{"product_id":"9798765162866","title":"Spirits of '76 Mysticism, Magic \u0026 Rock's Occult Revolution","description":"\u003ch1\u003eSpirits of '76\u003c\/h1\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMysticism, Magic \u0026amp; Rock's Occult Revolution\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWill Romano\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cb\u003eMusic \/ History \u0026amp; Criticism\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe secret history of rock music in the American bicentennial.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen it comes to the tensions and contradictions of American culture, it's hard to beat 1976. It was the year of the United States bicentennial, one in which flags, bunting, and other patriotic kitsch were omnipresent, and the nation took stock of a two-hundred-year history culminating in global economic, military, and cultural dominance. At the same time, Americans confronted rampant inflation, the Vietnam War's humiliating and unceremonious end, and disillusionment over everything from the Kennedy Assassination to the Watergate scandal.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOne way of navigating this dark landscape was through the occult: hitching a ride on the magic carpet of'60s anti-establishment sentiment, layperson and artist alike investigated the most arcane, esoteric theories of the universe. And nowhere was that influence clearer than in rock and pop music. Whether in Jimmy Page's obsession with Aleister Crowley, Blue Öyster Cult's embrace of The Reaper, Bob Dylan's forays into ersatz Christianity, or Miles Davis's use of hollow-earth and UFO iconography, a preoccupation with secret knowledge and mysterious forces thoroughly shaped their music and public personas. \u003ci\u003eSpirits of '76 \u003c\/i\u003eoffers a spellbinding exploration of the American bicentennial as the culmination of these strange cultural trends, showing how rock music became one way for a nation to come to terms with its uncanny underbelly.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eWill Romano\u003c\/b\u003e is the author of seven books, including \u003ci\u003eMoving Pictures: How Rush Created Progressive Hard Rock's Greatest Record \u003c\/i\u003e(Backbeat 2023)\u003ci\u003e, Close to the Edge: How Yes's Masterpiece Defined Prog Rock \u003c\/i\u003e(Backbeat 2017), the critically acclaimed \u003ci\u003eMountains Come Out of the Sky \u003c\/i\u003e(with a foreword by iconic drummer Bill Bruford) (Backbeat 2010), and the award finalist \u003ci\u003eBig Boss Man: The Life and Music of Bluesman Jimmy Reed \u003c\/i\u003e(Backbeat 2006). Romano's work has appeared in a variety of publications, such as \u003ci\u003eThe New York Post\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eNew York Daily News\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eAmerican Way\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eGuitar Player\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eModern Drummer\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eSound on Sound\u003c\/i\u003e, VH1.com, and others.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePublication Date: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e08 July 2027\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePublisher: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBloomsbury Academic\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eImprint: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBackbeat\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eISBN-13: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e9798765162866\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFormat: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHardback\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePage Count: \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e272\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWeight (oz): \u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e16.0\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e","brand":"Bloomsbury Academic","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":62308177936524,"sku":"9798765162866","price":31.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/lateknightbooks.com\/products\/9798765162866","provider":"Late Knight Books and Services, LLC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}