Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
Welcome to my personal soapbox. Here’s where I get to parade a little piece of my own life and on this page, you'll find links to a lot of my creative output. I am of course, especially proud of my music and poetry. Both of these art forms reflect deeply personal strivings for a unique voice that I hope you’ll find both aesthetically pleasing as well as deeply illuminating. I'll make a small apology for the recording quality...but the raw quality adds to a flavor that once existed in the New York scene. The decades of the 80’s ev and 90’s ev exploded with creative energy in all media and were very fruitful for me on a creative level.
All these works hold great personal meaning for me. I found myself inspired by writers like Andre Breton, Rimbaud and Walt Whitman. Van Gogh, Dali, Picasso and Duchamp gave me visual fields of wonder as I reached into a Bohemian philosophy that saw Western Art as the Yoga of the West. A favorite memory is going to a Ginsberg poetry reading, meeting him afterwards and sending him a copy of the recording I made along with my poetry, which he read. He didn't really like it as he felt it was a time in poetry to 'get more personal' in the written word. But that he read it and wrote me back...a treasure!
As Nathaniel Hawthorne has always been one of my favorite writers, so also the Transcendentalists (Emerson, Thoreau, et al) and the Founding Fathers before them...I jumped into David Lynch films and even a Dali film wowed me. But the Cocteau films, especially 'Beauty & the Beast' and 'Orpheus' rang through an expanding vision of an American ethos...and though the Cocteau films were French, who of course, have a language derived from ancient Greek, also played into my thoughts. I valued much there as again the work of Rimbaud and Baudelaire as well as Tristian Tzara and the Existentialist philosophers. And the French had a role in the American Revolution.
These decades also have been a spiritual growing experience as per my Thelemic Aspiration. I first came into contact with the Thelemic community in 1986ev; joining the Caliphate O.T.O.. And by 1992ev, I was actively engaged in both H.O.O.R. and the A.’.A.’.. By 1997ev, I finally realized that masonic orders such as the O.T.O. and H.O.O.R. are little more than spuriously dysfunctional cults that seek more to manipulate than to edify and initiate. So again, I started a journey to find an original voice...a true voice that is solely mine. But I work now, to finding the core of myself and these last years have been an effort to work at my piano in an attempt to learn how to play better. These days, I am developing my professional credentials and getting familiar with living in the Capital District of NY; getting older and becoming more conventional in my approach to life. My evolution is in the temple of my soul, fused with the body of cells and the heart of my being.
So as you read through my earlier writings through the ‘Published Articles’ link, note that I was in a different ‘space’ at the time of these writings. Under the yoke of these dysfunctional fraternities, I had a lot to experiment with and a host of successes and mistakes in my work and my scholarship. Yet, I am proud of my development; even though some of the articles seem immature and poorly written to me at this time. More recent writings can be found in my books which are available for sale through Birdland Communications—along with other items—found, elsewhere on this site. Recently, in an exasperated moment, I professed my frustration to a friend. And he said to me, "but you keep trying." Yes, there's great possibilities in the sea of life. Try, try, try and try again...one day, I'll find Gold.
Love is the law, love under will.
Find me published online:
Center for Rosicrucian Studies
Poetry
I've fancied myself a poet since my teenage years. I give much credit to Patti Smith for showing me the
the wonder of visionary poetry. She really woke me up to my artistic nature. And for this, I've always
referred to her as my personal goddess and savior; from a point a bit tongue-in-cheek, but with reverence.
She created a rock-n-roll religion that was ecstatic and exultative as it was explosive and revolutionary. The
inspiration I drew from this was a wonder for me.
- (AT)Tentative Notes from the Squeaking Empire
Magazine Articles
Scarlet Hoor
This ill-fated magazine was created during my H.O.O.R. period when (1992-1997).
During my tenure with the order, I had my own Lodge known as A/OM Lodge. I have been involved with the
production of several magazines over time and this was the best of the lot.
