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The Rolling Stones, Kenneth Anger, and the Shadow of Lucifer Rising
*By Marcelo Sonaglioni The Rolling Stones’ so-called “demonic” phase, marked by their collaboration with avant-garde filmmaker Kenneth Anger, stands out as a period when the band was arguably at their creative and cultural zenith. This phase, steeped in mysticism and the occult, particularly resonated with Mick Jagger, whose fascination with Satanic and Luciferian imagery prominently influenced the Let It BleedandGimme Shelter era.
However, the tragic events at Altamont in 1969 seemed to signal a turning point for Jagger. In the aftermath of the chaos, he was frequently seen wearing a crucifix, perhaps symbolizing a shift away from the “chaotic hoodoo” energy of the Age of Horus that he had once embraced. Was it a gesture of atonement or an attempt to counterbalance the dark forces he had helped channel?
Mick Jagger, Lucifer Rising, and the Dark Magic of the ’60s
Jagger’s shamanic energy during the 1960s was undeniable, yet it came with a heavy cost. The turbulent era saw the loss of several of his friends and contemporaries, amplifying the sense of danger surrounding the Stones during this time. Remarkably, despite the intensity of that period, Jagger has emerged relatively unscathed, his vitality and appearance seemingly untouched by the passage of time. Like a rock and roll version of Dorian Gray, he remains an enduring icon of an era that pushed boundaries and redefined rebellion.
Lucifer Rising was a bold and ambitious film project conceived by avant-garde filmmaker Kenneth Anger in 1972. Initially, Anger envisioned Mick Jagger as Lucifer and Keith Richards as Beelzebub, casting them as symbolic “glimmer twins” of darkness. Anger’s fascination with the Stones extended to his belief that Keith Richards, Anita Pallenberg, and Brian Jones were practitioners of witchcraft, adding an esoteric layer to his artistic vision.
The Rolling Stones and Kenneth Anger: A Mystical Collaboration and Its Limits
Despite Anger’s aspirations, the Stones ultimately did not participate in the project. Mick Jagger was reluctant to embody the role of Lucifer, distancing himself from the overtly occult narrative. However, other notable figures became involved, including Marianne Faithfull, Chris Jagger, and Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page, who contributed a haunting soundtrack. After years of delays, Anger finally completed Lucifer Rising, albeit without the Stones, solidifying its place as an iconic work of experimental cinema.
Three years prior, in 1969, Anger had collaborated with Mick Jagger on another project, Invocation of My Demon Brother. This intense 12-minute film featured fragments of the Rolling Stones’ iconic Hyde Park concert and was underscored by an eerie synthesizer score composed by Jagger himself. The film, with its occult imagery and pulsating soundtrack, captured the dark, countercultural spirit of the late ’60s, solidifying Anger’s reputation as a provocateur and the Stones’ enduring association with mystical and rebellious themes.
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