'"Black magic" casts a spell', Alan Jones, Lincolnshire Echo, 4 April 1970

Lincolnshire Echo, 4 April 1970, page 6, by Alan Jones. An interview with Clive Box, drummer of the Leicester band Black Widow, about their stage act built on the conjuration of Astaroth. Box says witches had phoned to warn them off, and that Alex Sanders (printed as "Alex Saunders"), who had appeared on the Simon Dee Show, "has now taken the group under his wing" and is making a talisman to protect them. Box passes on Alex's warning that a responsive audience could raise enough power for Astaroth to possess the girl in the act. One of several reports on Alex and Black Widow in spring 1970 now in the archive. How to cite: Alan Jones, '"Black magic" casts a spell', Lincolnshire Echo, 4 April 1970, p. 6. Alexandrian Witchcraft Timeline & Archive.

‘BLACK MAGIC’ CASTS A SPELL By ALAN JONES BLACK MAGIC and witchcraft has caught the fancy of the public over the past few months. And the pop world has been quick to catch on to this predilection for the occult. There has been a flurry of groups incorporating the name “black” and songs about demons and things that go bang in the night. One of the first groups, one that uses authentic witchcraft rituals on stage, is a six-piece outfit called Black Widow. The group’s spooky ceremonies may not be to everybody’s taste. Their act, based on the conjuration of the goddess Astaroth, has, in fact, been sending cold shivers through young audiences. Were Black Widow’s visual numbers like “Seduction,” “Attack of the Demon” and “Sacrifice” purely a publicity stunt? The group’s drummer Clive Box tried to answer this question in the unprepossessing surrounding of a London office without a hint of a black candle or a magic circle. “The black magic is obviously a selling point,” conceded Mr. Box. “We believe we are providing an entertainment and at the same time putting over the occult to the public. “We do the rituals properly which many members of the public haven’t seen before.” Since Black Widow started dabbling in the macabre several months ago they have attracted the attention of self-confessed witches as well as ordinary pop fans. Anonymous telephone callers have warned the group that their act was “dangerously near the doors of hell.” “Apparently we angered a lot of witches in this country who felt we were misrepresenting Astaroth as a demon,” reported Mr. Box. Europe's self-styled king of the heredity witches, Mr. Alex Saunders, who appeared on the Simon Dee Show on witchcraft, has now taken the group under his wing and promised to protect them from malignant forces. “Alex is now making a talisman to protect us from other witches who do not agree with what we are doing in public,” said the 23-year-old Mr. Box. Already there have been unexplained mishaps to Black Widow. “We have been having a lot of trouble with our van recently and our place in Leicester was broken into without any sign of a break-in from the outside,” said drummer Box. Was the group worried by these unseen threats? “It worries us when we feel that there are malicious forces at work again us. “But Alex Saunders has assured us that we have nothing to worry about now that he is working with us.” However, there are still doubts about whether the conjuration of the she-goddess Astaroth could possess Black Widow’s young girl who is featured in the group’s stage act. “Alex said that if an audience was right behind what we were doing we might generate enough energy to liberate a lot of power that might be troublesome,” said Box. “Although Astaroth might not materialise physically she may possess our girl and make her temporarily mad and hysterical enough to attack somebody in the audience.” It all sounded rather unsavoury for young pop audiences. But Clive Box did not think so. He said: “We have magic triangles marked out on the floor as a protection against things getting out of hand. And as long as we stay within our magic circle there shouldn’t be any trouble. “Young people today believe what they want to believe. We don't feel we are doing anything evil. We don't do anything particularly good or bad. We are just drawing the public’s attention to the occult.” What was the point of delving into “the realms of darkness?” Box asserted: “What was the point of the Move smashing up television sets and effigies on stage?” What indeed? But it didn't answer the question. Nevertheless, Box was adamant about Black Widow’s penchant for the occult. “Nothing evil goes on in our act and a lot of people get the wrong impression about what we are doing. I don't think people will be frightened by what we are doing on stage.” Mr. Box reckons that in future a touch of the old Black Magic will have them in a spell on the college circuit. “They’re getting cheesed off with the so-called progressive bands,” he explained. “We are planning to develop our act and make it more involved and more of a spectacle. And we are sure it can be done.” I'm sure it can.