Podcast appearances and mentions of David Bramwell

Joining us today is author and musician David Bramwell.  Bramwell is a co-creator and producer of The Wicker Man sing-along, the host of the podcast Adventures in Nutopia, author of The Cult of Water, and a member of the Order of Bards, Ovate, and Druids.  We talked about The Wicker Man and its enduring appeal, ecological spirituality, and more!You can find out more at www.drbramwell.com

"Consciousness is not confined within our skulls"Dr David Bramwell is a British writer, musician, performer and broadcaster. For BBC Radio 3 and Radio 4, he has made programmes on diverse subjects, including Ivor Cutler, clapping, time travel, and the murmurations of starlings. He is the founder and host of Brighton's spoken word night, the Catalyst Club. Bramwell is also a singer-songwriter with his band Oddfellow's Casino. His books include The Haunted Moustache, The Cult of Water and The Sing-along-a-Wickerman Scrapbook. You can get in touch with Dan Schreiber on Twitter and Instagram (@Schreiberland). In his bio, you'll find the link to our Discord channel - a global community of likeminded weirdos!

Christopher talks with author and musician David Bramwell about his primary school teaching days, the lessons of the Moomins Saga, and podcasting as public education.

*As the 60s turned into the 70s, and as some of the technicolour idealistic visions of the first summer of love started to fade, many of the denizens of those decades began to seek Utopia outside the cities of America and Europe. *Communes and communities sprang up in rural areas as spiritual seekers, hopeful hippies, fugitives, folkies, freaks and wild wanderers on the seas of fate tried to create new societies, living by their own values - often away from the watchful eye of the authorities.   *After experiencing a personal catastrophe, musician and writer DAVID BRAMWELL set off in search of salvation by exploring some of the alternative and intentional communities where folk are still trying to build utopia. He came across all sort of strange things and people along the way in an odyssey that took in a 1950s caravan on the northern shores of Scotland, a dominatrix community in the Czech republic and a time machine hidden in a vast underground temple in Italy.   *And he came in to the Bureau of Lost Culture to tell us all about it…   *Check out David's book 'The No. 9 Bus to Utopia', other writings, radio and countercultural projects.   *Get our Counterculture newsletter   *The Bureau of Lost Culture Home   #damanhur #counterculture #findhorn #findhornfoundation #utopia #alternativecommunities #intentionalcommunities #esoteric #hippie #commune #esalen #christiania #pan #devas #cosmic #sohoradio

Ritual, seduction, silliness and sacrifice - all this and more in 'The Wicker Man Verb' - marking fifty years of the iconic horror film. Ian McMillan is joined by one of our best fiction writers - Sarah Hall. Sarah shares a new commission for The Verb imagining Summerisle in 2023. David Bramwell and Eliza Skelton have been influenced by the film as writers and performers - they give The Verb an insight into how their Sing-A-Long-A-Wickerman events work. David has just published 'The Singalong-A-Wicker-Man Scrapbook' https://www.drbramwell.com/ Folk musician Brian Peters explores the old songs that sit behind the soundtrack, and Verb regular - the poet and performer Kate Fox, goes on an emotional journey with Lord Summerisle, imagining how he might operate in the world of social media influencers, and endless 'wellness' marketing.

Christmas is over for another year, and on this episode, we're bringing you three exciting interviews with Brighton writers to help inspire your reading for 2023. I talk to PD Viner about his crime thrillers and his community-based writing routine. I speak to author of Ridley Road, Jo Bloom, about her new book permission which explores non-monogamy in a marriage, and I speak to writer, podcaster and all around Brighton man-about-down, David Bramwell about his exciting projects. Our book club book this month is Women's Prize long listed THE FINAL REVIVAL OF OPAL AND NEV by Dawnie Walton.

Shownotes for DruidCast Episode 187 Cycle of Life - James J Turner - https://www.jamesjturner.com/ The Talky Bit - Interview with Dr. David Bramwell - https://www.drbramwell.com/ Sol Ra - Oddfellow's Casino - https://oddfellowscasino.bandcamp.com/ Adventures in Nutopia podcast -  Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0bBtTtrenATW3tyBMmke8l Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/adventures-in-nutopia/id1649333497 DruidCast theme - Hills they are Hollow - Damh the Bard - https://www.paganmusic.co.uk/ For more information about the Druid tradition and the Order's courses - https://druidry.org/