-An Exposition on the Composition of Liber CCXXXI
- An History of the Cult of the Dying God
Warrior's LVX
This newsletter is still distributed by the Overseer of H.O.O.R.
These are the articles I contributed to that tome during my H.O.O.R. period.
-Black Testament of G.M. Kelly
-The Formulation of a Magickal Motto
Mezlim
This was a nationally distributed magazine that I was proud to be associated with.
I started writing for them around the time I joined H.O.O.R. It was a great magazine that has left a void
in its wake.
-Maturation and Creativity: An Awakening to Cycles
-Spirituality Now into the Future
-That Which Does Not Kill Me Only Serves to Make Me Stronger
Tarot News
This newsletter was created by members of Mensa interested in the Tarot.
When I came into contact with these people, I had already published my 'Whole Tarot Workbook'
and I became inspired to work on a re-write because of this tome.
-The Fool: Namesake of the Master
-The Magus: The Logos and its Creation
-The Priestess of the Silver Star or Midwife of Initiation
-The Emperor: The Authority of the Initiate
-The Hierophant: Mother of Initiation or the Vestel Virgin Returns
-The Lovers: Virtue of the One becoming the All
-The Chariot and the Adepts of Sacrifice
-Adjustment: The Equilibration of Opposites
-The Hermit: The Hermaphroditic Source
-Fortune: The Wheel in Perenial Motion
-Lust: The True Power of Command
-The Hanged Man: The Way of Love
-Death: The Dance of Initiation
-Art: Consummation of the Royal Marriage
-The Tower: Herald of Dharma; Harbinger of Truth
American Astrology
This is the most well known publication that has ever accepted my work. With this success, I
finally came to believe that I could be a writer.
PIAP News
This newsletter was created during my Caliphate period when (1986-1991).
During my last few years with the order, I had my own Camp known as PIAP Camp.
- Heaven Meets Earth: Geomancy and Astrology
- Subdue
Music
Joy (1991ev-1994ev)
My last rock band. We rarely gigged and weren't too aggressive on the music scene. Yet these I feel,
are the best songs I've ever written.
Paul Joseph Rovelli Keyboards & Vocals
Keith Karagan Guitar
Jim McCauley Bass
Glen Mayer Drums
The surreal is but a lullabye
The ordeal's an excuse to cry
Fly Bird
With silent word
I'm a dervish spinning
Down, down, down
Turning
'round, 'round, 'round
Turning; the sky engulfing me
Field of stars
Jumping sparks of light
Turning to the night
Turning; it's but a lullabye
Fly Bird
With silent word
Fortune can see
The sons of time
Speaking in tongues
The ancient books swell
In temples of light
We're dancing tonight
You lay out a sound
It echoes in my heart
Hear the Mountains Roar
See the white dove soar
The Bennu Bird flies
To the groves of Yama
The vision descries
Protecting Dharma
The keeper of fire
Plays on the lyre
He lays out a sound
That echoes in my heart
Hear the Mountains Roar
See the white dove soar
The wind chimes echo loudly
Soldier climbing despite the thunderous night
A step ahead the sky is falling
Streaming comets drawing pictures of light
The lion is king through the end of the summer
The pumpkin aglow, introduces the mystery
The sun's cold, dark breath leads us closer to death
The moon's hollow glow gives us hope don't you know?
Impassioned I step so discretely
Emboldened, I trust completely; enter the Sphinx
Chasing a magick vital current
Open energy shocks illumine the sky
The lion is king through the end of the summer
The pumpkin aglow, introduces the mystery
The sun's cold, dark breath leads us closer to death
The moon's hollow glow gives us hope; don't you know?
So many costumes, so many customs
So many ways we can dance
So many people, so many cultures
So many ways to entrance
So many costumes, so many customs
So many reasons to dance
So many people, so many cultures
So many ways to romance
The shaman speaks so deafening
Echoing a faith that's not of our time
Musicians holding 'holy orders'
Cartoon images screaming dutiful lines
The lion is king through the end of the summer
The pumpkin aglow, introduces the mystery
The sun's cold, dark breath leads us closer to death
The moon's hollow glow gives us hope don't you know?
