Pam and Andrew had she taken more interest as he wanted her to?

Voe:
I really like all the concise song structures on first and last, and always this is where I agree with Scarlet on song structures. The production on Floodland is better but there's just something about first and last, it's just truly classic. In the late 90s I worked with Dave Allen who did the production on that. I was writing songs and tv/radio jingles in the late 90s and my manager Nik knew him and suggested him to produce a band I was also working with. I got to spend some time picking his brains which is experience, I guess.

I grew up not far from Monmouth so I did some work in Rockfield Recording Studios with John David from 60s band Love Sculpture. I was aware that the Banshees and The Cult had done some great stuff there so jumped at the chance. It was all old school so, like with editing song structures, you'd cut out slices of tape and fix it with cello tape rather than the cut and paste with digital like Pro Tools etc. A few other friends are professional old school songwriters from the 60s and 70s so I've learned arrangement stuff from them. Most of my influences are from the goth bands I liked and working around studios and other writers. Where I lived there was nothing much other than the SAS base and farms. So alot of musicians would hangout at the Dinosaw Market which was a second hand clothes and record shop that Pete (Overend) Watts from Mott The Hoople used to have. When there's nothing to do local musicians just create their own scenes so they don't go mad from boredom and you learn a lot from each other.

Regards controversial content:  Yeah I can't see Eldritch covering Reptilian aliens. I'd give it a listen if he did, maybe I'd even dance too! For me I never wanted to emulate the sisters as a replica. What I wanted to do was something that had the same evocative slightly mystical psychedelic musical feel but I wanted to explore stuff I'm into. I grew up with the X-Files, books of alien channelings whilst under the shadow of black micro dots that were being manufactured by the local Hell's Angels. So its only natural that I should cover subjects that are of personal interest to me. :D

Scarlet :
The Sisters have been the benchmark of what a Goth band should sound like ever since they arrived. We grew up with that Sisters thing as a benchmark and were influenced by it because we like Goth but there were lots of great bands to see. For that reason it makes perfect sense for us to explore things that Eldritch would not have any interest in while utilizing familiar characteristics like ritualistic bass riffs and a drum machine.

There were also some exciting potentialities of mixing Goth with electro that were missed. In a way we've wanted to travel back to 91-93 and start again introducing some electronica, some sci-fi, and dance rhythms to the occult, guitar mystical side and develop an alternative timeline of where Goth perhaps could have gone in an alternate universe maybe.

Basically we are just doing it our way and with the elements we are interested in which is all you can do really. Both of us also have such a wide variety of influences from psychedelia, soul, 70s glam rock, 80s electro etc. One of the bands we both felt had real potential in the early 90s was a band called Crystal Reign, we really liked their use of 80s electronic with Goth.

Voe :
I collect a lot of really obscure psych records which I torture Scarlet with. I've been loving the Fading Yellow compilation stuff for years. Of the less obscure stuff i like things like Iron Butterfly, Strawberry Alarm Clock, The Doors stuff with cool weaving organ melodies basically. Incense and Peppermints with that organ riff sends me to the moon.

We both love 80s new romantic and synth stuff too and I was briefly involved with the ROMO thing for a while in 95-96. I think the thing that got me with Goth in the 90s though is the intimacy of it. I loved the writing to bands, the fanzines, tape cassettes and getting to see the whole thing up close in the dry ice.

(Laurie) 6. Um...other things! Here is where it gets interesting: Being a avid fan and amateur researcher myself into factual based works of research such as the Holy Blood, Holy Grail series by Baigent, Lincoln, and Leigh, I can't help but notice a similar presence of content in songs such as "Black Madonna". Others songs, as well, and perhaps even the overtone (or under current) of the entire Angels of Liberty concept, lyrically, seem to reflect this. They also seem to echo more obscure writers, such as Gerard De Sade in his mingling of these concepts with alien manipulations, as well. Would I be correct in my assumptions, or do the sources of your primary ideologies hail from an entirely different realm, or body of knowledge?

Voe :
Im familiar with The Holy Blood, Holy Grail which I read in the mid 90s. I'm also familiar with the Rennes le Chateau mystery and the Cathars. I'm not familiar with Gerard De Sade. My understanding is that the sacred bloodline of Mary is a dis-info plot also something which the ruling elites can back up their 'god given right to rule' by claiming descendency from the blood line of 'jesus'. However my feeling is that is is based on a seed of truth which for me is the human alien hybridization event and then the spread of those bloodlines.

The persecution of the Cathars to take certain knowledge out of circulation so that the church/corporation could gain more control is of interest to me also. Follow that forward and it puts us where we are today: the 'oposame' choice of mainstream religion or atheism, which is stupidity or bust (with no in between or third way) and the ridiculous war on drugs with criminal cartels like the CIA doing the smuggling and flooding the streets with poison. But the myth of the old gods and the star seed origin story is always there haunting us as its written in the DNA though.

The whole christ bloodline thing doesn't resonate with me at all. There is the man, the myth, and then there are all the other similar christ figures. All born on the same day, died on the same day in similar ways and it all ties in with the change in seasons and astrologocal processions. The zeitgeist movie covered that stuff well. As soon as people mention the J word I usually fall asleep, run, or think about something nice like my bunny to compensate for the boredom. That program has just run its course with me. That's why in Black Madonna I wanted to bring the bloodline/grail story right back to hybridization/children of the gods, etc., which I feel is the root seed and cause of all religion and resonates with me personally.

(Laurie) So ends the third part of this wondrous journey into the nether realms of a band that is quickly becoming an iconic fixture of Goth Roth in their own right, Angels of Liberty.

Image Credit : Angels of Liberty, 2014.

For now, I leave you with a personal favorite AoL tune from the album currently in production. To me, Our Tears is the perfect embodiment of all that is quintessentially "Goth Rock"...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwBPQr-mjV0

Originally published on fullofknowledge.com, March 3rd, 2014.