Become an elite Poopinati! www.themidnighttrainpodcast.com   The Illuminati   So, you're standing amongst the council, being tried by a jury of a higher order. Your crime; Being the most dangerous person across the multiverse. You look shockingly at Mordo, Richards, and the other members of this definitive group of beings as you defend your alleged crimes, for you are facing the… Illuminati!   Or some shit like that.   We are exploring the super, double extra wannabe cult or the underground rulers of everything evil, depending on your take after today, the "Real Illuminati." At first, we'll dive into what they SAY IS THE REAL STORY OF THE ILLUMINATI Wink Wink! (Be we all know the truth) and then we're going to jump right in to what mainstream media (which is controlled by the illuminati) says are “conspiracies”. Strap on your tinfoil hats, Passengers! We're going for a ride!!   The term "Illuminati" refers to several genuine and imagined organizations. However, the term historically refers to the Bavarian Illuminati, a secret society from the Age of Enlightenment that was established on May 1, 1776, in Bavaria, which is now a part of Germany and that has the most delicious cream donuts. The association aimed to combat abuses of governmental authority, superstition, obscurantism (intentionally providing information in a vague or complex way to prevent further investigation and understanding or, simply, spewing a bunch of word vomit to confuse people), and religious influence in public life. In its general laws, they stated that controlling the perpetrators without conquering them was the "rule of the day."    Later, the term "Illuminati" was used to describe many groups that are said to represent a continuation of the original Bavarian Illuminati (even though these links have not been proven). To obtain political power and influence and create a "New World Order," these organizations have frequently been charged with plotting to manipulate events and install operatives inside of governments and companies. The Illuminati are portrayed as lurking in the shadows and manipulating the strings and levers of power. They play a crucial role in some of the most well-known and intricate conspiracy theories. This interpretation of the Illuminati has found its way into popular culture, appearing in various books, movies, T.V. episodes, comic books, video games, and music videos.   At the University of Ingolstadt, Adam Weishaupt (1748–1830) started teaching canon law and practical philosophy in 1773. (Canon Law, according to Wikipedia, is "how the Church organizes and governs herself." It is the system of laws and religious legal principles made and enforced by the hierarchical authorities of the Catholic Church to regulate its external organization and government and to order and direct the activities of Catholics toward the mission of the Church.) He taught in a school-sponsored by Jesuits, whose order Pope Clement XIV (14th) had suppressed in 1773, and was the only non-clerical professor there. The university's finances and some authority, which they continued to see as belonging to them, were still in the hands of the Ingolstadt Jesuits. When course content featured anything they deemed liberal or Protestant, they made constant attempts to frustrate and discredit non-clerical employees, especially in those instances. Weishaupt had a strong anti-clerical stance and decided to use a covert organization of like-minded people to propagate the Aufklärung (Enlightenment) beliefs. The word clerical in this sense means "referring to anything to do with the clergy — those ordained for religious work, usually in the Christian faith."   He said "screw it" and established his own society, which was to have a ranking or grading system modeled after Freemasonry, but with his own goals because he felt Freemasonry was too costly and not open to his ideas. Bund der Perfektibilisten, or Covenant of Perfectibility (Perfectibilists), was the new order's initial name and a horrible one, to boot. Still, it was later modified since it sounded like some pretentious bullshit. Weishaupt established the Perfectibilists on May 1, 1776, choosing the Owl of Minerva as their emblem. The Owl of Minerva is often called the "owl of Athena." It has been a symbol of knowledge and wisdom throughout the Western world. The members were to use aliases within the society. Weishaupt became Spartacus. Law students Massenhausen, Bauhof, Merz, and Sutor, became Ajax, Agathon, Tiberius, and Erasmus Roterodamus. Logan would have been dubbed Hasentus Everseenamovieus, whereas I would have been known as Dopus Asfuckasus. Weishaupt later booted Sutor for being a lazy turd.    In April 1778, the order became the Illuminatenorden, or Order of Illuminati, after Weishaupt seriously considered calling it the "Bee order." Massenhausen was the first to step up and be most engaged in advancing society. Significantly, he hired Xavier von Zwack, a former pupil of Weishaupt who was just beginning his distinguished administrative career while studying at Munich not long after the order started. He was the head of the Bavarian National Lottery at the time, where if you won, you got all the donuts. And, of course, that's not true, but it should be.  Weishaupt quickly viewed Massenhausen's "go get em attitude" as a liability because it frequently led to attempts to hire the wrong people. Later, his unpredictable love life caused him to become careless. As Weishaupt turned over the leadership of the Munich group to Zwack, it was discovered that Massenhausen had stolen subscription money and read Weishaupt and Zwack's communications. After earning his degree in 1778, Massenhausen accepted a position outside Bavaria and lost interest in the order. The order had nominally twelve members at this point.   After Massenhausen left, Zwack put all his effort into finding more responsible and significant recruits. This included Hertel, a canon of the Munich Frauenkirche and a childhood friend of Weishaupt, who was considered a hell of a guy. By the end of the summer of 1778, the order had five territories: Munich (Athens), Ingolstadt (Eleusis), Ravensberg (Sparta), Freysingen (Thebes), and Eichstaedt, with a total of 27 members (including Massenhausen).   The order had three membership levels at the time—novice, minerval, and illuminated minerval—but only the minerval level required a problematic ceremony. In this, a password and code were supplied to the candidate. Weishaupt was kept informed on the actions and personalities of his members through a system of mutual espionage, with his favorites joining the Areopagus, the ruling council. Some newbies were allowed to join the army and become insinuates. Jews, pagans, women, monks, and members of other secret societies were told to fuck off, but upright Christians were what they wanted. Favored candidates were wealthy, submissive, eager to learn, and between 18 and 30.   After unsuccessfully trying to stop some of his followers from becoming Freemasons, Weishaupt decided to join them to gather resources for developing his own ritual. Early in February 1777, he was accepted into lodge "Prudence" of the Rite of Strict Observance. He learned nothing about the more advanced degrees of "blue lodge" masonry as he excelled through its three degrees. Still, the following year, a priest by the name of Abbé Marotti told Zwack that these deeper secrets depended on an understanding of the earlier religion and the primitive Church. Weishaupt was persuaded by Zwack that their own order should establish cordial ties with Freemasonry and acquire permission to develop their own lodge. At this stage (December 1778), adding the first three degrees of Freemasonry was considered a secondary project.   Quickly, a warrant was obtained from the Grand Lodge of Prussia called the Royal York for Friendship. The new lodge was named Theodore of the Good Council to flatter Charles Theodore, Elector of Bavaria. It was founded in Munich on March 21, 1779, and quickly packed with Illuminati. However, the first master, Radl, was persuaded to return home to Baden and ran the lodge by July, per Weishaupt's order.   The next step involved independence from their Grand Lodge. By establishing masonic relations with the Union lodge in Frankfurt, affiliated to the Premier Grand Lodge of England, lodge Theodore became independently recognized and able to declare its independence. As a new mother lodge, it could now spawn its own lodges. The recruiting drive amongst the Frankfurt masons also obtained the allegiance of Adolph Freiherr Knigge.   Knigge was recruited late in 1780 at a convention of the Rite of Strict Observance by Costanzo Marchese di Costanzo, an infantry captain in the Bavarian army and a fellow Freemason. As he was still in his twenties, Knigge had already reached the highest initiatory grades of his order and had arrived with his own grand plans for reform. Disappointed that his plan found no support, Knigge was immediately intrigued when Costanzo informed him that the order he sought to create already existed. Knigge and three of his friends expressed a strong interest in learning more of this order, and Costanzo showed them material relating to the Minerval grade. The teaching material for the stage was "liberal" literature which was banned in Bavaria but common knowledge in the Protestant German states.   Knigge's three colleagues lost interest in Costanzo after becoming disillusioned and extremely confused, like the rest of us. Still, he persisted and was rewarded in November 1780 with a letter from Weishaupt. Knigge was a perfect candidate because of his ties inside and outside Freemasonry. For his part, Knigge was charmed by the attention and drawn to the order's proclaimed goals of educating people and shielding them against oppression. Moreover, Weishaupt recognized Knigge's interest in alchemy and the "higher sciences" and promised to promote them. In response to Weishaupt, Knigge laid out his ideas for reforming Freemasonry when the Strict Observance was beginning to doubt its history.   Before he could be admitted to the higher ranks of the order, Weishaupt put Knigge in charge of recruitment. Knigge agreed, but with the stipulation that he be given the freedom to select the recruitment locations. Many additional masons joined the Illuminati's Minerval grade after finding Knigge's depiction of the new masonic order appealing. At this point, Knigge seemed to respect the "Most Serene Superiors" Weishaupt said he served. To delay providing any assistance, Weishaupt assigned him an additional duty despite his embarrassing failure to explain anything about the upper degrees of the order. Because he was full of shit.   Knigge then created pamphlets documenting the actions of the illegal Jesuits, claiming to show how they continued to thrive and recruit, particularly in Bavaria, using material provided by Weishaupt. Finally, Knigge wrote to Weishaupt that his position was becoming damn near impossible because he couldn't offer his recruits any real answers to their question about the higher grades. Weishaupt finally broke down and admitted in January 1781 that his superiors and the purported antiquity of the order were bullshit and that the higher degrees had not yet been created as he faced the possibility of losing Knigge and his masonic recruits.   Knigge was unusually composed in response to Weishaupt's admittance, even though he was looking forward to learning the promised intricate Freemasonry secrets found in the upper degrees of the Illuminati. Weishaupt pledged to give Knigge complete creative control over the development of the higher degrees and to send him his own notes. Knigge, for his part, enjoyed the chance to express himself through the order. He asserted that his new strategy would increase the appeal of the Illuminati to potential members in Germany's Protestant counties. Knigge received a 50 florins advance from the Areopagus in November 1781 to travel to Bavaria, where he met and partied with fellow Illuminati members.   The order had now developed extensive internal divisions. In July 1780, the Eichstaedt command had formed an autonomous province, and a rift was growing between Weishaupt and the Areopagus. They found him stubborn, dictatorial, inconsistent, and obviously full of shit. As a result, Knigge was constantly thrown into the role of peacemaker.   In discussions with the Areopagus and Weishaupt, Knigge identified two problematic areas. First, Weishaupt's emphasis on recruiting university students meant that young men with little practical experience often had to fill senior positions in the order. Secondly, the anti-Jesuit ethos of the order at its inception had generally become anti-religious. Knigge knew it would be a problem recruiting the senior Freemasons that the order was looking to bring in. Knigge felt the stifling grip of conservative Catholicism in Bavaria and understood the anti-religious feelings that this produced in the liberal Illuminati. Still, he also saw the negative impression these feelings would provide in Protestant states, making the spread of the order in greater Germany much more difficult. The Areopagus and Weishaupt felt powerless to do anything less than give Knigge a free hand. He had the contacts within and outside of Freemasonry that they needed, and he had the skill as a ritualist to build their projected grade structure, where they had ground to a halt at Illuminatus Minor, with only the Minerval grade below and the merest sketches of higher grades. The only restrictions imposed were the need to discuss the inner secrets of the highest degrees and the necessity of submitting his new grades for approval.   Meanwhile, the scheme to propagate Illuminatism as a legitimate branch of Freemasonry had farted out. While Lodge Theodore was now in their control, a chapter of "Elect Masters" attached to it only had one member from the order and still had a constitutional superiority to the craft lodge controlled by the Illuminati. The chapter would be difficult to persuade to submit to the Areopagus and formed a real barrier to Lodge Theodore becoming the first mother-lodge of a new Illuminated Freemasonry. A treaty of alliance was signed between the order and the chapter, and by the end of January 1781, four daughter lodges had been created, but independence was not on the chapter's agenda.   Costanza wrote to the Royal York, pointing out the discrepancy between the fees dispatched to their new Grand Lodge and the returned service they had received. The Royal York, unwilling to lose the money they were bringing in, offered to confer Freemasonry's "higher" secrets on a representative that their Munich brethren would dispatch to Berlin. Accordingly, Costanza set off for Prussia on April 4, 1780, with instructions to negotiate a reduction in Theodore's fees while he was there. On the way, he argued with a Frenchman about a lady with whom they shared a carriage. The Frenchman sent a message ahead to the king sometime before they reached Berlin, calling Costanza a spy and having him arrested. He was only freed from prison with the help of the Grand Master of Royal York and was kicked out of Prussia, having accomplished fuck all.   Knigge's recruitment from German Freemasonry was far from random. He targeted the masters and wardens, the men who ran the lodges and were often able to place the entire club at the disposal of the Illuminati. For example, Baron de Witte, master of Constancy lodge in Aachen, caused every member to join the order. This way, the order expanded rapidly in central and southern Germany and obtained a foothold in Austria. Moving into the Spring of 1782, the handful of students who had started the order had swelled to about 300 members, with only 20 new recruits being students. In Munich, the first half of 1782 saw considerable changes in the government of Lodge Theodore. In February, Weishaupt had offered to split the lodge, with the Illuminati going their own way and the chapter taking any remaining traditionalists into their continuation of Theodore. At this point, the chapter unexpectedly surrendered, and the Illuminati had complete control of the lodge and chapter. In June, both club and chapter sent letters severing relations with Royal York, citing their faithfulness in paying for their recognition and Royal York's failure to provide any instruction in the higher grades. Their neglect of Costanza, and inability to defend him from negative charges or prevent his expulsion from Prussia, were also brought up. They had made no effort to provide Costanza with the promised secrets, and the Munich masons now suspected that their brethren in Berlin relied on the mystical French higher grades which they sought to avoid. Lodge Theodore was now independent.   The Rite of Strict Observance was now in a critical state. Its leader was Prince Carl of Södermanland (later Charles XIII (13th) of Sweden), openly suspected of trying to absorb the rite into the Swedish Rite, which he already controlled. The German lodges looked to Duke Ferdinand of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel for leadership. However, suspicion turned to open contempt when Carl regarded the Stuart heir to the British throne as the true GrandMaster, and the lodges of the Strict Observance all but ignored their Grand Master. This bullshit led to the Convent of Wilhelmsbad.   