Conditions for uncertain futures
Perdition is the fate of this tired race
Enraptured; 'tis the season
And dancing, we all build a new hearth and space
The lion is king through the end of the summer
The pumpkin aglow, introduces the mystery
The sun's cold, dark breath leads us closer to death
The moon's hollow glow gives us hope don't you know?
So many costumes, so many customs
So many ways we can dance
So many people, so many cultures
So many ways to entrance
So many costumes, so many customs
So many reasons to dance
So many people, so many cultures
So many ways to romance
It's the Questions I Find (For Kevin Itinger)
All through the night
Let my eyes grace the sky
I sit, watch, sweat
And wonder why
Where there's hope
Can there really be pain?
When will I see you again?
I eat the salt that laces my meat
Forging a sweat
Jumping into the heat
Can heaven really be right through that door
I wonder what all the suffering's for
The lion's throne at the base of the jungle
A man at his feet, exciting humble
To fear the worst in the shadow of danger
To pour our hearts out
Is that what we're here for?
The chord of passion seeps into discussion
The whore's a god
The priest is a bastard
The dream shapes up in the night that I sleep
My body plummets, wondrously deep
It's the Questions I find!
My mind's afloat in the sea of dementia
My feet, they dance with the heat of inertia
The poison slips out into a red vein
And I notice it's you again
Quirking dry eyelids
And spasmodic muscles
Two lover's embrace
'round, 'round is the circle
The pelvis, energy unto the spine
The polis of brain illumines the mind
It's the Questions I find!
In a capsule of time, time, time
Send a message to me
Spin and dance on my heels
In time for three
Floating out on a long breeze
Make some good company
Roll and rest on my broken back
And give it time and we'll see
Feel the undertow
Just like mistletoe
Holding onto my sleeve
At the water line
Neck is doing fine
Death makes life so complete
Restless motion sent spin, spinning
Visions forming from sleet
I cast my eyes with a backwards glance
And take a chance with my feet
Walking sideways, a dance step
Stepping two ways in time
Slipping rhyme for a reason;
Still in season with the old witch
Feel the undertow
Just like mistletoe
Holding onto my sleeve
At the water line
Neck is doing fine
Death makes life so complete
Athletes running in fast fashion
Fire looms from their heels
I cast myself out off of a cliff
Into the ocean of chance
Swimming out a long, long, long distance
Stroking waves in sunshine
I cast my feet into the cold bottom
Giving up with my hands
Feel the undertow
Just like mistletoe
Holding onto my sleeve
At the water line
Neck is doing fine
Death makes life so complete
Heavy Air - (also see Transmission for the original version of this song)
Breath the air
Take it in
Charge your blood
With Energy
Vibrant chords
Hit your ears
Mystic chants
Stir your feet
Prana!
Feel the earth
At your heels
Touch the sky
Between your eyes
Prana!
Misty waters
About our lives
Colored ripples
For our minds
Prana!
Solar winds
Lunar tides
For a vision
I close my eyes
Dream a dream
I'm lying still
Take a breath
Capture my will
Prana!
(See Transmission for original version of this song)
Meaningful Prayers (for Gail)
Meaningful prayers drift by
Tossed in the air, they fly
Silence and songs to sing
Four bells and a gong that rings
Feminine mystery
Haunting and lonely
Trapped in a room, she breathes
Her fear is a sword she sheaths
A mystery ride runs by
The lover inside can fly
Feminine mystery
Haunting and lonely
Ever so lovely
Every so lonely
Loving so sweetly
Shy and discretely
Fall on rhyme and sing
A wonderous chime to ring
Hiding from night she cries
A bird will take flight, so high
Feminine mystery
Haunting and lonely
Feathers and beads and things
He waits and he pleads and sings
She's off on a lark to dream
A penniless spark, it seems
Feminine mystery
Haunting and lonely
Ever so lovely
Every so lonely
Loving so sweetly
Shy and discretely
Love and life
And time and time
Will her world
Be shared with mine?
