Two Netherwood Events in December

 

Over 200 (of 500) copies of the Green third edition of Netherwood have now sold and it's less than a month since publication.

The book launch and signing went very well last Sunday. I'm sorry that some people could not get in to hear my reading as it was so crowded. I met a lot of interesting people who I hope will enjoy reading the book.

There are two events arranged for December - close to the date of Crowley's death on 1 December.

I'm doing a talk on the book at the wonderful Twelve Hundred Postcards bar in Hastings on Wednesday 2 December at 7pm. 

Tickets are available here.

Esteemed author Jake Arnott has recently published a novel called Netherwood and he and I shall be talking about our similarly-named books at Mayfair Library in London on the evening of Thursday 3 December.

Details to be announced here soon.

Netherwood 3rd Edition now available

 

Despairing that sellers are asking up to £400 for a copy of Netherwood online?

The gnashing of teeth can cease as the third edition was delivered from the printer yesterday and it looks great.  Expanded from earlier editions, with extra illustrations and a set of enclosures (postcards, bookmark, guesthouse brochure facsimiles) this beautifully designed paperback (Accumulator Press 2026) can be yours for a mere £25.00. I've reverted to the original green cover, which I preferred.

Only 500 printed.

MY FAVOURITE REVIEW OF NETHERWOOD HERE

At the moment the only shop selling Netherwood: Last Resort of Aleister Crowley is:

TADHG MAE  51a George Street Hastings East Sussex: HERE and HERE

I'm doing a book signing there on Sunday 4 October 13:00 to 17:00.

Two places it can be purchased online:

The Big Cartel HERE and HERE for a great deal with Mansion of Gloom

eBay HERE

A very limited Red Cover Edition is now available from Big Cartel. It contains an extra postcard as well as the same enclosures as the Green Cover Edition. 93 signed copies are available.

See HERE

Crowley in Cornwall Again

 

Just returned from a wonderful break in Cornwall, one of my favourite places, this time staying in the former tin mining village of Pendeen (a visit to the defunct mine of Geevor is recommended). I reread the interesting if preposterous The Tregerthen Horror by Paul Newman as I realised our cottage was very close to Zennor which features heavily in that book. See my earlier posts HERE and HERE

Early one evening we visited Zennor to admire the mermaid carving in the church. For the local folklore see HERE. We also dined in the beer garden of The Tinners Arms a lovely old-fashioned pub with very friendly staff and great food. 

While I was up at the bar ordering food I asked the young barman if it was true that DH Lawrence had drunk there. He confirmed that he had adding 'and you know Aleister Crowley lived up the hill?' I said I had read something about that and he went on to say that the site was a ruin now and that it was subject to mysterious fires - what's more the house stands on 'a gateway to the underworld.' This was fantastic! Just the kind of folklore I love that accrues round certain notorious sites and not something I'd come across before. The barman even abandoned his post to show us outside how to reach the house. Also a woman sitting at the end of the bar warned us not to go up there after dark and mentioned the numerous fires. Sadly, by the time we tried to approach the dreaded spot, darkness was descending and the path was not clear, although I'm sure we saw it on the horizon. Of course, it's extremely unlikely that Crowley ever stayed there. 

On this trip we also paid a visit to the St Buryan's Church in St Buryan, where according to Denys Val Baker, AC performed 'dozens of black masses' (in his book A View from Land's End). 

The 3rd edition of Netherwood: Last Resort of Aleister Crowley is at the printers (in Cornwall as it happens) and I'm hoping will be available to buy online in the next week or so. See HERE and HERE

There will also be an official launch at the Tadhg Mae Gallery on Sunday 4 October 

Netherwood Big Cartel Page Live

The new paperback edition of Netherwood is now available from Big Cartel HERE and HERE

See also the Mansion of Gloom website HERE

The new edition includes two articles not in the previous two editions and an envelope of enclosures secured in the inside cover flap. Also some new illustrations black and white and colour.

Copies will be for sale at the Hastings Book Festival in September HERE

 

Events coming up and a Publishing Announcement

The walk around James McNeill Whistler's Chelsea on Sunday 2 August for the Sohemian Society has now sold out.

I shall be busy around the autumn period with promotional events. See below.

I'm involved in this year's Hastings Book Festival. See HERE for events including some big names such as Roger McGough, David Olusoga and Kate Mosse. I hope to be selling books in person at Hastings Book Fair on Saturday 12 September. See HERE.