The last Strict Observance convention, postponed since October 15, 1781, eventually began on July 16, 1782, at the spa town of Wilhelmsbad, which is located outside of (and now a part of) Hanau. The 35 participants in a discussion about the future of the order knew that the Strict Observance in its current form was doomed. Also, the Convent of Wilhelmsbad would be a battle over the pieces between the Martinists, led by Jean-Baptiste Willermoz, and the German mystics, led by Duke Ferdinand of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel and their host Prince Charles of Hesse-Kassel. Only Franz Dietrich von Ditfurth, and Johann Joachim Christoph Bode, objected to mystical higher grades. Ditfurth actively advocated for a return to the fundamental three degrees of Freemasonry, which was the convention's least likely choice. The mystics had previously developed logical replacement plans for the higher degrees.   (Martinism is a type of arcane Christianity and Christian mysticism that is focused on the fall of the first man, his material seclusion from his spiritual source, and the process of his return, known as "Reintegration.")   The Illuminati were able to promote themselves as a viable option since there wasn't an effective alternative to the two schools of mysticism. Knigge, who now had complete authority to speak for the order, encouraged and helped Ditfurth, who took on the role of their spokesperson. Weishaupt rejected Knigge's initial proposal to form an alliance between the two orders because he didn't see the benefit of working with a dying order. His new strategy was to enlist the masons opposed to the higher degree of "Templar" Strict Observance.   At the convent, Ditfurth prevented Willermoz and Hesse from introducing their own higher grades by demanding that the delegates be informed in full of such degrees. Due to their frustration, the German mystics enrolled Count Kollowrat in the Illuminati as a later affiliate. With no claims to additional masonic revelations, Ditfurth's goal was to replace all higher degrees with a single fourth degree. He left the convent early after finding no support for his proposal and reported to the Areopagus that he had no hopes for the gathering.   In an attempt to satisfy everybody, the Convent of Wilhelmsbad didn't achieve shit. They renounced the Templar origins of their ritual while retaining the Templar titles, trappings, and administrative structure. Charles of Hesse and Ferdinand of Brunswick remained at the head of the order, but the lodges were almost independent in practice. The Germans adopted the name of the French order of Willermoz, Les Chevaliers Bienfaisants de la Cité Sainte (Good Knights of the Holy City). Some Martinist mysticism was imported into the first three degrees, now the only essential degrees of Freemasonry. Crucially, individual lodges of the order were now allowed to mingle with clubs of other systems. The new "Scottish Grade" introduced with the Lyon ritual of Willermoz was not mandatory. Each province and prefecture was free to decide what, if anything, happened after the three craft degrees. Finally, the convent regulated etiquette, titles, and a new numbering for the provinces to show that something had been achieved.   The Strict Observance was ended by the Convent of Wilhelmsbad. Along with the higher degrees that bound its most significant and influential members, it rejected its founding tale. It eliminated the rigorous regulations that had maintained the order's cohesion and alienated many Germans who did not trust Martinism. Martinism repulsed Bode, who immediately began negotiating with Knigge before joining the Illuminati in January 1783. The following month, Charles of Hesse joined.   Knigge's first efforts at an alliance with the intact German Grand Lodges failed, but Weishaupt persisted. He proposed a new federation where all German lodges would practice an agreed, unified system in the essential three degrees of Freemasonry and be left to their own devices as to which, if any, system of higher degrees they wished to pursue. This would be a federation of Grand Lodges, and members would be free to visit any of the "blue" lodges in any jurisdiction. All lodge masters would be elected, and no fees would be paid to any central authority. Groups of lodges would be subject to a "Scottish Directorate" composed of members delegated by lodges to audit finances, settle disputes and authorize new lodges. These, in turn, would elect Provincial Directorates, who would elect inspectors, who would elect the national director. This system would correct the current imbalance in German Freemasonry, where masonic ideals of equality were preserved only in the lower three "symbolic" degrees. The various methods of higher degrees were dominated by the elite who could afford research in alchemy and mysticism. To Weishaupt and Knigge, the proposed federation was also a vehicle to propagate Illuminism throughout German Freemasonry. Their intention was to use their new union, with its emphasis on the fundamental degrees, to remove all allegiance to Strict Observance, allowing the "eclectic" system of the Illuminati to take its place.   The newsletter announcing the new federation outlined the faults of German Freemasonry; unsuitable men with money were often admitted based on their wealth, and the corruption of civil society had infected the lodges. Having advocated the deregulation of the higher grades of the German lodges, the Illuminati now announced their own from their "unknown Superiors." Lodge Theodore, newly independent from Royal York, set itself up as a provincial Grand Lodge. In a letter to all the Royal York lodges, Knigge now accused the Grand Lodge of corruption. Their Freemasonry had allegedly been corrupted by the Jesuits. Strict Observance was now attacked as a creation of the Stuarts, devoid of all moral virtue. The Zinnendorf rite of the Grand Landlodge of the Freemasons of Germany was suspect because its author was in league with the Swedes. This direct attack had the opposite effect to that intended by Weishaupt. It offended many of its readers. The Grand Lodge of the Grand Orient of Warsaw, which controlled Freemasonry in Poland and Lithuania, was happy to participate in the federation only as far as the first three degrees. Their insistence on independence had kept them from the Strict Observance and would now keep them from the Illuminati, whose plan to annex Freemasonry rested on their own higher degrees. By the end of January 1783, the Illuminati's masonic party had seven lodges.   It wasn't just the clumsy appeal of the Illuminati that left the federation short of members. Lodge Theodore was recently formed and did not command respect like the older lodges. Most of all, the Freemasons most likely to be attracted to the federation, saw the Illuminati as an ally against the mystics and Martinists. Moreover, they valued their freedom too highly to be caught in another restrictive organization. Even Ditfurth, the supposed representative of the Illuminati at Wilhelmsbad, had pursued his own agenda at the convent.   The non-mystical Frankfurt lodges created an "Eclectic Alliance," was almost indistinguishable in structure from the Illuminati's federation. Far from seeing this as a threat, the Illuminati lodges joined the new alliance after some discussion. Three Illuminati now sat on the committee that wrote the new masonic statutes. Aside from strengthening relations between their three lodges, the Illuminati seem to have gained no advantage from this maneuver. Ditfurth, having founded a masonic organization that worked towards his ambitions for Freemasonry, took little interest in the Illuminati after he adhered to the Eclectic Alliance. In reality, the Eclectic Alliance's creation undermined the Illuminati's plans to spread their own ideologies through Freemasonry.   The final decline of the Illuminati was brought about by the indiscretions of their own Minervals in Bavaria, and especially in Munich. Despite efforts by their superiors to curb loose talk, politically dangerous boasts of power and criticism of monarchy caused the "secret" order's existence to become common knowledge, along with the names of many important members. The presence of the Illuminati in positions of power now led to some public unease. There were Illuminati in many civic and state governing bodies. Despite their small number, there were claims that success in a legal dispute depended on the person's standing with the order. In addition, the Illuminati were blamed for several anti-religious publications appearing in Bavaria. Much of this criticism sprang from vindictiveness and jealousy, but it is clear that many Illuminati court officials gave preferential treatment to their brethren. In Bavaria, the energy of their two members of the Ecclesiastical Council had one of them elected treasurer. Their opposition to Jesuits resulted in the banned order losing key academic and Church positions. In Ingolstadt, the Jesuit heads of departments were replaced by Illuminati.   Alarmed, Charles Theodore and his government banned all secret societies, including the Illuminati. A government mandate dated March 2, 1785, "seems to have been a deathblow to the Illuminati in Bavaria." Weishaupt had fled. Documents and internal correspondence, seized in 1786 and 1787, were then published by the government in 1787. In addition, von Zwack's home was searched, and much of the group's literature was disclosed.   So, that was exhausting and supposedly all about the "real Illuminati," right? But, according to the www.illuminatiofficial.org website, this may not be the case.   "Since the formation of the Illuminati, many citizens have inaccurately portrayed our organization in a negative manner. These misconceptions have been perpetuated for centuries through videos, photos, articles, books, and unofficial online resources claiming to understand our mission and members. In creating this online destination, we strive to alleviate the concerns voiced by the people of this planet and provide insight into our goals and operations."   "Their Purpose"   "Ensuring the survival of over 7 billion humans is a daunting task. Our duty to this planet has spanned across centuries and survived even the most established government entities. To continue functioning throughout societal and generational changes, The Illuminati's operations often require anonymity for both our members and our work. In 2013, the Illuminati authorized the formation of the Department Of Citizen Outreach. Through various initiatives and campaigns, including this website, the modern Illuminati has committed itself to furthering our relationship with our citizens.You may not find us praised in any history book or document. However, the Illuminati has helped with every major movement on this planet since the first human government was established. Our work is often marked by distinct symbols as a means of tracing our influence through history for those wishing to investigate. With gentle guidance from our organization, the human species is allowed to function in their natural order while playing the part of gears in a machine for the betterment of the world."   Also, according to their website, they discuss the symbols of their cult… I mean organization.    "THE PYRAMID   In popular culture, a great amount of focus is placed on the Illuminati's belief that money is not evil. Some view our encouragement of work and wealth as a promotion of selfishness – overlooking the true meaning of the Pyramid and its underlying messages that motivate our diligence. In the tenets of the Illuminati, wealth is not simply a means of personal enrichment. Instead, money is a tool that can be used to fulfill each person's duty to the advancement of the human species. The selfish pursuit of money is a hollow goal, but the pursuit of the goodness that money can create is one of humanity's greatest responsibilities. The more money a person owns, the more ability they have to positively change the lives of those who are in need. If you are poor and of good heart, and your friend's house is burned in a fire, you will remain a good person but have no ability to help them with what they need the most. If the same house burns but you are rich, you can give your friend a place to stay and a new home because you have more than enough for yourself and anyone around you who needs it. Money has no feeling, no voice, and no soul – its choice between good or evil is decided by those who use it. Though it is not wrong to be poor, the celebration of poverty is rooted in selfishness. A person who is poor can save a life, but a person who is rich can build a hospital and save ten thousand. The poor can do little to help the poor, but the rich can help as many as they are able. If a person is rich, they have the opportunity to do good, but if they are poor they are unable to help anyone but themselves. Those with little can still do much. Money is merely paper and numbers that are traded for a person's time and effort. Therefore if a person does not have money, they can instead use their time and efforts to further the advancement of humanity – positive actions that are of equal value to any charitable donations. The greater a person's fortune, the greater their responsibility to their fellow humans. Like the Pyramid, those with the greatest power can do the greatest good for the largest number of those below them."   "THE EYE We Are Always Watching Out For You   The human species is guarded and preserved by a coalition of its most elite members called the Illuminati. Since our origination, Illuminati members have guided Earth's most dominant creature through periods of interpersonal chaos, environmental outbreaks, and other mass attacks that threaten humanity with extinction. The human has made itself this planet's most dominant and advanced species. Even the weakest human is born master of the strongest of all other species on Earth. Through natural selection, every human generation is made of a genetic structure that is stronger and more advanced than the previous. Living humans evolve at a rapid pace, and can continue to advance in ability through study, practice, and a commitment to self-improvement. As a human absorbs knowledge and wisdom, some will experience their Awakening: a pivotal moment when their minds evolve to a level of understanding that is higher than the majority. They begin to see themselves as strings in a universal tapestry with a duty to uplift their fellow humans, and quickly understand the inner workings of wealth, power, and authority. Those who have experienced their Awakening often describe it as the moment their Eye was opened. The Illuminati is made of individuals who have reached this Awakening. Leaders, innovators, and other influential members of this planet have joined together to shape the face of human society and guide its masses into finding their own individual place in the Universal Design. To create a better world, unique beings with unique objectives and beliefs must forgo their differences and work together for the good of all. Progress requires cooperation. Humans must suppress their natural defensive selfishness and aid others who appear, believe, or act in ways that are different from themselves. Unfortunately, many humans are only concerned with their own wellbeing and thus cannot understand the positive intentions of a higher authority. Many would rather this planet remain in turmoil instead of following the directions that will lead them to happiness. Historically, the greatest enemies of human progression have been humans themselves. For this reason, those who have experienced their Awakening understand the need for it to remain secret – for their own safety and the ultimate good of a humanity that often does not know what is best for it. It is the Illuminati's responsibility to ensure the ongoing survival and advancement of the human species, so that all people, in all places, can live in Abundance."   "THE LIGHT Follow The Light   Every human is guided by an inner compass that points toward the Light, revealing truth and direction when facing decisions. Given many names by spiritual leaders and unexplainable by science, the Light is an invisible guide that many believe has led them to joy, success, and lives of Abundance. It communicates directly to every human, urging them to strive for goodness and forgo their natural selfishness. All human religions and spiritual beliefs ultimately seek the Light in ways differing only in form and function. Some religions refer to the Light with a name, such as God or Elohim. The core of every religion is founded on the human species' innate desire to understand this invisible force. Even without a formal religious affiliation, every human is naturally drawn to the Light. Individual members of the Illuminati adhere to every variety of personal spiritual beliefs –– but by recognizing that all of our paths lead to the same destination, we find that the Light brings all people into an ultimate unity. There is no proof that a God exists but there is also no proof that a God does not. The Illuminati's spiritual foundation is based upon this universal conundrum of faith and doubt. Our organization does not question whether a god does or does not exist but instead focuses on the betterment of the humans living on this planet. Though the human mind in its physical form is not capable of fully understanding the Light, conscious thought and intention reveal many of its inner workings and effects. By studying the wisdom of this planet's greatest minds, humans can discover ways to increase the Light's powerful influence in their lives. The Light, under many names, has been attributed to supernatural changes in the physical realm, including increases in wealth, power, prestige, health, and happiness. Miracles, attraction, and the belief in unseen powers that can alter the physical world have some basis in truth. Though scientific advancements have explored both this planet's environment and the inner workings of the human mind, there are still countless mysteries that remain unsolved. Thus many occurrences that are attributed to the supernatural are merely the result of the human mind processing a concept it cannot explain naturally. Some humans attempt to form a deeper connection with the Light through rituals that have been passed down for centuries. Though these ceremonies often involve complicated steps and requirements, their true effect is not found in their directions or decorations but rather in the state of mind that results within its participants. Many of the Illuminati's traditions include rituals and oaths designed to explain higher concepts, and use the power of focused repetition to strengthen the ability of the human consciousness. The Illuminati prohibits rituals that include human or animal sacrifice. Learn More. A desire to understand the Light is an integral part of the path to illumination. By rising through the levels of illumination, Illuminati members discover more about their world and the true power that hides within their minds. Whatever you seek, whatever you dream, whatever you hope: all is possible if you follow the Light."   "THE ETERNAL CIRCLE Every human is one part of a larger, eternal design – individual gears in a clock that has no end.   Your actions have the power to alter the future of the entire world. Though you may not fully understand your purpose, your part is just as important as the greatest kings and queens of this planet. Some feel as though their temporary lack of wealth or influence makes them powerless to create change. But does a clockmaker favor the larger gears over the smaller? Does the hour hand become jealous of the minutes because it turns slower? Every part has a role in the functioning of a timepiece. Every part supports those around it in ways it may never see. Your absence would undo the order of our universe, even if you do not realize your importance. The world began before you and will continue after you, but it will be different because of the decisions you made. Every generation inherits the world left by the one before it, just as a king inherits the crown of his father. Your pursuit of wisdom and goodness could lay the foundation for your great-great-grandchild's rise into power – the same descendant who might steer a country from war and save lives by the millions. Did the ancestors of Aristotle or Alexander The Great know who their actions would create? Though you will never understand the full influence of your actions, the results of your dedication to humanity are still yours to claim. As you climb the great Pyramid seeking the Light at its top, you will look down and see that you are an integral part of our universe's most intricate mechanism. Though our human members may perish and fade into the annals of time, the Illuminati will continue to stand into eternity."   Why a secret society? "Freedom is an idol of the human species. The Illuminati operates in defense of you and all humans, in all places, and of all generations. Our duty to this planet has spanned across centuries and survived even the most established government entities. But the cultivation of trillions of human lives is a daunting responsibility, and while the human would not exist today without our protection, many uninformed masses mistake our guidance for a restriction of liberty. Every human desires to be free of oppression, free of hardship, free of poverty, free of hunger, free of rules and laws — but as you understand, the nature of your species leaves true freedom impossible. Are you free to murder? Are you free to steal? Are others free to murder and steal from you? Or are there certain freedoms that must be given up for the benefit of all? For happiness, the human desires freedom; for prosperity, the human requires leadership. This is the reason behind our anonymity. To continue functioning throughout societal changes and generational differences, the Illuminati must remain behind the curtain — an outsider, belonging to none and loyal to all. You may never understand how your life can be free while guided by our organization. You may never fully comprehend our purpose and why you are safest and happiest with us. Simply open your mind and release your apprehensions, and you will find the relief of truth. We will never take your hand and pull you down the path like a slave to our whims. You must find and travel the road on your own. But your quality of life is our greatest concern, and the reason our symbols are placed in your society as a map for you to follow if you desire."   What about the modern-day "Illuminati" or "New World Order?"   According to an article from theweek.co.uk, In a 2017 interview with the BBC, David Bramwell, "a man who has dedicated himself to documenting the origins of the myth," said the modern-day Illuminati legend was influenced not by Weishaupt but rather by LSD, the 1960s counter-culture, and specifically a text called Principia Discordia. The book praised an alternative belief system – Discordianism – which preached a form of anarchism and gave birth to the Discordian movement, which ultimately wished to cause civil disobedience through practical jokes and hoaxes. One of the leading proponents of this new ideology was a writer called Robert Anton Wilson, who wanted to bring chaos back into society by "disseminating misinformation through all portals – through counter-culture, through the mainstream media," claims Bramwell. He did this by sending fake letters to the men's magazine Playboy, where he worked, attributing cover-ups and conspiracy theories, such as the JFK assassination, to a secret elite organization called the Illuminati. Wilson turned these theories into a book, The Illuminatus Trilogy, which became a surprise cult success and was even made into a stage play in Liverpool, launching the careers of British actors Bill Nighy and Jim Broadbent. What is the New World Order? The idea of a powerful modern Illuminati conspiring to rule the world remained a niche belief a handful of enthusiasts upheld until the 1990s.   The internet changed all that, giving conspiracy theorists a global platform to perpetuate their beliefs and present their evidence to a massive audience. Theories about how the New World Order operates run from relatively straightforward ideas to the outright bizarre. Conspiracy theorists obsessively analyze public events for "evidence" of Illuminati influence. The symbols most associated with the Illuminati include triangles, pentagrams, goats, the all-seeing eye – such as the one that appears on U.S. banknotes - and the number 666. This has led to claims some of the American Founding Fathers were members, with Thomas Jefferson accused in the aftermath of the War of Independence. Another commonly cited Illuminati symbol, which appears on U.S. currency, is the so-called Eye of Providence, which is said to represent the omniscience of God watching over humanity. According to a 2013 survey by Public Policy Polling, 28% of U.S. voters believe that a secretive power elite with a globalist agenda is conspiring to eventually rule the world through an authoritarian global government. In addition, it found that 34% of Republicans and 35% of independents believe in the New World Order threat compared to just 15% of Democrats. Who is supposedly a member? As well as being king and queen of the charts, Beyonce and Jay-Z are frequently depicted as lords of the New World Order. Beyonce's immense fame and popularity have long made her a favorite target for conspiracy theorists. Illuminati "experts" seized upon her half-time performance at the 2013 Super Bowl as an example of her "devil-worshipping" choreography, even accusing her on-stage alter ego Sasha Fierce of being a "demonic entity." However, some musicians enjoy deliberately playing with symbols connected to secret societies. For instance, Rihanna frequently incorporates Illuminati images into her music videos and even joked about the theories in the video for S&M, which featured a fake newspaper with a headline declaring her "Princess of the Illuminati." Jay Z has also been accused of hiding secret symbols such as goat imagery and devil horns in his music videos. But, most damningly, the logo for his music label, Roc-A-Fella Records, is a pyramid – one of the most well-known Illuminati logos. Rob Brotherton, a professor at Barnard College and author of Suspicious Minds: Why We Believe in Conspiracy Theories, explains that real-life government conspiracies targeting black people in America, such as FBI infiltration of the Civil Rights movement in the 1950s and 60s, planted the seeds for Illuminati theory's popularity among hip-hop artists and fans.   Speaking to Complex, he said: "Hip-hop served as this [soapbox] for people to talk about issues that were relevant to them, things like discrimination, poverty, the criminal justice system, which are often seemingly slanted against African-Americans". "It's a short leap to go from noticing some kind of injustice to thinking about whether there's something behind it. Hip-hop was just a good candidate to revive this myth," he says. What do celebrities have to say about the theories? Katy Perry told Rolling Stone in 2014 that the theory was the preserve of "weird people on the internet" but admitted she was flattered to be named among the supposed members: "I guess you've kind of made it when they think you're in the Illuminati!" However, she added she was tolerant of people who wanted to believe in the theory because: "I believe in aliens." On the other hand, Madonna might just be a believer – all the more interesting given that she has frequently been accused of being a member herself. Speaking to Rolling Stone, she hinted that she had secret knowledge of the group. The claim is not so shocking given that she released a single titled 'Illuminati.' She said: "People often accuse me of being a member of the Illuminati, but the thing is, I know who the real Illuminati are." In 2016, Beyonce thrilled her fans by unexpectedly releasing a new single, Formation, in February ­– but conspiracy theorists were excited for another reason. The very first line of the track acknowledged the rumors: "Y'all haters corny with that Illuminati mess." When Prince died suddenly of an accidental overdose in April of the same year, a small but vocal corner of the internet accused the Illuminati of killing the singer-songwriter, who was famous for fiercely protecting his copyrights and artistic freedom from industry interference. "The Illuminati talk won't stop coming and what doesn't help is that Prince himself seems to have been genuinely convinced that the organisation existed," reports one gossip website. In 2009, the singer appeared on T.V. to warn of influential mystery figures controlling the world through "chemtrails" – chemicals pumped into the air via jet planes to manipulate human behavior.   Some other conspiracies are . The Illuminati killed Paul Walker. After starring in 7 films in the Fast and Furious franchise, Paul Walker fans were shocked by his ironic death in 2013. He was the passenger in a Porsche that careened out of control and crashed into a pole — or so the media said. But if you ask conspiracy theorists, the Illuminati is actually to blame. According to the YouTuber known as Shane, the Illuminati murdered Walker after he threatened to expose the group. The story goes that Walker was involved in charity work when he came across a bunch of wrongdoings like embezzlement behind the scenes that he wanted to go public with. But, of course, the Illuminati couldn't let that happen and took him out via drone strike.   The Illuminati killed JFK. History buffs know JFK died after being shot twice by Lee Harvey Oswald, but many people aren't convinced. According to TIME, 70% of Americans believe the assassination is part of something way bigger… So did the Illuminati have something to do with it? According to The Conspiracy Zone, the answer is ABSO FUCKIN LUTELY. Their evidence is fascinating: JFK was shot in a triangle. ‘John Kennedy' has 11 letters in it. The assassination date (11/22/63) includes multiples of 11. His limo was traveling 11 miles an hour… the list goes on.  Why would the Illuminati want JFK dead? Apparently, JFK planned on bringing U.S. troops home from Vietnam and wanted to end the Federal Reserve to end the national debt, which would take away the Illuminati's control over the country. He was killed just days after replacing Federal Reserve Notes. Conspiracy theorists have pointed to audio from the day of his assassination that proves there was more than one shooter, as well as a bullet trajectory that doesn't match that of Oswald's position.   Kesha's song ‘Die Young' is an Illuminati anthem.   Theorists say Kesha's music also addresses the secret society, whose symbols abound in her early music videos. Take, for example, the video for ‘Die Young:  The Illuminati symbolism is so blatant that even Billboard called it out, referencing the numerous triangles, an upside-down cross, and all-seeing one eye. The video even begins with a flashing skull and crossbones. According to conspiracy theorist The Vigilant Citizen, “Illuminati symbols are becoming more prevalent because that was the plan all along: To gradually make them part of popular culture.” Oh boy.   Lady Gaga is an “Illuminati puppet.” Lady Gaga is another pop star rumored to be part of the Illuminati. Again, theorists call out the overt symbolism in her videos and persona, calling it a “tribute to mind control.” They say her stage name ‘Gaga' refers to being totally absent-minded, which can be achieved through mind control. Furthermore, in her early days, many of her videos were rife with triangles and all-seeing eye symbolism. However, some say her newest project proves that she's broken free from the Illuminati. After a little hiatus, she boasts a more subdued, realistic image and more meaningful, artistic music. So, then, why didn't they just kill her? In an appearance at Harvard, Gaga talked about how unhappy she was in the entertainment industry. She calls herself a ‘Stefanie/Gaga hybrid,' which Illuminati theorists saw as proof that she became an alternate, demonic personality under Illuminati control. She also says she disliked “being used to make people money,” another potential dig as being an “Illuminati puppet.”   Donald Trump is an Illuminati mind controller.   If all of these stars are under Illuminati mind control, who's doing the controlling? Aside from alleged Illuminati king Jay-Z, Donald Trump's hand signals reveal his status as a top Illuminati member. While using your hands when you talk is normal, conspiracy theorists say Trump's rather odd gestures are secret messages. The classic “a-ok” symbol apparently means the devil's number ‘666.' However, he also frequently makes the triangle symbol with his hands when he's at ease — which could be the same Illuminati gesture Jay-Z always makes or a reference to the vagina.    The Kanye West/Kim Kardashian/Taylor Swift feud was fabricated by the Illuminati. Apparently, when West humiliated Swift on stage at the 2009 VMAs, he welcomed her to the Illuminati.   As we know, they've managed to keep the feud in the media for years. While most people have begun to agree that anything these people do is just for publicity, according to The Vigilant Citizen, it's actually an Illuminati “psychological operation” aimed at kids “to precondition them to start believing in fabricated events.”   OK, lastly, let's talk about the lizard Illuminati. David Icke, the nut job conspiracy theorist, is the leading proponent of this theory.  This should explain it from an article on Time.com,    They are among us. Blood-drinking, flesh-eating, shape-shifting extraterrestrial reptilian humanoids with only one objective in their cold-blooded little heads: to enslave the human race. They are our leaders, corporate executives, beloved Oscar-winning actors, and Grammy-winning singers. They're responsible for the Holocaust, the Oklahoma City bombings, and the 9/11 attacks ... at least according to former BBC sports reporter David Icke, who became the poster human for the theory in 1998 after publishing his first book, The Biggest Secret, which contained interviews with two Brits who claimed members of the royal family are nothing more than reptiles with crowns. (Picture Dracula meets Swamp Thing).  The conspiracy theorist and New Age philosopher, who wore only turquoise for a time and insisted on being called Son of God-Head, says these "Annunaki" (the reptiles) have controlled humankind since ancient times; they count among their number Queen Elizabeth, George W. Bush, Henry Kissinger, Bill and Hillary Clinton and Bob Hope. Encroaching other conspiracy theorists' territory, Icke even claims that the lizards are behind secret societies like the Freemasons and the Illuminati. Since earning the dubious title of "paranoid of the decade" in the late 1990s, Icke has written several books on the topic, including his latest work, The David Icke Guide to the Global Conspiracy, while operating his own website — complete with merchandise and advertisements. The Top Ten Illuminati Movies https://www.imdb.com/search/keyword/?keywords=illuminati&sort=moviemeter,asc&mode=detail&page=1