Can she see
The prayer in me?
Will she share
Her secet dream?
Pull me to bits
If you want, you can have me
Shake me to the depths of my soul
Leave me small piece of mind
If you want to
Use me anytime that you like
Use me a little
Touch me a little
Show me all the gifts that you have
Together we're winners
Tracing a skyline
Placing all our dreams in the clouds
Pieces of sky
Are like droplets of silver
Give me gold coins from the sun
The tears on my face
Are the wings of my spirit
Guide me like the wind through the trees
Use me a little
Touch me a little
Show me all the gifts that you have
Together we're winners
Tracing a skyline
Placing all our dreams in the clouds
Let's open our hearts
Reach for the gold
Taking it to the very limit
Climb on the back
Of a large screaming bird
Saddle her up and we're off and running
Lady Finger
Swimming Moon
Touching Member
Harpoon!
Lady Finger
Full of Grace
Bloody Monthly
Sacred Race
Legends live to make us swoon
Riding sunbeams from the Moon
Poking angels in the eye
The battle cry...Harpoon!
Lady Finger
Licking grease
For a fortnight
We increase
Lady Finger
From above
Thumping heart
Goddess love
Legends live to make us swoon
Riding sunbeams from the Moon
Poking angels in the eye
The battle cry...Harpoon!
Fiery chariots
Raining from the sky
Looking down
Mother waves good-bye
Holy Angel
Shouts of soothing words
In a moment
I fall upon my sword
Upon my sword
Lady Finger
Scarlet whore
Swiming urchin
Doth adore
Lady Finger
Shining tooth
Lord of Vengeance
Reign of Truth
Legends live to make us swoon
Riding sunbeams from the Moon
Poking angels in the eye
The battle cry...Harpoon!
Love my son, love
These are the first words
I'd say to you
For the heaven's above
Chasing rain
And the morning dew
Red letter written on the wall
By goose-necked horses in racing stalls
Screaming birds with wings a-flame
Raging bulls calling out my name
Mansions of dreams
Chasing phantoms
And morning schemes
Creating options abroad
Dusted circles
On fertile ground
Red letter written on the wall
By goose-necked horses in racing stalls
Screaming birds with wings a-flame
Raging bulls calling out my name
Here comes the
Ranger of light
Riding steeds through
The raging fire
Surging visions
For the night
How I thirst
For the dancing squire
Red letter written on the wall
By goose-necked horses in racing stalls
Screaming birds with wings a-flame
Raging bulls calling out my name
You can't save yourself
From the view of your mind
In the night we falter
Such a do or die game
Why don't leave it behind
To some other time
But angels can fly
To the highest aethyr
Leaping about
With magnetic laughter
This race is ruse
This game that we play
Hard for keeps and glory
Some facts are all lies
So we subscribe what we see
To the highest standard
But angels can fly
To the highest aethyr
Fly with no mind
For no man to suffer
Don't run from your truths
The purpose of life
In the darkness, we find
The Earth is a bulwark
Plant your feet on the ground
And break to and forward
But angels can fly
To the highest aethyr
Leaping about
With magnetic laughter
Solo Love Songs on the Piano
Around the time that Transmission was breaking up, I came for the first time to appreciate the concept of a love
song, though I had written my first one several years prior. But that was more trying to come to terms with a
painful memory and a young and foolish man who botched up his first serious love.
This was a form of writing that was antithetical to the raison d'etre for my art. But as I had begun to grow
a bit older, my appreciation for this traditional form of composition began to interest me. And a couple of years
ago, I fell in love more deeply than I had ever experienced before...giving me the fourth song. I'm now studying
Jazz Piano in the hopes of writing more songs in the 'standard' tradition.
November 2007ev Update: I've connected with an interesting fellow who's hired me to write a series of songs
about a love relationship that includes 'I Love Her'. Because of this, we've made
a scratch recording of the song and are starting on the writing of the rest of the set.