Also, as part of the festival, I shall be one of a group of 'Feral Writers' who will be giving short (15/20 minute) readings at various bars and cafes around Hastings New Town on the evening of Thursday 3 September in an event modelled on the highly successful Hastings Fat Tuesday (based in the Old Town in February). I shall be in the esteemed company of Jake Arnott, Cathryn Kemp and other local writers.

I'm booked to talk on the evening of Thursday 3 September at French's Bar (7.30pm) and Pissarro's (8.30pm). I'll probably be reading from Mansion of Gloom and Netherwood. 

SEE HERE

Talking of Netherwood: Last Resort of Aleister Crowley I'm excited to announce that I'm working on bringing out a new third edition, through Accumulator Press, possibly in time for the Festival, if not then late September, October. The new edition will include extra material, postcard and facsimile enclosures like the second edition and will probably be in paperback format retailing for somewhere between £25 and £30. It's likely to be the last edition and will sell out quickly. I'm going back to the original green textured cover, which I prefer, with flaps and different endpapers - the original endpapers will be enclosed as a postcard.

If you think that's expensive you should look at prices people are asking online for the previous two editions HERE. So even if you don't like the book you can sell it later and make a profit!

Unfortunately postage abroad is very expensive these days and postage charged will reflect this. The edition will be limited to somewhere between 500 and 600 copies and most will be signed.

I will probably use The Big Cartel once more to sell through. There's already an Accumulator Press shop, see HERE and I'll make the Netherwood page live when I receive the new book. I don't want to take money in advance of publication in case any difficulties arise - I'm not Unbound!

I'll take details (email addresses) for priority advance orders at the walks and talks outlined above.

There should also be more events in October.

    

John Martyn and Aleister Crowley

 

I'm reading Small Hours: The Long Night of John Martyn  by Graeme Thomson (Omnibus Press 2024) which I'll probably polish off in a couple of days as it's a real page-turner. I just read this passage on page 106 about his time in the early 1970s living in Hastings with wife Beverley (sadly deceased this month see HERE and HERE) and stepson Wesley.

'Two doors down [from 10 Cobourg Place in the Old Town] stood Harpsicord House, where the writer, mystic, magician and "wickedest man in the world" Aleister Crowley had first lived when he moved to Hastings in advanced age, and where the occultist Rollo Ahmed later resided. Martyn was one of a number of musicians, notably Jimmy Page, but also David Bowie, who harboured a fascination with Crowley and his Thelemic ethical code: "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law."' 

It would be interesting to know more about Martyn's 'fascination' with AC. However, while Rollo Ahmed definitely lived at Harpsicord House, Crowley moved to the guesthouse Netherwood on The Ridge directly from The Bell Inn Aston Clinton on 1 February 1945. Which reminds me that I'm thinking of republishing Netherwood: Last Resort of Aleister Crowley in an affordable paperback edition, finances permitting. Watch this space .... see HERE for the second edition sold out for some time.

Here's another section from the Thomson biography about Hastings: [it] was not an environment where he could easily escape temptation. Numerous pubs were on his doorstep, and within them he was regarded as a local hero. "He was very loved in Hastings," says Wesley Kutner [his son with Beverley]. "He was like a god." "He would spend hours in the Hastings pubs telling stories to a bunch of piss artists, then bringing them all back home to party in our house," said Beverley Martin. "It was horrible ... it had become a non-stop party, with hangers-on banging on our door day and night." "The drug scene there was heavy [says Phill Brown]... Back then it was pretty seedy. There were a lot of musicians hanging around the Old Town, there was a good music scene going on [there still is] and it was cheaper. It was a definite decision for him and Beverley to move out and try to live a cleaner lifestyle."' [p.156]

An earlier post on John Martyn in Hastings HERE

Another Review for Mansion of Gloom

 

In addition to Roger Luckhurst's glowing review of Mansion of Gloom in Fortean Times I've found another more recent review which you can read HERE. 

Copies can be bought through the Big Cartel, Treadwell's and Watkins in London, Hare and Hawthorn in Hastings and Midian Books in the North, as well as eBay. It's a limited edition, around 150 copies remaining.

INCIDENTALLY: Every now and then I have a look at how much my previous Accumulator books are going for online. The latest prices for Netherwood: Last Resort of Aleister Crowley can be found HERE. If only I was making that kind of money from it! Secret Tunnels of England is also expensive to obtain now.

12 October 2025

On this day 150 years ago Aleister Crowley was born in Royal Leamington Spa.

There are a couple of radio documentaries that may be of interest, available for a few weeks.