David Bramwell performs The Cult of Water at Brighton Festival 2018, Once Upon a Time by Danny Noble, Cover of Black Crown Quarterly featuring a fictionalised version of Will Potter (drawn by Philip Bond) Music, Comics, and Performance: In a pair of interviews recorded at Graphic Brighton Alex Fitch talks to a trio of performers […]

Welcome to Episode 30 of the F23 Podcast Blame it on Blake Special. What's this all about you might well wonder, well I'll tell you. This podcast was recorded at the Northern Launch of the latest book by one of the greatest writers of our times, John Higgs. The event ran across and afternoon and evening with range of turns and performances that are too many to mention here and as the day unfolded so did my podcast guest net and I captured some of those people and recorded a conversation with them which I'm very excited now to be able to share with you. It's a 3 course podcast with David Bramwell as he starter, John for the main course and a sticky toffee Myra with Ben custard for desert. A veritable delight of some of the most wonderful  beings to grace the show and you should pin-back your ears and eat your fill of words.Find John HiggsWebpage: https://johnhiggs.com/Twitter: @johnhiggsFind David BramwellWebpage: https://www.drbramwell.com/Twitter: @drbramwellFind Ben GrahamWebpage: https://bleedingcheek.wordpress.com/Twitter: @bengrahamwriterFind Myra StewartWebpage: https://myrastuart.wordpress.com/portfolio/Find meTwitter: @Jimthediamond Music by Tom Baker

