Forteana in progressive rock

In case you don't know, the term Forteana refers to the study of unknown phenomena that for the moment fall outside the boundaries of the realm of science - after Charles Fort, one of the first to study such things, and remained popular with the same countercultural milieus as birthed the initial progressive rock movement. See this Fortean Times article named after the second Pink Floyd LP, whose opening track describes extraterrestrial contact and communion between these to the Medieval outlaw Hereward the Wake.



Hawkwind in particular seem to have a song about basically every kind of mysticism or paranormal fringe-science that was popular in alternative circles: Orgone accumulators, psi power, Lord of Light alluding to both ley lines and ancient astronauts and some kind of spiritual singularity transfiguration in the same song, the Seven Rays described in the tradition of Theosophy, the list goes on.



That blog I found a while ago about the intersection between occultism and Forteana on one hand with popular culture on the other, specifically posting a detailed exegenesis of Blue Öyster Cult's inspiration from esoteric religion and historical conspiracies, remember it? Well, VISUP seems to also have a two parter about Neurosis as well as one about occult influence on the 1960s/1970s prog scene (of course Hawkwind but also Jethro Tull, Rainbow, etc) in addition to modern successors like Meshuggah who earlier commanded an entire article of their own, Queensrÿche, Tool who did the same et cetera. In fact, I recommend the whole Psychedelia in Diabolus article series as worth reading.

They also have an... interesting (to say the least) take on the life and work of Syd Barrett.



Edited by Toaster Mantis - June 06 2014 at 04:36

I'm not sure if there are any prog-rock groups directly inspired by Fort himself actually, though I'd be surprised if Hawkwind don't have at least one song about him.