Radio 4 Extra Mischief Makers: Aleister Crowley HERE

Features Arthur Calder-Marshall's reminiscences as featured in an earlier post

HERE

Radio 4 (broadcast on 25 October) Aleister Crowley Master of the Dark Arts. ' From wickedest man alive to photo-hippy and rock star muse, Paul Morley unravels occultist Aleister Crowley's scandalous life and influential legacy.'

HERE

The German radio documentary on Crowley is still available HERE

Netherwood Talk at the Mint House Pevensey

I've been asked to do a talk about Aleister Crowley and his time at Netherwood at the historic and beautiful Mint House in Pevensey on Sunday 31 August. Copies of Mansion of Gloom will be on sale.

Details should appear here in the next few days. I shall probably be starting around 4pm. A real variety of performers including Anthony Moore, Owen Hatherley, Vlad Miller and many more. The full event runs from 2 to 6pm.

More information and tickets here.

An Interview about Aleister Crowley at Netherwood for German Radio

I've forgotten to mention that an interview I did some months ago for a German radio podcast Das Grosse Beast is available online here. It's a 4-part documentary on Aleister Crowley in German.  My contribution, recorded at the site of Netherwood on the edge of Hastings, is in Part 4. Gary Lachman can also be heard.

July 2025

 

There's a cheaper copy of Mansion of Gloom for sale on eBay at the moment. See here.

At a recent screening of Monty Python and the Holy Grail at the Electric Palace in Hastings the film's producer Mark Forstater took part in a Q&A in which he said that he is currently putting together a film set in Hastings with an Aleister Crowley theme (something to do with AC's supposed 'curse' on the town). Watch this space. 

I'm enjoying the music of London-based musician, composer and producer DoomCannon at the moment - the Renaissance album draws inspiration from early 1970s fusion and spiritual jazz. Also two reissued albums by Joe Henderson Power to the People and Multiple.

Two gigs I was going to have been postponed Throwing Muses at the White Rock and Lost Crowns in Brighton (I suspect this gig will never happen). Next up is The Warlocks at The Piper in St Leonards, see here and here.

The next event I'm involved in is a walk for the Sohemian Society about William Burroughs' time in London in the early 1970s in the company of Bill Redwood and Jim Pennington. Half the tickets have already sold (it was first advertised yesterday) so may be time to get a ticket now to avoid disappointment.

Tickets here. Sunday 12 August starting at 2.30 outside Westminster Reference Library in St Martin's Street WC2. We'll finish outside the block in Bury Street where he lived and entertained friends such as Brion Gysin.  

More events on the way. 

Poe Film Event at the Electric Palace in Hastings

 

The showing of the Watson & Webber 1928 avant garde interpretation and the 1949/50 Hastings-filmed version (partly filmed in the Netherwood guesthouse with Aleister Crowley in attendance) directed by George Ivan Barnett and introduced via short film by his son Adrian went very well on Sunday. The first short film was greatly enhanced by Maria Christofi's atmospheric accompaniment with singing bowls and percussion.  I hope to do some more similar events over this year.

Thank you to Katie Spooner and the rest of the staff at the Electric Palace.

Mansion of Gloom that includes a long section on The Fall of the House of Usher on film can be purchased here.

More Mansion of Gloom Events for 2025

More promotional events for Mansion of Gloom in 2025.

I'm very pleased to report that I'll be introducing a couple of fascinating Usher film adaptations on Sunday 19 January at The Electric Palace in Hastings. I'll give a talk based on the new book and introduce the 1950 Hastings-filmed version made partly at Netherwood and other local locations and the 1928 Watson & Webber US experimental evocation with live accompaniment provided by Hastings artist and musician Maria Christofi.

Order from the Electric Palace here. I'm expecting that this will be a popular event so get in quick as the cinema is not that large.

I have freed more tickets for my talk on Poe and The Fall of the House of Usher in London on Friday 7 February. Places can be reserved here.

Copies bought from me at events will include a limited edition signed art print by St Leonards artist Luciana Haill. 

I'm planning more events for March and April. Also some exciting music-related events (not promoting Mansion of Gloom) in London featuring some very well-known writers and musicians.

Buy copies of Mansion of Gloom here or here.

The book will also be on sale at all events.

My New Book: Mansion of Gloom

Happy Halloween to all.

A suitable occasion to announce that my new book went to the printer today and should be out in about 3 weeks. It's a comprehensive examination of one tale by Edgar Allan Poe 'The Fall of the House of Usher' in almost all of its literary and media iterations from Jean Epstein to Jess Franco, Debussy to Lou Reed, HP Lovecraft to Ray Bradbury and much more.