An interview by Justin Hopper with writer, academic and psychogeographer Sonia Overall.   Sonia Overall is a writer, academic and avid psychogeographer based in southeast England. She is the founder of Women Who Walk, a network for creatives and academics, as well as the creator of many walking-based projects including Distance Drift, a lockdown-inspired weekly psychogeographic prompt. Her recent book Heavy Time follows a 'pilgrimage' walk through the east of England, exploring the idea of 'thin places' and walking with intent. She speaks to us about psychogeography, hauntings, the dissolving lines between her field and 'new nature writing', women in psychogeography and more.   Links: Sonia has a website here. Her latest book Heavy Time is available from Penned in the Margins, and her Twitter account is the source for Distance Drift on many Sundays. Women Who Walk also has a dedicated site.   The music in this episode is by Oddfellow's Casino, the recording project of writer and producer Dr. David Bramwell, and includes work from both the instrumental and with-words versions of their album, The Cult of Water. It's available from the Oddfellow's Casino Bandcamp page. Used by permission of the artists, with great thanks.   Host Justin Hopper is on twitter, and has a Link Tree.   Title sounds by The Belbury Poly courtesy Ghost Box Records   Icons by Stefan Musgrove / Firebrand Creative

Millennial Pagan Podcast Episode 55! This episode Jera and Autumn talk with our first international guest David Bramwell, author of The Cult of Water and musician in Odd Fellows Casino!   To follow David: https://www.drbramwell.com/ ; https://www.drbramwell.com/newsletter To find Odd Fellows Casino: https://oddfellowscasino.bandcamp.com/album/the-cult-of-water   To follow Millennial Pagan Podcast https://www.facebook.com/MillennialPaganPodCast/, https://twitter.com/MillennialPagan, and Instagram @paganpod. Email us at Millennialpaganpod@gmail.com.   To find Jera: https://twitter.com/JeraStone.   To find Autumn: https://twitter.com/AutumnIronWolf, https://www.facebook.com/autumn.wolfe.9216, and https://ironwolfcircle.wordpress.com/.   #millennialpaganpodcast #millennialpaganpod #millennialpagan #mpp #paganpod #drbramwell #oddfellowscasino #cultofwater

