Shout At The Devil
By - Lee Myers
An Old Accusation
“It’s Satanic! It’s devil worship!” My cousins and I couldn’t stop laughing. My
aunt was trying to warn us about the unholy music we were listening to on a
new album I’d just bought. It wasn’t Slayer or Black Sabbath. It wasn’t
Marilyn Manson or Rob Zombie. It was Sarah McLachlan.
Music has a long history of enduring such senseless accusations. Benjamin
Franklin invented the glass armonica in 1761 and it’s soothing sounds soon
filled music halls across Europe and the Americas. But some people who
played or listened to it began suffering illnesses which were blamed on the
instrument conjuring up evil spirits. It quickly fell out of favor after a child in
Germany died during a performance. These are, of course, post hoc ergo
propter hoc fallacies (after this therefore because of this). But why let a little
thing like logic get in the way of some good old fashioned superstitious
paranoia?
Niccolò Paganini was an accomplished 19th century Italian violinist whose
long fingers allowed him to play three octaves across four strings in a hand
span. But such natural explanations for his ability didn’t keep others from
speculating his talent had been purchased from the devil for the price of his
soul. Such rumors kept Paganini from receiving a Catholic burial.
From Blues to Metal
Famous 1920s blues musician Tommy Johnson was known for playing his
guitar behind his head, between his legs and throwing it in the air during
performances. After his death, his brother LeDell reported Tommy had sold
his soul to the devil to acquire such talent. This story was later altered to
include awaiting the devil at a crossroads and bestowed upon another
accomplished blues musician of no relation, Robert Johnson. This was the
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