As with previous Accumulator Press books it is a signed limited edition of 500 (paperback this time)with various enclosures. The foreword is by Gary Lachman. Recommended by Dr John Cooper Clarke and Edward Parnell. All previous Accumulator Press publications have sold out, so be sure to secure a copy at £25.00.

I hope it will be available through The Big Cartel, Watkins, Treadwells and independent bookshops in Hastings. More details on purchasing when it's published.

The launch will be on 7 December in a gallery in Hastings Old Town. There will probably be a London launch as well. Details to follow. Further promotional events with films and live music are being prepared for early 2025 in Hastings and London (and elsewhere if anyone want to organise it and gets in touch.)

Watch this space ...

What's Coming Up

 Recently I was interviewed for a 4-part documentary on Aleister Crowley to be broadcast on German radio next year. More details about how to listen to it when I get them. I took the interviewer up to the site of Netherwood for added 'atmosphere' - it was suitably grey and overcast. Gary Lachman is also one of the  interviewees. 

My latest book will, I hope go to the printers in August to be published in September when there will be a series of promotional events in London and Hastings - and elsewhere if anyone wants me. I don't get as many requests to do talks as I used to, although I don't mind as I have less energy these days.

The book has taken more than 3 years and now runs to over 600 pages, which makes it the longest I've written. It's got quite a few illustrations and I suppose fits in with the Fu Manchu book I did with Strange Attractor a few years ago rather than my historical works. Aleister Crowley gets a chapter to himself as a bit of a digression from the main theme which is about popular culture. I've watched a huge number of films for this project which was mostly fun.

Last shout out for Darren Coffield's Queens of Bohemia event at Westminster Arts Library on 12 July.

Reserve a FREE place here. I'll be hosting.

Netherwood at Hastings Museum and Art Gallery

 

To Hastings Art Gallery and Museum on 12 October to attend a stimulating and uplifting event by Stephen Ellcock in conversation with Zoe Gilbert about his latest book Underworlds I noticed in the room next door a display about Hastings resident Aleister Crowley, including a copy of Netherwood (first edition). I asked one of the gallery assistants about it as I'd never seen it on previous visits and they told me they bring it out for Halloween!

Photographs above taken by me that night.

To Keep the Ball Rolling

Almost all copies of Netherwood, Secret Tunnels of England and Decadent London have now sold and decisions will have to made about any future Accumulator Press projects or reprints in the light of our 'cost of living crisis' - what a damning phrase that is.

I'm much more aware of my general health these days and don't want to take on a great deal of work. Having said that I'm still working on what I hope will be another non-fiction book, Gothic in nature, that will be published next year and I may do various talks and walks, but probably not till 2023. To promote the book I am planning an event that will feature a talk from me, films and live music, I hope an improvised soundtrack to a silent film (I've been checking out some musicians for this) to be held in quite a large venue in St Leonards. 

On the music front the following are lined up:

Hatis Noit   Church of St John Bethnal Green, London 25 August

Alabaster DePlume   Marina Fountain, St Leonards 15 September (not sure about this one)

Steve Hackett   De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill 17 September - 50 years since Foxtrot was released

The Bug Club   The Piper St Leonards 29 October   

Emma Rawicz Quintet   Hastings Jazz Club 6 December. A star-studded band assembled.

In Brighton on Sunday 21 August there will be various celebrations marking the 150th birthday of the great Aubrey Beardsley. I hope to be there in the afternoon and evening and may check out the bar called The Yellow Book.

See here.

Aleister Crowley Talk at Electro Studios

 

As part of the Silverhill Press Presents events on 21 May I shall be promoting Accumulator Press and giving a short presentation on the book Netherwood: Last Resort of Aleister Crowley.

The few remaining Accumulator Press books that I have will be on sale: Decadent London, Netherwood, Secret Tunnels of England and there will be the opportunity to crowdfund/pre-order my next book Mansion of Gloom.

Accumulator Press on Big Cartel here

Electro Studios St Leonards on Sea 11-7.

The illustrated Crowley at Netherwood talk will begin at 1pm 

A Talk in St Leonards on Aleister Crowley at Netherwood

 

Small Press Fair in St Leonards

 

I shall be representing Accumulator Press at a small press publishing event in St Leonards on Saturday 21 May 2022, organised by Silverhill Press.

It will take place at Electro Studios.

Arrangements are still being made, but it looks as if I will have a stand/table and will be giving a talk at some point about Netherwood. There will also be talks, music and poetry during the day from other publishers.

I imagine it will be free - more details when I get them.