'Strip scene after whipping: All went berserk', Leicester Mercury, 28 April 1970

Leicester Mercury, Tuesday 28 April 1970, page 15. The Leicester band Black Widow, whose stage act drew on ritual and who "have been advised by 'King of the Witches' Alex Saunders" (so spelt), were treated for shock after their show at the Lyceum ballroom in London. Joyce Terry, a 19-year-old student, whipped singer Kip Trevor across the face; he tore off her clothing; she was found unconscious when the curtain came down. Mecca, who own the ballroom, had warned the band and were consulting solicitors. The band's management said: "The group lost control of the power... Alex had been advising the group on how to perfect the act and he was afraid something like this might happen." Asked what went wrong: "The magic circle was not complete." It follows the March 1970 Black Widow cuttings already in the archive. Cropped to the report, with the full page alongside. How to cite: 'Strip scene after whipping: All went berserk', Leicester Mercury, 28 April 1970, p. 15. Alexandrian Witchcraft Timeline & Archive.

Strip scene after whipping: ‘All went berserk’ MEMBERS of the Leicester group Black Widow were “shocked and badly shaken up” after an incident during their act in London when a girl was stripped naked and whipped the lead singer on stage. The group who are involved in the occult and have been advised by “King of the Witches” Alex Saunders were treated for shock afterwards. The girl, a 19-year-old student from Wimbledon Joyce Terry, was found unconscious on stage after the curtain came down at the Lyceum ballroom where the group were playing. The Mecca group who own the ballroom, warned the group not to include the whip and the naked girl in the act and are consulting solicitors over the matter. Managing director Mr. Eric Morley was not available for comment today. Teenagers watched as Joyce Terry, wearing a white negligee, viciously whipped lead singer Kip Trevor (21) of 7 Abington Road, Leicester. He turned round after the whip had cut his face and tore off the girl’s clothing. Shortly afterwards the group left the stage. But today, a spokesman for Worldwide Artists in London who manage the group, denied that the group had deliberately contravened their agreement with Mecca. “Everything went berserk. The group lost control of the power,” she said “Alex had been advising the group on how to perfect the act and he was afraid something like this might happen.” What precisely caused everything to get out of control? “The magic circle was not complete,” she added. Kip Trevor who was the subject of the whip attack was bleeding badly after the act. “Joyce really let loose with the whip and hit him too hard. And hitting him across the face was just stupid. Kip was taking revenge when he stripped her. This was not part of the act.” The plan had been to have the girl on stage clothed in a veil but not to involve her with whipping. This was how the performance had gone the previous night and, it is understood, would have been agreeable to Mecca. The group, who were said to be badly shaken up by the incident were resting today before going on to play in Sunderland later this week. There is some doubt now as to whether they will continue to use the occult quite so much during their act.