Hello and thank you once again for joining us down at the crossroads for some music, magick, and Paganism. Where witches gather for the sabbath, offerings are made, pacts are signed for musical fame and we cross paths with today’s most influential Pagans, occultists, and deep thinkers. I am your bewitching, bald headed, host Chris Orapello and tonight Tara and I meet with author and musician David Bramwell about his recent book “The Cult of Water” and upcoming album of the same name released by his band Oddfellow’s Casino. During the discussion with learn about his background as an author, musician, and Druid; how came to find Druidry as a path; his prior esoteric experiences and involvements; and how his growing up in Doncaster -under the influence of two ancient beings- shaped his world. This was a pleasant and very unexpected conversation that gets complimented by his music during the show. David was a great guest, and we are happy to have the opportunity to share his work with you all tonight. (Click here for the complete show notes)

David Bramwell with actors whose lives were transformed by director Ken Campbell.

‘A small Odditorium’ feat. Dr David Bramwell. In this episode Paul Waters and Stevyn Colgan meet author, musician, truth-seeker, Utopian and all round oddfellow Dr David Bramwell. Among the topics under discussion are bum readers, the world’s largest underground temple, a haunted moustache, Jacob Rees-Mogg and the Wicker Man. And we’ll be asking ... is Milton Keynes the new Stonehenge? We'd Like A Word is a podcast and radio show from Paul Waters and  Stevyn Colgan. We talk with writers, readers, celebrities, talkers,  poets about books, songs, lyrics, speeches,  scripts, fiction and  non-fiction. We go out once a fortnight on Wednesday evening on radio and on Thursday morning on podcast. Our website is www.wedlikeaword.com -  which is where you'll find information about Paul and Steve and our  guests - and details of the radio stations that carry We'd Like A Word.  We're also on Twitter @wedlikeaword and Facebook @wedlikeaword and our email is wedlikeaword@gmail.com - and yes,  we are slightly embarrassed by the missing apostrophes. We like to hear  from you - your thoughts,  ideas, guest or book suggestions. Perhaps you'd like to come on We'd Like A Word in person, to chat, review, meet writers or read out passages from books. 

An all-star panel discussion recorded at the British Library with Toby Jones, Nina Conti, Prunella Gee and Terry Johnson, and hosted by David Bramwell

Actors Jim Broadbent, Toby Jones and Sylvester McCoy join David Bramwell to celebrate Ken

Aided by a witch, Jarvis Cocker, and magician-author Alan Moore, David Bramwell battles his own thalassophobia (the fear of ‘what lurks beneath’) to unearth little-known stories and myths that surround our rivers. The River Don is the focal point for this psycho-geographical journey that blends music, animation and film with captivating monologue.  David Bramwell joins Melita and Rebecca in studio.  Event Details: https://brightonfestival.org/event/13601/the_cult_of_water/ To find out more about Brighton Festival see : http://brightonfestival.org To find out more about RadioReverb - the Broadcast Media Partner of Brighton Festival 2018 see : http://radioreverb.com #Brighton #Arts #Culture

David Bramwell spends the day with angler, author and squeaky-gate appreciator Chris Yates, to talk about our very natural connection with water.

'The old pagan gods, when ousted by Christianity, took refuge in the rivers, where they still dwell' - Old English saying David Bramwell has a fascination and fear of water. He grew up by a water tower, close to the heart of Doncaster: a place of mystery and wonder to him, the highest building in the area, almost a kind of temple. 'We have wandered too far from some vital totem, something central to us that we must find our way back to, following a hair of meaning' - Alan Moore With deep thought from cult author Alan Moore, the witches of Sheffield, ex-steel workers and the conservationists of Yorkshire, musician David Bramwell plunges into the river Don to celebrate its return to health and the revival of the worship of its goddess, Danu - the river's original name from pre-Roman times. It's also an underwater musical experience for the listener... blending the sounds of the rivers, canals and streams of the Don, recorded with hydrophones, into new music, new sounds, with Bramwell's compositions. Bramwell travels up the Don to its source, backwards in time, uncovering the history of its days as an industrial heartland, now a regenerated river - banked by forests of figs and swum through by deer. He meets John Heaps who, as a teenager in the 1970s at the steel works, was instructed to throw cyanide in the river by the bucket-load; takes a boat with Professor Ian Rotherham, of Sheffield Hallam University, who guides him through the decaying, yet reviving industrial landscape of the city; hunts fresh fish with river expert Chris Firth of the Don Catchment River Trust; stares up at Vulcan on the Town Hall roof, the harsh overlord of industry, with folklorist and lecturer David Clarke; and hears from witches Anwen and Lynne Harling (also an archaeologist, handily), trying to bring back recognition for the goddess of the river. But this is also a mystical journey - searching out the 'spirit of this dark and lonely water', in an attempt to come to peace with Bramwell's own fear, perhaps to atone for the wrongs committed to Danu by Vulcan, in the name of progress and industrialisation. Going under, with Between the Ears. Producer: Sara Jane Hall Music and words performed, written and presented by David Bramwell. Clips from Lonely Water (1973) from The COI Collection, courtesy BFI National Archive. The film can be view on the BFI player, see link below.

Rosalind Ormiston discusses an important 19th-century artistic movement, while David Bramwell introduces some of history’s most talented eccentrics. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Michael Ball joins Aasmah Mir and the Rev. Richard Coles to discuss his musical collaboration with the Tenor Alfie Boe; his family's association with the Mini car, and how he deals with his superstitions. The inventor and designer, Max McMurdo, shares his passion for upcycling and explains how he made 25 items from an old Beetle, and converted a shipping container into his home. Adele Jackson describes her five months working at the post office in Port Lockroy, Antarctica, sending out 70,000 postcards, and monitoring 2,000 Gentoo penguins. David Bramwell provides quirky stories celebrating curiosity and adventure. JP Devlin visits the memorial garden in Aberfan, to hear a moving account from David Davies, a survivor of the Aberfan disaster. And Ben Fogle shares his Inheritance Tracks: Flash Bang Wallop sung by Tommy Steele, and It's Tricky, Run DMC. Michael Ball and Alfie Boe 'Together' - with a new album and nationwide tour. Upcycling by Max McMurdo. The Odditorium by David Bramwell and Jo Keeling is published by Brewer's. Cantata Memoria, For the Children by Karl Jackson is on the Decca label. Land Rover: The Story of the Car that Conquered the World, By Ben Fogle. Producer: Louise Corley Editor: Karen Dalziel.

After their lives were ravaged by floods in the winter of 2015, Hebden’s residents decided the only thing to do was postpone Christmas until June 25th. David Bramwell dons his best Santa outfit and joins them for an alternative Christmas, and to uncover an incredible story about the power of community spirit.

After their lives were ravaged by floods in the winter of 2015, Hebden’s residents decided the only thing to do was postpone Christmas until June 25th. David Bramwell dons his best Santa outfit and joins them for an alternative Christmas, and to uncover an incredible story about the power of community spirit.

