R. Gary Patterson – Take A Walk On The Dark Side

This book by R. Gary Patterson is a lot of fun. For any fan of rock n’ roll, it contains some interesting information about the dark forces that may be at work in what some people call the Devil’s Music.

Rumours, conspiracy theories, plots and magic spells abound in these pages. As events are described, one wonders just how much Incredible Coincidence was at play, and how much was a part of something deeper, darker, more menacing. Hey, it might all be garbage, and one would have to be a fan to even read the book in the first place, but this is the kind of thing that can make any extended bathroom reading session a lot more interesting.

Dark Side gleefully delves into the mysterious circumstances surrounding deaths in rock n’ roll history, from Robert Johnson to Kurt Cobain. It looks into black magic and Aleister Crowley, numerology, curses, possible faked deaths, The 27 Club, and making pacts with the devil at the crossroads at midnight.

It’s not deep reading, and in my opinion the author has as much grasp on the proper use of the word “ironic” as does Alanis Morissette, but still, this is one helluva fun read and I’d recommend it if you’re in the mood for some mind-candy about your favourite dead rock stars.