Biography
Who would have guessed that the world's most infamous living Satanist also pursued a career as a recording artist? Anton LaVey issued at least two such albums, Satan Takes A Holiday and The Satanic Mass. Born April 11, 1930, to parents of Georgian and Alsatian descent, he displayed prodigious musical talent from early childhood, mastering the violin, drums, trombone, oboe, piano, organ, and calliope beginning at age five. At sixteen he secured a position playing oboe in the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra and later served as the city's official organist for civic ceremonies. In addition to these musical roles he held an array of other occupations, including cage boy, lion trainer, mitt camp worker, police photographer, criminologist, artist, clinical hypnotist, and psychological researcher. He went on to establish Satanism as his faith and assumed leadership of the Church of Satan. Television appearances revealed a figure at odds with popular stereotypes: rather than a frenzied, drug-addled zealot, LaVey presented himself as a composed and intelligent individual who framed his belief system around rational self-interest. The liner notes to the Satan Takes a Holiday CD observe that LaVey "applies his kaleidoscopic vision to conjure forth occult musical treasures, sending them out into the ethers, to haunt and delight us." Much like a well-crafted horror film, LaVey and his recordings succeed in doing precisely that for many listeners.
Albums