Episode 065 of the Milk the Cow Podcast Live from Festival 23 with Ettrick Scott and Salena Godden which turned into an impromptu poetry slam which as Micky C said on the day "I just want this to go on forever". It was one of my personal highlights as well, Salena is one of the most well known wordsmiths in the country and Skotty is about to be and what i love about tha,t and we said this on the day, is that he doesn't edit his accent one little bit and we respect that immensely because we don't either. That is an absolutely conscious choice as its not real otherwise and we'd be ran out of Newcastle for going 'soft'. One of the reasons we invited Jazz Riot to Festival 23 is we rate them and Milk the Cow is about lifting people positively in all aspects of what we do and making whatever small contribution we have to exposing people we rate to a wider audience. This episode also includes the lead into Ettrick and Salena joining us live on Cow 23 FM where people in the audience asked us questions which we set about answering there is also a guest spot from Pro K1 Kickboxing fighter Connor Brown who enlightens us on martial arts and the stigma around fighting. In other episodes of the series of podcasts from Festival 23 we will be featuring guest such as Thee Hairy Kuntz, Ben Graham, Dr David Bramwell, Pete Woosh, The Buddhist Punk, Pope Flag Dag the Brave, Nick Margerrison,  and many more, as well as an selection of the finest people in all of known and unknown Discordia as we continue our shared mission to #findtheothers  Hail Eris! Tickets for the Cow Social/Milk the Cow Podcast Livewww.milkthecowpodcast.com/tickets  In the woods: Allan Scorer, Mickey C and Mike Cow. Twitter: @mikecow1 @mtcpodcast Instagram: mtcpodcast Producer: Danny H Live Sound Tech: Alex Richardson Sound and PA: Richie Elliott (Conical Bass) Rig gadgie and chief arse kicker: Connor Brown  Artwork: Koops  Sponsor: Sheath Underwearhttp://www.sheathunderwear.com/https://www.facebook.com/sheathunderwear  ENTER DISCOUNT CODE ‘cow’ when you checkout for 20% discount Sponsor: Bryte Screen and Digital http://www.bryte-digital.com/ Sponsorship/advertising/guest spot enquiries:mtcpodcast@mail.com  Please comment, rate and subscribe and download for FREE on iTunes to help the podcast reach more people, it makes a huge difference. One love. FTDCH.xhttps://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/milk-the-cow-podcast/id935323009?mt=2 )     

This is the first in a series of special podcasts from Milk the Cow's appearance at the Discordian shangri la that was Festival 23: Convergence of Disco in a secret woodland location in the North of England. The Cow Crew was joined in this episode by author and all round good egg John Higgs, author of The KLF: Chaos, Magic and the Band Who Burned A Million Pounds, The Brandy of the Damned and I Have America Surrounded. You can find out more about John here: http://jmrhiggs.blogspot.co.uk/  And Festival 23 here: http://festival23.org.uk/  In other episodes of the series of podcasts from Festival 23 we will be featuring guest such as Selena Godden. Thee Hairy Kuntz, Ben Graham, Dr David Bramwell, Pete Woosh, The Buddhist Punk, Pope Flag Dag the Brave, Nick Margerrison, Ettrick Scott and many more, as well as an selection of the finest people in all of known and unknown Discordia as we continue our shared mission to #findtheothers  Hail Eris! Tickets for the Cow Social/Milk the Cow Podcast Live www.milkthecowpodcast.com/tickets  In the woods: Allan Scorer, Mickey C and Mike Cow. Twitter: @mikecow1 @mtcpodcast Instagram: mtcpodcast Producer: Danny H Live Sound Tech: Alex Richardson Sound and PA: Richie Elliott (Conical Bass) Rig gadgie and chief arse kicker: Connor Brown  Artwork: Koops  Sponsor: Sheath Underwearhttp://www.sheathunderwear.com/https://www.facebook.com/sheathunderwear  ENTER DISCOUNT CODE ‘cow’ when you checkout for 20% discount Sponsor: Bryte Screen and Digital http://www.bryte-digital.com/ Sponsorship/advertising/guest spot enquiries:mtcpodcast@mail.com  Please comment, rate and subscribe and download for FREE on iTunes to help the podcast reach more people, it makes a huge difference. One love. FTDCH.xhttps://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/milk-the-cow-podcast/id935323009?mt=2 )     

In a melting magical funnel of musical love (and the odd bit of reverb), musician David Bramwell investigates the unlikely story of how, in 1969, an amateur dramatic production of "Alice Through the Looking Glass", starring a young Martha Kearney, became one of the most sought-after psychedelic records in the world. Sony Award-winning musician David Bramwell heads out over the Downs to Ditchling, Sussex, where Peter Howell and John Ferdinando first met as teenagers - creating the soundtrack for the Ditchling Players' performance of "Alice", using not only musical instruments, but also kitchen appliances and field recordings, utilising the possibilities of the latest domestic recording gadget - a reel-to-reel tape machine. Bramwell travels across the Downs to meet folk chanteuse Shirley Collins and her tales of ghostly morris bells; dives beneath the waters of the Ouse with musician Isobel Anderson; is serenaded on the chalky hillsides by God of Hellfire, Arthur Brown; encounters a modern day Puck of Pook's Hill - poet Sam Walker; and finds out about the Ditchling Players from Ian Clayton, member since 1948, and his son Matthew; before enticing Martha Kearney, the young Alice, to recall the production's eccentric Englishness. For the confused, he grapples with the term 'pastoral psych folk' with former Oz and NME journalist John May, and rare groove aficionado Richard Norris, who moved to Sussex under the influence of this strange piece of musical history. And what became of those two young musicians? One is now a local surveyor - though he still plays in a band - whilst the other went on to re-master the Dr Who theme tune as a member of the Radiophonic Workshop. With music from the original album, and composer David Bramwell, 'White Rabbits in Sussex' is a psychedelic journey of its own, blending experimental studio techniques with music and narrative as we traverse the waterways and bottoms, the beacons and duck ponds of Sussex, in search of the muse. Producer: Sara Jane Hall.

Oddfellows Casino session download/podcast The ODDFELLOWS CASINO session you are about to hear was originally aired live on the You Are Hear Show on Feb 14th 2004 Oddfellows Casino is the latest incarnation of Brighton-based singer-songwriter David Bramwell. Drawing on elements of psychedelia, acid-folk, electronica and Canterbury jazz-rock (early Soft Machine) Oddfellows Casino played an intimate and pastoral set of warmth, melancholy and black humour. www.pickled-egg.co.uk/Oddfellowscasino.htm http://www.youarehear.co.uk/Podcast of the week Time Out London!! " excellent alternative music show" "Critics Choice" The Independent

Oddfellows Casino session download/podcast The ODDFELLOWS CASINO session you are about to hear was originally aired live on the You Are Hear Show on Feb 14th 2004 Oddfellows Casino is the latest incarnation of Brighton-based singer-songwriter David Bramwell. Drawing on elements of psychedelia, acid-folk, electronica and Canterbury jazz-rock (early Soft Machine) Oddfellows Casino played an intimate and pastoral set of warmth, melancholy and black humour. www.pickled-egg.co.uk/Oddfellowscasino.htm http://www.youarehear.co.uk/Podcast of the week Time Out London!! " excellent alternative music show" "Critics Choice" The Independent

Musician David Bramwell delves into the world of Victorian psychic phenomena, modern witchcraft and mind altering states in the search for the story behind an inherited moustache. "In the early summer of 1991 I inherited a moustache from my Great Aunt Sylvia. She made it to the over-ripe age of 96 before sailing out of this world, fag in hand, leaving behind an unfinished jigsaw of the Eiffel Tower and a forlorn cat..." Obsessed with finding out the identity of the moustache's owner - an unlikely inheritance from his Great Aunt Sylvia - musician David Bramwell sets off on a quest to record séances and psychics, the effects of mind altering Amazonian plants, hippies and phantom orchestras - a soundtrack pulling the audience into the world of a Victorian deceased freak show host - Ambrose Oddfellow. The Haunted Moustache is a meditation on one man's obsession with freak shows, synchronicity, the occult and the existence or not of a spirit world. Drawing on the tales of Victorian spiritualist fakery from magician Paul Zenon, the gothic charms of The Last Tuesday Society, the magical early electronica of musician Sarah Angliss, not to mention a cup of tea shared with a Wiccan Priest in suburban Shoreham, Bramwell travels from the wilds of Woodhall Spa in Lincolnshire, where the moustache's owner is recalled on the stage of the magical 1920's Kinema in the Woods, before ending in a Brighton council flat, with Dali muse Drako Oho Zarhazar, sharing the messages concealed in his tattoo.