This gentleman, Dan Allen, is a media promotor, recording engineer and
photographer. He's taken a set of pictures to begin the project that can be found at:
http://www.pauljosephrovelli.com
Look at You Now
(For Roseanne)
I Want You Around
(For Khym)
I Need You
(For Monique)
(For Ami)
Transmission (1981ev-1984ev)
My second serious rock band. However, we gigged only occasionally but we did get airplay on
WFMU. I was quite surprised one day after we had broken-up to hear one of the DJs eulogize us.
Paul Joseph Rovelli Keyboards & Vocals
Russ Landis Guitar & Backing Vocals
Dan don Diego Bass
Jeff Ashbrook Drums
The hour's clearly getting nearer
The day is dawning and I fear her
with our great science, we approach it
men in alliance with their rocket
The alignment of planets, '82
There's no concealment to our fate.
Secretary Watt, he implores it
But my own soul, I must abhore it
Dreaming visions of the future
The Bible truth, he can infer
Our moral majority is endearing
Just like sheep, they need a shearing
Apocalypse!
The victims of doom cry
Dead Heroes on the funeral pyre
Society crumbles
And anarchy is born again
The reign of kings
And velvet robes
Defection and CIA probes
Election and idolotry
Is what's in store for you and me
Massive frustration
Poisoned by intoxication
Man, war and machine
How we get our innards clean
The reign of kings
And velvet robes
Defection and CIA probes
Election and Idolotry
Is what's in store for you and me
I'll tell you a story
That you won't believe
It's about a man
With a shirt and sleeve
He works all the day
Controlling your life
Pumping machines
That don't come alive
Got to stop this power
Now's the time, the hour
It's as you know it should be
It's up to you and to me
People please look
People please see
Give us to death
Or to liberty
They poison our mind
To slow down our brain
And don't you know it
We caught the wrong train
Got to stop this power
Now's the time, the hour
It's as you know it should be
It's up to you and to me
Crazy Evolution (see The Allies for the original version of this song)
You will rot
You will stink
If you go beyond the brink
Reach a goal
Gain control
If you want to save your soul
Can't you see
This is me
This is what I want to be
Life ends too
Soon for you
Where will you be
When you're through
Turn the music around, 'round
Dance the tarantella
Burn and spin
Deep in the heart of your mind
Within a wall of sound
Lucid civilization
Complete uncontrol
Memoria (For John Lennon)
Christ! I'm bigger than Jesus
I got a lot to say
Breakin' my heart and body
For the human race
I got a lot to say
You people asked too much
Stripped me of my youth
I needed some time for myself, now
Then someone had to shoot
No plans to die that way
Crucified my love relation
Tore my heart to tears
Stole me away from my family
I lost a lot of years
I had to live that way
Christ! I'm bigger than Jesus
I had a lot to say
Breakin' my heart and body
No plans to die that way
Give me, give and take
Then I'll rape me a mountain
Shooting birds in the swamp
Then erect me a fountain
Dashing hooves asunder
O'er the ground they plunder
Soldiers waging war
What are they dying for?
====
Anger is shot through your head;
Leave the Children dead
Eyes on the street just see red;
Leave the Children dead
====
Monkeys call the shots
People won't even watch it
The media spreads their lies
And stupidly, we believe it
The wheels go 'round and 'round
Our modern Rome falls down
Inflation, masturbation
A world of dull sensation
====
Anger is shot through your head
Leave the Children dead
Eyes on the street just see red
Leave the Children dead
===
It's corporate management
Puppet politics
Sex and drugs on the TV
And in the street
To poison our fucking imagination
Apathy, fills the void
===
Anger is shot through your head
Leave the Children Dead
Eyes on the street just see red
Leave the Children Dead
Dead!
