Sex And The Devil

This article came up when I was mooching around the BBC website today. It dates from 2006 but is very interesting.

It describes “The Devils Interval” or “Devil’s Note”, banned by the Medieval church because of its “unholiness”. The article’s a bit long so I’ll get to the bit that interested me in relation to this blog.

The Devil’s Interval may have been deemed to be inappropriate and therefore prohibited not because of its ability to summon evil, but because it provoked a reaction in the listener. Music that can do that is powerful and as Julia observes in 1984 when you’re having sex, or you’ve just made love the state (or church) has no power over you because no matter what terrible power they wield capriciously over you at that point in time you don’t care.

So music that can invoke that sort of mood altering state is dangerous and very threatening to the establishment.

Look at the reaction of the establishment, musical and political when rock and roll, then the psychedelic movement in the 1960s arrived. Then move forward into Heavy metal, Punk and even New Romantic eras. Music is a powerful thing that is different from the old hierarchies in that it can be created by the individual and is therefore outside the control of those in power.

Music can make people feel empowered, alive, sexy and the last thing the establishment want is people being allowed to feel freely … shit I sound like an old hippy.

Anyway, any music that makes you guys feel like makin’ love?