People, you breath fire
People, you get high
Oh, People, you make me cry
You cast your brains into the sea
Drown your sorrows in misery
Brother, a prayer for thee
People, you drink piss
People, from a dish
Oh, People, how I wish
You cast your brains into the sea
Drown your sorrows in misery
Brother, a prayer for thee
(see The Allies for the original version of this song)
(see The Allies for the original version of this song)
To pieces
Bombarding sand castles
Fractured glasses
Truth revealing
Deserting mass-conforming clean
Heaven
The spider's eye-poked web
Deceitful promise
Only life within a non-conforming means
Walls climb
Rising in the desert
And vision tumbles
Eyeballs rolling down a barricade of dreams
Passion
Man's erecting buildings
And journeys forward
Into burning structures falling at the seams
Take it all back
Talk of ancient rites
Bring it out
Burning vision
Remember the men
Who made us wonder
Down to the Earth
Political plunder
Plunder!
Where are we going?
The time is ahead
People reaching
People grabbing
And the money is red
Manifest Destiny whirls
Meets in the eye of a storm
People writing IOUs
To beat the Russian command
Take this dream and put on rewind
Move and take it away
Take this dream and put on rewind
Move and take it away
Which way to travel?
I want a free ride
Man meshes onto the battlefield
It's a big melting-pot
Crome-Magnum
Man-revolver
Constant change in our land
Take this dream and put on rewind
Move and take it away
Take this dream and put on rewind
Move and take it away
Where to from here?
The Times Ahead
Where to from here?
The Times Ahead
Oscillations (1981ev)
After the Allies broke up, I met Russ Landis through some friends at Ramapo College. We soon took the same
electronic recording and music theory classes together. This would soon bring us to forming an electronic duo
and meeting up with Dan Berman at WFMU. He eventually booked our act at the legendary Folk City in New
York. From there, the only other gig we did was at Ramapo College before we would quit this to form
Transmission.
Paul Joseph Rovelli Synthesizers & Vocals
Russ Landis Synthesizers & Guitar
Recording of Live @ Folk City (October 31, 1981ev)
Solo Electronic Music Projects
In my electronic music studies, I had some projects on the old Moog Synthesizer and Sequencer. This ancient
machine was nothing but plugs and dials that was quite complicated to learn. I have to admit that without the
help of Russ Landis, I wouldn't have done too well...as I'm not really that technical a thinker.
The Allies (1978ev-1980ev)
My first rock band right out of High School. This band still represents the most creative experience that
I ever had in a band. We had gotten to the point where the entire band was writing together. These songs
represent my solo compositions.
Paul Joseph Rovelli Keyboards & Vocals
Sal Caruso Guitar & Vocals
David Weinstein Bass & Vocals
Tom Shicowitz Drums & Vocals
Music by Sal Caruso
Lyrics by Paul Joseph Rovelli
Music by Paul Joseph Rovelli
Lyrics by Tom Shicowitz
This Planet
When this world just gets you down
Your body aches and your head spins round
Don't you just hate when they pull their shit
Come around the other side and get ahead of it
There's more to see and a lot to tell
Life is a rose and nobody knows
My body whirls in fits of rage
I spit at the animals in their cage
Sessions w/Keith Johnson (1991ev)
Keith and I met each other through an electronic music ensemble that met to jam every Sunday afternoon.
Actually, in those sessions, it was quite an honor to play with Don Slepian, who was considered the most
accomplished electronic musician in the New York metropolitan area. These particular recordings were the
project of two keyboardists improvising on a 4-track machine. It was an afternoon of Magick for us.
Session w/Keith Karagan (1995ev)
Keith and I met each other when he answered a musicians want ad when when I was forming the band that
would come to be called 'Joy'. I had known him for some time by the time of these recordings. I was
surprised to learn of his strong interest in poetry...a well kept secret on his part...though we shared an
involvement in the Utne Salons for some time at this point. We had a lot of fun with these improvisations on a
4-track machine.
Song Scratch
Just tooling around one afternoon and playing with the text for the Breviary of the Holy Gnostic Church
Drawings
These works were all created during my college career, before graduation in 1984ev. And they were
photographed on a polaroid at that time. They're not too clear, but I later became interested in sculpture and
apprenticed briefly, for Warren Sonberg, the year after I graduated. Today, I really don't work in any visual
medium at all.
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